Well, I started this blog to share with others some of the amazing animals and plants that are here in Washington state. It helps that I take tons of pictures of nature, probably too many, when I am out.The animal this week is the common merganser. This water bird was sitting on the rocks by Lake Washington at Seward Park. I first began liking waterbirds when I met the hooded merganser, related species. This bird had so much personality! And they are diving birds, catching small fish, insects, frogs, etc. Their beaks look so formidable and highly effective. The photo below is of a female common merganser, the male has a black head with a white and black body.



The flower I chose this week is the Pacific Rhododendron. And if you have ever been to the Seattle Arboretum, you have experience the huge variety this flower exhibits. There is a whole area of the walking trails that focuses on rhododendrum. It is a native plant and a perennial, growing during the spring and summer maybe up to 15 feet tall. I really enjoyed the arboretum and hope that you like these pics, too.