Rhododendrons start blooming in the undergrowth of old-growth redwood trees. Their brilliant blossoms range in color from white to bright pink and light purple to deep red. Northern orioles return to the Bay Area by mid-April from their wintering grounds in Central and South America. Wild iris blooms along grassy slopes in open places . Loons don their blooming plumage in late April and can be observed close to shore all around Tomales Bay.
Males have red spots on the edges of their wings and are typically smaller than females.
MAY Male western grebes swim, fly, and run along the water's surface flashing their feathers, in their outrageous courtship dance. If successful, the happy couple settles into nesting and raising their young. Grebes prefer waterways and wetlands and in early summer the hatchlings are still young enough to ride on their parents' backs. Even when the parents dive for food, the young hang on. Grebes can be seen at Tule Lake and Lower Klamath National Wildlife Refuges.