Two photos taken with some haste, out of respect for one of the local resident killdeer who determined I was too close to its nest.
A follow-up to last week’s photo of Delphinium menziesii, this was one of several diverse patches of wildflowers on Hornby Island’s Grassy Point. By no means was the whole area like this, otherwise I could have found a place where the killdeer wasn’t disturbed and spent more time with the scene. More often, it was one or two of the main colourful species in little vignettes such as this.
Locally, we had a long, cool spring. My observation this year is that this resulted in less impressive flowerscapes in the few places I visited, despite abundant moisture. With a delay in flower development of the more colourful wildflowers, the rapid growth of grasses diffused the colour intensity en masse.
Thank you to Harry Hill for suggesting I visit Grassy Point while on Hornby Island, specifically for scenes such as these.
Lovely photos despite the hurry. The first makes me wonder if Jackson Pollack is any relation : )
Seurat?
Thanks, Daniel. I love the diversity of spring ephemerals at that site. Your photo reminded me of the English plantain that was mixed in with the native wildflowers there (you can see its bullet-like flower heads toward the back). I usually don’t like to see that weed but somehow it looked natural there and added to the appeal of Grassy Point.
Wonderful patch of spring! What is the white flower, do you think? I see Rumex, plantain, and larkspur, maybe (?) yellow alyssum. The first photo is reminiscent of holding a paper-weight too close. Fun!
Lomatium utriculatum – spring gold
Cerastium arvense – field chickweed
Delphinium menziesii – Menzies’ larkspur
Rubus ursinus (I think) – California blackberry
Plantago lanceolata – English plantain (introduced)
Rumex acetosella – sheep sorrel (introduced)
I didn’t identify the species of grasses though someone will likely know the main one. I also see a fern now when I look closely on the right side of the pic–perhaps bracken fern.
So lovely !! Thank you Daniel.
Here in California, livestock operators speak of “flower years” and “grass years”. Flower years happen when the fall rains begin relatively late in the fall, after temperatures have dropped. This weather pattern favors native herbs and forbs. Grass years happen when rains begin to fall early (this year, in September) before temperatures drop: this weather pattern favors the naturalized grasses over the native forbs – and it makes the cattlemen smile.
A field of wildflowers is a heavenly sight. Did the killdeer protecting a nest? I was in a birdwatching tour in Alaska many years ago when we came across a killdeer who went through all kinds of acrobatic gyrations to persuade us it was injured, trying to lure us away from its nest. My memory may be mistaken about what bird it was but it was astonishing a bird would build its nest on the ground. I felt uncomfortable for us to be standing too long watching the performance while the bird must be exhausted.
Yes, Ilze, exactly. This nest! (if one is stomping about looking for photo opportunities, one needs to know where not to step and where to avoid, so I located the nest)
The injured display is fascinating to watch, but, yes, it is not something I feel comfortable with for very long. Not really keen on causing the bird stress.
I assumed you meant you were afraid the killdeer would attack you. After all, if they can take out a deer they would have little problem despatching a lone botanist.
Ha! No such danger, to quote Wikipedia: