Hawthorn berries

This morning my friend Paul and I walked down to sanctuary.  Even before seven the sun was demonstrating its heat.  As I was pointing out the ripening Black Hawthorn (Crataegus douglasii) berries and speaking of their attraction for fruit-eating birds, several Cedar Waxwings and a couple of robins descended on the berries and proved my point.  One of the robins was showing the speckled breast that designates it as a juvenile and also shows why the American Robin (Turdus migratorius) is a member of the thrush family that includes other speckled breast species such as Swainson's and Hermit Thrushes.

Sentinel crows and busy bees

Several crows were making their "We've got something spotted!" racket at the NE side of the sanctuary yesterday morning.  It took me some time to spot this young raccoon with uncertain look on its face.

I had been noticing the distinctive arrow/heart-shaped leaves of the colony of Wapato (Sagittaria latifolia) at the north end of the pond by the board walk for several weeks and today one was in bloom.  Other common names for the species are Indian Potato and Duck Potato.  Early First-Nations peoples ate the plant's tubers, as do beavers and muskrats as well as geese and ducks.

Wapato blossom

Several types of bees were visiting the patch of Fireweed (Epilobium angustifolium) at the north end of the sanctuary.

Honey bee

An early July morning

The sanctuary remained very quiet when I visited it early yesterday morning for the first time in a week.  I noticed different human frequenters, perhaps because of the earlier hour.  Violet-green Swallows were swooping and soaring over the water, where fish were rising to the surface.  An Osprey announced its arrival with its distinctive cry.  The only bird song of note was that of a Warbling Vireo, likely the same one I have been hearing for the last week or two.  A Blue Elder bush, Sambucus cerulia, was in full blossom.

A small group of Black-capped Chickadees was feeding on the ripening Black Hawthorn berries.  The hen and lone duckling Mallard pair were on a rock enjoying the morning sun.