Signs of spring

A yellow-rumped warbler hunts for insects while perched on the branches of a flowering wild plum tree in the riparian zone along the Umpqua River near Elkton in rural western Oregon on  Saturday March 6, 2021.

 

Rainy day spider

A spider waits to ambush prey on a rain soaked daffodil along a roadside near Elkton in rural western Oregon on Friday, March 5, 2021. Commonly known as wild daffodil or Lent lily the species is native to Western Europe, but wild populations have become established in many location including Oregon, Washington and British Columbia.

 

Kiss the baby

A wild black-tailed doe licks her yearling fawn on a rainy hillside near Elkton in rural western Oregon on Friday, March 5, 2021. Black-tailed deer are considered a subspecies of the more widely distributed mule deer. 

 

Found kitty. Free to good home. Local pickup only

As dusk falls a striped skunk forages in a clearing on a forested hillside near Elkton in rural western Oregon on Friday, March 4, 2021. The skunk family is composed of 11 species, 9 of which are found in the Western Hemisphere. Photo was taken at 5000 ISO with Nikon D5 and 600mm lens at f/4, and 1/100th second.

 

Return to sender: early season honey bees in Oregon

Honey bees return to their hive in a plum orchard on a farm near Elkton in rural western Oregon on Tuesday, March 2, 2021. Honey bees are used extensively for commercial pollination of fruit and vegetable crops. The scale of these pollination services is commonly measured in the billions of dollars, credited with adding about 9% to the value of crops across the world.

 

Quarrelsome sea lions

A group of California sea lions quarrel and display their teeth as they bask on floating platforms at the historic Newport Bayfront on the Oregon coast on Monday, March 1, 2021. Sea lions are particularly intelligent, can be trained to perform various tasks and display limited fear of humans if accustomed to them.

A few of the sea lions enjoy a snuggle.

About 100 of the large marine mammals were basking mostly peacefully on the platforms.

 

Spring training for honey bees

A honey bee stretches its legs as it stands at the entrance to its hive on warm spring-like day on a farm near Elkton in rural western Oregon on Sunday, Feb. 28, 2021. Honey bees become active and start foraging at about 55 degrees Fahrenheit (13 Celsius). 

A bee forages on a flowing tree along the nearby Umpqua River.