"Monday" Phenology: May 30, 2011

It turns out the Monday phenology report is a bit like the US Postal Service or the recycling. I didn't post yesterday. I was busy enjoying the sublime weather and soaking up the sunshine which lasted from 5:31 am until 8:50 pm. Hopefully a more detailed report will follow next week.

Here's some skimpy highlights from last week:

Wednesday saw the first dragonfly emergence. We spotted dot-tailed Whiteface and Springtime Darner dragonflies around lakes and ponds. We caught a male Hooded Warbler in the mist nests while bird banding. This species won't be in the "safe dates" for a breeding bird until June 1st though. Will it stick around?

Thursday, we had cool but sunny weather. Four-spotted skimmer dragonflies emerged this day. Migrant warblers seem to be mostly gone. All I'm seeing in the trees are local American Redstarts, Chestnut-sided warblers and Common Yellowthroats.

Friday I noticed the first Jack in the Pulpit blooming in the woods (come back tomorrow for the photo) as well as flowers on the blueberry bushes. Pitcher Plant flowers are about three inches high but not blooming yet.

Saturday and Sunday our weekend dance of severe weather continued. We seem to be stuck in a 7 day cycle. These cycles aren't particularly unusual but they sure do know how to ruin a weekend. All in all I think we escaped okay.

Monday I worked in the garden all day and was delighted when the first of the year Monarch Butterfly flew through the yard venturing north. The first samara (those helicopter seeds) from Silver Maple were starting to fall of the trees around the neighborhood.

What to expect this week:

Maple trees are heavily loaded with samara and will drop them by the bucket full all this week. Dragonflies will continue to emerge from lakes and ponds and the skies should be thick with them this week. Many dragonflies are highly seasonally specific and we see different ones at different times in the summer. Get out and ID them while you can.

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Amazing Goshawk Video

This video is making the rounds in the birding community. Check out this incredible footage of a Goshawk. I wish I had this today when a kid at work said he thought birds were boring. Boring? These things are awesome!



~Kirk

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Male Hooded Warbler Photos from today's Banding

Today at work our bird banding crew pulled this gorgeous male Hooded Warbler from the nets. It's very rare to see a Hooded Warbler on site and even rarer to band one. The reason has to do with their breeding range. Take a look at this map from the USGS made using Breeding bird Survey data. The nearest breeding population they show is in Illinois and Michigan.




Still, these birds are seen in Minnesota. Looking at eBird data from Cornell it is easy to see there have been four sightings in the last 30 days and this is taking into account that not that many birders in Minnesota even submit their sightings to eBird. They are known to nest in Murphy Hanrehan park.






This was a male and I've heard him or maybe a buddy singing on site this spring. The real question is, is anyone listening. These males can come sing all they want but if there aren't any females listening there isn't going to be any breeding going on.

I like the photo below because you can see two really cool things. You can see the band we've attached to the bird's leg as well as the cool whiskers this bird has around the mouth. I usually associate these whiskers on birds with the flycatchers. Whiskers such as these help direct insects into the bird's mouth while they are chasing after them. Very cool.

~Kirk

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Monday Phenology: May 23, 2011

The sun rose this morning almost an hour before I did. It came streaming through my windows at 5:36 AM. Sunset will be at 8:44 PM. We've crossed into 15 hours of daylight with a total today of 15 hours, 7 minutes and 43 seconds. This is an important milestone as it will be the last full extra hour of sunlight we'll add. The longest day of the year in the Twin Cities will be 15 hours, 37 minutes long so we have almost exactly 30 more minutes to add. It's starting to feel like summer outside and this week was full of blooming flowers and blooming storms.

Last week's reports:

Monday I noticed my Hydrangea are starting to leaf out on the old wood. Eastern Phoebes are in the middle of incubation and their young will hatch next week.

Tuesday I heard my first of the year Eastern Wood Pewee in the woods at work in northern Washington County. Their call heralds the last of the spring migrants showing up and I love hearing them singing away. I always think of their ascending whistle followed by a descending slide as a little kid saying, "Hey GUYS . . . WAIT up."

Wednesday I heard my first singing Wood Thrush of the year.The first was seen and heard at the nature center on the 12th of the month but now they are regular every day. Now if only I could actually see one I would put it on my year list.

Thursday I noticed mature Crabapples blooming everywhere but the young prairie fire crab in my yard had not yet burst open. While on a hike down to the lake at work I heard an unfamiliar warble from the woods. I took a few steps down a deer path to a clearing and waited. Within a few minutes a small bird flew past and teed up on a branch. I was delighted when through by binoculars I saw a spectacular male Hooded Warbler. He was re-heard for the next two days at least so if he's still around singing next Thursday it is considered probable breeding evidence. Groups touring our bog and fen report a bumper crop of Sundew is up this spring.

Friday, Yellow Lady Slipper Orchids have been sprouting up since last weekend. They are now about a foot tall. Jack-in-the-pulpit have sprouted as well. Perfoliate Bellwort is blooming and wood violets and rue anemone continue to put on a show. Friday we saw our first Orchard Oriole of the season at the nature center as well.

Saturday, I cancelled all of my canoe programs for the second weekend in the row due to the threat of thunderstorms. The rain seemed to hold off in the morning just long enough for us to have our Bird Banding and Raptor Festival. Girl scouts came to to learn about birds and in the two hours of the program we discovered 32 species of birds. To give you an idea of what's out there right now, here's the list. White-breasted Nuthatch, Black-capped chickadee, American Goldfinch, Eastern Phoebe, Great-crested Flycatcher, Brown Headed Cowbird, Baltimore Oriole, House Finch, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Orchard Oriole, Chipping Sparrow, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Mourning Warbler, Western Palm Warbler, Eastern Wood Pewee, Yellow-throated Vireo, Chimney Swift, Northern Cardinal, American Crow, Common Yellowthroat, Magnolia Warbler, Least Flycatcher, American Redstart, Swainson's Thrush, Hairy Woodpecker, Tree Swallow, Barn Swallow, Belted Kingfisher, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Green Heron, Eastern Kingbird, and Sandhill Cranes.

Sunday I was standing in a middle of a large glass greenhouse complex with my wife and sun when the tornado sirens signaled. We decided standing in the middle of a huge glass structure was not the place to be. This was the second tornado outbreak of the season for Minnesota and unfortunately there was fairly severe damage in north Minneapolis and one person lost their life. After returning home I heard that a funnel cloud passed right over our neighborhood but luckily did not turn into a tornado. We'd gone out for breakfast in the morning and I noticed most mature crab apples have lost many of their flowers already. My flowering crab opened most flowers on Sunday.

What to expect this week:

Watch for the Monarch Butterflies to return around mid-week a few have already been sighted in the state. There are still no cowbird eggs in the phoebe nest we monitor at work which is a good sign. The phoebe eggs should hatch on Wednesday or Thursday. We'll get a break from the severe weather for a few days but we're stuck in this 7 day cycle and it looks like Memorial Day weekend might include thunderstorms. Some predictions sound more severe than others but expect at least a few showers at some point over the weekend.

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Monday Phenology: May 16, 2011

How on Earth can it be Monday again? Where does the time go? The days are getting longer but seem so short. The sun came up this morning at 5:43. My alarm clock goe off at 6:20 so we're getting into the realm where the sun is rising half an hour before I am. You'd think that would mean it is getting warm out but this past week was a bit of a bitter surprise. When we get a second bout of warmth in the fall it is called Indian Summer. What do you call a last bout of cold? The sun will set at 8:36 pm today in the twin cities giving us fourteen hours, 53 minutes and 10 seconds of day. Your actual mileage may vary by latitude.

Last week's reports:

Monday, Cottontail Rabbits were chasing each other around my yard. Aww, they're just twitterpating Bambi.

Tuesday was a beautiful day and we weren't the only ones to notice. The American Toads came out in full force on Tuesday and were singing like mad. Now summer can begin. There are two sounds that remind me of summer. American Toads and Cicadas. No Cicadas yet. Tuesday also marked the first tornado outbreak of the year in Minnesota. There were beautiful mammatus clouds in St. Paul. It's been many month since I've seen those.

On Wednesday, Warbler season really seemed to kick into full force for me. I returned from an outreach program and drove down the driveway at work with my windows down listening to see if the blue-winged warblers had returned. No such luck but I did find a lifer instead. There was a Northern Parula singing away in the tree-tops. I was delighted as they have always eluded me. I was equally delighted to be able to share the Parula with my co-workers as a pair of them showed up minutes later in the tree directly outside our office window. We could literally sit at our desks with binoculars and watch it. Later in the day we hiked down to the lake to set up a motion activated camera. A beaver is working on a dam and we're hoping to get some video. On the way down we saw Red-eyed Vireo, Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Yellow-throated Vireo, American Redstart, Tennessee Warbler, and a Cape May Warbler. While at the lake we also saw the first of the year Scarlet Tanager which has to be one of my favorite birds on earth. I also picked up a common loon on my list as somehow I had managed to not see one up until that point.

Thursday meant more warblers. I peeled myself away from my desk for a short hike and quickly found a Chestnut-sided Warbler. I was stunned when I trained my bins on some movement and discovered a Blue-winged Warbler. It was beautiful and totally unexpected as it wasn't in the habitat I was expecting. I was also delighted to discover multiple Blackburnian Warblers in the tree canopy. They are also on my top birds of all time list. Rounding out the day were a Great-crested Flycatcher and Lincoln Sparrow.

Friday, it was cold and rainy but all the blooming purple rhododendrons made up for it. Paper wasps are out steadily every day now collecting wood pulp for their hives.

Saturday wasn't so hot, in point of fact, it was damn cold. I actually canceled my afternoon canoe program which is rare. I usually go out in all weather but a wind chill of 4o° is downright dangerous and 3rd and 4th graders can't control a 17 foot aluminum canoe in 18 mph winds. My morning group did some great dip-netting in the lake finding all kinds of dragonfly nymphs, scuds, and assorted aquatic macroinvertebrates. I still have faith in the public schools as the 3rd graders already knew what the word invertebrate meant. Made my day.

What to expect this week:

The trees will continue to leaf out and we'll see Lilac come into full bloom by the end of the week. Crab apples are about to flower and it won't take much to get them going. End of the week should be beautiful with flowers. Four planets are all visible in the morning sky this week. Jupiter, Venus, Mercury and Mars. It is a cool opportunity to see all four planets at once. If you look down you can also see Earth which brings the total to five. It will be 65 to 75 degrees all week and the heat will bring the risk of more severe weather.

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Tennis Ball Sized Hail!

Last Tuesday marked the first Tornado of the season in Minnesota. A funnel cloud was spotted moving down I-394 toward downtown Minneapolis but luckily the storm fell apart. There had to be some serious updrafts though because very large hail was reported in the area. My friend Mike lives very close to where the funnel cloud was spotted and he snapped this photo of nearly tennis ball sized hail in his yard. Wow! Now that can do some serious damage.

~Kirk

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Monday Phenology: May 9, 2011

In theory the sun rose at 5:52 AM this morning but you wouldn't know it with all the rain and thunderstorms. It is incredible to think that the sun is finally rising before the 6:00 hour. I didn't think that would ever come. Keep in mind that if it weren't for Daylight Saving Time the sun would have actually risen at 4:52 AM. That's crazy! The sun will set today at 8:28 PM giving us 14 hours, thirty six minutes and 34 seconds of sunlight. Good thing we get that much light as there's a lot to see.

Last week's reports:

Monday was cold but Yellow-rumped Warblers were working the edges of the lakes at work. They seemed oblivious to the 30 kids down there so they were pretty desperate for food. There were also a few Palm Warblers and Black and White Warblers down there as well. I'd seen an Eastern Towhee down at Nerstrand Big Woods on Saturday so I wasn't too surprised to see a pair of them at work on Monday.

Tuesday things started to warm up and it was finally looking like this winter would end. Just as I got to my desk my phone rang. It was my co-worker Paul telling me to grab my binoculars and come back out to the parking lot. There was a Solitary Sandpiper working the edge of the pond we park near. I also picked up my first of the year Swainson's Thrush while hiking with kids.

I've been focused lately on migration but those migrating birds are heading here to mate. There are many birds singing on territory now. I regularly hear Field Sparrow, Chipping Sparrows, and American Robins singing daily now. The robins were singing at 4:28 am Wednesday morning when I accidentally woke up way too early. Not being as insane or hormonally driven as they are, I went back to sleep. When I got to work I was quickly able to find a Northern Waterthrush in the moat of our bog. They'd been caught by our bird banders earlier in the week so I knew they were around.

Thursday I had a few minutes and was able to find a singing Clay-colored Sparrow. They arrived on territory early in the week. They have a fascinating buzz-buzz call that is easily mistaken for insects.

Friday
I took a group of volunteers down to our lake for a canoe/kayak outing and right as I got to the lake shore I heard a familiar call and my co-worker Kelly and I spotted the first of the year Baltimore Oriole on site. Interestingly it was in the exact same tree the oriole's nested in two summer's ago. While on our paddle we noted a lot of Swamp Sparrows. We also saw at least one eaglet in the Bald Eagle nest and noted the return of a pair of Trumpeter Swans to the lake. A pair fo trumpeters showed up last summer and stayed the entire season. We don't think they nested. I suspect these are the same two birds and I hope they nest this year. Unfortunately for them, Bald Eagles have been known to eat cygnets. My co-worker Paul reports Blue-gray Gnatcatchers, Blue-headed Vireo and Veery on site as well as.

Saturday I walked around Lake Calhoun for the Great Strides for Cystic Fibrosis walk. Of course, I brought my binoculars. The only warblers I saw were Yellow-rumps and a couple of Western Palm Warblers but there were lots of American Coots on the lake as well as my first of the year Ruddy Ducks. Later in the day I headed back to work to take some Girl Scouts canoeing and along the way spotted my first of the year Eastern Meadowlark.

Sunday, the dandelions bloomed very quickly. I didn't notice them in the morning and by lunch the yard was covered in yellow. I heard my first Chimney Swifts of the year in the Highland Park neighborhood of St. Paul but I see on the Chimney Swift migration website that someone reported them in Bloomington, MN back on April 24. While celebrating Mother's day in Eagan I was pleased to see all manner of birds at my Aunt and Uncle's bird feeders. Most notable was a Pine Siskin still hanging around and my first of the year Rose-breasted Grosbeak.

What to expect this week:
The second wave of warblers should come into the twin cities so watch for increasing numbers. Early reports of Blackburnian, Black-throated Green, Common Yellowthroats and Northern Parula warblers have already come in so their numbers should increase this week. This also means increasing insects because this is what they are coming to eat. Also this week we'll see a lot of tree starting to open their leaves. This means get out there while the bird watching is good because our clear view of the tree canopy is about to be obscured by foliage. If you haven't already stopped to notice the woodland wildflowers, this could be your week. Rue Anemone, Wood Violets and more will all be blooming. Keep your eye open for territorial fighting as well. This weekend I observed Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers and Downy Woodpeckers fighting (amongst their own species not with each other.) They can make quite a racket as they chase each other out of territories.

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Solitary Sandpiper

I was the first to arrive at work this morning and my phone rang almost as soon as I sat down. It was my co-worker Paul telling me to get back out to my car. There was a shorebird in the pond we park next to. I came back out with my binoculars and discovered this cool little Solitary Sandpiper. He was there for quite a while as I came back out later with my camera and snapped this shot. It looks better larger so be sure to click for the larger view.

~Kirk

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Monday Phenology: May 2, 2011

The sun rose this morning at 6:01 am and will set at 8:19 pm. We're so very close to having sunrise before 6:00 am. There are 14 hours, 18 minutes and 20 seconds of sunlight today. What a week for phenology. This week is all about migration! Let's get right to the sightings.

Last week's reports:

Monday was nice, one of the few bright spots in the week weather wise. We burned our prairie at work. The first Bloodroot bloomed outside the front doors at work. What a relief to finally see some flowers.

Tuesday the cold came down with rain. It was the 226th anniversary of John James Audubon's birthday but I barely saw any birds through the weather. I am Seeing geese on nests everywhere including on top of beaver and muskrat lodges. It reminds me that I once saw a goose nest on top of a muskrat lodge on top of an old beaver lodge. Location, location, location. That was hot real estate.

Wednesday morning it was rainy and there were a few snowflakes mixed in. Gail reported a Red-necked Grebe on Lake Vadnais there were more reports of Red-necked Grebes on Twin Cities lakes later in the week so keep your eyes open.

Thursday Fred reported a Virginal Rail in Loring Park in Downtown Minneapolis. Check out the photos. Jim Ryan reports that first of the year Barn Swallows have returned to Bloomington. Thomas saw a Lark Sparrow at Bunker Hills in Anoka.

Friday, Cherise in St. Cloud reported a Brown Thrasher so they should be in the Twin Cities by now as well. Anyone see one? Madeleine in Medina also reported the first of the year Baltimore Oriole and Black and White Warblers in the twin cities area. I took a hike at Roberts Bird Sanctuary and found a chickadee nest as well as an American Robin nest with one beautiful blue egg in it.

Saturday, I headed down to Nerstrand Big Woods State Park and despite the awful dreary weather the birds were great. I saw Nashville Warblers, Black & White Warblers, Ovenbirds, Ruby-Crowned Kinglets, Eastern Towhee, Red-headed Woodpeckers, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, Least Flycatchers, and more. It felt like there were hundreds of brown creepers as they were never out of earshot. The wildflowers were just starting to bloom but haven't peaked yet. I'd guess the end of the week will be spectacular down there. Linda reported the first of the year Pine Warblers in the Twin Cities at Lake Vadnais. Also of note at the lake was a flock of Forster's Terns. Closer to the Twin Cities, EcoBirder, Jeff Fisher headed out at MN Valley refuge and saw Nashville Warbler, Black and White Warbler, Orange-crowned Warbler, Black-throated Green Warbler, Blue-gray gnat catcher and a Solitary Sandpiper. A whole handful of first of the years there. Way to go Jeff!

Sunday, the flowers on my Magnolia tree in St. Paul opened up though I thought the 27 mph driving wind might strip them completely away. I caught a brief glimpse of a White-throated sparrow in may yard which is a nice yard list pickup for the year. Don in Eden Prairie reported Eastern Towhees, Nashville Warblers, Northern Waterthrushes, Lincoln Sparrows and Baltimore Orioles in his back yard. Ron banded birds over at Springbrook and of note were Orange-crowned Warblers, a Black and White warbler, three Northern Waterthrush, two Palm Warbler and four Lincoln Sparrows. That's the first report I've seen this season of Palm, Orange-crowned and Black and White in the Twin Cities. Joe visited Loche Park in Fridley and reports many warblers including a Brewster's Warbler and a Chestnut-sided. He also reports first of the year Yellow-throated and Blue-headed Vireos. A first of the year Prothonotary Warbler was spotted by Paul at T.S. Roberts bird sanctuary. Banders at Ritter Farm found many of the species noted by others as well as a Clay-colored Sparrow. Scott reports many great birds at Old Cedar Bridge including the first report of a Blackpoll Warbler I've seen. He also reports the first Yellow Warbler over at Lake Calhoun. Steve saw similar species at Calhoun including Blackburnian Warbler and Northern Parula.


What to expect this week:
Rose-breasted grosbeaks are in southern Minnesota and will migrate into the Twin Cities early this week. Expect a warbler explosion over the week as well. The early scouts are here already and thousands of them are hot on their heels. The first reports of Baltimore Orioles at the very end of the week means they will become widespread this week so get those feeders up. Speaking of feeders? Are your hummingbird feeders up? At least two hummingbirds were seen on Saturday and there are many more just south of the Minnesota/Iowa border so put your feeders up and you should have some by the end of the week.

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