Catkin

Many trees use catkins as a means of distributing their pollen.  Long, thin clusters of male flowers are a welcome sight and sign that Spring is coming.  Usually, these catkins dangle from the tips of twigs and branches in order to catch the wind and spread tiny specks of pollen in the air.  Right now, the catkins belonging to the Hazel and Alder trees are starting to open and show some colour in the drabness of February.

These particular catkins belonging to a Hazel (Corylus avellana) growing at the boundary of Shipley Lake, were catching the sunlight yesterday morning and their greenish-yellow colour was lovely as they danced among the red stems of the Dogwoods growing around them - particularly with the blue backdrop of a sunny sky.

Spring really is coming.... hang on in there!