Monday Phenology: April 30, 2012

The sun rose this morning at 6:56 AM and set again at 7:39 PM. That should give us a lot of nice warm sun but cold winds seemed to dominate the week at least from where I was standing. Today we got 12 hours, 42 minutes and 28 seconds of sunlight. We're still gaining three minutes of daylight each day.

Here's Nature's Week in Review

Monday I went down to Lebanon Hills Regional Park for the Birds and Beers annual Woodcock Tailgate. We got nice views of the sky dance. The park is a pretty easy place to see them. They call and fly from the high hill to the north-east of the visitor center parking lots.

Tuesday it got real nice and warm. Up to the low 70s. I moved the lawn in the evening and it was overdue. Rabbits looked to be setting up shop in the grass. We had to open our windows at night to let in some cool air. Forecast called for a storm later but it was unsleepably hot in the house.

Wednesday morning at 3:30 am my wife and I were both awoken when the storm hit. The winds were very strong as the front rolled though and we had to get up and close all the windows. Rain gauge didn't show a lot of rain, about .16 inches. It got up to 73° and that was the last 70° day for the week. Incidentally, we finally crossed into 14 hours of daylight on Wednesday. We'll cross into 15 hours on May 19th. We don't make it to 16 hours. The most we get in the Twin Cities is a little more than 15 and a half hours at the solstice.

Thursday morning we installed bees in our new observation hive at work. The fact that it was so cold out kept them nice and calm. I'm curious to watch them and learn more as they are fascinating. The hive is inside the building and the bees have to go though a twisting tunnel to get outside. It took them a little time but they finally figured it out.

Friday morning I took the day off and tried to find some birds. I was woefully unsuccessful. I started at the Old Cedar Ave Bridge. Now to be fair, I did see a good number of birds. I saw Wilson's Snipe, both yellowlegs, myrtle warblers, wood ducks, teal, etc. What I didn't see or even hear was a Sora which was what I had gone to look for. I didn't see a Virginia Rail either. I see on ebird other people saw them, my timing must just be rotten. It was damn cold that morning too. I had my winter had on but I was wishing I had gloves. Maybe the birds were semi-frozen. I headed to another site after that where I had a line on some Merlins. I heard one calling briefly but it flew off before I could locate the bird. I didn't see it fly off, I just heard the call fading into the distance. So, from a target species perspective the day was a bust.


Saturday it rained and I ended up with .23 inches of rain in the gauge. I rested up for my big morning on Sunday. The sun rose at 7:00 am Saturday which was the last day of the sun rising in the 7 o'clock hour this spring.

Sunday I woke up at 4:45 in the morning and headed down to the Tiffany State Wildlife Area in Wisconsin. I was there for the Birding by Mini-Train event. There were around 60 other birders. It ended up being a nice day. I added three birds to my year list but overall I was a little disappointed in the total number of birds. I saw 38 birds, I think the group total was more like 41. Apparently last year they say 76 species. That's no small difference. We didn't see a single warbler nor a single shore bird. I think the trip was scheduled too early in the spring for maximum species.

What to look for next week:
Did I say Chimney Swifts would show up last week? Hmm, let's try that again. Chimney Swifts will show up this week. Also keep your eyes open for the first Blue-grey Gnatcatchers and Clay-colored Sparrows. On the insect front I expect to see a few swallowtail butterflies this week. If you see any of these things or something else interesting I'd love to hear about it so be sure to leave a comment. 

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White-faced Ibis at Old Cedar Bridge

I headed down to the Old Cedar Bridge last week to see if the White-faced Ibis was still around. It was quite far out (probably 350 feet) but I did manage to snap this photo. You'll have to click on it and enlarge the photo to see the white on the face but all in all I was pretty happy with the view. There were greater and lesser yellowlegs, a Wilson's Snipe, Blue-winged and Green-winged teal, Northern Shoveler, Red-winged Blackbirds, Bald Eagles, Belted Kingfisher and more. It is a great spot to check out.

~Kirk

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Monday Phenology: April 23, 2012

Special note: If you subscribe via email and are only reading Monday Phenology you are missing out on the audio podcast. These are the show notes for the podcast which sometimes includes extra information you may be missing out on. You can listen right from the webpage or subscribe via iTunes. The is also a link a the bottom of each email that contains the mp3 audio file for the show.

The sun rose this Monday morning at 5:35 AM and set at 8:44 PM which gave us a whopping 15 hours 9 minutes and 8 seconds of daylight. I'm loving it. While we're still gaining daylight the pace is slowing. Starting this week we are now gaining less than 2 minutes per day. What was going on in all that daylight?

Here's Nature's Week in Review:

Monday morning the predictions were correct and there were snow flurries. It was incredible to look outside in the morning and see it coming down. It looked like a fast dense snow fall but it was so warm out the flakes melted instantly upon touching the ground. In northern Minnesota they got up to a foot of snow!

Tuesday I was back at work and got to go on a long overdue hike. I noticed the pusseytoes were in full bloom, especially along the mowed trails through the old meadows. Painted lady butterflies were out in good numbers. The really impressive thing to see were the large numbers of myrtle (yellow-rumped) warblers. The trees seemed to be full of them. From what I could see they were feeding primarily on small clouds of midges. Dark-eyed Juncos were still around. We approached a small pond and I saw my first Blue-winged Teal of the year as a pair flew off. While looking at the pond I spotted a pair of Green Darner Dragonflies mating and laying eggs. Yellow-bellied sapsuckers were actively doing territorial drumming in the woods. I'd seen the first of the year sapsucker last Saturday and had heard them in the woods a few days before that. Their drumming is distinct in that it starts out rapid and decreases in frequency. Da-da-da--daa---daaa----daaaa-----daah. Late Tuesday evening a thunderstorm kicked though. My co-worker Paul spotted the first of the year Belted Kingfisher on the property.

Wednesday morning the rain gauge showed .36 inches of rain. That was one of the highest readings in all of the metro. We had the first sighting of Red-bellied Snakes out at work.

Thursday I headed down to the Old Cedar Bridge to check out a sighting of a White-faced Ibis people have been reporting. I was with my mother as we had just come from her brother's funeral. It was nice to get out and celebrate life by looking for some beautiful birds. I saw a number of first of the year birds such as Belted Kingfisher, Wilson's Snipe, Green-winged Teal and Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs. There were also Canada Geese, Northern Shoveler, Blue-winged Teal, American Coots, Swamp Sparrows, White-throated Sparrows, and Bald Eagles. We were able to see the Ibis. It was beautiful and a lifer for both of us.

Friday I headed out for a hike at work to set up some trail cameras and maintain some bird houses. Both Tree Swallows and Eastern Bluebirds were quite busy at the bird houses. Some of the bluebird houses had eggs. I got a good look at a Krider's Red-tailed Hawk as it was harassed by a pair of Common Ravens. A flock of 55 American White Pelicans gracefully migrated overhead as well.

Saturday morning there was just a tiny amount of rain in the rain gauge. We had 0.2 inches. The Eastern Phoebe at work laid the first egg of the spring. It started to rain late in the evening and got fairly heavy. I also received reports of a Sedge Wren and Palm Warbler in Northern Washington County.

Sunday morning there was an additional .38 inches of rain in the gauge.

The week ahead:

Predicting what comes next has been a challenge during this crazy mixed up spring. My money is on Chimney Swifts arriving in the Twin Cities at some point during the week. We might also see Black-and-white Warblers, Northern Waterthrush and Orange-crowned Warbler. Most of the other warblers are still too far south to show up soon in any real numbers.

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Monday Phenology: April 16, 2012

Special note: If you subscribe via email and are only reading Monday Phenology you are missing out on the audio podcast. These are the show notes for the podcast which sometimes includes extra information you may be missing out on. You can listen right from the webpage or subscribe via iTunes. The is also a link a the bottom of each email that contains the mp3 audio file for the show.

This one's going to be short. I didn't have much time to note phenology this week. I skipped out of recording the podcast last week and hinted at a family emergency. I'm sad to say my uncle went into the hospital on Monday morning and passed away on Tuesday evening. The week has been a bit of a blur.


The (abridged) week in review:

Wednesday morning I was delighted to step out my back door and smell lilacs. While they aren't in full bloom yet, there are enough open to smell them from across the yard and they smell marvelous.  People have begin to report seeing Osprey return to the Twin Cities.


Thursday I noticed blood root blooming at work. I looked for evidence of orchids coming up but so far nothing. Not surprising, I wasn't really expecting them to have poked up yet but this year anything seems possible.



Friday I checked the list serves and noted that people around the metro have already seen Northern Waterthrush, Brown Thrashers and Eastern Towhee. I'm hoping to see those all soon. I did spot my first Common Loon of the year on the way to a school for an outreach program. That was my 91st bird species of the year.


Saturday I lead back-to-back girl scout programs at work that were basically guided hikes. We found lots of wood ticks, saw blooming rue anemone and wood violets. The ferns in the forest were well on their way, some were six to eight inches high. The highlight of the day was setting up a spotting scope at our final hiking destination and seeing an active bald eagle nest. One of the parent eagles caught a fish and then flew up to the nest to feed the two young eaglets. We could see right into the nest and watch the fuzzy young being fed. It started to rain late Saturday night. I woke up at 2:40 at night to a pretty heavy down pour.

Sunday morning I checked the rain gauge and we'd gotten .92 inches of rain over night. That's a pretty respectable amount. Some light thunderstorms headed though on Sunday evening as well and while I thought the totals would be higher we only got an additional .52 inches of rain. The storm moved though pretty fast.

The week ahead:

I'm afraid we my stressful week I don't have a lot to tell people to watch for next week. My previous year's data is pretty useless this year! Watch for new birds arriving, we're getting a couple new species every week now. Keep an eye out for shorebirds such as marbled godwits, black-necked stilts and Hudsonian godwits. There should be the very first Magnolia Warblers and Orange-crowned Warblers showing up soon too. Will today really bring April snow like they are predicting. We'll have to wait to see.

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Current Wind Map shows all birds heading to Minnesota.

The current wind map shows all winds leading to Minnesota. I'm liking what this could mean for bird migration. This could be a good weekend to see birds. Then again, there's that pesky forecast of snow on Monday.

 To really appreciate the map you need to view it in motion.

~Kirk

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Timberdoodle Twirl: The dance of the woodcock

American Woodcock: photo credit USFWS

I remember being nervous in high school as I waited to be asked to the Valentine's day "sweetheart" dance. Not being asked was my girlfriends subtle way of setting me free. I spent the evening with a friend driving to Darwin, Minnesota to see the biggest ball of twine in the world. I've perhaps been skeptical of dances ever since.

Now, later in life and as a professional naturalist, I think about one dance in particular as I prematurely take off layers of wool and don shorts on fifty degree days. The signs of spring tell me it is time for the Timberdoodle Twirl.

The Twirl, a.k.a. the Sky Dance, is a secretive event that only occurs in the spring. Naturalists have attended the twirl for centuries and yet it remains a little known event to most outsiders.

You will not be invited to the Twirl. There are no invitations and no awkward propositions. You don't need to trek to the giant twine ball when you're not invited to the dance.

If you want to attend the Timberdoodle Twirl you need to first figure out where it is held. If you are lucky enough to know someone who has been to one in the past then you have an easy in. The only other option is to hunt down the location on your own.

Although locations do change, the Twirl often takes place in the same spot for generations. Timberdoodle Twirls are usually situated on the edge of meadows. There must be enough room to twirl. There must also be a woods nearby with young trees such as aspen and alders. A stand of sumac may work in a pinch. It all depends how picky the dancers are.

The Timberdoodle Twirl is an elaborate dance that can only be performed by the highly experienced and rules dictate that it can only be performed in the dying rays of twilight. A full moon rising in the east makes it all the better. Dim lighting sets the mood. The Twirl is about one thing; bonding with hopes of mating.

If you think you're up to participation in the Twirl keep in mind that none of the naturalists are. There are two requirements. To perform in the Timberdoodle Twirl you must first off be a male. This precludes half the population but you must also be able to flap your arms hard enough to fly. This tends to rule out the rest of us.

To actually take part in the Timberdoodle Twirl, you must be a timberdoodle. The males of this strange slightly spherical species perform an elaborate mating dance we naturalists call the Timberdoodle Twirl or the Sky Dance. The timberdoodle, also known as the American woodcock, is a secretive bird that spends most of its time in the woods probing the ground with a ridiculously long beak. Technically, the woodcock is a shorebird but with the beaches being such historically crowded places who can blame it for preferring the solitude of the woods?

In the woods, the sensitive beak searches the earth for worms and insects. With eyes on the sides of its head it can see both in front of and behind itself at the same time. It can also see above itself, which is useful for keeping an eye on both predators and dancers.

Any evening, April through May, you may have luck discovering the secret dance of the timberdoodle. As the sun sets, listen for the buzzy "peent" call of the male bird. It shouts to the females, "Look at me, I am about to dance." This is personally a declaration I have never shouted on a dance floor so I admire the bird's self esteem.

After a few minutes of peenting, the male soars two hundred feet or more into the sky. The spiraling skyward travel is accompanied by a twittering sound produced not from the throat of the bird but by air rushing over the wings. If you approach from the east you can see the bird silhouetted against the dying rays of the day.

The bird then sings a dreamlike courtship song in a liquidly warble while beginning a leaf-like fluttering descent to the earth. It goes silent a few feet from the ground and alights gently on the dance floor.

Upon landing, he immediately starts up with the peents again, trying to call in a female to watch his elaborate dance.

The springtime ritual of the Timberdoodle Twirl probably occurs near your home. Visitors to Lake Elmo park have seen it and Warner Nature Center offers a guided Timberdoodle Twirl program each spring.

When you discover the secret location of the Timberdoodle Twirl, hold that information dear. You are witness to a marvel seen by few. Remember though, unless you can fly, you'll be asked to sit this dance out.

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Monday Phenology: April 9, 2012

I was sure this week I would return to the audio recording of Monday Phenology. Alas, a family emergency has prevented me from sitting down to record the podcast. So, here's my written phenology notes for the week. Thanks for reading. I hope everyone is well and enjoy.

Nature's Week in Review:

Monday our site manager came into work and said he'd seen a Blanding's Turtle in the prairie. I headed out and it was still there. The turtle was one of the turtles we've been tracking since the 1970s. I could tell by distinctive marks on the shell that this was a female we call Hera. She still had a radio transmitter on her shell from two summers ago. I removed the transmitter but did not have the epoxy with me to attach a new one. Hopefully she'll stick around where we can find her so we can attach a new transmitter. While in the prairie I also say my first of the year Northern (yellow-shafted) Flicker. My rain gauge showed .34 inches in St. Paul. It sounds like some parts of the metro actually saw hail and thunder. I missed that! Then again I was sick and went to bed early.

Tuesday night the planet Venus in the sky was brighter than any time I can ever remember seeing it. I've heard people say that the planet is sometimes confused for a UFO. That always seemed like such nonsense. I get it now though. It was so bright I had to really watch it for a while to make sure it wasn't an airplane. I looked online and Venus was at magnitude –4.5 which is quite bright. When I came home from work I took a close look at my lilac bushes. They are covered with a profusion of purple flower buds. A couple of them had opened into blooming flowers so we officially have blooming lilacs in the Twin Cities on April 3. I heard from Beth in Highland Park that she spotted the first of the year Syrphid fly hanging out in her garden. Syrphids are very cool flies that mimic wasps and bees. Beth also reports that she saw a Red Admiral butterfly last week, March 27th.

Wednesday it got cold over night and especially when I got north of the cities up near Marine on St. Croix there was some frost on the ground in low-lying areas and northern facing slopes of hills. We put the docks in the lakes at work. That was about two weeks earlier than last year. While we put them in, large migratory Green Darner dragonflies were patrolling the edges of the lakes. It was the first I'd seen them this year though I hear they first arrived earlier in the week.

Thursday was a volunteer training day at work. While teaching about birds there were both Fox Sparrows and White-throated Sparrows hopping around on the ground under the bird feeders. It was the first time I'd seen a white-throat this year so that makes 91 bird species so far. Down at the lake we did some dip netting. All of the usual species were in the lake such as dragonfly larva, water boatmen, crawling water beetles, water scorpions and scuds. It was nice to see the sun again after a string of gray days.

Friday the tulips were blooming at work. We have some planted along a wall that has a nice southern exposure. The side of the building there is dark brown cinder block that really heats up and creates a microclimate.

Saturday morning I awoke to the sound of the first House Wren of the year singing outside my window.  We got .19 inches of rain in the Como Park neighborhood of St. Paul.

Sunday I visited my aunt and uncle in Eagan and their Rhododendron was in full bloom. There were two very large bumblebees working over the blossoms. Those are the first bumblebees I've seen this year. 

Sorry, I don't have any phenolgy to watch for this week due to the aforementioned emergency but I hope to have some things to watch for next week.

~Kirk

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Monday Phenology: April 2, 2012

No podcast again tonight. I'm coming down with something and I sound like Berry White. It might make for a sexy sounding podcast but I'm going to go pass out in bed instead.  Here's some rough observations for the week.

Stay Healthy.



Monday- I saw first of the year Red-breasted Merganser and Turkey Vulture. It was a cold dreary day. People talked about the other shoe dropping. No, the other shoe dropping would be a snow storm. This is just normal March weather. There were a few little pellets of frozen rain on my door mat when I let the dog out in the morning. The rest had clearly melted away but the mat must have insulated them and kept them around long enough for me to see them.

Tuesday - Brought two more new birds for the year. I saw an Eastern Meadowlark while doing a roadside clean-up and then Tree Swallows were out in the prairie in the afternoon. Painted lady butterflies are also out now. Tuesday was warmer but very windy. Branches were blowing down off trees. Very small fiddle head ferns are poking up in the woods.

Wednesday I got reports of White pelicans migrating, northern flickers, myrtle warblers and ruby-crowned kinglets in the Hugo area.

Thursday I sawsome kind of thrush on the edge of the driveway at work but didn't have time to stop. I hoped it would be around of Friday.

Friday I went for a short hike in the morning to see what was happening in the woods. I was itching to see that first myrtle warbler and they should be around. What I found instead was a woods full of American Robins. I counted 200 as they zoomed around and I figure there were easily twice as many that I could not see. Walking into the middle of the forest while this flock flew around me was surreal and very exciting. The birds were feeding mostly on buckthorn. Mixed into or drawn to the flock were blue jays, cedar waxwings and even a rusty blackbird! The blackbird teed up right in front of me and I was pretty surprised. I headed back toward the building and a thrush flew across my path. A little more snooping and I was able to get a good look. There were a couple of hermit thrushes. I even heard one do a tentative song. I headed back on the same trail in the afternoon taking some volunteers on a hike and there were still lots of robins around. A flock of blackbirds flew into a tree and while they were too far away to tell that they were more than males and females their call gave them away as Brewer's Blackbirds.


Saturday and Sunday there were reports of loons on area lakes, flower buds on my lilacs are about to open. I also found buds on clematis that were about to open.

What to watch for this week:
Watch for blooming lilacs. Early returning myrtle warbler, loons, northern flickers will become more common. That's all I can muster right now. I'm going to bed but hope to be right as rain next week and the podcast can return.

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