Our environment is the web of life that connects us all.

How about little sunrise #EarthDay exploration along Whites Creek this morning?

I thought so.
(1/15)

2/ Thinking of webs, looking downstream in the dawn's light I saw a beautiful orb web, woven horizontally over the glide to capture the emerging mayflies and I could see the golden body of the long-jawed orb weaver moving across the strands.
#EarthDay

3/ Of course, I had to carefully get closer that meant only to take off my shoes, roll up the pants and get into the stream. Unfortunately, the tiniest brush against her web infrastructure sent her hiding.
#EarthDay

4/ In a month, this path will be deep green with dense Western Chokecherry with long clusters of white flowers feeding so many pollinators.
#EarthDay

5/ But now, the Desert Peach already opened her blooms to pollinators. In a month or so, tiny fuzzy peaches the size of almonds will hang from her stems.
#EarthDay

6/ Streambank Springbeauty only pushed their way up from the soil not too long ago.
#EarthDay

7/ So small you might miss it, you might not notice how truly lovely the Storksbill is until you literally get on the ground.
#EarthDay

8/ I'll be back to look more closely BUT DON'T TOUCH the Death Camas because only one species of mining bee, the Death Camas Andrena, can tolerate it's toxins.
#EarthDay

9/ The phlox still blooms in it's carpet of pink and white.
#EarthDay

10/ How could it be a visit to Whites Creek without a mayfly (species?)?
#EarthDay

11/ How could it be a visit to Whites Creek without a beautiful stonefly larvae, Pteronarcys?
#EarthDay

12/ Then there was ALL OF THIS! Last year I was curious about why all the alders were defoliated. Here's why then:
#EarthDay https://twitter.com/astro_limno/status/1154864744022458368

13/ Here's why now! The adults are incredibly abundant all over the willows and other brush. But if you weren't looking, you might just walk on past. It was overwhelming; I couldn’t capture how many there were.
#EarthDay

14/ Of course, it's not #EarthDay without the #DailyMoss

Fin/ Thanks for coming along my special stream, Whites Creek. I hope that in these times of caring for ourselves, and caring for our Earth, you found some adventure and some peace with me at sunrise today.
#EarthDay