Found the first Early Blueberry (Vacciniium ovalifolium) blooming the island this evening. There were two bushes with open flowers about 20 ft off the trail on Litman's lot just above the rock hill. I suspect the flowers were open this morning, but I didn't notice them as I walked, must have had my head down while trudging to town. It was snowing and blowing hard westerly this morning, the kind of weather that doesn't favor looking around much.
Also heard two song sparrows singing, one in an alder near the ramp at UAS, the other close to the bridge. Still haven't heard one on the island.
Hiked up Verstovia to the second cables on Saturday after dance class, hopefully the first of the weekly trips up I intend to take this spring. Plenty of snow from the trail head upward. There were a few partially clear spots of trail near the beginning, and a spot of quite vibrant green in a perennial seep, but mostly the world was white. There were red polls, pine siskins, crossbills and juncos near the salmonberry thicket at the beginning of the trail. Surprised a deer on the way down in the same spot. The photo was taken looking up the trail not too far beyond the first cable around 700ft (?). Next time I'll take my altimeter and a pole to measure the snow.
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