Tag: Wake Robin

Posted in Birds and other fun topics, Uncategorized

Glorious Fauntleroy Park Trilliums

Posted on by batgurrl

I am so happy to report that the trillium patch in Fauntleroy Park is looking spectacular this year. They are not quite to the glory of 5 years ago but at least they seem to have stop declining.

We had a heavy snow this year and then the last couple of weeks have been very spring like. Warmed up so much that on the last day of winter it broke all records with upper 70s. This must have had a huge impact on the patch. Lots of water from the snow and then warmth to make them bud.

The patch is looking strong – 3/31/19

On the path have always been two little plants that seem to have escaped the patch. Some years they get trampled so I decided to build something that would alert walkers to them.

I walked onward to see how the bouquet trilliums looked like. I was not disappointed with them either.

The trillium bouquet family 3/31/19

If you want to see more about the trilliums over the years in my West Seattle Park, go to this link:

Trillium Patches over the Years

Posted in Birds and other fun topics

Trilliums do it AGAIN!

Posted on by batgurrl

It is year six of my Fauntleroy Trillium watching and documenting. Just a small science project that makes me smile every year.

I knew it was looking good since I saw flowers in some of the remote spots along the way to the big patch. As I rounded the bend the few that grew along the trail were there!

Trilliums on the trail – patch is to the right

Then there is the patch of 2018. Not too shabby.

Trillium Patch – March 31, 2018

Check out 2017’s photo to see how they are doing.

Trilliums finally blooming – April 2, 2017

As I wound around the trail to the next batch I have been tracking I ran into a troop of happy Easter celebrators.  They had a party in the grass area of the park and were in a great uplifting mood.

I was able to share with them the story of the Wake Robin (aka Trillium).

Here is what the bouquet looks like this year.

2018 Trillium Bouquet

And of course here is last years.

Trillium Bouquet 2017

This year the salmon-berries were shedding petals which I captured in a trillium close up. Nothing like nature to show us how it is done.

Trillium with Salmon berry petals – 2018 Spring is here

Want to see more about these two patches?  Here is a link to my 2016 post showing photos from 2012.

Trilliums in Fauntleroy Park thru the years

Posted in Birds and other fun topics

Trilliums finally Bloom

Posted on by batgurrl

Two weeks make a big spring time difference when you add a little sun. I was so worried about my favorite patch of trilliums at Fauntleroy Park that I went back today.

They are still not up to their glory day of several years ago.  However, compared to my last visit they have really sprung up and bloomed their hearts out.  (here is a link if you want a refresher – March 2017 Trilliums

Trilliums finally blooming – April 2, 2017

To help you compare how far they have come here is the comparison shot.

Trillium patch on Mar 19, 2017.

Add a little dew to a blossom and what do you get? A great flower shot!

Dewey Trillium

The morning sun was making the forest sparkle. I leave you with glowing tree buds.

Sun made the trees sparkle.

 

Posted in Birds and other fun topics

Trillium Patches over the Years

Posted on by batgurrl

I have two patches of Trilliums that I have visited for 5 years and thought it would be interesting to compare pictures and timing. Both of these groupings are in Fauntleroy Park, a wildish place in West Seattle that is preserved around a creek ravine.

We have the big patch and then what I call the bouquet because of how it looks like it is in a vase.  The pictures below start with my recent visit March 20th and go through each year to April 15, 2012.

Trillium Patch - 3/20/16
Trillium Patch – 3/20/16
Trillium Patch - 3/15/15
Trillium Patch – 3/15/15
Trillium Patch - 3/23/14
Trillium Patch – 3/23/14
Trillium Patch - 3/31/13
Trillium Patch – 3/31/13
Trillium Patch - 4/15/12
Trillium Patch – 4/15/12

The bouquet has similar history with the following pictures through the years.

Trillium Bouquet - 3/20/16
Trillium Bouquet – 3/20/16
Trillium Bouquet - 3/15/15
Trillium Bouquet – 3/15/15
Trillium Bouquet - 3/23/14
Trillium Bouquet – 3/23/14
Trillium Bouquet - 3/31/13
Trillium Bouquet – 3/31/13
Trillium Bouquet 4/15/12
Trillium Bouquet 4/15/12

This link is of last years post around these two patches.  It has more information around this flower and how one should never pick them. Hunt for Trilliums

Back in 2013 I did a video about stalking the trillium.  It shows what the forest looks like around the patch- hope you enjoy it again.

Posted in Birds and other fun topics

The Hunt for Trilliums

Posted on by batgurrl

Third year in a row I have gone to my favorite Trillium patches to document their spring sprouting.  Today in the pouring rain I made my pilgrimage to the forest.  My hunt was successful as you can see.

I went back to the prior two posts (see the links below) and from their timing, it appears they bloomed early by a week or two.  Not a surprise since Seattle has had a dry warm winter. Go look at these two posts when you get a moment. I think you will see that the patch pictured as the feature photo above shows how sparse the flowers are this year. That must be from the dryness.  At least I hope that is the case.

http://wp.me/p1d1cX-C6 – the video is of the patch above.  Sure looks a lot thinner from two years ago.

http://wp.me/p1d1cX-NG – this is 2014 and highlights the same patch in the photo gallery below.

They could also be thinner because someone picked them last year.  Trilliums do not like to be picked.  Here is a little quote from Wikipedia on what happens when they are taken home to a vase.  Some states it is illegal.

Picking parts off of a trillium plant can kill it even if the rhizome is left undisturbed. Some species of trillium are listed as threatened or endangered and collecting these species may be illegal. Laws in some jurisdictions may restrict the commercial exploitation of trilliums and prohibit collection without the landowner’s permission. In the US states of Michigan and Minnesota it is illegal to pick trilliums. In New York it is illegal to pick the red trillium.

I also love one of their folk names – Wake Robin.   They and the Robin birds are both creatures that bring us spring.

Perfect Trilliums (Wake Robins)
They are back!! Trilliums along the trail
Bouquet of Trilliums