Portuguese Squill (Scilla Peruviana) オオツルボ（大蔓穂）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

The stark contrast between the green leaves and the purple flowers caught my eye. They're Portuguese squill flowers (Scilla peruviana). The star shaped flowers (3rd photo) form a raceme that looks like a hydrangea.

Portuguese squill (Scilla peruviana)　オオツルボ（大蔓穂）

A Horsefly on Rosy Evening-Primrose 赤花夕化粧とアブ

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Rosy evening-primroses have started to bloom in my neighborhood and this morning I found one of them different. It had a black spot on it. That was a horsefly. I approached quietly and was able to take photos without waking the bug up. 

A horsefly on rosy evening-primrose　赤花夕化粧とアブ

A Glass Bead-Like Water Droplet トンボ玉水滴

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

It's like a glass bead, isn't it? This is a water droplet on a blueberry flower. The blueberry flower season will soon be over and that's why a water droplet was able to land on this wilting flower, creating such beauty of nature.   

A water droplet on a wilting blueberry flower　水滴とブルーベリーの花

Flowering Dogwood (Cornus Florida) ハナミズキ（花水木）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This flowering dogwood (Cornus florida) tree is now in full bloom. The green flowers are so beautiful. Did you say something? No, I'm not mistaken. The flowers are green and the white things that look like petals are bracts😆.  

Flowering dogwood (Cornus florida)　花水木（ハナミズキ）

Blue Rock Thrush (Monticola Solitarius) イソヒヨドリ（磯鵯）

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The early bird gets the worm and so do I. This is a male blue rock thrush (Monticola solitarius). The blue-grey head and the orange plumage from the mid-breast down to the undertail was so beautiful that I just stopped to see him. But that's not it. He started singing beautifully. I couldn't tell what he was singing, but his voice was so captivating that I was just there, listening to it for a while. This is the best shot with my camera. 

Blue rock thrush (Monticola solitarius)　イソヒヨドリ（磯鵯）

Yellow Cherry Blossoms are Turning Pink 黄色の桜がだんだんピンクに

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

At least two types of cherry blossoms change their color from their original color to pink while in bloom. One is Oshima cherry, whose blossoms change from white to pink and the other is these yellow blossoms, Ukon (Cerasus Sato-zakura Group ‘Grandiflora’ A. Wagner), which are originally green yellow but turn pink in the flower center. That's why you wouldn't notice Ukon cherry blossoms when they start to bloom because their yellow green blossoms blend into the green leaves. Now the flower center turning pink, Ukon blossoms have started to reveal their hidden beauty. 

A Lake Fly on Mountain Doghobble (Leucothoe Fontanesiana) ユスリカとセイヨウイワナンテン（西洋岩南天）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

It's unusual for me to come across an unknown plant in my neighborhood these days. It's also unusual for me to be able to take clear photos of a bug on a plant. (Bugs usually fly away before I can take such pictures). Today, though, I was able to do both, i.e., take pictures of a lake fly (Chironomidae) on flowers of mountain doghobble (Leucothoe fontanesiana). It's a good day😊.

A lake fly on mountain doghobble　ユスリカとセイヨウイワナンテン（西洋岩南天）

Weeping Maple Flowers 紅枝垂れ紅葉（ベニシダレモミジ）の花

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This is a weeping red maple tree (Acer palmatum var. matsumurae cv. Ornatum). The tree leaves don't turn red. They are red in the first place when they sprout in spring, which gives us an opportunity to enjoy such deep red leaves and tiny red flowers at the same time.

Weeping maple flowers　紅枝垂れ紅葉（ベニシダレモミジ）の花

Yellow Cherry Blossoms (Cerasus Sato-Zakura Group ‘Grandiflora’ A. Wagner) 黄色の桜「鬱金」

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

I enjoy cherry blossoms every year, in particular these yellow blossoms, Ukon. They're very beautiful but don't attract much attention because of Oshima cherry blossoms nearby. It's understandable that pink cherry blossoms stand out more than yellow ones. Every time I photograph them, however, people first look at me, wondering what I'm doing and then notice this tree is also a cherry tree with yellow flowers. Then, I proudly say that this is Ukon cherry, producing yellow blossoms😉. 

Juneberry (Amelanchier Canadensis) ジューンベリー（亜米利加采振木）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

I wrote about blueberry flowers yesterday and today is about Juneberry flowers. The blueberry trees in my neighborhood haven't produced berries (because of the lack of acidity in the soil according to @zaungruen [Thanks!]), but I've seen Juneberries, which are red, on these trees several times. Juneberries are edible.

Juneberry (Amelanchier canadensis)　ジューンベリー（亜米利加采振木）

Blueberry ブルーベリー

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

They're blueberry flowers. The wooden tag says so. I've seen the flowers several times, but never seen the berries. Why???? 

Blueberry　ブルーベリー

Pink Azaleas (Rhododendron Dilatatum) ミツバツツジ（三葉躑躅）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

The bright pink on the opposite side of the street caught my eye. They're pink azaleas (Rhododendron dilatatum). Japan distinguishes two "azaleas," i.e., "Rhododendron," which is called "tsutsuji," and "Rhododendron indicum," which is "satsuki" and one of the species of the "Rhododendron subsect. Tsutsusi" subsection. So, these pink azaleas are tsutsuji, but other azaleas, I still can't tell which are which...

 

Pink azaleas　ミツバツツジ

Double-Flowered Pink Camellia ピンクの八重椿

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This looks like an artificial flower, doesn't it? But it's not. This is a Japanese camellia (Camelia japonica). I've seen Japanese camellia many times, but this is the most beautifully-shaped double flowered camellia I've ever seen. 

Double-flowered pink camellia　ピンクの八重椿

Chinese Plum (Prunus Salicina) スモモ（李）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

These are flowers of Chinese plum (Prunus salicina). If you think they're cherry blossoms, you must be a Westerner. In Asia, including Japan, only those in the Cerasus subgenus (i.e., a subgenus of Prunus) are considered "cherry" while in western countries, all the plants in the Prunus genus are cherry. 

But that doesn't matter. They're beautiful and I enjoyed seeing and photographing these cherry/plum blossoms😊!

Chinese plum (Prunus salicina)　スモモ（李）

Grey Heron (Ardea Cinerea) アオサギ（青鷺）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

I don't necessarily like birds, but I was just staring at this grey heron (Ardea cinerea) for a while because it didn't move an inch and its posture was so good. I've seen grey herons a few times in my neighborhood but this one is the most handsome. 

Grey heron (Ardea cinerea)　アオサギ（青鷺）

Purple magnolia (Magnolia liliiflora) シモクレン（紫木蓮）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

This is a purple magnolia (Magnolia liliiflora). I found this on a morning, but I was busy then, so I thought I would come back, finding all the flowers falling because of strong wind and rain the following morning.

Purple magnolia (Magnolia liliiflora)　シモクレン（紫木蓮）

Japanese Maple Flower Buds カエデ（楓）の蕾

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

The Japanese maple season has arrived! I know what you want to say. The maple season is autumn, isn't it? Yes but no. Japanese maple trees produce beautiful autumn leaves but they produce such pretty flower buds in spring, too. They're very tiny but can create such a beautiful red and green contrast.  

Oshima Cherry (Prunus Speciosa) 大島桜（オオシマザクラ）

英語の後に日本語が続きます。

Oshima cherry trees have started to blossom! I said "started to blossom" because some trees are now in full bloom like those in these pictures while others have no flowers yet because of the unusual weather this year in Japan, i.e., very warm in February while being very cold in March. But there's a good thing about it. Each tree blooms one after another, giving us a longer period to enjoy cherry blossoms! I forgot about something. I hope no rain or wind!  

Oshima cherry (Prunus speciosa)　大島桜（オオシマザクラ）

Only this tree is in full blossom around it　この木だけ満開

Against the blue sky　桜と青空