||Observation (Click on links for photos)
In spite of the cooler weather today there are several
new species in flower: Ribes rubrum (cherry-currant),
Ribes odoratum (golden currant, just a few open flowers),
Fraxinus pennsylvanica (green ash), and one fully
open flower of Trillium grandiflorum (big white trillium).
I have annecdotal reports of a few trilliums in flower as early
as April 28, but I did not see any until today. The 19 year average
for first flowering date of this population of Trillium is May 3,
UWGB (Gary Fewless).
Numerous yellow-rumped warblers following
a heavy migration last night; saw our first white-crowned sparrows
of the year, Baltimore Oriole, orchard oriole, rose-breasted
grosbeak, palm warbler. Many flowers open on Erythronium
americanum (yellow trout-lily)
and Dentaria laciniata (cut-leaved toothwort), a few
open flowers of Trillium grandiflorum (big white trillium).
Many cabbage butterflies seen this afternoon as well. We
had a great temperature drop following passage of the front today,
going from 75 at 5:25 PM, to 51 at 6:00, and 45 by 7:00. Town of
Cooperstown, Manitowoc County (Joel Trick).
(juneberry) is in flower in the courtyard of MAC Hall, UWGB
(Vicki Medland). Also flowering in the courtyard are Vaccinium
angustifolium (blueberry) and Waldsteinia fragarioides
(barren strawberry). I am not aware of any other individuals
of these species flowering yet at other locations. The courtyard
provides a warmer environment so the plants can develope earlier
than others in natural habitats.
Betula papyrifera (paper birch) in
flower (anthesis), UWGB.
Cabbage butterflies flying at UWGB, and elsewhere
in Brown County.
New species in flower today: Ranunculus hispidus
(swamp buttercup), Ribes cynosbati (gooseberry)
and Veronica arvensis (corn speedwell), Lamium
amplexicaule (henbit), UWGB.
(quaking aspen) leaves are now large enough to give the canopy
a slightly green aspect from a distance, UWGB.
First Question Mark butterfly seen on UWGB
First gray treefrogs calling this evening;
also many American toads, Town of Cooperstown, Manitowoc
County (Joel Trick).
Green heron near the East River, Village
of Allouez, Brown County (Joel Trick).
Bombus sp.) flying. Also, I'm pretty sure I saw a six spotted
tiger beetle (Cicindelidae:Cicindela sexguttata) on a pile of
soil near the language house on campus. I didn't get a second look,
though, Cofrin Arboretum UWGB, (Mike Draney).
Thlaspi arvense (field
penny-cress) in flower, UWGB.
Gypsy moths hatching
in DePere, Brown Co.
This morning's low temperature was 29°F
in Green Bay.
||Light rain and a little hail
in the morning at UWGB.
Acer platanoides (Norway maple, cultivated
individual) began flowering
on UWGB today on a tree that has been monitored for 19 years. The
average for 19 years is April 30, the earliest was April 18 and
the latest was May 15. Some individuals in the City of Green Bay
were in flower a day or two before, I think.
Anemone Quinquefolia, Dentaria diphylla,
Erythronium americanum in flower, UWGB.
||American robin nest
with 2 eggs, Town of Cooperstown, Manitowoc
County (Joel Trick).
(European Larch, cultivated) in flower (anthesis), Viola
conspersa (Dog violet), Erythronium albidum (White
trout-lily), Euphorbia cyparissias (Cypress spurge)
in flower, UWGB. These flowering dates are within 3-4 days of the
earliest dates recorded in the last 19 years.
(gill-over-the-ground ), Dentaria laciniata (cut-leaved
toothwort) in flower, UWGB. The dates of the last few days are
about 10 days earlier than last year for the same items--even more
First day for toads "singing" on
UWGB, Prairie Pond. In most years they don't start this breeding
period until early May on this pond.
Acer negundo (box elder) and Populus
deltoides (cottonwood) widely in flower in city of Green
Capsella bursa-pastoris (shepherd's purse),
Sanguinaria canadensis (bloodroot), Carex pedunculata
(long-stalk sedge ), Carex pensylvanica (Pennsylvania
sedge), Cardamine douglassii (purple spring-cress,
only one plant in flower) all in flower, UWGB.
Acer negundo (box
elder) and Forsythia sp. (Forsythia, cultivated)
in flower, Allouez, Brown County.
Lemna minor (common duckweed) growing
vigorously on stagnant pools, Brown County.
Lonicera xbella, (showy bush honeysuckle)
and Ribes americanum (American black currant) are
both beginning to leaf-out, giving a light green cast to woods where
they are common. Lonicera xbella is an invasive species that
displaces native plants. Ribes americanum is native.
Our first chipping sparrow seen today; many
open flowers on
(Claytonia virginica) spring beauties and (Sanguinaria
canadensis) bloodroot, Town of Cooperstown, Manitowoc
County (Joel Trick).
Barbarea verna (
Populus deltoides (cottonwood),
(prairie willow), Juniperus chinensis
(Chinese juniper, anthesis, cultivated) in flower,
Hepatica acutiloba (sharp-lobed hepatica)
in flower, several locations in Brown County; Draba verna
(spring whitlow-grass) in flower, probably for several days
by the time I noticed it, Brown County, Town of Green Bay.
Dicentra cucullaria (Dutchman's-breeches)
in flower, Brown County, Town of Scott (Kathey Groves).
Isopyrum biternatum (false rue-anemone)
in flower, Calumet County (Katie Hemauer).
Suckers (fish) in Mahon Creek to spawn, UWGB.
Lake Sturgeon are spawning in the Wolf River,
Shiocton. They began during the last week, I think, since we saw
none there last Saturday (Apr 10). See last years econotes
for apr 27 for photos
and more information on Lake Sturgeon.
First broad-winged hawk seen; many migrating
today, City of Green Bay, Brown County (Joel Trick).
horsetail) dispersing spores; Acer
rubrum (red maple) in flower (anthesis), UWGB.
Sanguinaria canadensis (bloodroot)
in flower, Shawano (Joel Whitehouse)
Dragonfly (large, blue)
flying, UWGB (Katie Hemauer).
Winter Wrens, Baird's
Creek Parkway, Brown Co., WI (Steve Price).
males, Barn Swallows, Belted Kingfisher, Sensiba Wildlife
Area, Brown County (Heather Gentry).
Eastern Pheobe, Field
Sparrow and Eastern Meadowlark heard
singing on the Cofrin Arboretum,UWGB Campus, Brown Co (Steve Price).
grandidentata (big-tooth aspen),
(American elm) and the earliest individuals of Caltha
palustris (marsh marigold) in flower today, UWGB. The
Caltha plants are in areas with springs and usually flower
at least a week before plants in other sites. Ulmus americana
flowers have been swollen for two weeks or more and the anthers
had been exserted for 4-5 days, but today is the first day that
pollen was released (anthesis).
Field Sparrow, Town
of Cooperstown, Manitowoc County (Joel Trick).
First few flowering plants of Claytonia virginica
(spring beauty), on open, south-facing slope, Brown County.
Garter Snake, Brown County.
Several northern Leopard Frogs (Rana pipiens)calling
at Bayshore Pond,
UWGB Cofrin Arboretum (Steve Price).
Light snow in Green Bay.
Two Great Egrets, East River, Brown County.
Purple Martins, Calumet County (Katie Hemauer).
Light snow in Green Bay (0.6 inches at the
NOAA weather station) enough to make roofs white very early in the
Ulmus pumila (Siberian elm) in flower
||Salix discolor (Pussy
Willow) in flower (anthesis); new leaves of Ribes americanum
(American black currant) are beginning to emerge, UWGB.
(Rock-jasmine) in flower, UWGB.
Senecio vulgaris (common
groundsel) in flower, UWGB. This is a fairly common weed in
the City of Green Bay.
WIS DNR reports there is still ice on some northern
lakes and there are still people ice fishing, although the ice
is deteriorating quickly. There is also some snow left in northern
forests, especially where shaded.
There is still snow in Door County, Bailey's Harbor,
in forested areas and where it had drifted or been piled deeply
during the winter.
Dry conditions have led to several grass fires
in northern Wisconsin.
and Spring Peepers calling, Pensaukee (Tom Erdman)
Male Bluebird, UW-Green
Bay's Cofrin Arboretum (Paul Sager).
First tiger salamanders seen; two adult males
in shallow water, Point Pond, near Iola, Waupaca County (Peter Lembcke).
Wood frogs calling, Kewaunee County, (Pete
Stellaria media (chickweed)
and Taraxacum officinale (dandelion) in flower--earliest
plants, on south facing lawn next to brick wall; the first open
flowers (anthesis) of
Populus tremuloides (quaking aspen), UWGB.
First northern flicker calling in our woods.
Town of Cooperstown, Manitowoc County (Joel Trick).