Spring is in full swing, with April bringing the Seattle area a record-setting stretch of SEVEN consecutive days above 70 degrees. Folks were observed enjoying summertime activities on beaches, trails, and lawns across the Olympic Peninsula. (Do observations of human behaviors count as phenology? Maybe not technically, but humans definitely DO follow certain cyclical and seasonal patterns…) Overall, April has brought us an eclectic mix of sun and rain and warmer temperatures that just causes everything to bloom and leaf out like crazy. Reported phenology observations this month include:
- cows let out on pasture at Dungeness Valley Creamery
- rufous hummingbirds returning to the area
- northern red legged frogs seen on local trails and wetlands
- the annual springtime “cattle shuffle” at Bent Gate Farms
- young ferns pushing up through older fronds
- forest flowers such as calypso and wood sorrel
- a reminder about the springtime return of lamprey to spawn in local waterways
In addition to these wild flora and fauna, garden shrubs and street trees are flowering in profusion and gardens are underway!
We encourage you to take photos of what you see (or hear, or smell, or feel) happening out on the land. Whether you are hiking, surfing, birdwatching, gardening, or walking your dog, YOU are the best source of information on the land you love. You might try recording your observations in an app (such as iNaturalist or eBird) and we hope you will also share them with us!
Facebook: tag @NorthOlympicLandTrust, use hashtag #phenologyfiles
Instagram: tag @northolympiclandtrust, use hashtag #phenologyfiles
Email: send to paula@northolympiclandtrust.org
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- northern red legged frog by Michele Canale
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- calypso by Mike Auger
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- young ferns by Paula Hunt
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- spawning lamprey by Paula Hunt