WTD#7 - June Birds and Flowers

Dawg and I have been wandering around the valley trails and shorelines, in between the showers and downpours, watching the progression of the seasonal cycle.  It's June now and the birds have laid their eggs and in many cases reared their chicks already.  The early blooms have faded and other flowers are emerging. The vegetation is fully leafed out and lush with the rains, as we make the transition from spring into summer.

Black Twinberry in bloom

The Cedar Waxwings were feeding on Hawthorn blossoms along the Kootenay River.

Another Waxwing in the cattails

The wild Roses are budding...

and blooming

As are the Honeysuckles,

and the Tiger Lilies.

We stumbled across this Bald Eagle nest the other day.  There is at least one almost fully-grown chick in there, maybe more.  I hope to get back and get a few more photos if the rain ever stops.

On the other end of the size spectrum is this American Redstart, no bigger than an alder leaf.

Another tiny bird is the Yellow-rumped Warbler

and the Common Yellowthroat

and a Song Sparow living up to it's name.

This is a Gray Catbird in a Red Osier Dogwood bush.

And this is the flower of the Mountain Death-Camas.  The bulbs and leaves are poisonous, so beware!

What and amazing, beautiful, rich and diverse land we live in, don't you agree, Dawg?

"I see a squirrel!"