by CKR
The first flowers of spring around here, at least those that were here before I was, tend to be very small indeed. They are none the less interesting for all that, and a welcome signal of more to come.
Both of these seem to be crucifers. I've posted their photos before and tried to google up identities, but I haven't been able to find what they are. I guess they're not showy enough for the wildflower books. Both kinds of blossoms are only 2-3 mm across. The yellow ones form a nice mat, which is now up to maybe 5-6 cm in its longer dimension, and the purple ones rise from a rosette of leaves on a stem maybe 20 cm tall.
And here's something gratifying, also teeny tiny. I planted this little Zinnia grandiflora two years ago. It looked very brown and dead all last year. Suddenly it is greening up. I've had other perennials do that, so I don't pull them out until I'm really, really convinced they're dead. You can see the scale on this one from its nametag. That's a standard garden tag.
The whole subject of what comes back up after the winter and what doesn't is probably worth a post of its own. Some of what I've planted is prospering and some just disappears. The bulbs I planted last fall are doing poorly indeed. Hard to figure out what goes wrong; too many variables.
The other day I saw this proof that birds are indeed the teeny tiny inheritors of T. rex. Just after I read that, I checked the birdfeeder and saw these two. I haven't seen evening grosbeaks (Coccothraustes vespertinus) in quite a while. The article says that ostriches are T. rex's nearest living relatives, but I have always preferred to think that scrub jays act and move more like dinosaurs than any other bird. Maybe they are the closest living relatives in this area.
I moved the birdfeeder, and many more birds are coming to it. It was only about fifteen feet, but I think they like it with less tree above. The house finches are still there, and about four pairs of Cassin's finches. There are at least half a dozen doves that enjoy the millet that the finches throw on the ground, and this chipping sparrow (Spizella passerina), who came around last year and has shown up recently. One of the flickers was checking the place out, but I'm using loose seed instead of the seed blocks with cranberries and pecans that they like until I'm a bit more confident that the ravens are nesting. I thought about putting a block out last week, and then a pair of ravens did a low pass around that side of the house. Not yet, I guess.
I caught a quick look at the sharp-shinned hawk pursuing one of those doves the other day. Seemed to be pretty far behind, and two large hawks, red-tails perhaps, high overhead this morning.
Coming attractions: blue penstemons
