Unfortunately, I continue to be too short on time to prepare weekly Nature Almanac posts. However, since there is so much consistency with natural happenings during any given week between years (especially this time of year), I am republishing the following 2019 post for folks trying to stay abreast of all that is going on outdoors at this time.

Juvenile northern harrier. Note facial disk not found in other hawks in our Region.

Adult male northern harrier. Note facial disk not found in other hawks in our Region.

Perched light-morph rough-legged hawk (photo by David Crowe).

Perched dark-morph rough-legged hawk (photo by David Crowe).

Light-morph rough-legged hawk in flight (photo by David Crowe).

Light- and dark-morph rough-legged hawks in flight (photo by David Crowe).

Snowy owl perched on fence post (photo by Tom Poczciwinski).

Snowy owl perched on dock at Buffalo Harbor State Park (photo by Ken Czworka).

Long-eared owl (photo by Tom Poczciwinski).

Short-eared owl (photo by Anne Rothrock, NYSDEC).

Short-eared owl foraging over fallow field (photo by Karen Lee Lewis).

Short-eared owl perched on fence post (photo by Karen Lee Lewis).

Short-eared owl in daytime conifer roost (photo by Tom Poczciwinski).

This overgrown Christmas tree plantation serves as an excellent daytime roost site for short-eared owls.

Even conifer landscape plantings may be used as daytime roosts by short-eared owls.

When snow isn’t too deep, short-eared owls and northern harriers often roost on the ground, such as on the downwind side of soft rush tussocks.

The meadow vole is the primary prey species for winter raptors in our Region.

Meadow voles travel in runways under grass cover. Can you spot this vole?

View of facial disk and large ear opening of short-eared owl, remarkable adaptations for catching prey by sound (photo by Tom Poczciwinski).

Short-eared owl pellets reveal their food habits.

Short-eared owl pellets reveal their food habits – meadow vole and short-tailed shrew skulls & mandibles in this pellet.

This fallow farm field was an excellent foraging area for northern harriers and short-eared owls.

Hay fields can provide good foraging habitat for winter raptors, as long as they are not mowed too short late in the growing season.

Fencelines and ditches can be productive foraging areas for winter raptors.

Plowed fields are nearly devoid of small mammals and therefore typically not good foraging habitat for winter raptors.

A short-eared owl starts its “day” near sunset (photo by Anne Rothrock).

First-winter northern shrike (photo by Paul Bigelow).

Please note that several of the above photos were taken during a winter raptor study conducted several years ago by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation. That study was focused on learning more about habitat use and home range size of the short-eared owl (state-listed endangered species) and the northern harrier (state-listed threatened species), and therefore required trapping and tagging of those raptors. Please be aware that trapping wild birds is illegal without proper federal and state permits.

Early January is typically an excellent time of year to actively search for “winter raptors” in the Buffalo-Niagara Region. This group of winter visitant birds-of-prey includes the northern harrier (AKA marsh hawk), rough-legged hawk, snowy owl, short-eared owl, and long-eared owl. While I find it exciting to see any raptor, I especially enjoy watching northern harriers and short-eared owls course back and forth over grassy fields in search of prey, sometimes just above the tops of dried weed and grass stems. Both species often occur in small groups, sometimes consisting of a dozen or more birds in a single field. Short-eared owls are particularly interesting to watch, with their moth-like flight pattern, bark-like vocalizations, and frolicking behavior that occasional includes prey stealing. They are most active near dawn and dusk (crepuscular). It is noteworthy that the long-eared owl, a night-active (nocturnal) species, hunts in a similar manner as the short-eared owl but is much less commonly seen in foraging flight due to darkness.

While winter raptors typically start to arrive in our Region in November, sightings often increase noticeably in January. This may be the result of actual increased numbers of these birds in our Region, or it may simply be the result of increased activity (and thus increased visibility) of these raptors in response to decreased numbers of small mammals and other prey as winter progresses. Deeper snow cover, which provides greater protective cover for meadow voles and other prey, may have the same effect. Under difficult winter conditions, raptors must work harder to catch enough prey to survive. It may take a period of seasonally cold weather with an accumulation of snow before winter raptor sightings increase this winter. Those of us willing to venture out under such conditions may be rewarded by wonderful views of these intriguing birds-of-prey.

Most of the above listed birds-of-prey are found in the Buffalo-Niagara Region during winter months only, typically departing for breeding grounds in late March or early April. While some northern harriers and long-eared owls breed in our Region, most nest near open lands within the boreal forest zone of Canada. Short-eared owls breed primarily in open muskeg areas along the northern edge of the boreal forest zone and across the tundra zone of Canada. Rough-legged hawks and snowy owls breed primarily in the Arctic tundra and come south only during winter months.

Winter raptors are exceptional “mousers,” well adapted for catching small mammals (as well as birds). All three species of owls listed above, as well as the northern harrier, have facial disks that reflect and concentrate sound waves toward the ears (much like commercially available parabolic listening devices). The owls also have asymmetrically located ear openings that allow the owls to locate sound sources by triangulation. These hearing adaptations greatly assist in detecting prey by sound. That is an important skill when hunting meadow voles. This field mouse creates extensive networks of runways beneath grassy cover, and maintains them beneath snow, where they stay very well concealed from sight. However, the vole’s high-pitched vocalizations and other sounds are detected by owls and the northern harrier, to the extent that these raptors can catch voles by sound alone (sometimes under a foot of powdery snow).

Another amazing ability of the three owl species is night vision. Several eye adaptions allow owls to see well in extremely low light levels. Those adaptations include large eye size relative to body size, large pupil opening for maximizing the amount of available light entering the eye, large lens and cornea to enhance light gathering, and a retina layer that is packed with rods – light sensing cells. These night vision adaptations greatly assist owls in locating and capturing prey after dark.

For folks interested in finding winter raptors in the Buffalo-Niagara Region, here are a few tips. Time of day is important. Day-active (diurnal) species such as the northern harrier, rough-legged hawk, and snowy owl can be found most any time between sunrise and sunset. However, late afternoon is typically the best time to find the crepuscular short-eared owl, usually from about a half hour before to a half hour after sunset. Focusing searches in areas of suitable habitat is also key. Winter raptors are typically found in broad, open, tundra-like areas with extensive grassland habitat. These birds-of-prey often require 100 acres or more of quality grassland habitat such as fallow farm fields, hay fields with relatively long grass (versus short-mowed), pastureland, and airports. Such areas typically provide the highest densities of meadow voles and similar prey animals.

Scan large grassy fields with binoculars to locate raptors that are perched or in flight. The rough-legged hawk and especially the snowy owl are most often seen perched on fence posts and other low objects, utility poles, treetops, etc. In contrast, the northern harrier, short-eared owl, and long-eared owl frequently hunt on-the-wing, coursing back and forth low over grassy fields. Rough-legged hawks also hunt in flight but typically from considerably higher heights and often by hovering in place. Short-eared owls occasionally perch on fence posts and utility poles, but most of their foraging time is spent in flight. Finally, frequently check eBird, Genesee Birds, and Dial-a-Bird (see the “Resources” tab on this web page for more details) for reports of winter raptors.

Identification of some raptors may be difficult for beginner birders. The most challenging of the five species covered here is the rough-legged hawk. This species is similar in size and sometimes in color pattern to the red-tailed hawk, a much more common buteo in our Region. Key field marks differentiating rough-legged from red-tailed hawks include the white rump patch and dark wrist marks (seen in flight) of the rough-legged hawk and the rusty red upper tail color (adults only) and white un-streaked chest of the red-tailed hawk. To add to the challenge, two color morphs of rough-legged hawks (light and dark) occur in our Region. Northern harriers also vary in color. Adult females are dark brown with streaked chest and belly, juveniles are dark brown with cinnamon-colored chest and belly, and adult males are a striking combination of gray upperparts, white underparts, and black wing tips. All have a large white rump patch. Consult field guides as necessary to validate species identifications.

When searching for winter raptors and observing birds you’ve discovered, be sure to be respectful of private property rights by requesting landowner permission before entering private land. Keep in mind that these birds can often be observed well from public roads. However, that needs to be done safely and respectfully by parking cars on road shoulders completely out of travel lanes (which simply may not be possible on some roads), staying off roads while observing birds on foot, and paying close attention to traffic when crossing roads. Of course, be respectful of the birds by not approaching too closely and by avoiding any other behavior that may be disruptive. Disturbing these birds causes them to waste vital energy reserves at this crucial period of survival. More details about safe and respectful birding are available at https://www.dec.ny.gov/press/112637.html.

Below are highlights of what you can expect to find outdoors in the Buffalo-Niagara Region this week. Those in bold/italics are new or substantially revised highlights to watch for this week. Check out the list of 300 publicly accessible sites at https://bnnatureblog.com/nature-sites/site-lists/alphabetical-list/ to find areas to explore in your neighborhood and throughout the Buffalo-Niagara Region.

Average Sunrise/Sunset (Day Length):

• 7:47 AM/4:54 PM EST (9 Hours, 7 Minutes)
• 0 Hours, 6 minutes of daylight longer than at Winter Solstice

Typical Weather:

• Normal High Temperature: 31.9° F  Normal Low Temperature: 19.5° F

Lake, Pond, Stream & Wetland Conditions:

• The Lake Erie water temperature off Buffalo cooled to 38°F and the Lake Ontario water temperature off Greece (Monroe County) cooled to 39°F as of January 2, 2019.
• Water levels in most interior wetlands and vernal pools are close to seasonal highs after a long period of normal or better precipitation and greatly reduced evapotranspiration rates.
• Similarly, water levels in many ponds are now close to seasonal highs.

Fungi:

• The hard frost/freeze we experienced over the past few weeks extinguished most fungal fruiting bodies. The fungal “roots” (mycelium network) will survive the winter and produce new fruiting bodies during the appropriate season next year. Interestingly, fruiting bodies of some species of fungi (e.g., oyster mushrooms) remain viable during the winter and may disseminate spores during warm periods or in early spring.

Ferns and Grasses/Sedges/Rushes:

• The hard frost/freeze we experienced over the past few weeks killed remnant grass, sedge, and rush stems (thus known as a killing frost). The roots of these perennial plants will survive and sprout next spring.

Wildflowers:

• The hard frost/freeze we experienced over the past few weeks killed remnant wildflower stems (thus known as a killing frost). Roots and rhizomes of perennial wildflowers will survive and sprout next spring. Seeds of annual wildflowers will do the same.

Trees and Shrubs:

• Many American beech leaves remain clinging to limbs but have now changed to brown. Some beech trees will hold their leaves the rest of the winter.
• Several native shrubs and vines continue to provide fruit (soft mast) that is an important winter food source for a variety of birds and mammals: winterberry, cranberry viburnum, staghorn sumac, and swamp rose.
• In addition, one non-native species, multiflora rose, provides fruit consumed by wildlife.

Insects & Other Invertebrates:

• The hard frost/freeze we experienced over the past few weeks killed most adult insects and other invertebrates that have not migrated or entered hibernation. The vast majority of insect species in our Region over-winter as eggs or larvae/nymphs, although some species over-winter as adults.

Fish:

• Many species of fish have moved into shallower areas and are feeding more heavily as water temperatures have cooled, including muskellunge, walleye, smallmouth bass and schools of yellow perch.
• Steelhead continue to occur in Great Lakes tributaries and the Lower Niagara River at this time. Spawning does not occur until late winter and early spring. Steelhead are an anadromous form of rainbow trout that spawn in streams but live most of their lives in Lakes Erie and Ontario. All forms of rainbow trout are native to Pacific coast watersheds.
• Brown trout continue to occur in Great Lakes tributaries and the Lower Niagara River. Spawning typically occurs from late October to December in these tributaries. Brown trout were introduced from Europe.

Amphibians & Reptiles:

• With the onset of winter weather, essentially all amphibians and reptiles are now hibernating.

Water & Shore Birds, Gulls & Terns:

• The annual buildup of “sea ducks” and similar waterbirds that over-winter in the Great Lakes and Niagara River continues with additional arrivals of greater scaup, lesser scaup, canvasback, redhead, common goldeneye, bufflehead, white-winged scoter, surf scoter, black scoter, long-tailed duck, common merganser, and red-breasted merganser.
• Watch for winter resident tundra swans congregating in open waters along the upper Niagara River (especially off Beaver Island, Buckhorn, and Niagara Falls State Parks).
• This continues to be a good time to look for purple sandpipers feeding in rocky habitats above Niagara Falls.
• Bonaparte’s gull numbers will remain relatively high in the region this week, using the Niagara River as a significant stop-over feeding area along their migration route south. This species typically reaches its peak fall numbers in the region in November and December when thousands may be observed along the Niagara River.
• This is an excellent time to watch for rare species of gulls such as Franklin’s, little, black-headed, California, Iceland, Thayer’s, lesser black-backed, Glaucous, Sabine’s, and black-legged kittiwake among more common species such as recent arrivals of Bonaparte’s and greater black-backed gulls. Such rarities add to the remarkable diversity of gull species – 19 species total – that have been observed along the Niagara River and bordering Great Lakes. The peak time is typically between mid-November and mid-January.

Birds of Prey:

• Bald eagles can be found along the upper and lower Niagara River where good numbers will over-winter.
• Winter resident raptors will continue to arrive in the region, especially in areas with extensive open grassland habitat, including northern harriers, rough-legged hawks, snowy owls, short-eared owls, and long-eared owls.
• Snowy owls are frequently found along Great Lakes shorelines, such as the Buffalo waterfront, where they feed on ducks and other waterbirds.
• Great horned owls have started to pair-up, form pair bonds, and establish nesting territories. Listen for their vocalizations, especially near sunset and sunrise, including duets consisting of a female and male singing nearly in unison (with male calls noticeably lower in pitch than those of the female).

Upland Game Birds:

• Watch for wild turkey flocks in farm fields, along forest edges, and near bird feeders.

Songbirds:

• Watch bird feeders for the following songbird species that are part of this year’s “winter finch” irruption: purple finch, red crossbill, white-winged crossbill, common redpoll, hoary redpoll, pine siskin, evening grosbeak, and red-breasted nuthatch. Nyjer (AKA thistle) and black oil sunflower are the best seeds for attracting these species.
• Bird feeders are also excellent locations to watch for arrivals of more typical migrant and over-wintering feeder birds such as dark-eyed junco, white-throated sparrow, song sparrow, and American tree sparrow.   Place seed such as white millet in ground feeders or directly on the ground to attract many of these migrants.
• Bird feeders will continue to be active with year-round resident birds such as mourning dove, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, red-bellied woodpecker, black-capped chickadee, tufted titmouse, white-breasted nuthatch, blue jay, northern cardinal, house finch, and American goldfinch.
• Good tips for feeding birds are available from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, online at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/notes/BirdNote01_WinterFeeding.pdf
• If you don’t have a feeder of your own, consider visiting a local nature center (see the 2^nd to last column in the tables of nature viewing sites found under the “B-N Region & Sites” tab on this web page).
• The northern shrike, a predatory passerine that breeds in Canada and Alaska, will continue to occur in the Region. Watch for them on prominent perches overlooking open and brushy habitats.
• Most eastern bluebirds, American robins, eastern meadowlarks, red-winged blackbirds, common grackles, brown-headed cowbirds, and summer resident sparrows have now left the Region for southern climes.
• While most American robins have migrated south, small to medium sized flocks may still be encountered.
• Small flocks of horned larks are being joined in open farmland and other tundra-like habitats by snow buntings and Lapland longspurs. Many will over-winter in our region.

• 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:

• Resident species of cave bats (big brown, little brown, and eastern pipistrelle [tri-colored] bats) have entered hibernation. Most woodchucks have also started their winter hibernation. Two other species of true hibernators, meadow jumping mouse and woodland jumping mouse, have also begun hibernation.
• Most eastern chipmunks are in a state of torpor. In this condition, which is not a true form of hibernation, chipmunks sleep but arouse frequently to feed on hoarded food. They may forage aboveground during mild weather.
• Gray squirrels and southern flying squirrels continue to actively forage for cached acorns and other available food. Similarly, red squirrels feed from middens of pine and spruce cones.
• Watch bird feeders after dark for nocturnal visits by southern flying squirrels.
• White-footed mice and deer mice prepare for winter by building nests in woodpecker holes, bird houses, and squirrel leaf-nests. Some rehab old bird nests by adding a roof and insulation. These mice often cross paths with homeowners this time of year as they seek shelter in sheds, garages, and houses – along with non-native house mice.
• Beavers continue to feed on cut branches they cached in shallow water near their lodges during the fall.
• Ermine (AKA short-tailed weasel) have molted from brown to white pelage for winter months.
• Black bears, an uncommon species in the Buffalo-Niagara Region but increasingly common to our south, are in carnivorous lethargy. In this state, which is not a true form of hibernation, a bear’s heart rate is significantly lowered but body temperature falls only about 10°F (substantially smaller drop than for true hibernators).

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

Chuck Rosenburg

Unfortunately, I am currently too short on time to prepare weekly Nature Almanac posts. However, since there is so much consistency with natural happenings during any given week between years (especially this time of year), I am republishing the following 2018 post for folks trying to stay abreast of all that is going on outdoors at this time.

Bonaparte’s Gull (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Bonaparte’s Gull (photo by Shaina Souder)

Bonaparte’s Gull (photo by Shaina Souder)

Herring Gull (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Herring Gull (photo by Brittany Rowan)

Herring Gull (photo by Brittany Rowan)

Ring-billed Gull (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Mourning Dove visiting bird feeding station

Blue Jay visiting bird feeding station

American Tree Sparrow visiting bird feeding station

Downy & Hairy Woodpeckers visiting suet feeders

Red-bellied Woodpecker & White-breasted Nuthatch visiting black oil sunflower feeders

Red-breasted nuthatch visiting suet feeder

American Goldfinches visiting black oil sunflower feeders

Dark-eyed Junco visiting heated bird bath

Many ardent birdwatchers consider Niagara Falls, and sections of the Niagara River upstream and downstream of the Falls, to be the “Gull Capital of the World” in recognition of the abundance and diversity of gulls found there during winter months. The Falls area annually supports one of the world’s most spectacular concentrations of gulls, with one-day counts of over 100,000 individuals and 19 species recorded, according to the National Audubon Society. Birders flock to this hotspot at this time of year in hopes of observing some of the dozen or so rare species that have been documented there.

Even to those not seeking rarities, the sheer magnitude of gulls along the Niagara River can be an awesome sight. Flocks of thousands or tens-of-thousands can be seen above and below Niagara Falls and elsewhere along the Lower Niagara River. In particular, the section of river in Lewiston near the outlets of the Robert Moses Niagara Power Plant (on the New York side) and Sir Adam Beck Hydroelectric Generating Station (on the Ontario side) supports huge, boiling flocks of gulls that soar above the turbulent water and sporadically dive for fish.

Gull numbers and diversity along the Niagara River typically peak between mid-November and mid-January. This timing coincides with the annual buildup of fall migrant Bonaparte’s gulls and the arrival of wintering herring and great black-backed gulls. Among those common species are about a dozen uncommon to rare winter visitants that arrive about the same time. Gulls are attracted to the Niagara River during winter months by extensive areas of open water (i.e., unfrozen) and abundant food resources, especially emerald shiners. Some of the shiners and other small fish may be stunned from turbulence near the Falls and the outlets of the hydropower plants, thus making for easy prey. The critical resources that the Niagara River provides for gulls, waterfowl, and other waterbirds is a significant reason why the River is listed as an Important Bird Area by the National Audubon Society.

Gulls are renowned travelers. Most of the species found in the Buffalo-Niagara Region during winter months breed elsewhere, in some cases >1,000 miles away. Glaucous, Iceland, Thayer’s, and Sabine’s gulls breed primarily in the Arctic and drift south only during winter months. Bonaparte’s gulls nest near lakes and other waterbodies across the boreal forest zone of Canada. They build stick nests in trees, in contrast to almost all other gulls. Most great black-backed gulls and laughing gulls breed along the Atlantic coast. Black-legged kittiwakes are pelagic species seldom found far from salt water, but occasionally observed along the Niagara River. Franklin’s and California gulls travel here from the Prairie Potholes Region and Pacific coast. While rare in our Region, some European breeders have been recorded here in winter on a fairly regular basis over the past few decades, including lesser black-backed, black-headed, and little gulls.

Gull-watching can be both invigorating and frustrating. It can be an invigorating experience to witness huge and raucous masses of gulls, with some flocks consisting of thousands or even tens-of-thousands of birds. That feeling can be augmented by the knowledge that many of the gulls traveled here from far-distant breeding grounds. It can simultaneously be a frustrating experience because of the challenge of trying to pick out rare species within huge flocks, keep track of any rare gull once spotted (like following an individual snowflake in a squall), confirm with confidence which species it is, and simultaneously relay your findings to other birders. Adding to the challenge is the frustration that most gull species have different plumage patterns as they mature from year to year.

A good approach for finding rare gulls in our Region is to first learn to readily recognize the most common species (especially in flight): Bonaparte’s, ring-billed, herring, and great black-backed gulls. Once comfortable with the common species, scan large flocks of gulls to look for birds with slight anomalies, especially different wing color patterns. Here are a few examples. Bonaparte’s gulls are small tern-like gulls with a distinct white wedge at the tip of each wing. They often occur in medium to large flocks. Scan those flocks to spot dark underwings or primary feathers that are typical of little and black-headed gulls. Ring-billed and herring gulls are medium and large-sized gulls (respectively) with gray mantles and black-tipped wings. Scan flocks of ring-billed and/or herring gulls for “white-winged” gulls (those lacking dark wing tips) such Iceland, glaucous, and Thayer’s gulls. As one might expect, the great black-backed gull is a big gull with a black back. Watch for lesser black-backed gulls which are about 30% smaller, noticeably more slender, and have yellow legs (compared to pink legs of the great black-backed gull).

Some of the best birding for winter gulls can be experienced around the turbulent waters above and below Niagara Falls. Productive public viewing areas on the U.S. side of the Falls include Niagara Falls State Park, including Goat Island (above the Falls) and Niagara Gorge Discovery Center (below the Falls). On the Canadian side, the International Control Gates and Dufferin Island Nature Area (both above the Falls) can be excellent.

The Lower Niagara River typically supports huge flocks (thousands or tens-of-thousands) of gulls, especially near the outlets of Robert Moses and Sir Adam Beck generating stations. Valuable public viewing areas include the Niagara Power Vista visitor center, Lewiston Landing Waterfront Park, Joseph Davis State Park boat launch, and Fort Niagara State Park. On the Canadian side, the Niagara Glen Nature Area and overlooks at the north and south ends of the Sir Adam Beck hydro station have been excellent gull locations for decades.

Large numbers of gulls can sometimes be found on the Upper Niagara River during winter months. Good public viewing areas include Beaver Island State Park, LaSalle Waterfront Park in Niagara Falls, and waterfowl overlooks along the Robert Moses Parkway upstream of the Falls. On the Canadian side, pull-offs along the Niagara Parkway between Fort Erie and Niagara Falls offer good gull viewing opportunities. At times, the Buffalo Waterfront supports good numbers of gulls, especially Bonaparte’s and associated rarities. Public viewing areas include Gallagher Beach State Park, Buffalo Harbor State Park, Erie Basin Marina, LaSalle Park, and parkland on Unity Island.

Below are highlights of what you can expect to find outdoors in the Buffalo-Niagara Region this week. Those in bold/italics are new or substantially revised highlights to watch for this week. Check out the list of 300 publicly accessible sites at https://bnnatureblog.com/nature-sites/site-lists/alphabetical-list/ to find areas to explore in your neighborhood and throughout the Buffalo-Niagara Region.

Average Sunrise/Sunset (Day Length):

• 7:43 AM/4:44 PM EST (9 Hours, 1 Minutes)
• 6 Hours, 20 minutes of daylight shorter than at Summer Solstice
• The first day of winter this year falls on December 21, when daylength is the shortest for the year and the sun traces its lowest and shortest arc through the sky (AKA winter solstice).

Typical Weather:

• Normal High Temperature: 34.6° F  Normal Low Temperature: 22.7° F

Lake, Pond, Stream & Wetland Conditions:

• The Lake Erie water temperature off Buffalo cooled to 40°F and the Lake Ontario water temperature off Greece (Monroe County) cooled to 39°F as of December 21, 2018.
• Water levels in most interior wetlands and vernal pools are approaching seasonal highs after a long period of normal or better precipitation and greatly reduced evapotranspiration rates.
• Similarly, water levels in many ponds are now close to seasonal highs.

Fungi:

• The hard frost/freeze we experienced over the past few weeks extinguished most fungal fruiting bodies. The fungal “roots” (mycelium network) will survive the winter and produce new fruiting bodies during the appropriate season next year. Interestingly, fruiting bodies of some species of fungi (e.g., oyster mushrooms) remain viable during the winter and may disseminate spores during warm periods or in early spring.

Ferns and Grasses/Sedges/Rushes:

• The hard frost/freeze we experienced over the past few weeks killed remnant grass, sedge, and rush stems (thus known as a killing frost). The roots of these perennial plants will survive and sprout next spring.

Wildflowers:

• The hard frost/freeze we experienced over the past few weeks killed remnant wildflower stems (thus known as a killing frost). Roots and rhizomes of perennial wildflowers will survive and sprout next spring. Seeds of annual wildflowers will do the same.

Trees and Shrubs:

• Many American beech leaves remain clinging to limbs but have now changed to brown. Some beech trees will hold their leaves the rest of the winter.
• Several native shrubs and vines continue to provide fruit (soft mast) that is an important winter food source for a variety of birds and mammals: winterberry, cranberry viburnum, staghorn sumac, and swamp rose.
• In addition, one non-native species, multiflora rose, provides fruit consumed by wildlife.

Insects & Other Invertebrates:

• The hard frost/freeze we experienced over the past few weeks killed most adult insects and other invertebrates that have not migrated or entered hibernation. The vast majority of insect species in our Region over-winter as eggs or larvae/nymphs, although some species over-winter as adults.

Fish:

• Many species of fish have moved into shallower areas and are feeding more heavily as water temperatures have cooled, including muskellunge, walleye, smallmouth bass and schools of yellow perch.
• Steelhead continue to run up Great Lakes tributaries and the Lower Niagara River at this time. Spawning does not occur until late winter and early spring. Steelhead are an anadromous form of rainbow trout that spawn in streams but live most of their lives in Lakes Erie and Ontario. All forms of rainbow trout are native to Pacific coast watersheds.
• Brown trout continue to run up Great Lakes tributaries and the Lower Niagara River. Spawning typically occurs from late October to December in these tributaries. Brown trout were introduced from Europe.

Amphibians & Reptiles:

• With the onset of winter weather, essentially all amphibians and reptiles are now hibernating.

Water & Shore Birds, Gulls & Terns:

• The annual buildup of “sea ducks” and similar waterbirds that over-winter in the Great Lakes and Niagara River continues with additional arrivals of greater scaup, lesser scaup, canvasback, redhead, common goldeneye, bufflehead, white-winged scoter, surf scoter, black scoter, long-tailed duck, common merganser, and red-breasted merganser.
• Watch for migrant tundra swans congregating in open waters along the upper Niagara River (especially off Beaver Island, Buckhorn, and Niagara Falls State Parks).
• This continues to be a good time to look for purple sandpipers feeding in rocky habitats above Niagara Falls.
• Bonaparte’s gull numbers will remain relatively high in the region this week, using the Niagara River as a significant stop-over feeding area along their migration route south. This species typically reaches its peak fall numbers in the region in November and December when thousands may be observed along the Niagara River.
• This is an excellent time to watch for rare species of gulls such as Franklin’s, little, black-headed, California, Iceland, Thayer’s, lesser black-backed, Glaucous, Sabine’s, and black-legged kittiwake among more common species such as recent arrivals of Bonaparte’s and greater black-backed gulls. Such rarities add to the remarkable diversity of gull species – 19 species total – that have been observed along the Niagara River and bordering Great Lakes. The peak time is typically between mid-November and mid-January.

Birds of Prey:

• Bald eagles can be found along the upper and lower Niagara River where good numbers will over-winter.
• Winter resident raptors will continue to arrive in the region, especially in areas with extensive open grassland habitat, including northern harriers, rough-legged hawks, snowy owls, short-eared owls, and long-eared owls.
• Snowy owls are frequently found along Great Lakes shorelines, such as the Buffalo waterfront, where they feed on ducks and other waterbirds.

Upland Game Birds:

• Watch for wild turkey flocks in farm fields, along forest edges, and near bird feeders.

Songbirds:

• Watch bird feeders for the following songbird species that are part of this year’s “winter finch” irruption: purple finch, red crossbill, white-winged crossbill, common redpoll, hoary redpoll, pine siskin, evening grosbeak, and red-breasted nuthatch. Nyjer (AKA thistle) and black oil sunflower are the best seeds for attracting these species.
• Bird feeders are also excellent locations to watch for arrivals of more typical migrant and over-wintering feeder birds such as dark-eyed junco, white-throated sparrow, song sparrow, and American tree sparrow.   Place seed such as white millet in ground feeders or directly on the ground to attract many of these migrants.
• Bird feeders will continue to be active with year-round resident birds such as mourning dove, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, red-bellied woodpecker, black-capped chickadee, tufted titmouse, white-breasted nuthatch, blue jay, northern cardinal, house finch, and American goldfinch.
• Good tips for feeding birds are available from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, online at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/notes/BirdNote01_WinterFeeding.pdf
• If you don’t have a feeder of your own, consider visiting a local nature center (see the 2^nd to last column in the tables of nature viewing sites found under the “B-N Region & Sites” tab on this web page).
• The northern shrike, a predatory passerine that breeds in Canada and Alaska, will continue to arrive in the Region. Watch for them on prominent perches overlooking open and brushy habitats.
• Most eastern bluebirds, American robins, eastern meadowlarks, red-winged blackbirds, common grackles, brown-headed cowbirds, and summer resident sparrows have now left the Region for southern climes.
• While most American robins have migrated south, small to medium sized flocks may still be encountered.
• Small flocks of horned larks are being joined in open farmland and other tundra-like habitats by snow buntings and Lapland longspurs. Many will over-winter in our region.

• 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:

• Resident species of cave bats (big brown, little brown, and eastern pipistrelle [tri-colored] bats) have entered hibernation. Most woodchucks have also started their winter hibernation. Two other species of true hibernators, meadow jumping mouse and woodland jumping mouse, have also begun hibernation.
• Most eastern chipmunks are in a state of torpor. In this condition, which is not a true form of hibernation, chipmunks sleep but arouse frequently to feed on hoarded food. They may forage aboveground during mild weather.
• Gray squirrels and southern flying squirrels continue to actively forage for cached acorns and other available food. Similarly, red squirrels feed from middens of pine and spruce cones.
• Watch bird feeders after dark for nocturnal visits by southern flying squirrels.
• White-footed mice and deer mice prepare for winter by building nests in woodpecker holes, bird houses, and squirrel leaf-nests. Some rehab old bird nests by adding a roof and insulation. These mice often cross paths with homeowners this time of year as they seek shelter in sheds, garages, and houses – along with non-native house mice.
• Beavers cut more trees this time of year, in preparation for winter. They will cut, transport, and cache cut branches in shallow water near their lodges for wintertime feeding.
• Beavers are also actively building and repairing dams and lodges at this time.
• Ermine (AKA short-tailed weasel) have molted from brown to white pelage for winter months.
• Black bears, an uncommon species in the Buffalo-Niagara Region but increasingly common to our south, have entered carnivorous lethargy. In this state, which is not a true form of hibernation, a bear’s heart rate is significantly lowered but body temperature falls only about 10°F (substantially smaller drop than for true hibernators).

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

Chuck Rosenburg

Unfortunately, I am currently too short on time to prepare weekly Nature Almanac posts. However, since there is so much consistency with natural happenings during any given week between years (especially this time of year), I am republishing the following 2018 post for folks trying to stay abreast of all that is going on outdoors at this time.

Large raft of diving ducks, mostly canvasback and scaup (photo by Jacquie Walters, NYSDEC)

Large raft of diving ducks, mostly canvasback and scaup, plus a few redhead (photo by Jacquie Walters, NYSDEC)

Large raft of diving ducks, mostly canvasback and scaup, plus a few redhead (photo by Jacquie Walters, NYSDEC)

Drake canvasback (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Hen canvasbacks (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Drake long-tailed duck (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Drake red-breasted merganser (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Drake common merganser (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Drake greater scaup (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Hen greater scaup (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Drake common goldeneye (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Drake bufflehead (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Tundra swans with a variety of ducks and Bonaparte’s gulls (photo by Jacquie Walters, NYSDEC)

Snowy owl (photo by Tom Poczciwinski)

Adult bald eagle near Niagara River (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Juvenile bald eagle flying over Niagara River (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Snow bunting (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Horned larks (photo by Paul Bigelow)

American goldfinches at black oil sunflower feeder

Pileated woodpecker visiting feeding station

Flying squirrels visiting black oil sunflower feeder after dark

Red squirrel (photo by Paul Bigelow)

A little-known natural phenomenon associated with the Buffalo-Niagara Region is the tremendous concentration of ducks that overwinter on the Great Lakes and Niagara River. In fact, our Region serves as one of the most important water­fowl wintering areas in the northeastern United States, especially for diving ducks. Already, early in December, thousands of diving ducks (e.g., canvasback, scaup, common goldeneye, common merganser) and over 300 tundra swans have arrived here from Canada and Midwest Prairie Potholes. Most will spend the winter in our Region. Their ranks will swell to tens-of-thousands later this month, as the majority of wintering ducks typically arrives during December. Total numbers may exceed 100,000 ducks in January and February. For example, a February 2, 2017 winter waterfowl survey from shoreline observation points conducted by the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (NYSDEC) documented the presence of >110,000 ducks along the Buffalo Waterfront and Upper Niagara River.

Waterfowl are attracted to the Great Lakes and Niagara River during winter months by the extensive areas of open water (i.e., unfrozen) and abundant food resources, both plant and animal. The following species feed mostly on aquatic plants such as eel-grass: canvasback, redhead, and tundra swan. Crustaceans such as crayfish are the primary prey of common goldeneye and long-tailed duck. The following species feed mostly on mollusks such as mussels and aquatic snails: greater and lesser scaup, bufflehead, and white-winged scoter. Common and red-breasted mergansers feed primarily on fish.

The Buffalo Waterfront (both inside and outside the breakwalls) typically supports large and compact rafts (i.e., flocks of ducks floating together) of diving ducks, especially early in the winter before Lake Erie freezes. Rafts of thousands (sometimes tens-of-thousands) of greater scaup, lesser scaup, canvasback, redhead, common goldeneye, bufflehead, and common merganser have been recorded there. Such rafts can often be observed from public viewing areas such as Gallagher Beach State Park, Buffalo Harbor State Park, Erie Basin Marina, and LaSalle Park.

Extensive areas of open water attract large rafts of ducks to the Niagara River throughout the winter, especially when ice forms on Lake Erie and (occasionally) Lake Ontario. Assuming Lake Erie will freeze this winter, as it usually does, large numbers of ducks will move from there to the open waters of the Niagara River creating even more impressive concentrations. The critical open water and food resources provided by the Niagara River for overwintering waterfowl and other waterbirds is a significant reason why the River is listed as an Important Bird Area by the National Audubon Society.

Large rafts (thousands and sometimes tens-of-thousands) of greater scaup, lesser scaup, canvasback, redhead, common goldeneye, bufflehead, and common merganser can often be seen on the Upper Niagara River during winter months. Fruitful public viewing areas include Aqua Lane Park, Beaver Island State Park, Buckhorn Island State Park, LaSalle Waterfront Park in Niagara Falls, Niagara Falls State Park, and waterfowl overlooks along the Robert Moses Parkway upstream of the falls. Watch for migrant tundra swans that frequently congregate along the upper Niagara River, especially offshore from Beaver Island and Buckhorn Island State Parks and upstream of Niagara Falls. On the Canadian side, pull-offs along the Niagara Parkway between Fort Erie and Niagara Falls offer excellent waterfowl viewing opportunities.

It is well worth a winter visit to Goat Island (within Niagara Falls State Park) to view a particularly amazing feat performed daily by common goldeneye. Scan the rapids above Niagara Falls and you will see individual goldeneye maneuver the rapids, both on and below the water surface, as they forage for crayfish and other prey. How they avoid being dashed against the rocks in those turbulent waters is a wonder! They often come to the surface right above the brink of the falls just to fly back upstream to repeat the performance.

The Lower Niagara River typically supports medium to large rafts (hundreds and sometimes >1,000) of common goldeneye, white-winged scoter, long-tailed duck, common merganser, and red-breasted merganser. When winds gust across Lake Ontario, many more ducks enter the Lower River, upstream to Lewiston and farther. Valuable public viewing areas include the Lewiston Landing Waterfront Park, Joseph Davis State Park boat launch, and Fort Niagara State Park.

The Lewiston Reservoir, which typically freezes by early to mid-January, occasionally serves an important migratory feeding and resting area in late fall and early winter for greater and lesser scaup, as well as canvasback. Rafts of >5,000 scaup and >2,000 canvasback have been recorded there. Viewing areas are limited mostly to Reservoir State Park.

Lake Ontario does not freeze in a typical winter, although shore ice may extend well out into the lake (i.e., 0.5 mile or more) during the dead of winter. Large numbers (hundreds and sometimes >1,000) of the following species can be observed from shoreline overlooks: common goldeneye, white-winged scoter, long-tailed duck, common merganser, and red-breasted merganser. Occasional common loons, red-throated loons, and red-necked grebes may also be seen. It is noteworthy that very large rafts of long-tailed ducks and white-winged scoters often occur well offshore in Lake Ontario, out of sight and beyond NYSDEC survey limits. In addition to scoping out rafts of ducks at various waterfowl concentration areas, some birders choose a good overlook along the Lake Ontario shore (e.g., Wilson-Tuscarora State Park, Wilson Public Pier, Krull Park, and Golden Hill State Park) to observe flights of waterfowl and other waterbirds traveling east and west, close to shore, over an hour or more. Remarkable numbers of the birds listed above can be observed in this manner.

Extensive open water and an abundance of prey attracts other birds to the Great Lakes and Niagara River. Snowy owls frequently feed on ducks and other waterbirds concentrated close to shore. Bald eagles do the same, and also hunt and scavenge fish where open water is found. A few great blue herons and belted kingfishers, two species that mostly leave our Region in winter, can often be found foraging for fish and other prey in these productive habitats. Considering this abundance and diversity of birdlife, open water areas of the Great Lakes and Niagara River can be exciting places to visit during winter months.

Below are highlights of what you can expect to find outdoors in the Buffalo-Niagara Region this week. Those in bold/italics are new or substantially revised highlights to watch for this week. Check out the list of 300 publicly accessible sites at https://bnnatureblog.com/nature-sites/site-lists/alphabetical-list/ to find areas to explore in your neighborhood and throughout the Buffalo-Niagara Region.

Average Sunrise/Sunset (Day Length):

• 7:32 AM/4:41 PM EST (9 Hours, 1 Minutes)
• 6 Hours, 12 minutes of daylight shorter than at Summer Solstice

Typical Weather:

• Normal High Temperature: 39.1° F  Normal Low Temperature: 27.1° F
• Lake effect snow is forecast for this week.

Lake, Pond, Stream & Wetland Conditions:

• The Lake Erie water temperature off Buffalo was 43°F and the Lake Ontario water temperature off Greece (Monroe County) was 43°F as of December 5, 2018.
• Water levels in most interior wetlands and vernal pools is continuing to rise in response to recent precipitation and greatly reduced evapotranspiration rates.
• Similarly, the water level in many ponds is continuing to rise.
• Most streams will exhibit moderate flow levels this week.

Fungi:

• The hard frost/freeze we experienced over the past few weeks extinguished most fungal fruiting bodies. The fungal “roots” (mycelium network) will survive the winter and produce new fruiting bodies during the appropriate season next year. Interestingly, fruiting bodies of some species of fungi (e.g., oyster mushrooms) remain viable during the winter and may disseminate spores during warm periods or in early spring.

Ferns and Grasses/Sedges/Rushes:

• The hard frost/freeze we experienced over the past few weeks killed remnant grass, sedge, and rush stems (thus known as a killing frost). The roots of these perennial plants will survive and sprout next spring.

• Broad-leaf and narrow-leaf cattail fruits continue to disintegrate, releasing thousands of tiny fluffy seeds to the wind.

Wildflowers:

• The hard frost/freeze we experienced over the past few weeks killed remnant wildflower stems (thus known as a killing frost). Roots and rhizomes of perennial wildflowers will survive and sprout next spring. Seeds of annual wildflowers will do the same.

Trees and Shrubs:

• While a few northern red and pin oak trees continue to retain some leaves, most dropped them following the hard frost/freeze we experienced over the past few weeks.

• Many American beech leaves remain clinging to limbs but have now changed to brown. Some beech trees will hold their leaves the rest of the winter.
• The availability of hard and soft mast is noticeably less abundant now as squirrels, chipmunks, white-tailed deer, wild turkey, and other wildlife have consumed a large amount over the past several weeks.
• Several native trees, shrubs, and vines continue to provide fruit (soft mast) that is an important winter food source for a variety of birds and mammals: winterberry, cranberry viburnum, staghorn sumac, swamp rose, and wild grape.
• In addition, two non-native species provide fruit (soft mast) consumed by wildlife: multiflora rose and common buckthorn.

Insects & Other Invertebrates:

• The hard frost/freeze we experienced over the past few weeks killed most adult insects and other invertebrates that have not migrated or entered hibernation. The vast majority of insect species in our Region over-winter as eggs or larvae/nymphs, although some species over-winter as adults.

Fish:

• Many species of fish have moved into shallower areas and are feeding more heavily as water temperatures have cooled, including muskellunge, walleye, smallmouth bass and schools of yellow perch.
• Steelhead continue to run up Great Lakes tributaries and the Lower Niagara River at this time. Spawning does not occur until late winter and early spring. Steelhead are an anadromous form of rainbow trout that spawn in streams but live most of their lives in Lakes Erie and Ontario. All forms of rainbow trout are native to Pacific coast watersheds.
• Brown trout continue to run up Great Lakes tributaries and the Lower Niagara River. Spawning typically occurs from late October to December in these tributaries. In headwater streams, where brown trout have been stocked, they typically spawn a little later than brook trout. Brown trout were introduced from Europe.

Amphibians & Reptiles:

• With the onset of winter weather, essentially all amphibians and reptiles are now hibernating.

Water & Shore Birds, Gulls & Terns:

• With cold temperatures across the Buffalo-Niagara Region three weeks ago, most of our inland lakes and ponds were frozen. The ice cover drove most dabbling ducks (e.g., mallard, wood duck, American wigeon) and Canada geese south, out of our Region. Many of those that remained, primarily mallards and Canada geese, relocated to open waters of the Niagara River and Great Lakes.
• The annual buildup of “sea ducks” and similar waterbirds that over-winter in the Great Lakes and Niagara River continues with additional arrivals of greater scaup, lesser scaup, canvasback, redhead, common goldeneye, bufflehead, white-winged scoter, surf scoter, black scoter, long-tailed duck, common merganser, and red-breasted merganser.
• Watch for migrant tundra swans congregating in open waters along the upper Niagara River (especially off Beaver Island, Buckhorn, and Niagara Falls State Parks).
• This continues to be a good time to look for purple sandpipers feeding in rocky habitats above Niagara Falls.
• Bonaparte’s gull numbers will continue to build in the region this week, using the Niagara River as a significant stop-over feeding area along their migration route south. This species typically reaches its peak fall numbers in the region in November and December when thousands may be observed along the Niagara River.
• This is an excellent time to watch for rare species of gulls such as Franklin’s, little, black-headed, California, Iceland, lesser black-backed, Glaucous, Sabine’s, and black-legged kittiwake among more common species such as recent arrivals of Bonaparte’s and greater black-backed gulls. Such rarities add to the remarkable diversity of gull species – 19 species total – that have been observed along the Niagara River and bordering Great Lakes. The peak time is typically between mid-November and mid-January.

Birds of Prey:

• Bald eagles can be found along the upper and lower Niagara River where good numbers will over-winter.
• Winter resident raptors will continue to arrive in the region, especially in areas with extensive open grassland habitat, including northern harriers, rough-legged hawks, snowy owls, short-eared owls, and long-eared owls.
• Snowy owls are frequently found along Great Lakes shorelines, such as the Buffalo waterfront, where they feed on ducks and other waterbirds.

Upland Game Birds:

• Watch for wild turkey flocks in farm fields, along forest edges, and near bird feeders.

Songbirds:

• Watch bird feeders for the following songbird species that are part of this year’s “winter finch” irruption: purple finch, red crossbill, white-winged crossbill, common redpoll, hoary redpoll, pine siskin, evening grosbeak, and red-breasted nuthatch. Nyjer (AKA thistle) and black oil sunflower are the best seeds for attracting these species.
• Bird feeders are also excellent locations to watch for arrivals of more typical migrant and over-wintering feeder birds such as dark-eyed junco, white-throated sparrow, song sparrow, and American tree sparrow.   Place seed such as white millet in ground feeders or directly on the ground to attract many of these migrants.
• Bird feeders will continue to be active with year-round resident birds such as mourning dove, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, red-bellied woodpecker, black-capped chickadee, tufted titmouse, white-breasted nuthatch, blue jay, northern cardinal, house finch, and American goldfinch.
• Good tips for feeding birds are available from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, online at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/notes/BirdNote01_WinterFeeding.pdf
• If you don’t have a feeder of your own, consider visiting a local nature center (see the 2^nd to last column in the tables of nature viewing sites found under the “B-N Region & Sites” tab on this web page).
• The following “short-distance” migrant songbirds are passing through on their journey south or over-wintering in our region: brown creeper, red-breasted nuthatch, golden-crowned kinglet, dark-eyed junco, white-throated sparrow, American tree sparrow, and pine siskin.
• The northern shrike, a predatory passerine that breeds in Canada and Alaska, will continue to arrive in the Region. Watch for them on prominent perches overlooking open and brushy habitats.
• Most eastern bluebirds, American robins, eastern meadowlarks, red-winged blackbirds, common grackles, brown-headed cowbirds, and summer resident sparrows have now left the Region for southern climes.
• While most American robins have migrated south, small to medium sized flocks may still be encountered.
• Small flocks of horned larks are being joined in open farmland and other tundra-like habitats by snow buntings and Lapland longspurs. Many will over-winter in our region.

• 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:

• Resident species of cave bats (big brown, little brown, and eastern pipistrelle [tri-colored] bats) have entered hibernation. Most woodchucks have also started their winter hibernation. Two other species of true hibernators, meadow jumping mouse and woodland jumping mouse, have also begun hibernation.
• Most eastern chipmunks have now entered a state of torpor. In this state, which is not a true form of hibernation, chipmunks sleep but arouse frequently to feed on hoarded food. They may forage aboveground during mild weather.
• Gray squirrels and southern flying squirrels continue to actively gather and store acorns and other mast for winter. Similarly, red squirrels form middens of pine and spruce cones.
• Watch bird feeders after dark for nocturnal visits by southern flying squirrels.
• White-footed mice and deer mice prepare for winter by building nests in woodpecker holes, bird houses, and squirrel leaf-nests. Some rehab old bird nests by adding a roof and insulation. These mice often cross paths with homeowners this time of year as they seek shelter in sheds, garages, and houses – along with non-native house mice.
• Beavers cut more trees this time of year, in preparation for winter. They will cut, transport, and cache cut branches in shallow water near their lodges for wintertime feeding.
• Beavers are also actively building and repairing dams and lodges at this time.
• Ermine (AKA short-tailed weasel) have molted from brown to white pelage for winter months.
• Continue to watch for white-tailed deer buck rubs. Bucks actively rub saplings and small trees, depositing scent from forehead glands.
• Bucks will continue to make scrapes by pawing away leaves to expose soil, then urinating over the scraped area to deposit scent from tarsal glands. They typically mouth and rub their antlers on an overhanging branch, depositing even more scent.
• Deer courtship (the “rut”) continues this week. Does become more active as they start estrus and bucks are often seen following them. As a result, the frequency of deer-car collisions increases sharply during the rut, from mid-October through December.
• Black bears, an uncommon species in the Buffalo-Niagara Region but increasingly common to our south, typically have mostly entered carnivorous lethargy by now. In this state, which is not a true form of hibernation, a bear’s heart rate is significantly lowered but body temperature falls only about 10°F (substantially smaller drop than for true hibernators).

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

Chuck Rosenburg

Unfortunately, I am currently too short on time to prepare weekly Nature Almanac posts. However, since there is so much consistency with natural happenings during any given week between years (especially this time of year), I am republishing the following 2018 post for folks trying to stay abreast of all that is going on outdoors at this time.

 With that said, I am posting the following Week 46 2018 post a little earlier this year as autumn set in a bit later than average in 2018.

Chuck

Water table is rising in wetlands

Cattail fruits are disintegrating

Squirrel leaf nests are now evident after leaf drop

Bird nests are evident after leaf drop

Virgin’s bower fruits are evident after leaf drop

Bladdernut fruits are evident after leaf drop

Bald-faced hornet nests are evident after leaf drop

American larch needles exhibit golden fall color

Pin oak leaves offer splashes of late fall color

Northern red oak leaves provide some late fall color

Many American beech leaves offer golden fall color

Many American beech leaves offer golden fall color

Red stems of silky dogwood

Very late witch-hazel flowers

Bunches of wild grapes still provide fruit for wildlife

Virginia creeper fruits

Leaves are accumulating in streams

Nuptial colors of our native brook trout (photo at Aquarium of Niagara)

Tundra swans are arriving in the Niagara River and other WNY waters (photo by Jacquie Walters, NYSDEC)

Migrant Canada geese are passing through WNY (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Migrant/winter resident red-breasted nuthatch (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Hairy woodpecker visiting feeder with black oil sunflower seeds

Red-bellied woodpecker visiting suet feeder

Junco and American tree sparrow feeding on white millet

Fox sparrow feeding on white millet and black oil sunflower

Mourning dove accessing water at heated bird bath

Wind and rain have stripped most leaves from trees and shrubs over the past week, rapidly transforming our brightly colored landscape to one dominated by drab browns and grays. While the loss of leaves and the associated color may be disheartening to some, their absence provides an opportunity to observe bird nests, squirrel nests, bald-faced hornet nests, unusual tree bark, and other features that have been hidden from view the past several months. This is an excellent time to hike established trails and the edges of fields and woods to discover what has just been revealed.

Leaf drop also provides a bonanza for many organisms, both terrestrial and aquatic, that rely on leaves for food. A variety of soil invertebrates feed on leaves (and/or fungi and bacteria on leaf surfaces), shredding them and assisting with the recycling process that returns leaf nutrients back into the soil for continued use by trees and other plants. Examples of these invertebrates include earthworms, snails, slugs, sow bugs, pill bugs, millipedes, springtails, nematode worms, and soil mites. Similarly, a variety of aquatic invertebrates feed on leaves that fall into streams. These organisms include leaf shredders (e.g., isopods, and juvenile stages of certain species of crane flies, caddis flies, stone flies, and water beetles) as well as filter feeders (e.g., juvenile stages of certain species of midges, blackflies, and caddis flies). Leaves and the terrestrial and aquatic organisms that feed on them are essential components of the food webs associated with forest and stream ecosystems.

Below are highlights of what you can expect to find outdoors in the Buffalo-Niagara Region this week. Those in bold/italics are new or substantially revised 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):

• 7:08 AM/4:52 PM EST (9 Hours, 44 Minutes)
• 5 Hours, 37 minutes of daylight shorter than at Summer Solstice

Typical Weather:

• Normal High Temperature: 47.9° F  Normal Low Temperature: 34.2° F
• Heavy frost/freeze and snow are forecast for this week.

Lake, Pond, Stream & Wetland Conditions:

• The Lake Erie water temperature off Buffalo dropped to 48°F and the Lake Ontario water temperature off Greece (Monroe County) dropped to 46°F as of November 13, 2018.
• Water levels in most interior wetlands and vernal pools remain low but continue to rise in response to recent rainfall and reduced evapotranspiration rates.
• Similarly, the water level in most ponds is low but continuing to rise.
• Most streams will exhibit moderate flow levels this week.

Fungi:

• The hard frost/freeze forecast for this week will extinguish most fungal fruiting bodies. The fungal “roots” (mycelium network) will survive the winter and produce new fruiting bodies during the appropriate season next year. Interestingly, fruiting bodies of some species of fungi (e.g., oyster mushrooms) remain viable during the winter and may disseminate spores during warm periods or in early spring.

Ferns and Grasses/Sedges/Rushes:

• The hard frost/freeze forecast for this week will kill remnant grass, sedge, and rush stems (thus known as a killing frost). The roots of these perennial plants will survive and sprout next spring.
• Broad-leaf and narrow-leaf cattail fruits are disintegrating, releasing thousands of tiny fluffy seeds to the wind.

Wildflowers:

• The hard frost/freeze forecast for this week will kill remnant wildflower stems (thus known as a killing frost). Roots and rhizomes of perennial wildflowers will survive and sprout next spring. Seeds of annual wildflowers will do the same.
• This is bur season so be watchful where you (and your dog(s)) walk. Several local plants have adapted a hitch-a-ride strategy that capitalizes on animal disbursal. Those currently in fruit include common burdock and multiple species of bur marigold and avens.

Trees and Shrubs:

• Wind and rain have stripped leaves from most trees and shrubs over the past week, transforming a brightly colored landscape to one dominated by browns and grays.

• Most American beech leaves continue to retain a golden hue, but the change to brown will advance quickly following a hard frost/freeze this week.
• While most oak leaves are brown, some northern red oak and pin oak leaves in sheltered areas retain some red-brown color.
• Leaf color for some species of trees and shrubs is still mostly green and greenish yellow, including some willows, Tartarian and Morrow’s honeysuckles (both non-native), and common and glossy buckthorn (both non-native). These leaves will soon drop following a hard frost/freeze this week.
• Be on the lookout for stringy yellow petals of witch-hazel flowers. Also watch and listen for seeds being explosively ejected from ripe (but woody) fruits (from last year’s flowers).
• The availability of hard and soft mast is noticeably less abundant now as squirrels, chipmunks, white-tailed deer, wild turkey, and other wildlife have consumed a large amount over the past several weeks.
• Some hard mast (acorns, hickory nuts, etc.) continues to be available, on and off trees, for consumption by many mammals and some birds (e.g., wild turkey, blue jay). Sources at this time include northern red oak, pin oak, bitternut hickory, and black walnut.
• Several native trees, shrubs, and vines continue to provide ripe fruit (soft mast) that is an important source of food for a variety of birds and mammals: winterberry, cranberry viburnum, staghorn sumac, swamp rose, poison ivy, Virginia creeper, and wild grape.
• In addition, the following non-native species provide ripe fruit (soft mast) consumed by wildlife: multiflora rose, autumn olive, and common buckthorn.

Insects & Other Invertebrates:

• The hard frost/freeze forecast for this week will kill most adult insects and other invertebrates that have not migrated or entered hibernation. The vast majority of insect species in our Region over-winter as eggs or larvae/nymphs, although some species over-winter as adults.
• Adult stage ticks become especially abundant in early October and remain active as long as temperatures stay above freezing and the ground is not covered with snow. Therefore, be especially careful to wear protective clothing and/or repellent, and do tick-checks after every outing.

Fish:

• Many species of fish are moving into shallower areas and are feeding more heavily as water temperatures have cooled, including muskellunge, walleye, and smallmouth bass.
• Schools of yellow perch continue to move into progressively shallower water as fall advances.
• Chinook salmon (AKA king salmon) and coho salmon are mostly done spawning in Great Lakes tributary streams and the Lower Niagara River. These salmon die after spawning. Both species are native to Pacific coast watersheds.
• Historically, Atlantic salmon (AKA landlocked salmon) followed a similar spawning pattern in the Lake Ontario. However, Atlantic salmon do not die after spawning. This native and one-time abundant species was nearly extirpated in the late 1800’s. Restoration efforts have had limited success to date.
• Another native species, lake trout, continues to spawn in shallow rocky/gravelly shoals of the Great Lakes and Lower Niagara River.
• Steelhead continue to run up Great Lakes tributaries and the Lower Niagara River at this time. Spawning does not occur until late winter and early spring. Steelhead are an anadromous form of rainbow trout that spawn in streams but live most of their lives in Lakes Erie and Ontario. All forms of rainbow trout are native to Pacific coast watersheds.
• Native brook trout (our state fish species) continue to spawn in riffles and shallow areas of small headwater streams at this time. Male brook trout develop a hook on the lower jaw and are ornately colored at this time of year.
• Brown trout continue to run up Great Lakes tributaries and the Lower Niagara River. Spawning typically occurs from late October to December in these tributaries. In headwater streams, where brown trout have been stocked, they typically spawn a little later than brook trout. Brown trout were introduced from Europe.

Amphibians & Reptiles:

• With the onset of winter weather, essentially all amphibians and reptiles are now hibernating.

Water & Shore Birds, Gulls & Terns:

• With recent cold temperatures across the Buffalo-Niagara Region, most of our inland lakes and ponds are now frozen. The ice cover has driven most dabbling ducks (e.g., mallard, wood duck, American wigeon) and Canada geese south, out of our Region. Most of those that remain, primarily mallards and Canada geese, have relocated to open waters of the Niagara River and Great Lakes.
• Watch and listen for migrant Canada goose flocks passing overhead. Some will stop-over in our region to rest and feed on their journey south.
• This is a good time to scout for migrant brant resting and feeding in parkland and other open habitats bordering Lakes Erie and Ontario. Brant is a relatively small species of goose that nests in the tundra and into the Arctic Circle.
• The annual buildup of “sea ducks” and similar waterbirds that over-winter in the Great Lakes and Niagara River continues with arrivals of common loon, red-throated loon, red-necked grebe, horned grebe, greater scaup, lesser scaup, canvasback, redhead, common goldeneye, bufflehead, white-winged scoter, surf scoter, black scoter, long-tailed duck, common merganser, and red-breasted merganser.
• Watch and listen for migrant tundra swans passing over and congregating along the upper Niagara River and at Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge and adjoining state WMA’s.
• This is a good time to look for purple sandpipers feeding in rocky habitats above Niagara Falls.
• Bonaparte’s gull numbers will continue to build in the region this week, using the Niagara River as a significant stop-over feeding area along their migration route south. This species will reach its peak fall numbers in the region in November and December when thousands may be observed along the Niagara River.
• This is an excellent time to watch for rare species of gulls such as Franklin’s gull, little gull, black-headed gull, Iceland gull, lesser black-backed gull, Sabine’s gull, and black-legged kittiwake among more common species such as recent arrivals of Bonaparte’s and greater black-backed gulls. Such rarities add to the remarkable diversity of gull species – 19 species total – that have been observed along the Niagara River and bordering Great Lakes. The peak time is typically between mid-November and mid-January.

Birds of Prey:

• Migrant hawks are continuing to pass through the Buffalo-Niagara Region, including red-tailed hawk, rough-legged hawk, and northern goshawk.
• Bald eagles can be found along the upper and lower Niagara River where good numbers will over-winter.
• Winter resident raptors will continue to arrive in the region, especially in areas with extensive open grassland habitat, including northern harriers, rough-legged hawks, snowy owls, short-eared owls, and long-eared owls.
• Snowy owls are frequently found along Great Lakes shorelines, such as the Buffalo waterfront, where they feed on ducks and other waterbirds.
• Northern saw-whet owls will continue to migrate through the Region, as documented by Project Owlnet and ebird.

Upland Game Birds:

• Watch for wild turkey flocks in farm fields, along forest edges, and near bird feeders.

Songbirds:

• Watch bird feeders for the following songbird species that are part of this year’s “winter finch” irruption: purple finch, red crossbill, white-winged crossbill, common redpoll, hoary redpoll, pine siskin, evening grosbeak, and red-breasted nuthatch. Nyjer (AKA thistle) and black oil sunflower are the best seeds for attracting these species.
• Bird feeders are also excellent locations to watch for arrivals of more typical migrant and over-wintering feeder birds such as dark-eyed junco, white-throated sparrow, white-crowned sparrow, fox sparrow, song sparrow, and American tree sparrow.   Place seed such as white millet in ground feeders or directly on the ground to attract many of these migrants.
• Bird feeders will continue to be active with year-round resident birds such as mourning dove, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, red-bellied woodpecker, black-capped chickadee, tufted titmouse, white-breasted nuthatch, blue jay, northern cardinal, house finch, and American goldfinch.
• Good tips for feeding birds are available from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, online at http://www.birds.cornell.edu/AllAboutBirds/notes/BirdNote01_WinterFeeding.pdf
• If you don’t have a feeder of your own, consider visiting a local nature center (see the 2^nd to last column in the tables of nature viewing sites found under the “B-N Region & Sites” tab on this web page).
• The following “short-distance” migrant songbirds are passing through our region on their journey south: brown creeper, red-breasted nuthatch, golden-crowned kinglet, ruby-crowned kinglet, winter wren, American pipit, hermit thrush, yellow-rumped warbler, dark-eyed junco, white-throated sparrow, white-crowned sparrow, fox sparrow, song sparrow, American tree sparrow, purple finch, and pine siskin.
• The northern shrike, a predatory passerine that breeds in Canada and Alaska, will continue to arrive in the Region. Watch for them on prominent perches overlooking open and brushy habitats.
• Small flocks and family groups of eastern bluebirds may be seen this time of year, as well as small to medium sized flocks of American robins.
• Small flocks of horned larks are being joined in open farmland and other tundra-like habitats by snow buntings and Lapland longspurs. Many will over-winter in our region.

• 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:

• Resident species of cave bats (big brown, little brown, and eastern pipistrelle [tri-colored] bats) have entered hibernation. Most woodchucks have also started their winter hibernation. Two other species of true hibernators, meadow jumping mouse and woodland jumping mouse, have also begun hibernation.
• While a few eastern chipmunks are still active, most will enter torpor soon. In this state, which is not a true form of hibernation, chipmunks sleep but arouse frequently to feed on hoarded food. They may forage aboveground during mild weather.
• Gray squirrels and southern flying squirrels continue to actively gather and store acorns and other mast for winter. Similarly, red squirrels form middens of pine and spruce cones.
• White-footed mice and deer mice prepare for winter by building nests in woodpecker holes, bird houses, and squirrel leaf-nests. Some rehab old bird nests by adding a roof and insulation. These mice often cross paths with homeowners this time of year as they seek shelter in sheds, garages, and houses – along with non-native house mice.
• Beavers cut more trees this time of year, in preparation for winter. They will cut, transport, and cache cut branches in shallow water near their lodges for wintertime feeding.
• Beavers are also actively building and repairing dams and lodges at this time.
• Continue to watch for white-tailed deer buck rubs. Bucks actively rub saplings and small trees, depositing scent from forehead glands.
• Bucks are also making scrapes by pawing away leaves to expose soil, then urinating over the scraped area to deposit scent from tarsal glands. They typically mouth and rub their antlers on an overhanging branch, depositing even more scent.
• Deer courtship (the “rut”) is well underway. Does become more active as they start estrus and bucks are often seen following them. As a result, the frequency of deer-car collisions increases sharply during the rut, from mid-October through December.
• Black bears, an uncommon species in the Buffalo-Niagara Region but increasingly common to our south, typically enter carnivorous lethargy at about this time. In this state, which is not a true form of hibernation, a bear’s heart rate is significantly lowered but body temperature falls only about 10°F (substantially smaller drop than for true hibernators).

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

Chuck Rosenburg

Unfortunately, I am currently too short on time to prepare weekly Nature Almanac posts. However, since there is so much consistency with natural happenings during any given week between years (especially this time of year), I am republishing the following 2018 post for folks trying to stay abreast of all that is going on outdoors at this time.

 Chuck

Wetland water levels are being recharged

Unknown mushrooms

Sensitive fern briefly in fall color

Blue-stemmed goldenrod

New England aster

One of several species of white aster

Butter-and-eggs

Common milkweed pods bursting

White baneberry fruits (AKA dolls eyes)

Water shield in fall color

Witch-hazel flowers

Sugar maple showing some fall color

Another sugar maple, this on exhibiting yellow fall foliage

American hornbeam fall color

Sassafras fall color

Red maple leaves on ground

Shagbark hickory in fall color

“Golden oldie” needles on eastern white pine

Eastern milk snake sunning itself (photo by Jacquie Walters)

Wood ducks taling flight (photo by Paul Bigelow)

American wigeon (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Hooded merganser (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Migrant northern saw-whet owl

Lincoln’s sparrow (photo by Paul Bigelow)

White-crowned sparrow (photo by Brittany Rowan)

Cooler than average temperatures will advance fall leaf color to a peak across most of the Buffalo-Niagara Region late this week, particularly in upland forest habitats dominated by sugar maple. Forests dominated by oaks and American beech will remain mostly green. This is an excellent time to explore forest understory habitats to experience bright leaf colors, both on trees/shrubs and on the ground, as well as fall-colored ferns and grasses, late season woodland asters and goldenrods, and an impressive variety of fungi (both in color and form). Cool temperatures will limit insect activity, which will be especially pronounced with the loss of cricket and katydid “calls” after dark. However, many species will reactivate when temperatures normalize. Similarly, activity by herptiles (reptiles and amphibians) will be limited, but this is a good time to spot turtles and snakes basking in sunny sites.

Also of note this week, several species of trout and salmon have started their annual spawning runs up Great Lakes tributaries and the Lower Niagara River. Migrant and winter-resident waterfowl are arriving in the Region in good numbers within the Great Lakes/Niagara River and especially within inland wetlands and ponds. A good abundance and fair diversity of short-distance migrant songbirds (e.g., kinglets, blackbirds, sparrows) will continue to visit and pass through the Region. Several species of mammals will enter hibernation this week, and white-tailed deer will begin the annual rut with zeal.

Below are highlights of what you can expect to find outdoors in the Buffalo-Niagara Region this week. Those in bold/italics are new or substantially revised 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):

• 7:33 AM/6:27 PM EDT (10 Hours, 54 Minutes)
• 4 Hours, 27 minutes of daylight shorter than at Summer Solstice

Typical Weather:

• Normal High Temperature: 58.1° F  Normal Low Temperature: 41.9° F
• Cumulative Growing Degree Days thru October 14, 2018: 3159
• Light frost is likely this week.

Lake, Pond, Stream & Wetland Conditions:

• The Lake Erie water temperature off Buffalo dropped to 63°F and the Lake Ontario water temperature off Greece (Monroe County) dropped to 62°F as of October 15, 2018.
• Water levels in most interior wetlands and vernal pools remain low but continue to rise in response to recent rainfall and reduced evapotranspiration rates.
• Similarly, the water level in most ponds is low but continuing to rise.
• Most streams will exhibit moderate flow levels this week, with the potential for locally higher levels if areas experience significant rain events.

Fungi:

• Eruptions of mushrooms and other fungi will continue this week. Rich woodlands continue to support an abundance of fungi in an amazing variety of shapes and colors.
• The following species of fungi may be observed in rich woodlands this week: giant puffball, chicken-of-the-woods, hen-of-the-woods, oyster, honey, fly agaric, hemlock varnish shelf, bear’s head tooth fungus, bearded tooth, and multiple species (and colors) of coral fungi and bolete and chanterelle mushrooms.
• Shaggy mane mushrooms can be found in lawns and along wood chip trails, often in fairy rings.

Ferns and Grasses/Sedges/Rushes:

• An often overlooked fall color change occurs with ferns in the forest understory. The following ferns often exhibit striking color changes, albeit briefly, at this time: sensitive, New York, lady, bracken, royal, cinnamon, interrupted, and ostrich ferns.
• A number of grass species will also exhibit showy color changes this week, especially rice cut-grass, white grass, and witch grass found in wetlands and other poorly drained areas.
• Wool-grass, a native species of bulrush, is still evident in wet meadows and marsh edges as a result of its abundant rusty brown and wooly fruits.
• Broad-leaf and narrow-leaf cattail stems are now golden brown and laden with fruit in marshes, pond edges, ditches, and other wet habitats. Some fruits are just starting to disintegrate, which will release thousands of tiny fluffy seeds to the wind.

Wildflowers:

• A few species of woodland wildflower will continue to bloom this week: white wood aster, rough-stemmed goldenrod, zigzag goldenrod, blue-stemmed goldenrod, and herb Robert.
• Watch for bright orange (but acrid) fruits of Jack-in-the-pulpit as well as white baneberry’s “dolls-eye” fruits (poisonous) in rich woodlands.
• One non-native summer wildflower, butter-and-eggs, will continue to bloom commonly in open field and roadside environments this week.
• While most field goldenrod species have faded to brown, a few aster species continue to bloom: heath aster, calico aster, crooked-stem aster, and New England aster.
• Pokeweed, a native herbaceous plant found in disturbed sites, is continuing to produce large volumes of fleshy purple fruits relished by birds and small mammals.
• Lady’s thumb and other smartweeds will continue to bloom in swamps and marshes.
• Japanese knotweed, an invasive species that thrives in riparian habitats, is currently exhibiting brilliant yellow leaves – one positive feature of this aggressive alien species.
• Similarly, golden yellow leaves of native common milkweed, swamp milkweed, and Indian hemp can be seen in old fields and wet meadows.
• Common milkweed pods are bursting and releasing hundreds of seeds to the wind, each equipped with fluffy “parachutes” to aid dispersal.
• This is bur season so be watchful where you (and your dog(s)) walk. Several local plants have adapted a hitch-a-ride strategy that capitalizes on animal disbursal. Those currently in fruit include common burdock, enchanter’s nightshade, tick trefoil, cocklebur, and multiple species of bur marigold, avens, and agrimony.

Trees and Shrubs:

• Fall leaf color will reach its peak across most of the Region late this week, particularly in upland forest habitats dominated by sugar maple. While some species of trees, shrubs, and woody vines have already peaked and dropped some or all their leaves, leaf color will peak in most upland forest habitats (excluding those dominated by oaks and American beech).
• The following trees and shrubs are exhibiting bright red leaf color: some sugar maple trees, cranberry viburnum, and maple-leaf viburnum.
• Many shrubland areas and forest edges continue to be colored reddish-purple at this time as a result of the abundance of Region’s three species of dogwood (gray, silky, and red-osier) which are now joined by similar leaf colors of arrow-wood, nannyberry, and blackberry.
• Brilliant orange leaves can be now be seen on many sugar maples, as well as American hornbeam, serviceberry, and shadbush.
• The following trees and shrubs display bright gold and yellow leaf color: silver maple, some sugar maples, American basswood, quaking aspen, big-toothed aspen, black walnut, shagbark hickory, bitternut hickory, tulip poplar, sassafras, witch-hazel, and spicebush.
• Wind and rain have stripped many or all leaves from the following tree, shrub, and woody vine species: eastern cottonwood, American elm, box-elder, black cherry, green ash, white ash, red maple, staghorn sumac, poison ivy, wild grape, and Virginia creeper.
• Eastern white pine and red pine will continue to shed “golden oldie” needles as brand new green needles take their place.
• Many native pines are also dropping seeds from cones at this time.
• Watch closely for stringy yellow petals of witch-hazel flowers. Also note the presence of nearly ripe (but woody) fruits from last year’s flowers.
• An abundance of hard mast (acorns, hickory nuts, etc.) continues to be available, on and off trees, for consumption by many mammals and some birds (e.g., wild turkey, blue jay). Sources include northern red oak, pin oak, bur oak, swamp white oak, shagbark hickory, bitternut hickory, black walnut, and American hornbeam.
• Several native trees, shrubs, and vines continue to provide ripe fruit (soft mast) that is an important source of food for a variety of birds and mammals: cucumber magnolia, gray dogwood, silky dogwood, red osier dogwood, nannyberry, arrow-wood, cranberry viburnum, spicebush, winterberry, hawthorn, staghorn sumac, poison ivy, Virginia creeper, and wild grape.
• In addition, the following non-native species provide ripe fruit (soft mast) consumed by wildlife: multiflora rose, autumn olive, and common buckthorn.

 Insects & Other Invertebrates:

• Adult stage ticks become especially abundant in early October and remain active as long as temperatures stay above freezing and the ground is not covered with snow. Therefore, be especially careful to wear protective clothing and/or repellent, and do tick-checks after every outing.
• Cricket song will continue (albeit with reduced intensity) during brief warmer periods this week, primarily by fall field crickets and Carolina ground crickets.
• A walk through any grassy field or roadside will encounter large numbers of grasshoppers this time of year. The most common species in our region include Carolina grasshopper and spur-throated grasshopper.
• This is still a good time to search for praying mantises as they have grown to full size. Local species include the Carolina mantis (native to North America), praying mantis (native to Europe), and Chinese mantid (native to Asia).
• Late season butterflies to watch for this week include monarch, orange sulphur, clouded sulphur, and cabbage white.
• Included among the late season butterflies are individuals of three species that will overwinter as adults and be the first butterflies on the wind next spring: mourning cloak, eastern comma, and question mark butterflies.
• Watch for a few straggler monarch butterflies to migrate south across our region, often concentrated along the Niagara River and Great Lakes shorelines.
• Wooly bear caterpillars will continue to be active. This species will overwinter beneath leaf litter and ultimately metamorphose into Isabella tiger moth next spring.
• Late season dragonfly species (e.g., common green darner, shadow darner, autumn meadowhawk, and black saddlebags) will remain active this week.
• A few migrant dragonflies such as common green darners and black saddlebags may still be found along the Niagara River and Great Lakes shorelines.

Fish:

• Most species of fish migrated to deeper cooler waters in early summer, as inshore waters warmed. Many have started moving into shallower areas and to feed more heavily as water temperatures have moderated including muskellunge, walleye, and smallmouth bass.
• Perch typically begin to regroup into schools around Labor Day, often at water depths of 40-60 feet or deeper. These schools are now moving into progressively shallower water as fall advances.
• Large numbers of chinook salmon (AKA king salmon) are running up Great Lakes tributary streams and the Lower Niagara River for spawning, which usually peaks in mid-October. Spawning runs for coho salmon typically peak a couple weeks after chinook. Both species are native to Pacific coast watersheds.
• Historically, Atlantic salmon (AKA landlocked salmon) followed a similar spawning pattern in the Lake Ontario. This native and one-time abundant species was nearly extirpated in the late 1800’s. Restoration efforts have had limited success to date.
• Another native species, lake trout, is beginning to spawn in shallow rocky/gravelly shoals of the Great Lakes and Lower Niagara River.
• Steelhead are also running up Great Lakes tributaries and the Lower Niagara River at this time. Spawning does not occur until late winter and early spring. Steelhead are an anadromous form of rainbow trout that spawn in streams but live most of their lives in Lakes Erie and Ontario. All forms of rainbow trout are native to Pacific coast watersheds.
• Native brook trout (our state fish species) are preparing to spawn in riffles and shallow areas of small headwater streams starting later this month. Male brook trout develop a hook on the lower jaw and are ornately colored at this time of year.
• Brown trout are beginning to run up Great Lakes tributaries and the Lower Niagara River. Spawning typically occurs from late October to December in these tributaries. In headwater streams, where brown trout have been stocked, they typically spawn a little later than brook trout. Brown trout were introduced from Europe.

Amphibians & Reptiles:

• Northern leopard frogs have moved from foraging areas in upland fields and wet meadows to flooded wetlands and ponds where they will hibernate, similar to most other aquatic species of frogs (e.g., green frog, bullfrog).
• American toads will still remain active in upland environments, at least during relatively warm periods.
• Listen for occasional single-syllabled “peeps” from spring peepers during relatively warm periods.
• This is a good time of year to inspect areas around outdoor lights for spring peepers and gray treefrogs that feed on moths and other insect attracted to the lights. Both species have suction-cup adaptations that allow them to cling to windows and siding.
• Plethodon salamanders, such as the red-backed and slimy salamanders, mate at this time. Females lay eggs during spring in rotting wood and duff.
• Eastern garter and other snake species remain active at this time but will soon enter hibernation. Watch for them basking in sunny spots.
• Midland painted turtles can still be seen basking on logs, especially during cool but sunny periods.

Water & Shore Birds, Gulls & Terns:

• Early migrant waterfowl and related waterbirds will continue to arrive in the Region. Check ponds and wetlands for pied-billed grebe, mallard, American black duck, wood duck, American wigeon, northern shoveler, gadwall, ruddy duck, ring-necked duck, blue-winged teal, green-winged teal, northern pintail, hooded merganser, and American coot.
• Watch and listen for migrant Canada goose flocks passing overhead. Some will stop-over in our region to rest and feed on their journey south.
• This is a good time to scout for migrant brant resting and feeding in parkland and other open habitats bordering Lakes Erie and Ontario. Brant is a relatively small species of goose that nests in the tundra and into the Arctic Circle.
• The annual buildup of “sea ducks” and similar waterbirds that overwinter in the Great Lakes and Niagara River continues with the arrival of common loon, red-throated loon, red-necked grebe, horned grebe, greater scaup, lesser scaup, canvasback, redhead, common goldeneye, bufflehead, white-winged scoter, surf scoter, black scoter, long-tailed duck, common merganser, and red-breasted merganser.
• Watch for migrant tundra swans to start passing over and congregating along the upper Niagara River.
• Early fall continues to be a good time to see vagrant great egrets that appear in wetlands and other waterbodies, sometimes several at a time.
• Bonaparte’s gulls will continue to enter the region at this time, using the Niagara River as a significant stop-over feeding area along their migration route south. This species will reach its peak fall numbers in the region in November and December when thousands may be observed along the Niagara River.
• This is the time to start watching for rare species of gulls such as the little gull, Sabine’s gull, and lesser black-backed gull among more common gulls such as recent arrivals of Bonaparte’s and greater black-backed gulls. Such rarities add to the remarkable diversity of gull species – 19 species total – that have been observed along the Niagara River and bordering Great Lakes. The peak time is typically between mid-November and mid-January.

Birds of Prey:

• Migrant turkey vultures and hawks are continuing to pass through the Buffalo-Niagara Region, including red-tailed hawk, rough-legged hawk, red-shouldered hawk, sharp-shinned hawk, Cooper’s hawk, peregrine falcon, and northern harrier.
• Winter resident raptors, in particular northern harriers and rough-legged hawks, will begin to arrive in the region, especially in areas with extensive open grassland habitat.
• Northern saw-whet owls are migrating through the Region in large numbers at this time, as documented by Project Owlnet and ebird.

Upland Game Birds:

• Wild turkey, ruffed grouse, and ring-necked pheasant numbers are near annual peaks at this time, bolstered by young-of-the-year and supported by an abundance of food.

Songbirds:

• Watch bird feeders for arrivals of migrant and overwintering feeder birds such as red-breasted nuthatch, eastern (rufous-sided) towhee, dark-eyed junco, white-throated sparrow, white-crowned sparrow, fox sparrow, song sparrow, American tree sparrow, purple finch, and pine siskin. Place seed such as white millet in ground feeders or directly on the ground to attract many of these migrants.
• The following “short-distance” migrant songbirds are now passing through our region on their journey south: brown creeper, red-breasted nuthatch, golden-crowned kinglet, ruby-crowned kinglet, eastern phoebe, winter wren, yellow-bellied sapsucker, American pipit, hermit thrush, yellow-rumped warbler, rusty blackbird, eastern meadowlark, eastern (rufous-sided) towhee, dark-eyed junco, white-throated sparrow, white-crowned sparrow, fox sparrow, Lincoln’s sparrow, song sparrow, swamp sparrow, American tree sparrow, purple finch, and pine siskin.
• The northern shrike, a predatory songbird that breeds in Canada and Alaska, is now starting to arrive in the Region. Watch for them on prominent perches overlooking open and brushy habitats.
• Small flocks and family groups of eastern bluebirds and northern flickers may be seen this time of year, as well as small to medium sized flocks of American robins.
• Watch for large flocks of blackbirds consisting of red-winged blackbird, rusty blackbird, common grackle, brown-headed cowbird, and/or European starling.
• Small flocks of horned larks are now being joined in open farmland and other tundra-like habitats by snow buntings and Lapland longspurs. Many will overwinter in our region.
• Experience migrant passage by listening for songbird contact calls after dark. Monitor movements on Doppler radar or at http://birdcast.info/.

• 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:

• Two species of tree bats, silver-haired and hoary bats, will continue to move out of our region and/or migrate through our region this week.
• Big brown, little brown, and eastern pipistrelle (tri-colored) bats have entered hibernation or will do so very soon. Most woodchucks have also started their winter hibernation. Two other species of true hibernators, meadow jumping mouse and woodland jumping mouse, have likely begun hibernation.
• Eastern chipmunks, gray squirrels, and southern flying squirrels continue to actively gather and store acorns and other mast for winter.
• Chipmunks are very vocal at this time, emitting territorial “chuck-chuck-chuck” calls.
• Flying squirrels are also vocal now, emitting high-pitched chirps and squeaks after dark. Listen for them calling from oak, hickory, and American beech trees.
• White-footed mice and deer mice prepare for winter by building nests in woodpecker holes, bird houses, and squirrel leaf-nests. Some rehab old bird nests by adding a roof and insulation. These mice often cross paths with homeowners this time of year as they seek shelter in sheds, garages, and houses – along with non-native house mice.
• Beavers cut more trees this time of year, in preparation for winter. They will cut, transport, and cache cut branches in shallow water near their lodges for wintertime feeding.
• White-tailed deer are essentially done shedding their summer coats, transitioning from red-brown to gray-brown pelage. Spots are now faint on most fawns.
• Continue to watch for white-tailed deer buck rubs. Bucks actively rub saplings and small trees, depositing scent from forehead glands.
• Bucks are also making scrapes by pawing away leaves to expose soil, then urinating over the scraped area to deposit scent from tarsal glands. They typically mouth and rub their antlers on an overhanging branch, depositing even more scent.
• Deer courtship typically begins in mid-October. Does become more active as they start estrus and bucks are often seen following them. As a result, the frequency of deer-car collisions increases sharply during the rut, from mid-October through December.

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

Chuck Rosenburg

Unfortunately, I am currently too short on time to prepare weekly Nature Almanac posts. However, since there is so much consistency with natural happenings during any given week between years (especially this time of year), I am republishing the following 2018 post for folks trying to stay abreast of all that is going on outdoors at this time.

Chuck

Unknown mushroom

New York fern in fall color

Calico aster

Crooked-stem aster

New England aster

Blue-stemmed goldenrod

White snakeroot

Swamp milkweed pods bursting

Virginia creeper in fall color

Gray dogwood in fall color

Green ash in fall color

Cranberry viburnum with fruit

Spicebush with fruit

Swamp rose with fruit (hips)

American hornbeam fruit

Ruby or autumn meadowhawk (photo by Brittany Rowan)

Bumble bee visiting crooked-stem aster

Wooly bear

Intriguing night visitors (two species of tree frogs)

Gray treefrog (which can be gray or green depending on background) clinging to window near porch light

Spring peeper clinging to window near porch light

Pied-billed grebe (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Green-winged teal (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Golden-crowned kinglet (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Yellow-bellied sapsucker (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Fox sparrow (photo by Brittany Rowan)

White-throated sparrow (photo by Brittany Rowan)

Now that the Buffalo-Niagara Region has witnessed a period of seasonal temperatures, autumn conditions are finally beginning to show. Fall leaf color is now evident across the Region, albeit spotty. While overall peak leaf color is a couple weeks away, some species are fully colored now and leaf color is near peak in certain habitats (e.g., shrubland, forested wetlands). Goldenrod and aster blooms are abundant and just beyond peak, covering much of the natural landscape in yellow, white, purple, and lavender. Several species of trout and salmon are preparing to spawn. The bulk of neotropical migrant songbirds are now well south of our region and the primary species passing through at this time are short-distance migrants such as ruby-crowned kinglet, yellow-bellied sapsucker, and white-throated sparrow. Most year-round resident mammals continue to prepare for winter, storing mast and/or building up fat reserves. Several species will enter hibernation soon. Finally, white-tailed deer continue to show signs of preparing for the rut (e.g., buck rubs, scrapes).

Below are highlights of what you can expect to find outdoors in the Buffalo-Niagara Region this week. Those in bold/italics are new or substantially revised 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):

• 7:17 AM/6:51 PM EDT (11 Hours, 34 Minutes)
• 3 Hours, 47 minutes of daylight shorter than at Summer Solstice

Typical Weather:

• Normal High Temperature: 63.5° F  Normal Low Temperature: 46.5° F
• Cumulative Growing Degree Days thru October 1, 2018: 3019

Lake, Pond, Stream & Wetland Conditions:

• The Lake Erie water temperature off Buffalo dropped to 67°F and the Lake Ontario water temperature off Greece (Monroe County) was 63°F as of September 30, 2018.
• Water levels in most interior wetlands and vernal pools remain low but are starting to rise in response to recent rainfall and reduced evapotranspiration rates.
• Similarly, the water level in most ponds is low but starting to rise.
• Most streams will exhibit moderate flow levels this week, with the potential for locally higher levels if areas experience thunderstorms or other significant rain events.

Fungi:

• Eruptions of mushrooms and other fungi will continue this week. Rich woodlands continue to support an abundance of fungi in an amazing variety of shapes and colors.
• The following species of fungi may be observed in rich woodlands this week: giant puffball, chicken of-the-woods, hen of-the-woods, oyster, honey, fly agaric, jack-o-lantern, turkey-tail, hemlock varnish shelf, bear’s head tooth fungus, bearded tooth, and multiple species (and colors) of coral fungi and bolete and chanterelle mushrooms.
• Shaggy mane mushrooms can be found in lawns and along wood chip trails, often in fairy rings.

Ferns and Grasses/Sedges/Rushes:

• An often overlooked fall color change occurs with ferns in the forest understory. The following ferns often exhibit striking color changes, albeit briefly, at this time: sensitive, New York, lady, bracken, royal, cinnamon, interrupted, and ostrich ferns.
• Yellow foxtail grass is ripe with large seeds that provide a valuable food source for upland game birds, songbirds, mice, and other wildlife.
• Wool-grass, a native species of bulrush, is now evident in wet meadows and marsh edges as a result of its abundant rusty brown and wooly fruits.
• Broad-leaf and narrow-leaf cattail stems are rapidly turning brown and are laden with fruit in marshes, pond edges, ditches, and other wet habitats. Some fruits are just starting to disintegrate, which will release thousands of tiny fluffy seeds to the wind.

Wildflowers:

• The fall resurgence of woodland wildflower blooming continues this week with the following species in bloom: white wood aster, lance-leaved aster, sharp-leaved aster, heart-leaved aster, large-leaved aster, rough-stemmed goldenrod, zigzag goldenrod, and blue-stemmed goldenrod.
• The following woodland wildflowers will also continue to bloom this week: herb Robert, white snakeroot, and beech-drops (a wildflower that is a parasite on American beech roots).
• Watch for brilliant orange (but acrid) fruits of Jack-in-the-pulpit as well as white baneberry’s “dolls-eye” fruits (poisonous) in rich woodlands.
• Bittersweet nightshade will continue to flower, and red fruits will also be evident.
• Spotted jewelweed will continue to bloom within and along the edges of swamps, and yellow flowers of pale jewelweed can be found in well-drained areas at this time. Both bear spring-loaded “touch-me-not” fruits that explode upon contact.
• Watch for closed gentian (bottle gentian) and fringed gentian blooming in wetland habitats, along with great blue lobelia, and white turtlehead.
• Many non-native summer wildflowers continue to bloom in open field and roadside environments, albeit in fading numbers. Among them are chicory, Queen Anne’s lace (wild carrot), birds-foot trefoil, red clover, yellow goatsbeard, black-eyed Susan, heal-all, butter-and-eggs, and multiple species (and hybrids) of knapweeds.
• Our native open field/woodland edge goldenrods and asters will continue to flower this week: Canada goldenrod, tall goldenrod, giant goldenrod, lance-leaved goldenrod, panicled aster, heath aster, calico aster, crooked-stem aster, purple-stemmed aster, and New England aster. While many field goldenrods are now fading to brown, most asters remain vibrant.
• Some bur marigolds and beggar ticks (genus Bidens) continue to bloom in wet meadows, marshes, and swamp edges. The most vibrant species, tickseed sunflower, transforms large areas to yellow at this time.
• Jerusalem artichoke, a non-native wild sunflower will continue to bloom this week.
• Pokeweed, a native herbaceous plant found in disturbed sites, is currently producing large volumes of fleshy purple fruits relished by birds and small mammals.
• Lady’s thumb and other smartweeds continue to bloom in swamps and marshes.
• Japanese knotweed, an invasive species that thrives in riparian habitats, is currently exhibiting bright yellow leaves – one positive feature of this aggressive alien species.
• Similarly, golden yellow leaves of native common milkweed, swamp milkweed, and Indian hemp can be seen in old fields and wet meadows.
• Swamp milkweed pods are bursting and releasing hundreds of seeds to the wind, each equipped with fluffy “parachutes” to aid dispersal.
• This is bur season so be watchful where you (and your dog(s)) walk. Several local plants have adapted a hitch-a-ride strategy that capitalizes on animal disbursal. Those currently in fruit include common burdock, enchanter’s nightshade, tick trefoil, cocklebur, and multiple species of bur marigold, avens, and agrimony.

Trees and Shrubs:

• Fall leaf color is now evident across the Region, albeit spotty. While overall peak color is a couple weeks away, some species are fully colored now and leaf color is near peak in certain habitats (e.g., shrublands, forested wetlands).
• The following trees, shrubs, and woody vines are providing brilliant red leaf color: red maple, staghorn sumac, and Virginia creeper.
• Many shrubland areas and forest edges are reddish-purple at this time as a result of the abundance of Region’s three species of dogwood: gray, silky, and red-osier.
• Some green and white ash trees exhibit a remarkable purple-bronze leaf color at this time. Their previous abundance, prior to widespread infestation by emerald ash borer, is especially missed at this time of year.
• Splashes of flame orange leaves can be now be found on a few sugar maples, as well as poison ivy and blackberry.
• The following trees and shrubs display bright gold and yellow leaf color: American basswood, black walnut, silver maple, some green ash, a few quaking aspen and shagbark hickory, and spicebush. Several other tree species have yellow leaves that are a less attractive dull yellow-brown: eastern cottonwood, American elm, box-elder, and black cherry.
• Eastern white pine and red pine are shedding “golden oldie” needles as brand new green needles take their place.
• Many native pines are also dropping seeds from cones at this time.
• An abundance of hard mast (acorns, hickory nuts, etc.) continues to be available, on and off trees, for consumption by many mammals and some birds (e.g., wild turkey, blue jay). Sources include northern red oak, pin oak, bur oak, swamp white oak, American beech, shagbark hickory, bitternut hickory, black walnut, American hornbeam, and American basswood.
• Several native trees, shrubs, and vines continue to provide ripe fruit (soft mast) that is an important source of food for a variety of birds and mammals: black cherry, choke cherry, black chokeberry, cucumber magnolia, gray dogwood, silky dogwood, red osier dogwood, nannyberry, arrow-wood, cranberry viburnum, maple-leaf viburnum, spicebush, winterberry, hawthorn, staghorn sumac, multiflora rose, poison ivy, Virginia creeper, and wild grape.
• Watch closely for stringy yellow petals of witch-hazel flowers. Also note the presence of nearly ripe (but woody) fruits from last year’s flowers.

Insects & Other Invertebrates:

• Adult stage ticks become especially abundant in early October and remain active as long as temperatures stay above freezing and the ground is not covered with snow. Therefore, be especially careful to wear protective clothing and/or repellent, and do tick-checks after every outing.
• While mosquitoes have been relatively scarce in most areas during dry summer weeks, some species become active during early autumn starting at about this time, so be prepared with protective clothing and/or repellent.
• A few male katydids will continue to “sing” after dark, albeit at a slower pace during cooler nights. The most common species is the common true katydid. Listen for its “katy-did” call. Also listen for the short and buzzy “zeee-dik” calls of the less common (but more frequently seen) oblong-winged katydid.
• Cricket song continues to be pervasive this time of year. Fall field crickets emit quintessential cricket chirps both day and night while Carolina ground crickets emit nearly continuous rapid trills, mostly after dark.
• A walk through any grassy field or roadside will encounter large numbers of grasshoppers this time of year. The most common species in our region include Carolina grasshopper and spur-throated grasshopper.
• This is a good time to search for praying mantises as they have grown to full size. Local species include the Carolina mantis (native to North America), praying mantis (native to Europe), and Chinese mantid (native to Asia).
• Hornets such as the eastern yellowjacket and bald-faced hornet are abundant in early fall, congregating near sources of sugar and other foods to feed thousands of larvae still in their nests.
• Watch for swarms of winged ants that emerge from the ground, climb and fly to high points on the landscape, and mate on the wing.
• Abundant blooms of goldenrods and asters provide essential late season food (nectar and pollen) for native pollinators such as bumblebees and migrant monarch butterflies.
• An impressive diversity of insects and other invertebrates is closely associated with goldenrods that are currently in bloom, including goldenrod crab spiders, goldenrod soldier beetles, jagged ambush bugs, and goldenrod gall fly (the species responsible for large marble-sized growths on goldenrod stems). Others are commonly found feeding on goldenrod pollen and nectar, including black locust borers, milkweed bugs, honey bees, bumblebees, wasps, hover flies, monarchs and other butterflies.
• Early autumn butterflies to watch for this week include monarch, great spangled fritillary, painted lady, orange sulphur, clouded sulphur, and cabbage white.
• Included among the early fall butterflies are individuals of three species that will overwinter as adults and be the first butterflies on the wind next spring: mourning cloak, eastern comma, and question mark butterflies.
• Watch for migrant monarch butterflies that continue to move south across our region, often concentrated along the Niagara River and Great Lakes shorelines. Resting congregations may be found in these areas.
• Wooly bear caterpillars are currently active. This species will overwinter beneath leaf litter and ultimately metamorphose into Isabella tiger moth next spring.
• Early fall dragonfly species (e.g., common green darner, shadow darner, eastern pondhawk, ruby meadowhawk, autumn meadowhawk, and black saddlebags) and damselfly species (e.g., American rubyspot, slender spreadwing, familiar bluet, eastern forktail, and powdered dancer) will be active this week.
• Migrant dragonflies such as common green darners and black saddlebags may congregate along the Niagara River and Great Lakes shorelines.

Fish:

• Most species of fish migrated to deeper cooler waters in early summer, as inshore waters warmed. Many have started moving into shallower areas and begin to feed more heavily as water temperatures have moderated including muskellunge, walleye, and smallmouth bass.
• Perch typically begin to reform into schools around Labor Day, often at water depths of 40-60 ft or deeper. These schools are moving into progressively shallower water as fall advances.
• Large numbers of chinook salmon (AKA king salmon) are continuing to stage off Great Lakes tributaries and beginning to run up the creeks and the Lower Niagara River for spawning which usually peaks in mid-October. Staging and spawning runs for coho salmon typically peak a couple weeks after chinook. Both species are native to Pacific coast watersheds.
• Historically, Atlantic salmon (AKA landlocked salmon) followed a similar spawning pattern in the Lake Ontario. This native and one-time abundant species was nearly extirpated in the late 1800’s. Restoration efforts have had limited success to date.
• Another native species, lake trout, are beginning to migrate to shallow rocky/gravelly shoals in preparation for spawning over the next few weeks.
• Native brook trout (our state fish species) are preparing to spawn in riffles and shallow areas of small cold-water streams starting later this month. Male brook trout develop a hook on the lower jaw and are ornately colored at this time of year.
• Steelhead are also staging off Great Lakes tributaries, preparing to run up the creeks which typically intensifies in mid-October. Spawning does not occur until late winter and early spring. Steelhead are an anadromous form of rainbow trout that spawn in streams but live most of their lives in Lakes Erie and Ontario. All forms of rainbow trout are native to Pacific coast watersheds.

Amphibians & Reptiles:

• Northern leopard frogs remain congregated in upland fields and wet meadows at this time, feeding on abundant insect prey found in those habitats.
• American toads are often more active at this time of year, including small to medium sized young-of-the-year toads.
• Listen for occasional single-syllabled “peeps” from spring peepers and, much less commonly, several-syllabled “croaks” of western chorus frogs and raucous calls of gray treefrogs. While the breeding period for these species has long since passed, current daylength is similar to that of the breeding season which may serve as a trigger for vocalizations.
• This is a good time of year to inspect areas around outdoor lights for spring peepers and gray treefrogs that feed on moths and other insect attracted to the lights. Both species have suction-cup adaptations that allow them to cling to windows and siding.
• Plethodon salamanders, such as the red-backed and slimy salamanders, mate at this time. Females lay eggs during spring in rotting wood and duff.
• At this time, eastern (red-spotted) newts leave breeding ponds and metamorphose into red efts, a juvenile terrestrial stage. An eft may remain on land in this stage for two or more years before undergoing a second metamorphose into an aquatic breeding adult.
• Eastern garter snakes remain active at this time but will soon enter hibernation. Watch for them basking in sunny spots.
• Midland painted turtles can still be seen basking on logs, especially during cool but sunny periods.

Water & Shore Birds, Gulls & Terns:

• Early migrant waterfowl and related waterbirds will continue to arrive in the Region. Check ponds and wetlands for pied-billed grebe, mallard, American black duck, wood duck, American wigeon, northern shoveler, gadwall, blue-winged teal, green-winged teal, northern pintail, hooded merganser, and American coot.
• Watch and listen for migrant Canada goose flocks passing overhead. Some will stop-over in our region to rest and feed on their journey south.
• The annual buildup of “sea ducks” and similar waterbirds that overwinter in the Great Lakes and Niagara River begins at this time with the arrival of common loon, horned grebe, greater scaup, lesser scaup, white-winged scoter, surf scoter, common merganser, and red-breasted merganser.
• Watch for migrant Caspian terns, the largest of the tern species to commonly occur in the region, along the Niagara River and Lakes Erie and Ontario this week.
• Early fall continues to be a good time to see vagrant great egrets that appear in wetlands and other waterbodies, sometimes several at a time.
• The trailing edge of shorebird migration will continue this week highlighted by greater yellowlegs, lesser yellowlegs, black-bellied plover, semi-palmated plover, American golden plover, killdeer, sanderling, dunlin, Wilson’s snipe, pectoral sandpiper, and white-rumped sandpiper. Look for them in shallow flooded areas and mudflats where invertebrate prey abounds.
• Bonaparte’s gulls typically begin to enter the region at this time, using the Niagara River as a significant stop-over feeding area along their migration route south. This species will reach its peak fall numbers in the region in November and December when thousands may be observed along the Niagara River.
• This is the time to start watching for rare species of gulls such as the little gull and Sabine’s gull. Such rarities add to the remarkable diversity of gull species – 19 species total – that have been observed along the Niagara River and bordering Great Lakes. The peak time is typically between mid-November and mid-January.

Birds of Prey:

• Migrant turkey vultures and hawks are currently passing through the Buffalo-Niagara Region, including red-tailed hawk, broad-winged hawk, red-shouldered hawk, sharp-shinned hawk, Cooper’s hawk, peregrine falcon, merlin, northern harrier, osprey, and bald eagle.
• Listen for barred owls and eastern screech owls calling more frequently this time of year, possibly in response to young-of-the-year dispersing and establishing territories.

Upland Game Birds:

• Wild turkey, ruffed grouse, and ring-necked pheasant numbers are near annual peaks at this time, bolstered by young-of-the-year and supported by an abundance of food.

Songbirds:

• Watch bird feeders for arrivals of migrant and overwintering feeder birds such as red-breasted nuthatch, eastern (rufous-sided) towhee, dark-eyed junco, white-throated sparrow, white-crowned sparrow, fox sparrow, song sparrow, purple finch, and pine siskin. Place seed such as white millet in ground feeders or directly on the ground to attract many of these migrants.
• Relatively small numbers of neotropical migrant songbirds (those that breed in northern North America and overwinter primarily in tropical areas such as Central & South America) are now passing through the Region on their way south, including: Swainson’s thrush, gray-cheeked thrush, and the following species of warblers: Nashville, magnolia, black-throated blue, black-throated green, palm, orange-crowned, and blackpoll.
• The following shorter-distance migrant songbirds are also passing through our region on their journey south: brown creeper, red-breasted nuthatch, golden-crowned kinglet, ruby-crowned kinglet, eastern phoebe, winter wren, yellow-bellied sapsucker, American pipit, hermit thrush, brown thrasher, yellow-rumped warbler, rusty blackbird, eastern meadowlark, eastern (rufous-sided) towhee, dark-eyed junco, field sparrow, white-throated sparrow, white-crowned sparrow, fox sparrow, Lincoln’s sparrow, song sparrow, swamp sparrow, purple finch, and pine siskin.
• Small flocks and family groups of eastern bluebirds and northern flickers may be seen this time of year, as well as small to medium sized flocks of American robins.
• Watch for large flocks of blackbirds consisting of red-winged blackbird, rusty blackbird, common grackle, brown-headed cowbird, and/or European starling.
• Small flocks of horned larks are being seen in open farmland. They will soon be joined by snow buntings and Lapland longspurs, with many overwintering in our region.
• Experience migrant passage by listening for songbird contact calls after dark. Monitor movements on Doppler radar or at http://birdcast.info/.

• 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 move out of our region and/or pass through our region this week: eastern red, silver-haired, and hoary bats.
• Big brown, little brown, and eastern pipistrelle (tri-colored) bats congregate at hibernation sites at this time, swarming and mating. Hibernation will begin soon.
• Two other species of true hibernator mammals, meadow jumping mouse and woodland jumping mouse, will begin hibernation soon.
• Eastern chipmunks, gray squirrels, and southern flying squirrels are actively gathering and storing acorns and other mast for winter.
• Chipmunks are very vocal at this time, emitting territorial “chuck-chuck-chuck” calls.
• Flying squirrels are also very vocal now, emitting high-pitched chirps and squeaks after dark. Listen for them calling from oak, hickory, and American beech trees.
• Beavers cut more trees this time of year, in preparation for winter. They will cut, transport, and cache cut branches in shallow water near their lodges for wintertime feeding.
• Coyotes are often quite vocal at this time of year.
• White-tailed deer are nearly done shedding their summer coats, transitioning from red-brown to gray-brown pelage. Spots are now faint on most fawns.
• This is the time of year to watch for white-tailed deer buck rubs. As their antlers harden, bucks actively rub saplings and small trees to shed the outer layer of velvet and concurrently deposit scent from forehead glands.

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

Chuck Rosenburg

Unfortunately, I am currently too short on time to prepare weekly Nature Almanac posts. However, since there is so much consistency with natural happenings during any given week between years (especially this time of year), I am republishing the following 2018 post for folks trying to stay abreast of all that is going on outdoors at this time.

Chuck

Low flow level in headwater tributary to Eighteenmile Creek

Coral Fungus

Puffball Fungus

Chicken-of-the-Woods Fungus

Amanita Mushroom

Spotted Jewelweed

White Wood Aster

New England Aster

Crooked-stem Aster

Jerusalem Artichoke

Nodding Ladies’ Tresses

Tickseed Sunflower

White Snakeroot

Bottle (Closed) Gentian

White Turtlehead

Blue-stemmed Goldenrod

Agrimony burs

Giant Burreed

Pokeweed

Northern Arrow-wood

Riverbank Grape

Bur Oak

Praying Mantis

Common Green Darner (photo by Brittany Rowan)

Monarch (photo by Paul Bigelow)

American Toad (photo by Kristen Rosenburg)

Gray Tree Frog clinging with suction cup toes to brick

Swainson’s Thrush (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Greater Yellowlegs (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Black-throated Green Warbler (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Bay-breasted Warbler (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Magnolia Warbler (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Wilson’s Warbler (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Yellow-billed Cuckoo (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Eastern Chipmunk stuffing its cheeks with American Hornbeam fruits (photo by Paul Bigelow)

The first day of autumn this year falls on September 22, when day and night will be nearly the same length (AKA autumnal equinox). It is noteworthy that daylength will be about 3 hours and 21 minutes shorter than at summer solstice (June 21). That disparity will continue to grow as we progress through autumn. Leaf color changes have been later than average this year as temperatures have been several degrees above normal so far this September. With that said, fall color is evident on gray, silky, and red osier dogwood shrubs at this time. Also, splashes of color are visible on a few red maple trees, staghorn sumac shrubs, and Virginia creeper vines. Goldenrods and asters are close to peak flowering, further brightening the landscape. Dog-day cicada “song” has tapered off conspicuously over the past couple weeks. Yet katydids and crickets continue to “sing” much of the night, albeit at a slower pace during cool nights. Raptor, waterbird, songbird, bat, butterfly, and dragonfly migration are well underway. Many of our summer resident bird species have already left for southern latitudes. Many year-round resident mammals continue to prepare for winter, storing mast and/or building up fat reserves, while white-tailed deer bucks begin to prepare for the fall rut by rubbing velvet off their fully formed antlers.

Below are highlights of what you can expect to find outdoors in the Buffalo-Niagara Region this week. Those in bold/italics are new or substantially revised 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):

• 7:01 AM/7:15 PM EDT (12 Hours, 14 Minutes)
• 3 Hours, 7 minutes of daylight shorter than at Summer Solstice

Typical Weather:

• Normal High Temperature: 69.5° F  Normal Low Temperature: 51.9° F
• Cumulative Growing Degree Days thru September 21, 2018: 2,908

Lake, Pond, Stream & Wetland Conditions:

• The Lake Erie water temperature off Buffalo was 72°F and the Lake Ontario water temperature off Greece (Monroe County) was 58°F as of September 21, 2018.
• Most interior wetlands and vernal pools remain void of water in response to continued high evapotranspiration rates. This is typical for our region.
• Similarly, the water level in most ponds is low.
• Streams will continue to exhibit low to moderate flow levels this week, with the potential for locally higher levels if areas experience thunderstorms or other significant rain events.

Fungi:

• Extensive eruptions of mushrooms and other fungi will continue this week. Rich woodlands now support an abundance of fungi in an amazing variety of shapes and colors.
• The following species of fungi may be observed this week: giant puffball, pear puffball, chicken of-the-woods, hen of-the-woods, oyster, fly agaric, jack-o-lantern, blewit, birch polypore, white-egg bird’s nest, turkey-tail, hemlock varnish shelf, bear’s head tooth fungus, and multiple species (and colors) of coral fungi and bolete and chanterelle mushrooms.

Ferns and Grasses/Sedges/Rushes:

• Sensitive fern and ostrich fern leaves in the understory of forested wetlands and floodplains will begin to turn yellow, an often overlooked fall color change.
• Common reed (Phragmites) will continue to flower this week. This tall (typically >6 feet) grass is an aggressive invasive species most commonly found in wet areas that have recently been disturbed. Phragmites pollen may contribute to allergy symptoms in areas with dense stands of this grass.
• Wood reed-grass will continue to bloom in forest understories.
• Yellow foxtail grass is ripe with large seeds that provide a valuable food source for upland game birds, songbirds, mice, and other wildlife.
• Wool-grass, a native species of bulrush, is now evident in wet meadows and marsh edges as a result of its abundant rusty brown and wooly fruits.
• Broad-leaf and narrow-leaf cattail stems are rapidly turning brown and are laden with fruit in marshes, pond edges, ditches, and other wet habitats. Some fruits are just starting to disintegrate, which will release thousands of tiny fluffy seeds to the wind.

Wildflowers:

• The fall resurgence of woodland wildflower blooming continues to advance this week with the following species in bloom: white wood aster, lance-leaved aster, sharp-leaved aster, heart-leaved aster, large-leaved aster, rough-stemmed goldenrod, zigzag goldenrod, and blue-stemmed goldenrod.
• The following woodland wildflowers will continue to bloom this week: herb Robert and white snakeroot.
• Watch for brilliantly colored but acrid fruits of Jack-in-the-pulpit in rich woodlands.
• Bittersweet nightshade will continue to flower, and red fruits will also be evident.
• Spotted jewelweed will continue to bloom within and along the edges of swamps, and yellow flowers of pale jewelweed can be found in well-drained areas at this time.
• Watch for closed gentian (bottle gentian) and fringed gentian blooming in wetland habitats, along with great blue lobelia, and white turtlehead.
• Many non-native summer wildflowers continue to bloom in open field and roadside environments, albeit in fading numbers. Among them are chicory, Queen Anne’s lace (wild carrot), birds-foot trefoil, red clover, yellow goatsbeard, black-eyed Susan, butter-and-eggs, and multiple species (and hybrids) of knapweeds.
• Pollen production by common ragweed has tapered off substantially over the past two weeks. Regardless, wind-dispersed pollen from this native pioneer species remains the lead allergen in the Buffalo area. A related but non-native species, mugwort, is also blooming at this time and contributing to allergy symptoms.
• Our native open field/woodland edge goldenrods and asters will continue to flower in abundance, including Canada goldenrod, tall goldenrod, giant goldenrod, lance-leaved goldenrod, panicled aster, heath aster, calico aster, crooked-stem aster, purple-stemmed aster, and New England aster. Note that goldenrod pollen is not a common allergen as it is dispersed by insects, not wind. Ragweed is the typical culprit for hay-fever symptoms this time of year.
• Bur marigolds and beggar ticks (genus Bidens) continue to bloom in wet meadows, marshes, and swamp edges. The most vibrant species, tickseed sunflower, transforms large areas to yellow at this time.
• Jerusalem artichoke, a non-native wild sunflower will continue to bloom this week.
• Pokeweed, a native herbaceous plant found in disturbed sites, is currently producing large volumes of fleshy purple fruits relished by birds and small mammals.
• Japanese knotweed, an invasive species that thrives in riparian habitats, will continue to flower this week.
• This is bur season so be watchful where you (and your dog(s)) walk. Several local plants have adapted a hitch-a-ride strategy that capitalizes on animal disbursal. Those currently in fruit include common burdock, enchanter’s nightshade, tick trefoil, and multiple species of avens and agrimony.

Trees and Shrubs:

• Fall leaf color is now visible, especially with the Region’s three species of dogwood shrubs: gray, silky, and red-osier. Also watch for splashes of color on red maple, staghorn sumac, choke cherry, and Virginia creeper.
• An abundance of hard mast (acorns, hickory nuts, etc.) continues to be available, on and off trees, for consumption by many mammals and some birds (e.g., wild turkey, blue jay). Sources include northern red oak, pin oak, bur oak, swamp white oak, American beech, shagbark hickory, bitternut hickory, black walnut, American hornbeam, and American basswood.
• Several native trees, shrubs, and vines continue to provide ripe fruit (soft mast) that is an important source of food for a variety of birds and mammals: black cherry, cucumber magnolia, common elderberry, gray dogwood, silky dogwood, red osier dogwood, nannyberry, spicebush, hawthorn, staghorn sumac, multiflora rose, poison ivy, Virginia creeper, and wild grape.

Insects & Other Invertebrates:

• Spiders webs are strikingly abundant at this time of year, best seen near dawn when accentuated by dew. Watch for large round webs constructed by orb spiders (e.g., yellow garden spider) as well as funnel-shaped webs constructed by funnel weavers (e.g., grass spider).
• Ticks remain active so wear protective clothing and/or repellent, and do tick-checks after every outing.
• While mosquitoes have been relatively scarce in most areas during dry summer weeks, some species become active during late summer and early autumn starting at about this time, so be prepared with protective clothing and/or repellent.
• Various species of caddis flies (e.g., the large case-maker caddisfly) and mayflies (e.g., tricos from the genus Tricorythodes) will continue to emerge from streams, providing a valuable food source for trout and other fish, as well as birds and bats.
• Male katydids will continue to “sing” after dark, albeit at a slower pace during cooler nights. The most common species is the common true katydid. Listen for its “katy-did” call. Also listen for the short and buzzy “zeee-dik” calls of the less common (but more frequently seen) oblong-winged katydid.
• Cricket song continues to be pervasive this time of year. Fall field crickets emit quintessential cricket chirps both day and night while Carolina ground crickets emit nearly continuous rapid trills, mostly after dark.
• A walk through any grassy field or roadside will encounter large numbers of grasshoppers this time of year. The most common species in our region include Carolina grasshopper and spur-throated grasshopper.
• This is a good time to search for praying mantises as they have grown to full size. Local species include the Carolina mantis (native to North America), praying mantis (native to Europe), and Chinese mantid (native to Asia).
• Hornets such as the eastern yellowjacket and bald-faced hornet are abundant late in the summer, congregating near sources of sugar and other foods to feed thousands of larvae still in their nests.
• An impressive diversity of insects and other invertebrates is closely associated with goldenrods that are currently in bloom, including goldenrod crab spiders, goldenrod soldier beetles, jagged ambush bugs, and goldenrod gall fly (the species responsible for large marble-sized growths on goldenrod stems). Others are commonly found feeding on goldenrod pollen and nectar, including black locust borers, milkweed bugs, honey bees, bumblebees, wasps, hover flies, monarchs and other butterflies.
• Late summer butterflies to watch for this week include monarch, viceroy, great spangled fritillary, red admiral, painted lady, pearl crescent, orange sulphur, clouded sulphur, and cabbage white.
• Included among the late summer butterflies are individuals of three species that will overwinter as adults and be the first butterflies on the wind next spring: mourning cloak, eastern comma, and question mark butterflies.
• Watch for migrant monarch butterflies moving generally south across our region, often concentrated along the Niagara River and Great Lakes shorelines. Resting congregations may be found in these areas.
• Monarch caterpillars and chrysalises can still be found on common milkweed, swamp milkweed, and butterfly weed plants.
• Wooly bear caterpillars are currently active. This species will overwinter beneath leaf litter and ultimately metamorphose into Isabella tiger moth next spring.
• Late summer dragonfly species (e.g., common green darner, shadow darner, eastern pondhawk, ruby meadowhawk, autumn meadowhawk, black saddlebags, and twelve-spotted skimmer) and damselfly species (e.g., American rubyspot, slender spreadwing, familiar bluet, eastern forktail, and powdered dancer) will be active this week.
• Migrant dragonflies such as common green darners, black saddlebags, and twelve-spotted skimmers may congregate along the Niagara River and Great Lakes shorelines.

Fish:

• Many species of fish migrated to deeper cooler waters in early summer, as inshore waters warmed, and have remained there since water temperatures have not yet moderated.
• Perch typically begin to reform into schools around Labor Day, often at water depths of 40-60 ft or deeper. These schools will move into progressively shallower water as fall advances.
• Large numbers of chinook salmon (AKA king salmon) are continuing to stage off Great Lakes tributaries, preparing to run up the creeks for spawning which usually peaks in mid-October. Staging and spawning runs for coho salmon typically peak a couple weeks after chinook. Both species are native to Pacific coast watersheds.
• Historically, Atlantic salmon (AKA landlocked salmon) followed a similar spawning pattern in the Lake Ontario. This native and one-time abundant species was nearly extirpated in the late 1800’s. Restoration efforts have had limited success to date.
• Steelhead are also staging off Great Lakes tributaries, preparing to run up the creeks for spawning which typically intensifies in mid-October. Steelhead are an anadromous form of rainbow trout that spawn in streams but live most of their lives in Lakes Erie and Ontario. All forms of rainbow trout are native to Pacific coast watersheds.

Amphibians & Reptiles:

• Northern leopard frogs remain congregated in upland fields and wet meadows at this time, feeding on abundant insect prey found in those habitats.
• American toads are often more active at this time of year, including small to medium sized young-of-the-year toads.
• Listen for occasional single-syllabled “peeps” from spring peepers and, much less commonly, several-syllabled “croaks” of western chorus frogs and raucous calls of gray treefrogs. While the breeding period for these species has long since passed, current daylength is similar to that of the breeding season which may serve as a trigger for vocalizations.
• This is a good time of year to inspect areas around outdoor lights for spring peepers and gray treefrogs that feed on moths and other insect attracted to the lights. Both species have suction-cup adaptations that allow them to cling to windows and siding.
• At this time, eastern (red-spotted) newts leave breeding ponds and metamorphose into red efts, a juvenile terrestrial stage. An eft may remain on land in this stage for two or more years before undergoing a second metamorphose into an aquatic breeding adult.
• Watch for recently hatched common snapping turtles to emerge from nests of eggs laid in late May and early June. In contrast, many midland painted turtle juveniles will overwinter in buried eggs and emerge in late April and early May.
• Midland painted turtles can often be seen basking on logs, especially during cool but sunny periods.

Water & Shore Birds, Gulls & Terns:

• Early migrant waterfowl and related waterbirds will continue to arrive in the Region. Check ponds, wetlands, and Great Lakes shorelines for common loon, horned grebe, wood duck, American wigeon, northern shoveler, gadwall, blue-winged teal, green-winged teal, northern pintail, common merganser, and hooded merganser.
• Late summer is a good time to see vagrant great egrets that appear in wetlands and other waterbodies, sometimes several at a time.
• Watch for red-throated loons, red-necked grebes, and white-winged scoters in open water areas of the Great Lakes.
• Most common terns that nested at Great Lakes and Niagara River colony sites have migrated out of the Buffalo-Niagara Region.
• Watch for migrant Caspian terns, the largest of the tern species to commonly occur in the region, along the Niagara River and Lakes Erie and Ontario this week.
• Shorebird migration will continue this week highlighted by greater yellowlegs, lesser yellowlegs, black-bellied plover, semi-palmated plover, American golden plover, spotted sandpiper, solitary sandpiper, killdeer, ruddy turnstone, red knot, sanderling, semi-palmated sandpiper, least sandpiper, pectoral sandpiper, white-rumped sandpiper, and Baird’s sandpiper. Look for them in shallow flooded areas and mudflats where invertebrate prey abounds.

Birds of Prey:

• Early migrant hawks such as broad-winged hawk, red-shouldered, sharp-shinned hawk, Cooper’s hawk, peregrine falcon, merlin, and osprey are currently passing through the Buffalo-Niagara Region.
• Listen for barred owls and eastern screech owls calling more frequently this time of year, possibly in response to young-of-the-year dispersing and establishing territories.
• Most young-of-the-year great horned owls still rely on their parents for food. Listen for occasional food-begging calls (hissy squawks) after dark.

Upland Game Birds:

• Wild turkey, ruffed grouse, and ring-necked pheasant numbers are near annual peaks at this time, bolstered by young-of-the-year and supported by an abundance of food.

Songbirds:

• Most summer resident ruby-throated hummingbirds and Baltimore orioles have left the Buffalo-Niagara Region for their southern wintering range.
• Adult and young-of-the-year neotropical migrant songbirds (those that overwinter primarily in tropical areas such as Central & South America) are leaving the Buffalo-Niagara Region and Canadian birds are passing through the Region on their way south, including: least flycatcher, yellow-bellied flycatcher, eastern wood peewee, red-breasted nuthatch, blue-gray gnatcatcher, Philadelphia vireo, blue-headed vireo, red-eyed vireo, yellow-throated vireo, veery, wood thrush, Swainson’s thrush, gray-cheeked thrush, and scarlet tanager.
• Among these neotropical migrants are a couple dozen species of warblers. The second half of September is typically the peak period for migrant warblers in the Region. More than 20 species of warblers have been observed in the Region over the past week.
• The following shorter-distance migrant songbirds are also passing through our region on their journey south: yellow-bellied sapsucker, winter wren, ruby-crowned kinglet, golden-crowned kinglet, hermit thrush, yellow-rumped warbler, pine warbler, purple finch, white-throated sparrow, and Lincoln’s sparrow.
• Experience migrant passage by listening for songbird contact calls after dark. Monitor movements on Doppler radar or at http://birdcast.info/.
• Small flocks of eastern bluebirds and small to medium sized flocks of American robins may be seen this time of year.
• Postnuptial molt, the replacement of colorful breeding season feathers with drab overwintering feathers, occurs at this time. It is most evident with American goldfinches visiting our feeders and “confusing fall warblers” migrating through the Region.
• 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 move out of our region and/or pass through our region this week: eastern red, silver-haired, and hoary bats.
• Big brown and little brown bats congregate at hibernation sites at this time, swarming and mating.
• Coyotes are often quite vocal at this time of year.
• Eastern chipmunks, gray squirrels, and southern flying squirrels are actively gathering and storing acorns and other mast for winter.
• Chipmunks are very vocal at this time, emitting territorial “chuck-chuck-chuck” calls.
• Flying squirrels are also very vocal now, emitting high-pitched chirps and squeaks after dark. Listen for them calling from oak, hickory, and American beech trees.
• Beavers cut more trees this time of year, in preparation for winter. They will cut, transport, and cache cut branches in shallow water near their lodges for wintertime feeding.
• White-tailed deer are continuing to shed their summer coats, transitioning from red-brown to gray-brown pelage. Spots are now faint on most fawns.
• This is the time of year to start watching for white-tailed deer buck rubs. As their antlers harden, bucks actively rub saplings and small trees to shed the outer layer of velvet and concurrently deposit scent from forehead glands.

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

Chuck Rosenburg

Unfortunately, I have not had time to prepare weekly Nature Almanac posts for a few months now and the trend is likely to continue another few months – my apologies. Since there is so much consistency with natural happenings during any given week between years (especially this time of year), I decided to start republishing my 2018 posts for folks trying to stay abreast of all that is going on outdoors.

Chuck

Cardinal Flower

Joe Pye Weed

Boneset

Canada Goldenrod

White Wood Aster

Wool-grass (a type of bulrush)

Northern red oak acorns

American Beech nuts

Common Elderberry

Silky Dogwood

Monarch caterpillar

Monarch (photo by Brittany Rowan)

Viceroy (photo by Brittany Rowan)

Widow Skimmer (photo by Brittany Rowan)

Oblong-winged Katydid (can you spot it?)

Thousands of Purple Martins over Niagara River (photo by Celeste Morien)

White-tailed Deer transitioning from summer to winter pelage

Late summer is a season of abundance for wildlife of the Buffalo-Niagara Region. The availability of hard mast (acorns, beech nuts, hickory nuts, black walnuts) and soft mast (fleshy fruits of black cherry, elderberry, dogwoods, etc.) typically peaks at about this time. In addition, goldenrod and aster nectar and pollen rapidly become an important food source for native pollinator species of insects. Invertebrate and vertebrate animals are plentiful, providing an abundant prey base for predators. Still, many birds, bats, and some insects are already leaving the region to fly south for the winter and countless migrants from Canada pass through our region. This season of abundance and transition supports excellent nature viewing opportunities so get outdoors this week to take full advantage.

Below are highlights of what you can expect to find outdoors in the Buffalo-Niagara Region 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):

• 6:46 AM/7:41 PM EDT (12 Hours, 55 Minutes)
• 2 Hours, 26 minutes of daylight shorter than at Summer Solstice

Typical Weather:

• Normal High Temperature: 74.7° F  Normal Low Temperature: 56.8° F
• Cumulative Growing Degree Days thru September 5, 2018: 2,610

Lake, Pond, Stream & Wetland Conditions:

• The Lake Erie water temperature off Buffalo was 76°F and the Lake Ontario water temperature off Greece (Monroe County) was 74°F as of September 6, 2018.
• Regardless of recent heavy rainfall in parts of the Niagara Frontier Region, most interior wetlands and vernal pools remain void of water in response to continued high evapotranspiration rates. This is typical for our region.
• Similarly, the water level in most ponds is low.
• Streams will continue to exhibit low to moderate flow levels this week, with the potential for locally higher levels if areas experience thunderstorms or other significant rain events.

Fungi:

• Heavy rainfall over the past few weeks over portions of the Region triggered extensive eruptions of mushrooms and other fungi, which will continue this week. Rich woodlands now support an abundance of fungi in an amazing variety of shapes and colors.
• The following species of fungi may be observed this week: giant puffball, chicken of-the-woods, old man of-the-woods, hen of-the-woods, oyster, lobster, fly agaric, jack-o-lantern, pheasant’s back, turkey-tail, stinkhorn, bear’s head tooth fungus, and multiple species (and colors) of coral fungi and bolete, chanterelle, rusulla, and milky (Lactarius spp.) mushrooms.

Ferns and Grasses/Sedges/Rushes:

• Common reed (Phragmites) will continue to flower this week. This tall (typically >6 feet) grass is an aggressive invasive species most commonly found in wet areas that have recently been disturbed. Phragmites pollen may contribute to allergy symptoms in areas with dense stands of this grass.
• Wood reed-grass will continue to bloom in forest understories.
• Yellow foxtail grass is ripe with large seeds that provide a valuable food source for upland game birds, songbirds, mice, and other wildlife.
• Wool-grass, a native species of bulrush, is now evident in wet meadows and marsh edges as a result of its abundant rusty brown and wooly fruits.
• Broad-leaf and narrow-leaf cattails are laden with fruit in marshes, pond edges, ditches, and other wet habitats. Some fruits are just starting to disintegrate, which will release thousands of tiny fluffy seeds to the wind.

Wildflowers:

• The beginning of a fall resurgence of woodland wildflower blooming advances this week with the following species in bloom: white wood aster, crooked-stem aster, purple-stemmed aster, lance-leaved aster, rough-stemmed goldenrod, zigzag goldenrod, and blue-stemmed goldenrod.
• The following woodland wildflowers will continue to bloom this week: herb Robert, great blue lobelia, white turtlehead, and white snakeroot.
• Cardinal flower, a vibrant red lobelia, and spotted jewelweed will continue to bloom within and along the edges of swamps. Watch for ruby-throated hummingbirds visiting these flowers to feed on nectar.
• Watch for closed gentian (bottle gentian) and fringed gentian beginning to bloom in wetland habitats.
• Many non-native summer wildflowers continue to bloom in open field and roadside environments, albeit in fading numbers. Among them are chicory, Queen Anne’s lace (wild carrot), teasel, birds-foot trefoil, red clover, yellow goatsbeard, black-eyed Susan, butter-and-eggs, and multiple species (and hybrids) of knapweeds.
• Common ragweed continues to bloom in open disturbed areas, disseminating copious amounts of pollen. Wind-dispersed pollen from this native pioneer species is currently the lead allergen in the Buffalo area. A related but non-native species, mugwort, is also blooming at this time and contributing to allergy symptoms.
• Our native open field/woodland edge goldenrods and asters are now flowering in abundance, including Canada goldenrod, tall goldenrod, giant goldenrod, lance-leaved goldenrod, panicled aster, and New England aster. Note that goldenrod pollen is not a common allergen as it is dispersed by insects, not wind. Ragweed is the typical culprit for hay-fever symptoms this time of year.
• Bur marigolds and beggar ticks (genus Bidens) are beginning to bloom in wet meadows, marshes, and swamp edges. The most vibrant species, tickseed sunflower, transforms large areas to yellow at this time.
• Wild sunflowers are continuing to bloom including oxeye (native) and Jerusalem artichoke (non-native).
• Boneset and Joe Pye weed continue to bloom abundantly in wet meadows, supporting large number of pollinator species, including butterflies. Blue vervain may often be found in association with these species.
• An invasive species, purple loosestrife, will continue to flower this week within marshes, wet meadows, and ditches.
• Japanese knotweed, an invasive species that thrives in riparian habitats, reaches peak flowering at this time.
• This is the start of the bur season so be watchful where you (and your dog(s)) walk. Several local plants have adapted a hitch-a-ride strategy that capitalizes on animal disbursal. Those currently in fruit include common burdock, enchanter’s nightshade, tick trefoil, and multiple species of avens and agrimony.

Trees and Shrubs:

• Watch for splashes of fall color on trees, shrubs, and woody vines this week. The earliest leaf changes typically occur with red maple, gray and silky dogwood, staghorn sumac, choke cherry, and Virginia creeper.
• An abundance of hard mast (acorns, hickory nuts, etc.) is currently available, on and off trees, for consumption by many mammals and some birds (e.g., wild turkey, blue jay). Sources include northern red oak, pin oak, bur oak, swamp white oak, American beech, shagbark hickory, bitternut hickory, and American basswood.
• Several native trees, shrubs, and vines continue to provide ripe fruit (soft mast) that is an important source of food for a variety of birds and mammals: black cherry, common elderberry, gray dogwood, silky dogwood, red osier dogwood, nannyberry, hawthorn, staghorn sumac, poison ivy, and wild grape.

Insects & Other Invertebrates:

• Spiders webs are strikingly abundant at this time of year, best seen near dawn when accentuated by dew. Watch for large round webs constructed by orb spiders (e.g., yellow garden spider) as well as funnel-shaped webs constructed by funnel weavers (e.g., grass spider).
• Ticks remain active so wear protective clothing and/or repellent, and do tick-checks after every outing.
• While mosquitoes have been relatively scarce in most areas during dry summer weeks, some species become active during late summer and early autumn starting at about this time. Above average rainfall in some parts of our region may augment this late season emergence so be prepared with protective clothing and/or repellent.
• Various species of caddis flies (e.g., the large case-maker caddisfly) and mayflies (e.g., tricos from the genus Tricorythodes) will continue to emerge from streams, providing a valuable food source for trout and other fish, as well as birds and bats.
• Male dog-day cicadas and other less common species that emerge annually (versus periodic cicadas such as 13- and 17-year cicadas) will continue to “call” frequently during the day and early evening. Their “song” is a high-pitched whining drone that lasts about 15 seconds per song
• Male katydids will continue to “sing” after dark. The most common species is the common true katydid. Listen for its “katy-did” call. Also listen for the short and buzzy “zeee-dik” calls of the less common (but more frequently seen) oblong-winged katydid.
• Cricket song is pervasive this time of year. Fall field crickets emit quintessential cricket chirps both day and night while Carolina ground crickets emit nearly continuous rapid trills, mostly after dark.
• A walk through any grassy field or roadside will encounter large numbers of grasshoppers this time of year. The most common species in our region include Carolina grasshopper and spur-throated grasshopper.
• This is a good time to search for praying mantises as they have grown to nearly full size. Local species include the Carolina mantis (native to North America), praying mantis (native to Europe), and Chinese mantid (native to Asia).
• Hornets such as the eastern yellowjacket and bald-faced hornet are abundant late in the summer, congregating near sources of sugar and other foods to feed thousands of larvae still in their nests.
• An impressive diversity of insects and other invertebrates is closely associated with goldenrods that are currently in bloom, including goldenrod crab spiders, goldenrod soldier beetles, jagged ambush bugs, and goldenrod gall fly (the species responsible for large marble-sized growths on goldenrod stems). Others are commonly found feeding on goldenrod pollen and nectar, including black locust borers, milkweed bugs, honey bees, bumblebees, wasps, hover flies, monarchs and other butterflies.
• Late summer butterflies to watch for this week include eastern tiger swallowtail, spicebush swallowtail, black swallowtail, giant swallowtail, monarch, viceroy, great spangled fritillary, red admiral, painted lady, pearl crescent, orange sulphur, clouded sulphur, cabbage white, and silver-spotted skipper.
• Included among the late summer butterflies are individuals of three species that will overwinter as adults and be the first butterflies on the wind next spring: mourning cloak, eastern comma, and question mark butterflies.
• Watch for migrant monarch butterflies moving generally south across our region, often concentrated along the Niagara River and Great Lakes shorelines. Resting congregations may be found in these areas.
• Monarch caterpillars and chrysalises can still be found on common milkweed, swamp milkweed, and butterfly weed plants.
• Wooly bear caterpillars are currently active. This species will overwinter beneath leaf litter and ultimately metamorphose into Isabella tiger moth next spring.
• Late summer dragonfly species (e.g., common green darner, shadow darner, eastern pondhawk, ruby meadowhawk, autumn meadowhawk, black saddlebags, twelve-spotted skimmer, widow skimmer) and damselfly species (e.g., American rubyspot, slender spreadwing, familiar bluet, eastern forktail, fragile forktail, blue-fronted dancer, and powdered dancer) will be active this week.
• Migrant dragonflies such as common green darners, black saddlebags, and twelve-spotted skimmers may congregate along the Niagara River and Great Lakes shorelines.

Fish:

• Many species of fish migrated to deeper cooler waters in early summer, as inshore waters warmed, and have remained there since water temperatures have not yet moderated.
• Perch typically begin to reform into schools around Labor Day, often at water depths of 40-60 ft or deeper. These schools will move into progressively shallower water as fall advances.
• Large numbers of chinook salmon (AKA king salmon) are beginning to stage off Great Lakes tributaries, preparing to run up the creeks for spawning which usually peaks in mid October. Staging and spawning runs for coho salmon typically peak a couple weeks after chinook. Both species are native to Pacific coast watersheds.
• Historically, Atlantic salmon (AKA landlocked salmon) followed a similar spawning pattern in the Lake Ontario. This native and one-time abundant species was nearly extirpated in the late 1800’s. Restoration efforts have had limited success to date.

Amphibians & Reptiles:

• Northern leopard frogs remain congregated in upland fields and wet meadows at this time, feeding on abundant insect prey found in those habitats.
• American toads are often more active at this time of year, including small to medium sized young-of-the-year toads.
• Listen for occasional single-syllabled “peeps” from spring peepers and, much less commonly, several-syllabled “croaks” of western chorus frogs and raucous calls of gray treefrogs. While the breeding period for these species has long since passed, current daylength is similar to that of the breeding season which may serve as a trigger for vocalizations.
• At this time, eastern (red-spotted) newts leave breeding ponds and metamorphose into red efts, a juvenile terrestrial stage. An eft may remain on land in this stage for two or more years before undergoing a second metamorphose into an aquatic breeding adult.
• Watch for recently hatched common snapping turtles to emerge from nests of eggs laid in late May and early June. In contrast, many midland painted turtle juveniles will overwinter in buried eggs and emerge in late April and early May.
• Midland painted turtles can often be seen basking on logs, especially during cool but sunny periods.

Water & Shore Birds, Gulls & Terns:

• Early migrant waterfowl will continue to arrive in the Region. Check ponds, and wetlands for wood duck, American wigeon, northern shoveler, blue-winged teal, green-winged teal, pintail, and hooded merganser.
• Late summer is a good time to see vagrant great egrets that appear in wetlands and other waterbodies.
• Watch for migrant Caspian terns, the largest of the tern species to commonly occur in the region, along the Niagara River and Lakes Erie and Ontario this week.
• Shorebird migration will continue this week highlighted by greater yellowlegs, lesser yellowlegs, black-bellied plover, semi-palmated plover, American golden plover, spotted sandpiper, solitary sandpiper, killdeer, ruddy turnstone, red knot, sanderling, semi-palmated sandpiper, least sandpiper, pectoral sandpiper, white-rumped sandpiper, Baird’s sandpiper, and short-billed dowitcher. Look for them in shallow flooded areas and mudflats where invertebrate prey abound.

Birds of Prey:

• Early migrant hawks such as broad-winged hawk, sharp-shinned hawk, and osprey are currently passing through the Buffalo-Niagara Region.
• Listen for barred owls and eastern screech owls calling more frequently this time of year, possibly in response to young-of-the-year dispersing and establishing territories.
• Most young-of-the-year great horned owls still rely on their parents for food. Listen for occasional food-begging calls (hissy squawks) after dark.

Upland Game Birds:

• Wild turkey, ruffed grouse, and ring-necked pheasant numbers are near annual peaks at this time, bolstered by young-of-the-year and supported by an abundance of food.

Songbirds:

• Many summer resident ruby-throated hummingbirds and Baltimore orioles are still present in our region. They actively feed at “nectar” and fruit/jelly feeders, respectively, in preparation for migration which typically starts shortly after Labor Day.
• Many American goldfinches are still feeding recently-fledged young. This species postpones breeding until early July through late August to coincide with fruiting of Canada and bull thistles.
• Similarly, many cedar waxwings are still feeding recently-fledged young. The timing of this species’ nesting period coincides with the abundance of fruit from native trees and shrubs in late summer. Many insects are also consumed at this time of year.
• Adult and young-of-the-year neotropical migrant songbirds (those that overwinter primarily in tropical areas such as Central & South America) are leaving the Buffalo-Niagara Region and Canadian birds are passing through the Region on their way south, including: common nighthawk, chimney swift, least flycatcher, eastern kingbird, yellow-bellied flycatcher alder flycatcher, willow flycatcher, eastern wood peewee, olive-sided flycatcher, red-breasted nuthatch, Philadelphia vireo, red-eyed vireo, veery, wood thrush, Swainson’s thrush, and scarlet tanager.
• Among these neotropical migrants are the following warbler species: Nashville, Tennessee, magnolia, Blackburnian, northern parula, yellow, black-throated blue, black-throated green, black-and-white, American redstart, Cape May, ovenbird, hooded, bay-breasted, mourning, and Wilson’s warblers.
• The following shorter-distance migrant songbirds are also passing through our region on their journey south: hermit thrush, yellow-rumped warbler, pine warbler, and common yellowthroat.
• Experience migrant passage by listening for songbird contact calls after dark. Monitor movements on Doppler radar or at http://birdcast.info/.
• Small flocks of American robins and eastern bluebirds may be seen this time of year.
• Watch for large flocks of migrant purple martins and swallows, especially along the Niagara River and Great Lakes shorelines. Upwards of 10,000 purple martins have been documented staging on Grass Island (off Buckhorn Island State Park) at about this time in recent years.

• 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 move out of our region and/or pass through our region this week: eastern red, silver-haired, and hoary bats.
• Big brown and little brown bats congregate at hibernation sites at this time, swarming and mating.
• Coyotes are often quite vocal at this time of year.
• Eastern chipmunks, gray squirrels, and southern flying squirrels are actively gathering and storing acorns and other mast for winter.
• Chipmunks are very vocal at this time, emitting territorial “chuck-chuck-chuck” calls.
• Beavers cut more trees this time of year, in preparation for winter. They will cut, transport, and cache cut branches in shallow water near their lodges for wintertime feeding.
• White-tailed deer are beginning to shed their summer coats, transitioning from red-brown to gray-brown pelage. Spots are becoming faint on most fawns.
• Antler growth is nearly complete for white-tailed deer bucks. As the antlers harden, the outer layer of velvet will be shed by rubbing.

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

Chuck Rosenburg

Folks,

Very sorry I have yet to finalize and publish a Buffalo-Niagara Nature Almanac post for Week 22 (May 28-June 3, 2019). Preparing for and attending the Allegany Nature Pilgrimage this weekend took priority. As always, it was a wonderful weekend of nature-themed programs in Allegany State Park! For my wife, Kristen, and me, it is our favorite weekend of the year. Please mark your calendars for next year’s Pilgrimage, schedule for May 29-31, 2020 (always the weekend after Memorial Day).

If you have a few minutes, please check out the Pilgrimage web page and/or Facebook page for more event details:

http://www.alleganynaturepilgrimage.com/

https://www.facebook.com/pg/AlleganyNaturePilgrimageAlleganyStatePark/posts/

Better yet, see pages 18-21 for February 2018 Conservationist articles written by my wife, Kristen Rosenburg (“The Best Weekend in the Woods”), and Megan Mills Hoffman (“A Frantic Pilgrimage with Friends and Family”) – available at the following link:

https://www.dec.ny.gov/docs/administration_pdf/0218consmag4web.pdf

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This forested wetland has rapidly greened-up

Green new growth of cattails is overtaking last year’s brown stem remnants

Sweet vernal grass is starting to flower

Several species of sedges are flowering

Pheasants back mushroom

Common blue phlox is now blooming

Dame’s rocket (often misidentifed as phlox) is now blooming

False Solomon’s seal is starting to bloom

Wild columbine is starting to bloom

May apple is starting to bloom

Golden ragwort, the earliest aster to flower

Wild geranium is starting to flower.

Forget-me-m not

Hawthorn trees are flowering. Note the large thorns.

Choke cherry is continuing to bloom.

Tartarian honeysuckle, an invasive species, is starting to flower

Bluets, a type of damselfly (Photo by Brittany Rowan)

Eastern pond hawk dragonfly (Photo by Brittany Rowan)

Tiger swallowtail (Photo by Brittany Rowan)

Gray tree frog. Note the suction cups on its toes.

Double-crested cormorants nesting (Photo by Connie Adams)

Short-billed dowitcher(Photo by Paul Bigelow)

Spotted sandpiper (Photo by Brittany Rowan)

Eastern screech owl about to fledge from Grand Island nest box (Photo by Jodi Wroblewski)

Blackburnian warbler (Photo by Dave Denk instagram = @dddave226)

Black-throated green warbler (Photo by Tim Baird)

Ovenbird (Photo by Tim Baird)

Cape May warbler (Photo by Paul Bigelow)

American robin nestlings

This young raccoon just left the nest

White-tailed deer fawn (Photo by Kim Adriaansen)

Shorebirds often dominate the tail end of spring bird migration in the Buffalo-Niagara Region, typically peaking during the last week of May. Dozens or even hundreds of migrant shorebirds can be seen at the most productive sites. You may be surprised to hear that over 30 species of shorebirds have been documented in the region. The best locations for seeing migrant shorebirds are typically mudflats bordering large emergent wetlands at sites such as Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge and the two adjoining state wildlife management areas. However, wet farm fields can also be unexpectedly productive. Many other spring advances will be visible with the Region’s plants and animals this week.

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):

• 5:44 AM/8:41 PM DST (14 Hours, 57 Minutes)
• 5 Hours, 56 minutes of daylight longer than at Winter Solstice

Typical Weather:

• Normal High Temperature: 69.0° F  Normal Low Temperature: 50.1° F
• Cumulative Growing Degree Days thru May 22, 2019: 246

Lake, Pond, Stream & Wetland Conditions:

• The Lake Erie water temperature off Buffalo warmed substantially to 49°F and the Lake Ontario water temperature off Greece (Monroe County) cooled slightly to 45°F as of May 23, 2019.
• Water levels in interior wetlands and vernal pools have started to drop noticeably in response to high evapotranspiration rates resulting from relatively high air temperatures and the rapid leafing-out of trees and shrubs.
• Streams will exhibit moderate flow levels this week, with the potential for locally higher levels if the area experiences thunderstorms or other significant rain events.

Fungi:

• Watch for early species of fungi such as scarlet cup, pheasant’s back, morel, mica cap, common mycena, and oyster mushrooms.

Ferns and Grasses/Sedges/Rushes:

• Fern fiddleheads (furled leaf fronds coiled like the scroll of a violin head) will finish unfurling this week for most fern species.
• 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.

• Sweet vernal grass will begin to flower this week, the first relatively common species of grass to do so. It is a non-native cool season grass.
• New growth of broad- and narrow-leaf cattails in marshes continues to rapidly overtake last year’s brown cattail stems.

Wildflowers:

• The following woodland wildflowers will be in 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.
• The rose-purple flowers of wild geranium can now be found in woods and meadows.
• 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 continue to blossom this week. Make a mental note of their locations so you can plan to return in June to enjoy the fruits.
• 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 continue 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:

• Leaf-out of trees and shrubs will essentially be completed by the end of this week for most species (excluding ashes, hickories, and walnuts).
• Watch for the showy flowers of cucumber magnolia to start blooming this week – they flower very briefly. Use binoculars as necessary.
• American beech, shagbark hickory, and bitternut hickory will continue to flower this week, ultimately producing hickory nuts that will be an important component of our region’s mast crop this fall.
• Wind-dispersed pollen of oaks, birches (e.g., yellow birch, American hornbeam), and ashes (e.g., green & white) continue to be the leading allergens in the Buffalo Area.
• Several native fruit-producing trees and shrubs will continue to flower this week: black cherry, choke cherry, black chokeberry, red elderberry, nannyberry, and hawthorn.
• Tartarian honeysuckle, an invasive non-native shrub that has infested many woodland habitats in our region, will continue to flower later this week. Its flowers have a strong sweet fragrance.
• Red and silver maple trees are rapidly producing a crop of samaras, “helicopter” fruits that will flutter to the ground starting this week. This “soft mast” is an important spring food source for a variety of animals including squirrels, chipmunks, and wild turkeys.
• Quaking aspen, big-toothed aspen, and various willows will continue 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 continue to swarm and will likely start to bite (more accurately, they suck) this week. Wear protective clothing and/or repellent.
• 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, Hendrickson) will continue to emerge from streams, providing a valuable food source for trout and other fish, as well as birds and bats.
• First broods of butterflies that overwinter as pupae will continue to emerge this week, likely including eastern tiger swallowtail, spicebush swallowtail, black swallowtail, giant swallowtail, viceroy, white admiral, little wood satyr, pearl crescent, orange sulphur, clouded sulphur, and cabbage white.
• Watch for early migrant monarch butterflies to start reaching the Buffalo-Niagara Region this week.
• Early emergence dragonfly species (e.g., eastern pondhawk, four-spotted skimmer, common baskettail, common whitetail) and damselfly species (e.g., eastern forktail, fragile forktail, familiar bluet) will be active this week.

Fish:

• Muskellunge may still be concentrated in vegetated shallows for spawning.
• Lake sturgeon are moving into spawning habitats within the Great Lakes and Upper & Lower Niagara River.
• Walleye and yellow perch will continue to move into shallow water areas of the Great Lakes to spawn.
• Smallmouth bass will continue to migrate from Lakes Erie and Ontario into tributary streams, harbors, and bays in preparation for spawning.
• As water temperatures in ponds and inland lakes warm, largemouth bass, sunfish (including bluegill and pumpkinseed), and black crappie will move into shallow water in preparation for spawning.
• 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:

• A few spring peepers and American toads (and possibly western chorus frogs) will continue their breeding calls this week, especially if we receive substantial rainfall.
• Egg masses and tadpoles of the above listed species 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 continue to call from ponds and semi/permanent wetlands this week.
• Watch for breeding clusters of northern water snakes around the edges of 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. Watch for frequent flights by adults between the rookery and feeding areas.
• Common terns are now nesting 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.
• Shorebird migration may peak this week highlighted by black-bellied plover, semipalmated plover, sanderling, solitary sandpiper, whimbrel, ruddy turnstone, red knot, semipalmated sandpiper, least sandpiper, dunlin, and short-billed dowitcher.

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 owl, eastern screech owl, and red-tailed hawk 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.
• Some hen wild turkeys, ruffed grouse, and ring-necked pheasants are incubating eggs while others may have precocial young that have already left the nest.

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 trailing edge of neotropical migrant songbirds (those that overwinter primarily in tropical areas such as Central & South America) is arriving in or passing through the Buffalo-Niagara Region, including: black- and yellow-billed cuckoos, common nighthawk, Acadian flycatcher, alder flycatcher, willow flycatcher, Philadelphia vireo, gray-cheeked thrush, and Swainson’s thrush.
• Among these late neotropical migrants will be the following colorful warbler species: blue-winged, golden-winged, Tennessee, magnolia, Blackburnian, cerulean, bay-breasted, blackpoll, mourning, Wilson’s, and Canada.
• 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/.
• This is the peak of the songbird nesting season. Watch for nests as well as bird behaviors that suggest they are nesting nearby (e.g., nest defense or distraction displays such as a killdeer’s broken-wing spectacle). Get up early to witness dawn chorus, the boisterous cacophony of bird song that peaks even before the sun rises.
• 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 typically give birth starting this week. Watch for very young fawns lying motionless in concealed (or not so well concealed) locations.
• White-tailed deer will continue to shed their winter coats this week, transitioning from gray-brown to red-brown pelage. Antler growth is now evident on bucks.
• While uncommon, black bears are most frequently encountered in Buff-Niagara area in late spring and early summer when yearling males from the Southern Tier disperse.

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

Chuck Rosenburg