Phenology

5/21/2020: Wild strawberry in bloom, canada mayflower and star flower plants emerging, no flowers yet!

5/20/2020: Wood anenome, goldthread, and wild ginger in bloom

5/18/2020: Black and white warblers calling

5/17/2020: Ovenbirds back and calling

5/16/202: Eastern tree frogs out and calling, Nashville warblers, Northern Parula, broadwing hawks, chestnut sided warblers and common yellowthoats all back and singing!

5/15/2020: American toads out and calling

5/12/2020: barren strawberry in bloom, more hummingbirds being reported every day, orioles are back and around

5/10/2020: More trailing arbutus up, bog rosemary in bloom, leatherleaf almost in bloom in the bog, frog eggs off bog platform at the Center, bitterns are back

5/8/2020: Dandelions (a VERY important flower for pollinators) are starting to come up!

5/6/2020: Blue headed vireo and black throated green warbler singing at the VanVliet Hemlocks- also a GIANT green frog was hanging out in a small vernal pool by the parking lot

5/5/2020: Purple finch, rose breasted grosbeak and osprey flying overhead with a fish at the Center!

5/4/2020: First hummingbird spotted near the Discovery Center!

5/3/2020: The past few days brought: painted turtles, pine warblers, blue and green wing teals, and eagles sitting on their nests

5/1/2020: Salamanders leaving ponds and heading back into the woods

4/30/2020: Wild leeks are coming in, trout lily and spring beauty are in bloom- snapping turtle was out on the edge of a back road

4/28/2020: Trailing arbutus in bloom in some areas, golden crowned kinglets calling

4/26/2020: Other observations this past week by Naturalist Annie: leopard frogs out, merlins and broadwing hawks back, alder flycatcher, ruby crowned kinglets, white throated sparrows are all back!

4/25/2020: A walk at the Awassa Trail in St. Germain brought a few new birds: Hermit thrush call note (not song), Yellow rumped (Myrtle) Warbler singing, and a yellow-shafted (northern) flicker on the way home.  Also, ephemeral woodland flowers coming out: hepatica in bloom and trailing arbutus!

Salamanders are also coming to the ponds to mate!

4/24/2020: Observations from a hiker at the Center: porcupine strolling on the orange/blue trail, wood frogs mating, possible nesting of a common merganser on Statehouse Lake, one turkey egg spotted, and a mouse appears to be living in the lakeside equipment shed 🙂

4/23/2020: After a short pause in the advancement of spring due to tall the snow and colder temps, Spring Peepers have now joined the wood frogs in their woodland pond chorus!

4/19/2020:  ICE OUT on Statehouse lake!  Yellow bellied sapsucker holes are fresh on a maple tree today! They are back!

4/12-13/2020: 7-10+ inches of fresh snow fell in the Northwoods

4/11/2020: Ospreys returning to their nests, spotted bringing material back; geese on nests

4/9/2020: Naturalist Licia had a mosquito land on her 🙁

4/7/2020: Wood frogs calling, loons returning to some open lakes, chives are starting to come up in the garden

4/5/2020: Finished up the last batch of maple syrup; brown creepers singing and a mourning cloak butterfly was flying around!

4/3/2020: Phoebes and Song sparrows have returned to the Discovery Center and are singing!

4/2/2020: Winter wrens singing

4/1/2020: Woodcock aerial display reported (no joke!)

3/25/2020 - 4/5/2020:  Migratory and Returning Birds:

Mallards, Wood Ducks, Sandhill Cranes, Yellow-bellied Sapsuckers, Dark-eyed Juncos, Great Blue Herons, Turkey Vultures, American Robins, Red-winged Blackbirds, Tundra Swans (flyover)

• Goldfinch males in breeding plumage
• Bald Eagles courtship display
• Northern Saw-whet Owls calling and nesting
• Eastern Chipmunks emerged
• Beavers are more active on shorelines
• Mourning Cloak Butterflies emerged
• Ticks emerged

3/24/2020:  Black bears are making an appearance in the MW area!  Usually males will come out first, as the females remain in the den with cubs a bit longer.

3/11/2020:  Tree sparrows singing while migrating through!  (also a pileated flew in for a second at the feeders 🙂 )

3/10/2020:  Canada geese back on the Manitowish River!

3/8/2020:  Red-bellied woodpecker at private feeder in Minocqua

3/5/2020:  Maple sap flowing!!

3/4/2020:  Red squirrels mating

2/29/2020:  Two barred owls contact calling at Van Vliet Hemlocks

2/15/2020:  Trumpeter swans have stayed all winter on the Manitowish River