Farewell, Marvelous March

Record-breaking high temperatures - almost no snow - sightings of spring events over two weeks earlier than typical...what a March it has been. We're finishing off this month having had the warmest March ever since record-keeping began in the 1800s. No doubt that there have been warmer Marchs or that the birds have come back sooner than usual, but it hasn't happened in a long time - not in my lifetime.  I think Minnesotans love that "I was there" experience of special weather record-setting events. I know that I do.

New signs of spring this week included the violets (see the earlier post) and maple seeds. There is a maple tree on the north side of the parking lot (by the "Visitor Parking" signs) that has seeds almost 1" long. I haven't seen any seeds on other maple trees - yet. They can't be far behind.

At home, male cowbirds are at the feeders and there has been a chipmunk scurrying around.

What a March - I can't wait to see what April will be like!

Roses are red, Violets are...Blooming!

Another sign of spring - I spotted violets blooming yesterday. Most other years, the violets aren't blooming until around the 3rd week of April. But, as with everything (it seems this year), things are happening sooner than usual.

Look for dark purple violets behind the Sugar Shack on the path leading to the cauldron.  In the next week or so, look for more violets in the woods north of the apiary sheds. And in another couple of weeks, look for the magenta violets in the woods between the parking lot and the path leading to the Lab.

Grey Skies

Today felt the way March is supposed to be. It was windy, cold, drizzly - raw. But the greyness provides a wonderful backdrop to highlight the promise of spring - dark clouds behind the chartreuse greens of budding trees. Lovely, lovely, lovely. I took the picture below when we were at the Lilly Property today. The grey and the greens are there, but the picture can't capture the way the leaves seem to glow. Look for it tomorrow when you go out.

Hide and Seek

As I was leaving the parking lot the other day, I spotted an animal within the woods on the south side of the parking lot. Since I was planning on doing a lesson with the Heritage 7th Graders about camouflage, it seemed like a great opportunity to snap a picture to add to my collection of photos for a powerpoint on "Camouflaged Critters." Look carefully at the picture below. An animal is hiding in plain sight - can you spot it?

Can you spot the animal?

It's Spring!

Well, Spring officially arrived at 12:14 this morning, but the unbelievable string of record-setting temperatures have helped to move along the first date of sighting/experiencing the following events around the nature center.

 Red-winged blackbirds, bluebirds, phoebes, a woodcock, song sparrows, American tree sparrows, and great blue herons have returned. Juncos are gathering – a flock of several hundred were spotted along the western edge of the main property and seem to be getting ready to head north.

The ice is off of the ponds. A muskrat was spotted on the Farm Pond, and Canada geese and mallards are staking territories. Lots of squawking and chasing have been seen. A painted turtle was sunning itself on a log in the Prairie Pond.

The chorus frogs are singing.

The silver maples have flowered and the box elders have leafed out.

Earthworms, woodticks, gnats, bees, and darkling beetles are active.

A pair of great horned owls may be nesting near the large white pine just past the pump station for Dodge’s well.

A second saw-whet owl has been spotted in the pines near our resident saw-whet. This one is smaller so it may be a male and they may be pairing up.

Near the Photoblind trail, in a dead pine snag, a pair of pileated woodpeckers has been busy, possibly excavating a nesting cavity.

The male turkeys are strutting their stuff, but the females seem less than impressed.

Thanks to everyone for their observations.

Enjoy the season!

It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

Yah, yah, usually this is sung around the holidays, but for those of us living with winter and all the challenging things it gives us, spring is a truly wonderful time of year. Those first glorious warm days, spotting returning birds, watching for greening and blooming plants - what a fabulous season.

So far in the past seven days, we've broken high temperature readings six times. Naturalists at the nature center have spotted and/or heard phoebes, red-winged blackbirds, great blue herons, woodcocks, killdeers, and bluebirds. Male goldfinches are turning bright yellow. Juncoes are gathering in large flocks. (Are they getting ready to head back up north?) The ice is totally gone from the Farm Pond and about half of the Prairie Pond is free of ice. Sap is done running and the silver maples have flowered. And the chorus frogs are singing!

I wonder what will happen next week when spring officially begins...

Maple flowers

So, when does spring really begin?

Two weeks ago, we were shoveling out from under 5" of some of the wettest, heaviest snow I ever remember seeing. There was a huge puddle at the foot of my driveway and I had to build up islands from the snow to set my trash and recycling cans on so they wouldn't freeze into the water.

Last night, I wheeled the cans out to the foot of the driveway. No snow, no lake - just record warmth, greening grass and lots of birdsong. The robins are burbling away and I've spotted turkey vultures and great blue herons flying over the area. Some sources are declaring spring events are happening two weeks ahead of schedule.

At the nature center, we've spotted red-winged blackbirds and male bluebirds. I've heard killdeer calling and one naturalist watched whirligig beetles spinning in the Farm Pond. There is some sap flowing, but it is definitely odd to see naturalists doing syruping programs in their shorts!