celebrating the pulse of a truly beautiful place
The Chocolate Lily (Fritillaria affinis for the botanically-minded) is one of the coolest and yet commonly overlooked spring-flowering plants on the Island. They may not be as showy as Camas or Shooting Stars, but I think their bell-like shape and subtle shading is absolutely gorgeous. Fair warning, they don't have the nicest scent (think skunk cabbage rather than wild roses!).
One of my favourite places on the peninsula to hang out for an hour or two is Patricia Bay (Pat Bay to us local folk). For a small cove area with a roadway running right alongside it, there's an astonishing array of wildlife and activity to be found at the water's edge. Combine this with phenomenal sunsets, and the place pretty much can't be beat. There's also an incredible amount to be learned by taking the time to relax, sit a spell, and observe the goings-on of coastal life in the bay.
To my mind, one of the best parts of the spring season is going around and visiting local farms, checking out the fields full of new frolicking babies and their mums! This past week I've taken the time to get out and lean over a few farm fences, in both North Saanich and Central Saanich, watching little calves and lambs exploring their world and enjoying the sunshine. It got me thinking about the abundance of farmland in southern Vancouver Island, so that's the theme of this post (along with featuring some of the ridiculously adorable babies I met!).
Being new to the world of birdwatching, I often feel overwhelmed by the sheer number of birds there are. There are just so many, both hanging out in the bush or on the beach waiting to be identified, and on the pages of the birding field guides. It's hard to sort out just what I might be looking at, and what the odds are that I'm seeing a particular bird, given the area and time of year.
Heart of the West Coast 