SPRING SPYING

 

Well, here we go. By “we,” I mean the GC (Geriatric Club).
I’ll use the abbreviation because not everyone is fond of that term, so out of consideration for my friends—and to spare myself the headache—I’ll write GC. 😀 
That was just an introduction and explanation; now let’s get back to the main theme.

The Kokorycz Nature Reserve. (Corydalis Nature Reserve)

 

The name gives away what’s protected there, but that’s not entirely true.

Corydalis, yes, but not just any kind—specifically the Corydalis intermedia found here. 
The reserve itself isn’t huge, but it’s very charming because of the plants growing there, most of which are now in bloom.
It’s colorful, the weather is nice—sunny—and on top of that, there are singing birds and the ever-present sound of pecking, caused by woodpeckers. Judging by the shape of the holes, they’re probably black woodpeckers, since the holes are roughly rectangular (that’s what we read online). For some reason, it didn’t occur to me to take a single photo for documentation purposes. 😒

But that’s what friends are for—Małgosia rescued the situation and sent a photo.
I wonder how she knew it would be needed? 🧐

Photo. Małgosia Gęgotek-Rapak

Lots of snowdrops—actually, snowdrops everywhere you look, and a lot of wild garlic leaves.

At one moment, I saw a hybrid!!!

It looked like a cross between wild garlic and a snowdrop—see the photo below.

Of course, I know that’s impossible, but at first glance it could be misleading.

Flower—snowdrop; leaves—wild garlic. In reality, it was just a coincidence. The plants were growing next to each other, but as you know—I see what I want to see.😀

The interesting thing is that all the plants here seemed to be a size larger than in other locations. We all had that impression—hmm?
I have new glasses, so maybe something’s off—but what about the rest?!

Okay, but we’re looking for the Corydalis intermedia—there is no mercy.

Along the way, we “pass by” anemones—white and yellow. The yellow ones are just starting to bloom,

pilewort (Ficarna verna),

lungworts,

primroses (primula),

yellow stars-of-Bethlehem (Gagea lutea).

There is Małgosia's favorite ground-ivy (Glechoma hederacea).

As you can see, she’s not the only one who loves it!
The area was full of firebug beetles—maybe they use it as a kind of “health resort”? 😉
In a way, it has many beneficial properties?? The ground-ivy, of course!

I’m exaggerating—I know.

We keep going, passing some tiny spiders along the way.

Wow!!    My favorite red ones—looking like velvety mite pillows—the Red velvet mite

No Corydalis in sight.

Luckily, Gosia and Andrzej know the area well, and with their good spatial memory, they find the spot—where the corydalis intermedia grew last year.

Just outside the reserve, by a tree trunk around the bend in the road on the left.

H o w   d o   t h e y   k n o w   t h a t !!!?

It’s really there! No flowers yet, but the leaves look right.
Since our model isn’t here, we’re sharing an archive photo from last year taken by Andrzej.

Fot. Andrzej Rapak

I, unfortunately, keep wondering how they find it???!  🧐🧐

I  read somewhere that men are better at navigating the terrain, and now I have a dilemma.

Either some male chauvinist wrote that, or maybe I’m… a woman?

Well, all I can add is that… Rubenesque shapes… 😊

Photo: Marek Czubaszek 

others - as in the captions