Catching a few rays

On Crescent Beach, facing the afternoon sun, spring is well on its way.

Red alder catkins, male and female.

The male flowers appear before the leaves, hanging in long yellow and red catkins. The female catkins are small, upright and green; they mature to small, brown, woody cones that stay on the tree until the next spring. Pine siskins like to eat the seeds out of the cones.

More male catkins, and a few pink leaf buds.