There are many signs of early springtime in the West Hills above Portland. One of my favorites is the cheerful and lilting sounds of small songbirds. As a photographer I look for the orange eyes of spotted towhees and the red heads of house finches in particular. 

There are also many colorful wildflowers coming into bloom in the densely forested canyons.

The weather, far from settled, shifts from sunshine, to rain squalls, to wintery mixes of snow and sleet. 

It’s a great time of the year, the songbirds are just icing on the cake.

Stream Violet and Toothwort

Trilliums