Willow blossom 2020-03-19

In mid March, (goat) willow trees start to flower and add bright yellow colour spots to the otherwise still barren landscape of the Schwäbische Alb:

flowering willow

female goat willow catkins (Salix caprea)

Willows are dioecious, i.e. female and male flowers appear on separate individuals. Bees were collecting nectar on this female goat willow tree:

female willow catkins of Salix caprea (goat willow)

honey bee on a female willow catkin of the goat willow (Salix caprea)

honey bee on willow catkin

willow catkin with honey bee

male willow catkins

In contrast to the bees on the female catkins on the previous pictures, these bees collecting pollen on male catkins of Salix caprea 'Pendula' wear yellow pollen baskets:

willow catkin with bee

willow catkin with bee

willow catkin with bee

male willow catkin

flowering goat willow (Salix caprea)

flowering Salix caprea (goat willow) at the edge of the Schönbuch forest

backlit willow catkins

willow catkins

Leucojum vernum and Daphne mezereum on the Schwäbische Alb 2020-03-17

sea of Leucojum vernum flowers in the forest

Leucojum vernum (spring snowflake)

stump with fungus, moss, and lichen

Daphne mezereum

Daphne mezereum

flowering Daphne mezereum

Daphne mezereum

lichen

Leucojum vernum and Sarcoscypha coccinea (scarlet elf cup)

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Tussilago farfara (coltsfoot) 2016-03-28

coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara)
At many places alongside the forest tracks in the Schönbuch forest, flowering coltsfoot can be found.

frozen waterfalls around Bad Urach 2018-03-01

A little bit than two years ago in early March, a cold wave created some icy motifs around the waterfalls of Bad Urach:

Urach Waterfall

frozen Urach waterfall

ice around the Brühlbach

The ice around the stream appeared more interesting to me than the frozen waterfall, where the ice didn´t reach the extent of the cold winter 2012.

Brühlbach

The deeply blue-turquoise colour of the water was impressive:

Brühlbach stream

ice along the Brühlbach stream

ice

Brühlbach

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evening light 2019-12-30

Impressions from an evening walk over the fields on the Schaichberg hill around Walddorfhäslach:

„will to survive“ - mustard continues to grow on a ploughed field in winter

fields in the evening light

view of Schaich (front) and Aich (back) valley in the Schönbuch forest

three pear trees on the Schaichberg hill in the evening light

Achalm mountain in the evening light
View of Achalm mountain and the edge of the Schwäbische Alb (Albtrauf). To the right you can see Schloss Lichtenstein (Lichtenstein castle) on a rock above the Echaz valley.

fruit tree in the evening light with view of the Albvorland and the edge of the Schwäbische Alb

Altenriet in the evening light

view of the Roßberg (with tower)

bare-branched maple tree (Acer platanoides) at dusk

silhouette of Walddorf at dusk