First asphodel

Asphodel, first noticed bloom of the season. None of the others open yet. If you grow onions you'll notice the individual florets are very similar to those in an onion flower head- and they're related. The Asphodel plants do have a slight onion/garlicky aroma. A.Atwood, taken today.

Temp range today: 9.75 -14.5 degrees C, time of walk: just after 4 p.m. 12.5 degrees C, just over 55% humidity and rising, SW/WNW ~ 6 kt

First blooming asphodel of the season (prob. Asphodelus ramosus) found today.. by the north valley trail, east end, just by the start of the new pine plantation.

Woods very quiet today. Eurasian Sparrowhawk flying up north valley mid canopy level, all brown, probably a female. Yesterday sparrowhawk over our street about 30 feet, veered to the right just up our row where feral pigeons were sitting around the roof rail as usual, that made them take off in a fright!

Calls of chiffchaffs and/or black redstarts in the pines but none seen. Blackbird 'tzeet' alarm at dusk. Otherwise eerily quiet, even woodpeckers, jays, crows and jackdaws. Hooded crows at dusk making their way quietly to roost. House sparrows chipping in the garden as usual earlier in the afternoon and some melodious white spectacled bulbul calls. Only other birds heard sounded like someone's captive cockatiels not far off.