Camassia Sunrise

This morning I drove over to the Camassia Nature Area in West Linn to take part in a Morning Bird Song Walk hosted by the Audubon Society of Portland. The walk began at 7:00 with about a dozen people and our guide, Jackie. This is the first official birding event I've ever attended, so I came to see what it was all about. The other participants came with their notebooks, field binoculars, and guidebooks and were much more involved that I was. But I loved it! We strolled along and every few feet or so Jackie stopped the group to have us listen and identify the songs in the treetops. The group talked about various sightings, bird activities and habits, as well as identifying native plants and wildflowers along the way.

Well, wildflowers is one of the reasons I came! To see the blooming Camas, Rosy Plictritis, Blue-eyed Mary, and Fawn Lillies. Plus others, whose names I can't remember! As we came around one bend in the trail I may or may not have caused the person behind me to stumble as I stopped quickly to take the photo that became the reference for the following little pastel painting.

The early morning light streaming through the trees onto waves of Camas was breathtaking. My painting does not do it justice, but it was fun trying.

Camassia Sunrise, 4 x 6 pastel on grey sanded pastel card