Daffodils, Tulips and Snow Geese

Tuesday, March 22, we managed to get a way for a few hours in the afternoon and evening and went down to the Skagit Valley to see the daffodils, the tulips, which were just starting to bloom, and the Snow Geese.  The weather was not great but it was good to be out.  After stopping in various areas along the roads we stopped at on the tulip farms in the area, but it was only a few minutes from closing and we did not want to pay the entrance fee for those few minutes.  We took a few pictures from the parking lot and then went on for something to eat.  I do not know why the tulips at the farm were so much further along than the others, but assume it was some kind of forcing that brought them out so early and in such abundance.

daffodils

tulips

 Snow Geese

tulip farm

Spring Wildflowers and Orchids

We managed to get out to look for wildflowers and orchids last week and found both.  We visited a number of favorite places on Fidalgo Island and found the spring wildflowers well along and the first of the native orchids beginning to bloom.

Deception Pass

we spent most of our time on Pass Island under the bridge

the Douglas Firs were producing both their male and female cones

while some of the older cones still hung on

the Pacific Madrones were in full flower

we were surprised at the number of wildflowers already in bloom

Prairie Stars, Gold Stars, Beach Strawberries, Common Camas, Naked Broomrape,

  Northern Bedstraw, Oregon Sunshine, and a few Grass Widows still hanging on

  we also hiked the Bowman Beach trails and found wildflowers there also,

though not so many

Giant Kelp

driftwood

Oyster shell

Pixie Cup Lichens

more Douglas Fir male cones

Pacific Madrone bark and leaves

lichens

Flowering Red Currant

 Red Huckleberry

Blue-eyed Mary

last of all we went to Washington Park near Anacortes

and found more wildflowers, including

Early Saxifrage, Fawn Lilies and Sea Blush

and Columbia Black-tailed Deer, eating everything in sight

at several other locations we found the first Fairy Slippers of the year,

including one white flower