Return to a vibrant green landscape – most trees are nearly leafed out

Jack-in-the-Pulpit is starting to flower

Return to a vibrant green landscape – lush growth in wetlands

Wild columbine is starting to flower

Foam flower is starting to flower

Christmas fern fiddleheads

Cuckoo flower

Wild strawberry blossoms

Choke cherry blossoms

Yellow rocket (AKA winter cress) flowers transforms some fields to yellow

Oaks are flowering

Tulip poplar leaves are about 3/4 grown

Watch for painted turtle hatchlings (Photo by Kristen Rosenburg)

Lesser yellowlegs (Photo by Paul Bigelow)

Black-crowned night-heron (Photo by Brittany Rowan)

Greater yellowlegs (Photo by Paul Bigelow)

Semipalmated sandpiper (Photo by Paul Bigelow)

Least sandpiper (Photo by Paul Bigelow)

Spotted sandpiper (Photo by Paul Bigelow)

Common tern colony (NYSDEC trail cam photo)

Female ruby-throated hummingbird (Photo by Paul Bigelow)

Yellow-billed cuckoo (Photo by Paul Bigelow)

Female yellow warbler(?) (Photo by Dave Denk instagram = dddave226)

Nashville warbler (Photo by Brittany Rowan)

Warbling vireo (Photo by Brittany Rowan)

Difficult to identify Empidonax flycatcher (Photo by Paul Bigelow)

Yellow warbler (Photo by Dave Denk instagram = dddave226)

Baltimore oriole (Photo by Brittany Rowan)

Male bobolink (Photo by Paul Bigelow)

Indigo bunting (Photo by Brittany Rowan)

Baltimore oriole carrying nest material (Photo by Dave Denk instagram = dddave226)

Female bobolink (Photo by Paul Bigelow)

Young raccoons in tree cavity nest (Photo by Brittany Rowan)

I am amazed every spring with how rapidly our landscape changes from drab browns and grays to vibrant shades of green. Concurrently, and not by accident, our forests and fields awaken with a diversity and abundance of animal life. Insects and other invertebrates that rely on plants as food begin their life cycles in earnest. In turn, mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians capitalize on the abundance of invertebrates to feed young. Migrant birds and bats consume large numbers of invertebrates to fuel their continued passage north. Herbivorous mammals, such as woodchuck and white-tailed deer, rely on the surge in plant growth to survive and nurse young. A vast and complicated food web is quickly established and maintained throughout the growing season.

Below are highlights of what you can expect to find outdoors in the Buffalo-Niagara Region this fourth full week of spring. Those in bold/italics are new highlights to watch for this week. Check out the list of 300 publicly accessible sites (“B-N Region & Sites” tab on this web page) to find areas to explore in your neighborhood and throughout the Buffalo-Niagara Region.

Average Sunrise/Sunset (Day Length):

• 5:50 AM/8:34 PM DST (14 Hours, 44 Minutes)
• 5 Hours, 43 minutes of daylight longer than at Winter Solstice

Typical Weather:

• Normal High Temperature: 66.9° F  Normal Low Temperature: 47.7° F
• Cumulative Growing Degree Days thru May 14, 2019: 178

Lake, Pond, Stream & Wetland Conditions:

• The Lake Erie water temperature off Buffalo warmed substantially to 45°F and the Lake Ontario water temperature off Greece (Monroe County) warmed moderately to 46°F as of May 17, 2019.
• Inland ponds, wetlands, and vernal pools remain near annual high-water levels.
• Streams will exhibit moderate flow levels this week, with the potential for locally higher levels if the area experiences thunderstorms with heavy downpours.

Fungi:

• Watch for early species of fungi such as scarlet cup, pheasant’s back, mica cap, morels, and false morels.

Ferns and Grasses/Sedges/Rushes:

• Fern fiddleheads (furled leaf fronds coiled like the scroll of a violin head) will continue to unfurl for some late emerging species such as Christmas, maidenhair, and sensitive fern.
• Watch for field horsetails growing in wet areas, resembling small pine seedlings, with fertile stems releasing an abundance of spores.
• A few species of wetland sedges (e.g., tussock & awl-fruited sedges) and upland sedges (e.g., Pennsylvania & plantain-leaved sedges) will continue to flower this week, well ahead of most grass species.
• New growth of broad- and narrow-leaf cattails in marshes is rapidly overtaking last year’s brown cattail stems.

Wildflowers:

• Abundant yellow flowers of marsh marigold continue to flower, albeit beyond peak, in some forested and emergent wetlands.
• Some spring ephemeral and similar early woodland wildflowers will continue to flower this week, albeit beyond peak, including northern blue violet, Canada white violet, downy yellow violet, wild ginger, and large-flowered (white) trillium.
• The following woodland wildflowers may begin to bloom this week: Jack-in-the-pulpit, May-apple, Solomon’s seal (smooth and hairy), false Solomon’s seal, large-flowered bellwort, blue phlox, Canada mayflower, white baneberry, red baneberry, Virginia waterleaf, foam flower, herb Robert, and wild columbine.
• Virginia bluebells will likely reach peak flowering this week, primarily in rich floodplain forests.
• The rose-purple flowers of wild geranium may be observed in woods and meadows later this week.
• Wild leek leaves are fully emerged in some upland forests. This is the best time of year to harvest leeks (AKA ramps). Be sure to harvest sustainably and with landowner permission.
• Cuckoo flower will continue to bloom in wet meadows and along the edges of swamps and marshes.
• Wild strawberry will begin to blossom this week. Make a mental note of their locations so you can plan to return in June to enjoy the fruits.
• Lesser celandine, an invasive non-native species of buttercup, will continue to bloom in some areas this week. It is most common in floodplain forest habitats.
• Another invasive species, garlic mustard, will continue to flower this week, primarily in upland forests.
• The abundant pale blue flowers of forget-me-not are evident in ditches, stream edges, and other wet places. The most common species, Myosotis scorpioides, is non-native.
• Yellow rocket (AKA winter cress) will begin to flower in fallow farm fields and road edges this week. Profuse flowering of this non-native mustard completely transforms some fields to yellow.

Trees and Shrubs:

• Leaves of most tree and shrub species will grow surprisingly fast this week, especially with seasonally warm weather forecast for Saturday through Monday. Leaf-out will be nearly completed by the end of this week for most species (excluding ashes, hickories, and walnuts).
• Wind-dispersed pollen of oaks, birches (e.g., yellow birch, American hornbeam), and ashes (e.g., green & white) are currently the leading allergens in the Buffalo Area.
• Red oak (e.g., northern red oak, pin oak) and white oak (e.g., white oak, swamp white oak, bur oak) trees will continue to flower this week, the first step in producing acorns that will be an important component of our region’s mast crop in Fall 2019 and 2020. Acorns of white oak species mature in one year but it takes two years for acorns of red oak species to mature.
• Similarly, shagbark hickory and bitternut hickory will begin to flower this week, ultimately producing hickory nuts that will be an important component of our region’s mast crop this fall.
• Several native fruit-producing trees and shrubs will begin to flower late this week and early next week: black cherry, choke cherry, red elderberry, nannyberry, and hawthorn.
• Tartarian honeysuckle, an invasive non-native shrub that has infested many woodland habitats in our region, will begin to flower later this week. Its flowers have a strong sweet fragrance.
• Red and silver maple trees are rapidly producing a crop of “helicopter” samara fruits that will flutter to the ground over the next few weeks.
• Quaking aspen, big-toothed aspen, and various willows will begin to release cotton-like fluff and seeds this week, although nothing close to the volume of cottonwood fluff that will fill the air in early June.

Insects & Other Invertebrates:

• Ticks are now active so wear protective clothing and/or repellent, and do tick-checks after every outing.
• Blackflies will continue to be active in some areas, creating an annoyance for outdoors people.
• Mosquitoes will likely be out in large numbers by the end of next week, swarming but not biting at first. Some may start to bite later this week.
• A surprising diversity and abundance of vernal pool invertebrates will continue as pools warm: fingernail clams, amphipods, isopods, fairy shrimp, caddis fly larvae, dragonfly nymphs, giant water bugs, an assortment of aquatic beetles, etc.
• Various species of caddis flies, stoneflies, midges, and mayflies (e.g., March brown, blue-winged olive, Hendrickson) will continue to emerge from streams, providing a valuable food source for trout and other fish, as well as birds and bats.
• Watch for honeybees and native pollinators such as bumblebees and hover flies visiting newly blooming flowers this week.
• Mourning cloak, eastern comma, and question mark butterflies (which overwinter as adults) will continue to be active this week.
• First broods of butterflies that overwinter as pupae will continue to emerge this week, likely including spring azure, eastern tiger swallowtail, spicebush swallowtail, black swallowtail, giant swallowtail, little wood satyr, pearl crescent, clouded sulphur, and cabbage white butterflies.
• Watch for American painted lady, painted lady, and red admiral butterflies that occasionally migrate on southerly winds into the Buffalo-Niagara Region at this time.
• Common green darners may continue to migrate back into our region from the south this week.
• Early emergence dragonfly species (e.g., eastern pondhawk, four-spotted skimmer) and damselfly species (e.g., eastern forktail, fragile forktail, familiar bluet) may be active this week.

Fish:

• Muskellunge may still be concentrated in vegetated shallows for spawning.
• Walleye and yellow perch will continue to move into shallow water areas to spawn.
• Smallmouth bass will continue to migrate from Lakes Erie and Ontario into tributary streams, harbors, and bays in preparation for spawning.
• Huge schools of rainbow smelt may migrate from Lake Ontario into the Lower Niagara River to spawn, although few if any have been reported near shore. They may also be found in the lower segments of other large tributary streams (both Lake Ontario and Lake Erie).
• Rainbow darters and Iowa darters will be preparing to spawn in riffles and shallow areas of streams. Male darters are ornately colored at this time of year.

Amphibians & Reptiles:

• Breeding choruses of spring peepers, western chorus frogs, northern leopard frogs, and American toads will continue this week, albeit less boisterous than earlier this spring.
• Egg masses and tadpoles of the above listed species (as well as wood frog) can be found in breeding pools.
• The raucous calls of gray treefrogs (similar in quality to red-bellied woodpecker calls) will continue this week.
• Green frogs and bullfrogs will begin calling from ponds and semi/permanent wetlands this week.
• Watch for breeding clusters of northern water snakes around the edges of ponds and wetlands.
• Watch for painted turtles basking on logs, especially during cool but sunny periods.
• Watch for tiny midland painted turtles to emerge from nests in lawns, flower beds, and road shoulders – typically near ponds and wetlands.

Water & Shore Birds, Gulls & Terns:

• Goslings and ducklings of the following waterfowl species can now be seen in or near wetlands and other waterbodies: Canada goose, mallard, American black duck, wood duck, and hooded merganser.
• Great blue herons, great egrets, and black-crowned night-herons are feeding nestlings at various inland and Great Lakes coastal rookery sites.
• Common terns are attempting to nest at their typical Great Lakes and Niagara River colony sites.
• Killdeer, spotted sandpipers, American woodcock, and Wilson’s snipe are incubating eggs and/or caring for “fledglings”. The young are precocial – leaving the nest shortly after hatching and well before being capable of flight.
• Early migrant shorebirds will continue to arrive in our area this week, including black-bellied plover, semipalmated plover, ruddy turnstone, sanderling, semipalmated sandpiper, pectoral sandpiper, least sandpiper, solitary sandpiper, spotted sandpiper, and short-billed dowitcher.
• To stay abreast of bird sightings in the region, consult eBird, Genesee Birds, and Dial-a-Bird (see the “Resources” tab on this web page for more details).

Birds of Prey:

• As the trailing edge of hawk migration passes through the Buffalo-Niagara Region, most year-round and summer resident birds of prey are incubating eggs or feeding nestlings.
• Most great horned owl chicks have fledged from their nests already (typically flightless for a week or more) and some barred and eastern screech owl chicks will fledge this week.

Upland Game Birds:

• Wild turkey toms can be heard gobbling as they try to attract mates. Spring turkey season runs from May 1 to 31 so don’t be fooled by artificial gobbles as hunters try to call in territorial toms. Many hens are already incubating eggs.
• Listen for drumming displays by male ruffed grouse in the southern part of the Buffalo-Niagara region as well as the Alabama Swamps area.

Songbirds:

• Ruby-throated hummingbirds and Baltimore orioles have returned to our region. They respond well to “nectar” and fruit/jelly feeders and can therefore be attracted close to houses for easy viewing.
• The wave of neotropical migrant songbirds (those that overwinter primarily in tropical areas such as Central & South America) that started two weeks ago will continue this week. Watch for species such as least flycatcher, great-crested flycatcher, eastern kingbird, yellow-throated vireo, warbling vireo, wood thrush, and rose-breasted grosbeak.
• The following neotropical migrant songbirds that typically mark the beginning of the end of spring migration will continue to arrive in the region this week: eastern wood-pewee, red-eyed vireo, veery, Swainson’s thrush, indigo bunting, and scarlet tanager. Additional late migrant species to watch for this week include common nighthawk, black- and yellow-billed cuckoos, alder flycatcher, willow flycatcher, Acadian flycatcher, and Philadelphia vireo, and gray-cheeked thrush.
• Among the neotropical migrants are the following colorful warbler species: blue-winged, Nashville, northern parula, yellow, chestnut-sided, magnolia, black-throated blue, black-throated green, Blackburnian, palm, black-and-white, American redstart, ovenbird, and hooded warblers.
• The following neotropical migrant warblers that typically occur toward the tail-end of spring migration may start to arrive in the region this week: golden-winged, Tennessee, Cerulean, bay-breasted, blackpoll, mourning, Wilson’s, and Canada.
• Bobolinks will continue to return to grassland nesting sites in our region this week from as far away as Argentina. Listen for their distinctive bubbly song that resembles R2D2 from Star Wars.

• Experience migrant passage by listening for songbird contact calls after dark. Monitor movements on Doppler radar or at http://birdcast.info/. Track average bird arrival dates compiled by the Buffalo Ornithological Society at http://dates.bosbirds.com/.
• Most year-round resident songbird species (e.g., mourning dove, black-capped chickadee, white-breasted nuthatch, downy woodpecker) have already fledged young.
• Most short-distance migrants (e.g., northern flicker, eastern phoebe, tree swallow, American robin, song sparrow) are well along with raising nestlings and may have already fledged young. One notable exception is the American goldfinch which postpones breeding to coincide with fruiting of Canada and bull thistle in early July.
• In contrast, most long-distance migrants (e.g., alder flycatcher, ruby-throated hummingbird, wood thrush, scarlet tanager) are just establishing territories, nest building, or incubating eggs.

• To stay abreast of bird sightings in the region, consult eBird, Genesee Birds, and Dial-a-Bird (see the “Resources” tab on this web page for more details).

Mammals:

• The following tree bats, which migrate south for the winter, will continue to arrive back in our region this week: eastern red, silver-haired, and hoary bats.
• Watch for young gray squirrels, eastern chipmunks, and woodchucks out-and-about. They grow rapidly and will soon be close to adult sized.
• Beavers give birth to kits at about this time. Typical litter size is 2 to 5.
• Many young eastern cottontail rabbits have already left their nests. Two more litters to go.

• Many coyote, red fox, and gray fox pups are now venturing out of their dens, as are raccoon and striped skunk.
• White-tailed deer will continue to travel in herds. They typically stay together until shortly before fawns are born, starting over the next couple weeks.
• White-tailed deer are shedding their winter coats now, transitioning from gray-brown to red-brown pelage. Antler growth is now evident on bucks.

Be sure to find an opportunity to get outside this week to discover signs of spring.

Chuck Rosenburg