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

Jack-in-the-Pulpit is starting to flower

Return to a vibrant green landscape – lush growth in wetlands

Wild columbine is starting to flower

Foam flower is starting to flower

Christmas fern fiddleheads

Cuckoo flower

Wild strawberry blossoms

Choke cherry blossoms

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

Oaks are flowering

Tulip poplar leaves are about 3/4 grown

Watch for painted turtle hatchlings (Photo by Kristen Rosenburg)

Lesser yellowlegs (Photo by Paul Bigelow)

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

Greater yellowlegs (Photo by Paul Bigelow)

Semipalmated sandpiper (Photo by Paul Bigelow)

Least sandpiper (Photo by Paul Bigelow)

Spotted sandpiper (Photo by Paul Bigelow)

Common tern colony (NYSDEC trail cam photo)

Female ruby-throated hummingbird (Photo by Paul Bigelow)

Yellow-billed cuckoo (Photo by Paul Bigelow)

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

Nashville warbler (Photo by Brittany Rowan)

Warbling vireo (Photo by Brittany Rowan)

Difficult to identify Empidonax flycatcher (Photo by Paul Bigelow)

Yellow warbler (Photo by Dave Denk instagram = dddave226)

Baltimore oriole (Photo by Brittany Rowan)

Male bobolink (Photo by Paul Bigelow)

Indigo bunting (Photo by Brittany Rowan)

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

Female bobolink (Photo by Paul Bigelow)

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

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

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

Average Sunrise/Sunset (Day Length):

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

Typical Weather:

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

Lake, Pond, Stream & Wetland Conditions:

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

Fungi:

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

Ferns and Grasses/Sedges/Rushes:

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

Wildflowers:

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

Trees and Shrubs:

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

Insects & Other Invertebrates:

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

Fish:

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

Amphibians & Reptiles:

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

Water & Shore Birds, Gulls & Terns:

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

Birds of Prey:

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

Upland Game Birds:

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

Songbirds:

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

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

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

Mammals:

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

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

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

Chuck Rosenburg

Upland forest trees starting to leaf-out.

Forested wetland springing to life.

Morel (photo by Kristen Rosenburg)

Field horsetail – fertile & sterile fronds.

Ostrich fern fiddlehead.

Tussock sedge is now flowering.

Large-flowered Bellwort.

Jack-in-the-Pulpit starting to bloom (photo by Brittany Rowan)

Carolina spring beauty.

Spring cress.

Cuckoo flower.

Two-leaved Toothwort.

Marsh marigold.

Lesser celendine (Invasive Species).

Garlic mustard (Invasive Species).

Shadbush.

Question mark butterfly (photo by Dave Denk, Instagram = dddave226)

Palm warbler (photo by Dave Denk, Instagram = dddave226)

Yellow-rumped warbler (photo by Dave Denk, Instagram = dddave226)

Yellow warbler (photo by Brittany Rowan)

Nashville warbler (photo by Brittany Rowan)

Northern parula (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Black-throated blue warbler (photo by Brittany Rowan)

Black-throated green warbler (photo by Brittany Rowan)

Chestnut-sided warbler (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Blackburnian warbler (photo by Brittany Rowan)

Female American redstart (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Cape May warbler (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Male American redstart (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Rose-breasted grosbeak (photo by Brittany Rowan)

Baltimore oriole (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Young cottontail (photo by Kristen Rosenburg)

Southerly winds early in Week 19 continued to carry neotropical migrant songbirds (those that overwinter primarily in tropical areas such as Central & South America) into the Buffalo-Niagara Region, along with tree bats that winter to the south. Spring ephemeral wildflowers (woodland species that flower fleetingly before trees leaf-out) continue to bloom this week in the Region. Many other spring advances will be visible with the Region’s plants and animals.

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

• 5:57 AM/8:27 PM DST (14 Hours, 30 Minutes)
• 5 Hours, 29 minutes of daylight longer than at Winter Solstice

Typical Weather:

• Normal High Temperature: 64.7° F  Normal Low Temperature: 45.4° F
• Cumulative Growing Degree Days thru May 8, 2019: 155

Lake, Pond, Stream & Wetland Conditions:

• The Lake Erie water temperature off Buffalo rose slightly to 37°F and the Lake Ontario water temperature off Greece (Monroe County) rose slightly to 43°F as of May 9, 2019.
• Inland ponds, wetlands, and vernal pools are near annual high-water levels.
• Streams will continue with moderate to high flow levels this week, with the potential for high levels if the Region experiences thunderstorms and/or other heavy precipitation.

Fungi:

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

Ferns and Grasses/Sedges/Rushes:

• Fiddleheads (furled leaf fronds coiled like the scroll of a violin head) will continue to slowly emerge for most fern species this week.
• Watch for field horsetail growing in wet areas, resembling a small pine seedling and bearing fertile fronds that produce spores.
• A few species of wetland sedges (e.g., tussock & awl-fruited sedges) and upland sedges (e.g., Pennsylvania & plantain-leaved sedges) will flower this week, well ahead of most grass species.

Wildflowers:

• Skunk cabbage is done flowering. Its large skunky-smelling leaves are now evident in forested wetlands.
• The large leaves of false hellebore are also evident in forested wetlands, but this species won’t flower until late May or June.
• Abundant yellow flowers of marsh marigold continue to dominate some forested and emergent wetlands.
• Some spring ephemeral wildflowers (woodland species that bloom fleetingly before trees leaf-out then disappear from view, leaves and all) will continue to bloom this week, including spring cress, purple cress, yellow trout lily, spring beauty, Carolina spring beauty, early meadow rue, cut-leaved toothwort, two-leaved toothwort, Dutchman’s breeches, and squirrel corn. Rich upland forests, especially sites along the Niagara and Onondaga Escarpments, offer the greatest diversity and abundance of these species.
• Similar woodland spring wildflowers that flower now but retain their leaves most of the growing season continue to bloom this week, including northern blue violet, Canada white violet, downy yellow violet, smooth yellow violet, wild ginger, red trillium, large-flowered (white) trillium, and blue cohosh.
• Watch for the leaves and some early flowers of additional woodland wildflowers that will bloom soon: May apple, Jack-in-the-pulpit, Solomon’s seal (smooth and hairy), false Solomon’s seal, large-flowered bellwort, blue phlox, and Virginia waterleaf.
• Cuckoo flower will start to bloom in wet meadows and along the edges of swamps and marshes.
• Virginia bluebells may begin to bloom this week, primarily in floodplain forests. Peak blooming is more likely next week.
• Wild leek leaves are fully emerged in some upland forests. This is the best time of year to harvest leeks (AKA ramps). Be sure to harvest sustainably and with landowner permission.
• Coltsfoot, a non-native species that has naturalized across the region, continues to bloom this week. Look for its yellow, dandelion-like flowers.
• Lesser celandine, an invasive non-native species of buttercup, continues to bloom in some areas this week. It is most common in floodplain forest habitats.
• Another invasive species, garlic mustard, will begin to flower this week primarily in upland forests.

Trees and Shrubs:

• Serviceberry trees and shadbush shrubs will continue to bloom in forest understory and edge habitats.
• Eastern cottonwood will continue to flower this week. Its cotton-like fluff and seeds will be fill the air in early June.
• Wind-dispersed pollen of birches (e.g., yellow birch, American hornbeam), maples (e.g., sugar maple, box-elder), and ashes (green & white) are currently the leading allergens in the Buffalo Area.
• Red oak (e.g., northern red oak, pin oak) and white oak (e.g., white oak, swamp white oak, bur oak) trees will flower this week, the first step in producing acorns that will be an important component of our region’s mast crop in Fall 2019 and 2020. Acorns of white oak species mature in one year but it takes two years for acorns of red oak species to mature.
• Most trees and shrubs have started to produce small leaves. Leaf-out will be mostly completed over the next two weeks.

Insects & Other Invertebrates:

• Ticks are now active so wear protective clothing and/or repellent and do tick-checks after every outing.
• Blackflies may become active in some areas, creating an annoyance for outdoors people.
• Flooded lawns will force earthworms to the surface and onto roads, driveways, and sidewalks where they are easily gleaned by American robins.
• A surprising diversity and abundance of vernal pool invertebrates will continue as pools warm: fingernail clams, amphipods, isopods, fairy shrimp, caddis fly larvae, dragonfly nymphs, giant water bugs, an assortment of aquatic beetles, etc.
• Various species of caddis flies, stoneflies, midges, and mayflies (e.g., March brown, blue-winged olive, Hendrickson) will continue to emerge from streams, providing a valuable food source for trout and other fish as well as some birds and bats.
• Watch for honeybees and native pollinators such as bumblebees and hover flies visiting newly blooming flowers this week.
• Mourning cloak, eastern comma, and question mark butterflies (which overwinter as adults) will continue to be active this week.
• First broods of butterflies that overwinter as pupae will continue to emerge this week, including spring azure, eastern tiger swallowtail, spicebush swallowtail, black swallowtail, and cabbage white butterflies.
• Watch for American painted lady, painted lady, and red admiral butterflies that occasionally migrate on southerly winds into the Buffalo-Niagara Region at this time.
• Common green darners will continue to migrate back into our Region from the South this week, typically the earliest dragonflies to be seen here.

Fish:

• Muskellunge will continue to concentrate in vegetated shallows for spawning.
• Walleye and yellow perch will continue to move into shallow water areas to spawn.
• Some smallmouth bass may begin migrating from Lakes Erie and Ontario into tributary streams, harbors, and bays in preparation for spawning.
• Large schools of alewife will continue to move from cold depths of Lakes Erie and Ontario to nearshore areas in preparation for spawning.

Amphibians & Reptiles:

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

Water & Shore Birds, Gulls & Terns:

• Most pairs of Canada geese now have goslings. Watch for family groups swimming and feeding in and near ponds and wetlands.
• Most summer resident ducks are nesting at this time, including American black duck, mallard, wood duck, blue-winged teal, and hooded merganser.
• Don’t be surprised to see wood ducks perched in trees, near nest cavities, this time of year.
• Great blue herons, black-crowned night-herons, and a few great egrets are nesting in rookeries, both at inland and Great Lakes coastal sites.
• Common terns have returned to their Great Lakes and Niagara River nesting colony sites.
• Caspian terns, the largest of the tern species to commonly occur in the region, may still be observed along the Niagara River and Lakes Erie and Ontario this week.
• Watch for highly mobile killdeer chicks as well as broken-wing displays by adults attempting to lure predators and/or people away from their young.
• Male American woodcock and Wilson’s snipe will continue to perform their elaborate aerial displays designed to attract mates.
• Early migrant shorebirds will continue to arrive in our area this week, including black-bellied plover, greater and lesser yellowlegs, pectoral sandpiper, least sandpiper, semi-palmated plover, solitary sandpiper, and spotted sandpiper.
• To stay abreast of bird sightings in the region, consult eBird, Genesee Birds, and Dial-a-Bird (see the “Resources” tab on this web page for more details).

Birds of Prey:

• Spring migration flights of hawks, falcons, eagles, and turkey vultures will continue to follow the Lake Erie and Lake Ontario shores as they migrate north. Large flights of broad-winged hawks may continue to dominate the hawk flight this week, especially at Braddock Bay. An excellent observation area for seeing hundreds (sometimes thousands) of these migrants in a single day is Lakeside Cemetery in Hamburg.
• Most summer and year-round resident birds of prey in our region are actively nesting.
• Most great horned owl chicks have fledged from their nests already (typically flightless for a week or more) and some barred and eastern screech owl chicks may fledge this week.

Upland Game Birds:

• Wild turkey toms can be heard gobbling as they try to attract mates. Spring turkey season runs from May 1 to 31 so don’t be fooled by artificial gobbles as hunters try to call in territorial toms. Many hens are already incubating eggs.
• Listen for drumming displays by male ruffed grouse in the southern part of the Buffalo-Niagara region as well as the Alabama Swamps area. They display from the tops of logs to attract mates. They beat their wings at an increasingly rapid rate, sounding like an engine trying to start. Many hens are already incubating eggs.
• Male ring-necked pheasants that have become naturalized in the region will continue their rooster-like crowing to establish territories and attract mates. Many hens are incubating eggs or already have chicks.

Songbirds:

• Now that winter feeder birds such as dark-eyed junco and American tree sparrowsback, scaup, common goldeneye, common merganser, long-tailed duck have mostly left the region, watch feeders for summer resident species such as chipping sparrow as well as spring migrant species such as purple finch, rose-breasted grosbeak, indigo bunting, white-throated sparrow, and white-crowned sparrow. Be sure to include sunflower seed in feeders and place seed such as white millet in ground feeders or directly on the ground to attract many of these migrants.
• Ruby-throated hummingbirds and Baltimore orioles have returned to our region, so have your feeders ready (May 1^st is typically a good target date).
• If you don’t have a feeder of your own, consider visiting a local nature education center (see the last column of the site lists under the “B-N Region & Sites” tab on this web page).
• The wave of neotropical migrant songbirds (those that overwinter primarily in tropical areas such as Central & South America) that started last week will continue this week. Watch for species such as chimney swift, ruby-throated hummingbird, least flycatcher, great-crested flycatcher, eastern kingbird, yellow-throated vireo, warbling vireo, cliff swallow, wood thrush, veery, scarlet tanager, rose-breasted grosbeak, bobolink, and Baltimore oriole.
• The following neotropical migrant songbirds that typically mark the beginning of the end of spring migration will arrive in the region this week: eastern wood-pewee, Philadelphia vireo, red-eyed vireo, veery, gray-cheeked thrush, Swainson’s thrush, and indigo bunting.
• Among the neotropical migrants are the following colorful warbler species: blue-winged, Nashville, northern parula, yellow, chestnut-sided, magnolia, black-throated blue, black-throated green, Blackburnian, palm, black-and-white, American redstart, ovenbird, northern waterthrush, Louisiana waterthrush, and hooded warblers.
• The following neotropical migrant warblers that typically occur toward the tail-end of spring migration may start to arrive in the region this week: golden-winged, Tennessee, Cerulean, bay-breasted, blackpoll, mourning, Wilson’s, and Canada.
• Bobolinks will return from as far away as Argentina to grassland nesting sites in our region this week. Listen for their distinctive bubbly song that resembles R2D2 from Star Wars.
• The following shorter-distance migrant songbirds are returning to, passing through, and/or lingering in the region: yellow-bellied sapsucker, purple martin, house wren, marsh wren, golden-crowned kinglet, ruby-crowned kinglet, hermit thrush, gray catbird, blue-headed vireo, yellow-rumped warbler, pine warbler, common yellowthroat, field sparrow, savannah sparrow, white-throated sparrow, white-crowned sparrow, Lincoln’s sparrow, rusty blackbird, purple finch, and pine siskin.
• Experience migrant passage by listening for songbird contact calls after dark. Monitor movements on Doppler radar or at http://birdcast.info/. Track average bird arrival dates compiled by the Buffalo Ornithological Society at http://dates.bosbirds.com/.
• Most year-round resident songbird species (e.g., mourning dove, black-capped chickadee, white-breasted nuthatch, downy woodpecker) are incubating eggs or brooding nestlings.
• Most short-distance migrants (e.g., northern flicker, eastern phoebe, tree swallow, red-winged blackbird, song sparrow) are establishing territories and initiating nesting. One notable exception is the American goldfinch which postpones breeding to coincide with fruiting of Canada and bull thistle in early July.

Mammals:

• Big brown bats have emerged from hibernacula in local attics etc. and be can now be seen foraging for insects.
• 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 possibly some hoary bats.
• Gray squirrels, red squirrels, and southern flying squirrels are caring for recent litters in leaf nests and tree cavities. Woodchucks and eastern chipmunks are doing the same in underground burrows.
• Beavers give birth to kits at about this time. Typical litter size is 2 to 5.
• Yearling beavers disperse from natal ponds to establish their own territories at this time. Now is an especially good time to find scent mounds marking beaver territories, typically along edges of beaver ponds.
• Eastern cottontails will continue to give birth to the first of three litters of young. Many young rabbits have already left their nests.

• Coyotes and red & gray fox have young, some still in dens while some are old enough to occasionally wander out into view.
• Raccoons, striped skunk, and bobcat are also caring for young at this time.
• White-tailed deer will continue to travel in herds. They typically stay together until shortly before fawns are born, starting over the next couple weeks.
• White-tailed deer are shedding their winter coats now, transitioning from gray-brown to red-brown pelage.

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

Chuck Rosenburg

Vernal pools are filled to the brim and teaming with life.

Caddis fly larvae in its case, from vernal pool

Giant waterbugs are commonly found in vernal pools (photo by Lori Kunselman)

Fairy shrimp are commonly found in vernal pools

Frog (American toad?) eggs (photo by Brittany Rowan)

Spring peepers are still calling fervently from wetlands and vernal pools

Watch for morel mushrooms

Watch for fiddleheads of cinnamon fern and other fern species

Red trillium & yellow trout-lily are still blooming abundantly

Yellow trout-lily (photo by Brittany Rowan)

Cut-leaved toothwort

Wild ginger

Smooth yellow violet (photo by Brittany Rowan)

Common blue violet

Carolina spring beauty

Large-flowered (white) trillium

Marsh marigold flowers brighten some wetlands

Box-elder (a type of maple) is blooming this week

Sugar maple is blooming this week

Sugar maple flowers en masse brighten upland landscapes in pastel green

Shadbush and serviceberry may start flowering this week

Leaf buds on most trees and shrubs have just burst, producing tiny leaves

Sora (a type of rail) in Iroquois NWR marsh (photo by Bob Ensminger)

Great horned owl young are about ready to “fledge” – typically leaving the nest before capable of flight (photo by Henry Ciesla)

Great crested flycatcher (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Black and white warbler (photo by Brittany Rowan)

Yellow-rumped warbler (photo by Brittany Rowan)

Black-throated blue warbler (photo by Brittany Rowan)

Yellow warbler (photo by Brittany Rowan)

Baltimore oriole (photo by Brittany Rowan)

Rose-breasted grosbeak (photo by Tim Baird)

White-crowned sparrow (photo by Brittany Rowan)

Lincoln’s sparrow (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Spring ephemeral wildflowers (woodland species that flower fleetingly before trees leaf-out) will continue to bloom abundantly this week in the Buffalo-Niagara Region. Also, the first substantial wave of neotropical migrant songbirds (those that overwinter primarily in tropical areas such as Central & South America) reached the Buffalo-Niagara Region on southerly winds earlier this week. This weekend will be an excellent time to search for both natural attractions as flowering will persist during the forecasted seasonal temperatures and stop-over migrants will actively feed to fuel up for their next push north. Many other spring advances with the Region’s plants and animals will also be visible.

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

• 6:06 AM/8:19 PM DST (14 Hours, 13 Minutes)
• 5 Hours, 12 minutes of daylight longer than at Winter Solstice

Typical Weather:

• Normal High Temperature: 62.3° F   Normal Low Temperature: 43.0° F
• Cumulative Growing Degree Days thru May 1, 2019: 126

Lake, Pond, Stream & Wetland Conditions:

• The Niagara River continues to carry an abundance of ice flows following removal of the ice boom on April 22.
• The Lake Erie water temperature off Buffalo rose distinctly to 36°F and the Lake Ontario water temperature off Greece (Monroe County) fell slightly to 42°F as of May 2, 2019.
• Inland ponds, wetlands, and vernal pools are near annual high-water levels.
• Streams will continue with moderate to high flow levels this week, with the potential for high levels if the Region experiences thunderstorms and/or other heavy precipitation.

Fungi:

• Watch for early species of fungi such as scarlet cup, pheasant’s back, and morel.

Ferns and Grasses/Sedges/Rushes:

• Fiddleheads (furled leaf fronds coiled like the scroll of a violin head) will continue to slowly emerge for a few species of wetland ferns (e.g., cinnamon, royal, and sensitive ferns) this week.
• Watch for field horsetail growing in wet areas, resembling a small pine seedling.
• While we’ve seen just slight grass growth in our lawns, wool-grass (a type of bulrush), a variety of sedge species, and wetland grasses have grown about a foot tall in wet meadows and the edges of marshes.

Wildflowers:

• Skunk cabbage is nearly done flowering. Its large skunky-smelling leaves are now evident in forested wetlands.
• The large leaves of false hellebore are also evident in forested wetlands, but this species won’t flower until late May or June.
• Abundant yellow flowers of marsh marigold now dominate some forested and emergent wetlands.
• Most other spring ephemeral wildflowers (woodland species that bloom fleetingly before trees leaf-out then disappear from view, leaves and all) will continue to bloom abundantly this week, including spring cress, purple cress, yellow trout lily, spring beauty, Carolina spring beauty, early meadow rue, cut-leaved toothwort, two-leaved toothwort, Dutchman’s breeches, and squirrel corn. Rich upland forests, especially sites along the Niagara and Onondaga Escarpments, offer the greatest diversity and abundance of these species.
• Similar woodland spring wildflowers that flower now but retain their leaves most of the growing season will continue to bloom abundantly this week, including northern blue violet, Canada white violet, downy yellow violet, smooth yellow violet, wild ginger, red trillium, large-flowered (white) trillium, and blue cohosh.
• Watch for the leaves of additional woodland wildflowers that will bloom soon: May apple, Jack-in-the-pulpit, Solomon’s seal (smooth and hairy), false Solomon’s seal, large-flowered bellwort, blue phlox, and Virginia waterleaf.
• 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.
• Coltsfoot, a non-native species that has naturalized across the region, will continue to bloom this week. Look for its yellow, dandelion-like flowers.
• Lesser celandine, an invasive non-native species of buttercup, will continue to bloom in some areas this week. It is most common in floodplain forest habitats.

Trees and Shrubs:

• Sugar maple trees will reach peak flowering this week, as evidenced by a burst of pastel green color in leafless sugar bushes and similar upland forests.
• Box-elder and green & white ash will continue to flower this week.
• Spicebush will continue to flower in some forested wetlands this week. Look for its small yellow blossoms that, en masse, brighten wetland understories.
• Serviceberry trees and shadbush shrubs may begin to bloom in forest understory and edge habitats later this week.
• Eastern cottonwood may begin to flower this week. Its cotton-like fluff and seeds will be fill the air in early June.
• Wind-dispersed pollen of maples (red, silver, sugar, and box-elder) and ashes (green & white) will be the leading allergens in the Buffalo Area at this time, joined by juniper (likely blown in from well outside the Region).
• Tartarian and Morrow’s honeysuckles will continue to leaf-out this week. Early leaf-out of this non-native invasive shrub species helps to give it a competitive advantage over native shrubs.
• Choke cherry, a native fruit-bearing shrub, is also leafing-out rapidly this week.

Insects & Other Invertebrates:

• Ticks are now active so wear protective clothing and/or repellent and do tick-checks after every outing.
• Blackflies may become active in some areas, creating an annoyance for outdoors people.
• Flooded lawns will force earthworms to the surface and onto roads, driveways, and sidewalks where they are easily gleaned by American robins.
• A surprising diversity and abundance of vernal pool invertebrates will continue as pools warm: fingernail clams, amphipods, isopods, fairy shrimp, caddis fly larvae, dragonfly nymphs, giant water bugs, an assortment of aquatic beetles, etc.
• Various species of caddis flies, stoneflies, midges, and mayflies (e.g., March brown, blue-winged olive, Hendrickson) will continue to emerge from streams, providing a valuable food source for trout and other fish as well as some birds and bats.
• Watch for honeybees and native pollinators such as bumblebees and hover flies visiting newly blooming flowers this week.
• Mourning cloak and eastern comma butterflies (which overwintered as adults) will continue to be active during relatively warm days this week.
• First broods of butterflies that overwinter as pupae may emerge this week, in particular spring azure and cabbage white butterflies.
• Watch for American painted lady, painted lady, and red admiral butterflies that occasionally migrate on southerly winds into the Buffalo-Niagara Region at this time.
• Common green darners will migrate back into our Region from the South this week, typically the earliest dragonflies to be seen here.

Fish:

• Northern pike are concentrated in tributary streams, ditches, and shoreline wetlands for spawning.
• Muskellunge may start to concentrate in vegetated shallows for spawning.
• White suckers will continue to migrate upstream within Great Lakes tributary streams to their spawning grounds.
• Large schools of alewife will continue to move from cold depths of Lakes Erie and Ontario to nearshore areas in preparation for spawning.
• Large runs of brown bullheads will continue to enter tributary streams and harbors.
• Walleye and yellow perch will continue to move into shallow waters to spawn.
• Steelhead can still be found in Great Lakes tributary spawning streams. 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.
• The DEC will continue to stock some local streams with hatchery-raised brown, brook, and/or rainbow trout this week.

Amphibians & Reptiles:

• Early breeding frogs such as the western chorus frog, spring peeper, northern leopard frog, and American toad will continue to vocalize and breed in wetlands and vernal pools.
• Most mole salamanders (spotted, blue-spotted, and Jefferson salamanders) have now migrated out of the vernal pools, where they bred, and have returned to their mostly subterranean lifestyles in nearby upland forest habitats. Look for egg masses left behind in vernal pools.
• Lungless salamanders (e.g., red-backed, northern slimy, northern dusky, mountain dusky, and two-lined salamanders) will remain active this week. They can be found under rocks and logs during the day.
• Eastern garter snakes will continue to emerge from hibernation/brumation. Watch for “snake balls” – breeding clusters consisting of multiple males attempting to mate with a single female.
• Common snapping and midland painted turtles will continue to be active this week. Watch for painted turtles basking on logs, especially during cool but sunny periods.
• Watch for tiny midland painted turtles to emerge from nests in lawns, flower beds, and road shoulders – typically near ponds and wetlands.

Water & Shore Birds, Gulls & Terns:

• Pairs of Canada geese are nesting in a variety of habitats in or near wetlands and other waterbodies. Other waterfowl nesting at this time include American black duck, mallard, wood duck, and hooded merganser.
• Don’t be surprised to see wood ducks perched in trees, near nest cavities, this time of year.
• Great blue herons, black-crowned night-herons, and a few great egrets are nesting in rookeries, both at inland and Great Lakes coastal sites.
• Double-crested cormorants continue to return in large numbers to the Niagara River and Great Lakes.
• Watch for additional migrant and summer resident water birds such as the common loon, pied-billed grebe, horned grebe, American bittern, least bittern, black-crowned night-heron, green heron, Virginia rail, sora, common gallinule, and American coot this week.
• The numbers of common terns will continue to build along the Great Lakes and Niagara River this week. They will start nesting at their typical colony sites soon.
• Watch for 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.
• Killdeer pairs are nesting and some mobile chicks may be present.
• Male American woodcock and Wilson’s snipe will continue to perform their elaborate aerial displays designed to attract mates. Woodcock perform mostly near dawn and dusk whereas snipe display mostly during daylight hours.
• Other early migrant shorebirds may arrive in our area this week: greater yellowlegs, lesser yellowlegs, pectoral sandpiper, and spotted sandpiper.
• To stay abreast of bird sightings in the region, consult eBird, Genesee Birds, and Dial-a-Bird (see the “Resources” tab on this web page for more details).

Birds of Prey:

• Spring migration flights of hawks, falcons, eagles, and turkey vultures will continue to follow the Lake Erie and Lake Ontario shores as they migrate north. Large flights of broad-winged hawks are likely to dominate the hawk flight this week, especially at Braddock Bay. An excellent observation area for seeing hundreds (sometimes thousands) of these migrants in a single day is Lakeside Cemetery in Hamburg.
• Most year-round resident raptors such as the great horned owl, barred owl, eastern screech owl, bald eagle, peregrine falcon, and red-tailed hawk are incubating eggs or brooding young chicks.
• Recent arrivals such as the red-shouldered hawk, Cooper’s hawk, sharp-shinned hawk, and osprey are establishing breeding territories and initiating nesting.

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 hens are already incubating eggs.
• Listen for drumming displays by male ruffed grouse in the southern part of the Buffalo-Niagara region as well as the Alabama Swamps area. They display from the tops of logs to attract mates. They beat their wings at an increasingly rapid rate, sounding like an engine trying to start. Some hens are already incubating eggs.
• Male ring-necked pheasants that have become naturalized in the region will continue their rooster-like crowing to establish territories and attract mates. Hens are incubating eggs at this time.

Songbirds:

• Now that winter feeder birds such as dark-eyed junco and American tree sparrowsback, scaup, common goldeneye, common merganser, long-tailed duck have mostly left the region, watch for summer resident species such as chipping sparrow as well as spring migrant species such as purple finch, rose-breasted grosbeak, eastern (rufous-sided) towhee, white-throated sparrow, white-crowned sparrow, and fox sparrow. Be sure to place seed such as white millet in ground feeders or directly on the ground to attract many of these migrants.
• If you don’t have a feeder of your own, consider visiting a local nature education center (see the last column of the site lists under the “B-N Region & Sites” tab on this web page).
• The first substantial wave of neotropical migrant songbirds (those that overwinter primarily in tropical areas such as Central & South America) finally reached the Buffalo-Niagara Region earlier this week, including chimney swift, ruby-throated hummingbird, least flycatcher, great-crested flycatcher, eastern kingbird, yellow-throated vireo, warbling vireo, cliff swallow, wood thrush, veery, scarlet tanager, rose-breasted grosbeak, bobolink, and Baltimore oriole.
• Among the neotropical migrants are the following colorful warbler species: blue-winged, Nashville, northern parula, yellow, chestnut-sided, magnolia, black-throated blue, black-throated green, Blackburnian, palm, black-and-white, American redstart, ovenbird, northern waterthrush, Louisiana waterthrush, and hooded warblers.
• The following shorter-distance migrant songbirds are returning to, passing through, and/or lingering in the region: yellow-bellied sapsucker, purple martin, house wren, marsh wren, golden-crowned kinglet, ruby-crowned kinglet, hermit thrush, gray catbird, blue-headed vireo, yellow-rumped warbler, pine warbler, common yellowthroat, eastern (rufous-sided) towhee, field sparrow, savannah sparrow, fox sparrow, white-throated sparrow, white-crowned sparrow, Lincoln’s sparrow, rusty blackbird, purple finch, and pine siskin.
• 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/.
• Ruby-throated hummingbirds and Baltimore orioles have started to return to our region, so have your feeders ready (May 1^st is typically a good target date).
• Most year-round resident songbird species (e.g., mourning dove, black-capped chickadee, white-breasted nuthatch, downy woodpecker) are incubating eggs or brooding nestlings.
• Most short-distance migrants (e.g., northern flicker, eastern phoebe, tree swallow, red-winged blackbird, song sparrow) are establishing territories and initiating nesting. One notable exception is the American goldfinch which postpones breeding to coincide with fruiting of Canada and bull thistle in early July.

Mammals:

• The last of the true hibernators will emerge this week, including little brown bat, eastern pipistrelle (tri-colored bat), meadow jumping mouse, and woodland jumping mouse.
• The following tree bats, which migrate south for the winter, will begin to arrive back in our region this week: eastern red, silver-haired, and possibly some hoary bats.
• Gray squirrels, red squirrels, and southern flying squirrels are caring for recent litters in leaf nests and tree cavities. Eastern chipmunks are doing the same in underground burrows.
• Yearling beavers disperse from natal ponds to establish their own territories at this time. Now is an especially good time to find scent mounds marking beaver territories, typically along edges of beaver ponds.
• Eastern cottontails will continue to give birth to the first of three litters of young. Some young rabbits have already left their nests.
• Coyotes and red & gray fox have young in their dens, some of which are old enough to occasionally wander out into view.
• Raccoons, striped skunk, and bobcat are also caring for young at this time.
• White-tailed deer will continue to travel in herds. They typically stay together until shortly before fawns are born, starting over the next few weeks.

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

Chuck Rosenburg

Ice on Niagara River after boom removed

Bloodroot

Skunk cabbage leafing out

Sharp-lobed hepatica

Sharp-lobed hepatica (photo by Brittany Rowan)

Cut-leaved toothwort

Cut-leaved toothwort

Spring beauty

Yellow trout-lily

Yellow trout-lily being visited by beetles

Dutchman’s Breeches & Squirrel Corn

Marsh marigold

Common blue violet

Large-flowered trillium (photo by Brittany Rowan)

Blue cohosh

Wild ginger

May-apple leaves emerging

Pussy willow

Spicebush

Spicebush througout understory of forested wetland

Mourning cloak butterfly (photo by Brittany Rowan)

Eastern comma butterfly (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Red-backed newt

Eastern garter snake (photo by Brittany Rowan)

Painted turtles basking (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Horned grebe (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Great egret (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Killdeer (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Osprey (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Barn swallow (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Eastern phoebe (photo by Brittany Rowan)

Yellow-bellied sapsucker (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Brown creeper (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Gray catbird (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Palm warbler (photo by Brittany Rowan)

Female red-winged blackbird (photo by Brittany Rowan)

White-throated sparrow (photo by Brittany Rowan)

Following a few unseasonably warm days over the past week, spring ephemeral wildflowers (woodland species that flower fleetingly before trees leaf-out) are just beginning to bloom abundantly across the Buffalo-Niagara Region. Most will reach peak flowering next week The timing of this annual spring spectacle is close to the long-term average for our Region based on records I’ve kept over the past 30+ years. With unseasonably cool weather forecast to set in on Friday and last through the rest of Week 17, these wildflowers will stay in bloom longer than in some recent years when temperatures were well above normal. Similarly, some early migrant birds will linger in the Region longer than average. It is best to just embrace what could otherwise be considered another spring setback and instead focus on savoring the riches of the season.

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

• 6:16 AM/8:11 PM DST (13 Hours, 55 Minutes)
• 4 Hours, 54 minutes of daylight longer than at Winter Solstice

Typical Weather:

• Normal High Temperature: 59.6° F  Normal Low Temperature: 40.6° F
• Cumulative Growing Degree Days thru April 23, 2019: 97

Lake, Pond, Stream & Wetland Conditions:

• The west end of Lake Ontario and the east end of Lake Erie are mostly ice-free.
• The Niagara River carried an abundance of ice flows following removal of the ice boom on April 22.
• The Lake Erie water temperature off Buffalo remained at 32°F and the Lake Ontario water temperature off Greece (Monroe County) rose distinctly to 44°F as of April 24, 2019.
• Inland ponds, wetlands, and vernal pools are near annual high-water levels.
• Streams will continue with moderate flow levels this week, with the potential for high levels if the Region experiences thunderstorms and/or other heavy precipitation.

Fungi:

• Watch for early fungi such as scarlet cup fungus in hardwood forests.

Ferns and Grasses/Sedges/Rushes:

• Fiddleheads (furled leaf fronds coiled like the scroll of a violin head) will continue to slowly emerge for a few species of wetland ferns (e.g., cinnamon, royal, and sensitive ferns) this week.
• Watch for field horsetail growing in wet areas, resembling a small pine seedling.
• While we’ve seen just slight grass growth in our lawns, wool-grass (a type of bulrush), a variety of sedge species, and wetland grasses have grown about a foot tall in wet meadows and the edges of marshes.

Wildflowers:

• Skunk cabbage is nearly done flowering. Its large skunky-smelling leaves are now evident in forested wetlands.
• The large leaves of false hellebore are also evident in forested wetlands, but this species won’t flower until late May or June.
• Abundant yellow flowers of marsh marigold now dominate some forested and emergent wetlands.
• Sharp-lobed hepatica and bloodroot, the earliest of our spring ephemeral wildflowers (woodland species that bloom fleetingly before trees leaf-out), will continue to bloom in suitable areas this week.
• Most other spring ephemeral wildflowers (woodland species that bloom fleetingly before trees leaf-out then disappear from view, leaves and all) are blooming abundantly and will reach peak flowering next week, including spring cress, purple cress, yellow trout lily, spring beauty, Carolina spring beauty, early meadow rue, cut-leaved toothwort, two-leaved toothwort, Dutchman’s breeches, and squirrel corn. Rich upland forests, especially sites along the Niagara and Onondaga Escarpments, offer the greatest diversity and abundance of these species.
• Similar woodland spring wildflowers that flower now but retain their leaves most of the growing season are also blooming abundantly this week, including northern blue violet, Canada white violet, downy yellow violet, wild ginger, red trillium, large-flowered (white) trillium, and blue cohosh.
• Watch for the leaves of additional woodland wildflowers that will bloom soon: May apple, Jack-in-the-pulpit, Solomon’s seal (smooth and hairy), false Solomon’s seal, large-flowered bellwort, blue phlox, and Virginia waterleaf.
• 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.
• Coltsfoot, a non-native species that has naturalized across the region, will continue to bloom this week. Look for its yellow, dandelion-like flowers.
• Lesser celandine, an invasive non-native species of buttercup, will continue to bloom in some areas this week. It is most common in floodplain forest habitats.

Trees and Shrubs:

• The flowering of red and silver maple trees is clearly beyond peak, with spent flowers littering the forest floor.
• A patchwork of pastel yellow and green will brighten wetlands, stream edges, and ditches as pussy willow flowers have developed an abundance of pollen-laden stamens.
• Spicebush will continue to flower in some forested wetlands this week. Look for its small yellow blossoms that, en masse, brighten wetland understories.
• A few serviceberry trees and shadbush shrubs may begin to bloom in forest understory and edge habitats. Blooming will approach peak over the next week.
• American elm, eastern hophornbeam, speckled alder, and American hazelnut will continue to flower this week.
• Wind-dispersed pollen of red & silver maples and American elm continue to be the leading allergens in the Buffalo Area at this time, joined by juniper (likely blown in from well outside the Region).
• Tartarian and Morrow’s honeysuckles are leafing-out this week. Early leaf-out of this non-native invasive shrub species helps to give it a competitive advantage over native shrubs.
• Choke cherry, a native fruit-bearing shrub, is also producing small leaves this week.

Insects & Other Invertebrates:

• Ticks are now active so wear protective clothing and/or repellent and do tick-checks after every outing.
• Flooded lawns will force earthworms to the surface and onto roads, driveways, and sidewalks where they are easily gleaned by American robins.
• A surprising diversity and abundance of vernal pool invertebrates will continue as pools warm: fingernail clams, amphipods, isopods, fairy shrimp, caddis fly larvae, dragonfly nymphs, giant water bugs, an assortment of aquatic beetles, etc.
• Various species of caddis flies, stoneflies, midges, and mayflies (e.g., March brown, blue-winged olive, Hendrickson) will emerge from streams, providing a valuable food source for trout and other fish.
• Watch for honeybees and native pollinators such as bumblebees and hover flies visiting newly blooming flowers this week.
• Wooly bear caterpillars that overwintered beneath leaf litter will continue to be active on warm days. After a brief feeding period, each will spin a cocoon of their orange and black hairs and develop into an Isabella tiger moth.
• Mourning cloak and eastern comma butterflies (which overwintered as adults) will continue to be active during relatively warm days this week.
• First broods of butterflies that overwinter as pupae may emerge this week, in particular spring azure and cabbage white butterflies.
• Watch for American painted lady, painted lady, and red admiral butterflies that occasionally migrate on southerly winds into the Buffalo-Niagara Region at this time.
• Common green darners will migrate back into our Region from the South this week, typically the earliest dragonflies to be seen here.

Fish:

• Northern pike are concentrated in tributary streams, ditches, and shoreline wetlands for spawning.
• White suckers will continue to migrate upstream within Great Lakes tributary streams to their spawning grounds.
• Large schools of alewife will continue to move from cold depths of Lakes Erie and Ontario to nearshore areas in preparation for spawning.
• Large runs of brown bullheads will continue to enter tributary streams and harbors.
• Walleye and yellow perch will continue to move into shallow waters to spawn.
• Steelhead that migrated from Lakes Erie and Ontario into tributary streams (including Niagara River) last fall are joined by fresh steelhead entering tributaries in preparation for spring spawning (when water temperature approaches 42°F). 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.
• The DEC will continue to stock some local streams with hatchery-raised brown, brook, and/or rainbow trout this week.

Amphibians & Reptiles:

• Early breeding frogs such as the western chorus frog, spring peeper, northern leopard frog, and American toad will continue to vocalize and breed in wetlands and vernal pools when temperatures are warm enough (typically 40° F or warmer).
• Most mole salamanders (spotted, blue-spotted, and Jefferson salamanders) have now migrated out of the vernal pools, where they bred, and have returned to their mostly subterranean lifestyles in nearby upland forest habitats. Look for egg masses left behind in vernal pools.
• Lungless salamanders (e.g., red-backed, northern slimy, northern dusky, mountain dusky, and two-lined salamanders) will remain active this week. They can be found under rocks and logs during the day.
• Eastern garter snakes will continue to emerge from hibernation/brumation. Watch for “snake balls” – breeding clusters consisting of multiple males attempting to mate with a single female.
• Common snapping and midland painted turtles will continue to be active this week. Watch for painted turtles basking on logs, especially during cool but sunny periods.
• Watch for tiny midland painted turtles to emerge from nests in lawns, flower beds, and road shoulders – typically near ponds and wetlands.

Water & Shore Birds, Gulls & Terns:

• Relatively few over-wintering ducks remain in open water areas of the Niagara River and Lake Ontario this week. The most abundant species at this time is the red-breasted merganser, many of which are performing courtship displays and vocalizations.
• Some “puddle ducks” such as the northern pintail, American wigeon, mallard, American black, gadwall, redhead, ring-necked duck, blue-winged teal, green-winged teal, ruddy duck, wood duck, and hooded merganser will continue to stop-over in the region as they migrate north, or return to local breeding areas such as Iroquois NWR.
• Pairs of Canada geese are nesting in a variety of habitats in or near wetlands and other waterbodies. Other waterfowl nesting at this time include American black duck, mallard, wood duck, and hooded merganser.
• Don’t be surprised to see wood ducks perched in trees, near nest cavities, this time of year.
• Great blue herons, black-crowned night-herons, and a few great egrets are nesting in rookeries, both at inland and Great Lakes coastal sites.
• Double-crested cormorants continue to return in large numbers to the Niagara River and Great Lakes.
• Watch for additional migrant and summer resident water birds such as the common loon, pied-billed grebe, horned grebe, American bittern, least bittern, black-crowned night-heron, green heron, Virginia rail, sora, common gallinule, and American coot this week.
• Bonaparte’s gulls will continue to enter the region, using the Niagara River as a significant stop-over feeding area along their migration route north. This species will reach its peak spring numbers in the region in mid- to late April when thousands will be present along the Niagara River.
• The numbers of common terns will continue to build along the Great Lakes and Niagara River this week. They will start nesting at their typical colony sites soon.
• Watch for 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.
• Killdeer pairs are nesting and some mobile chicks may be present.
• Male American woodcock and Wilson’s snipe will continue to perform their elaborate aerial displays designed to attract mates. Woodcock perform mostly near dawn and dusk whereas snipe display mostly during daylight hours.
• Other early migrant shorebirds may arrive in our area this week: greater yellowlegs, lesser yellowlegs, pectoral sandpiper, and spotted sandpiper.
• To stay abreast of bird sightings in the region, consult eBird, Genesee Birds, and Dial-a-Bird (see the “Resources” tab on this web page for more details).

Birds of Prey:

• Spring migration flights of hawks, falcons, eagles, and turkey vultures will continue to follow the Lake Erie and Lake Ontario shores as they migrate north. Large flights of broad-winged hawks are likely to dominate the hawk flight this week, especially at Braddock Bay. An excellent observation area for seeing hundreds (sometimes thousands) of these migrants in a single day is Lakeside Cemetery in Hamburg.
• Most year-round resident raptors such as the great horned owl, barred owl, eastern screech owl, bald eagle, peregrine falcon, and red-tailed hawk are incubating eggs or brooding young chicks.
• Recent arrivals such as the red-shouldered hawk, Cooper’s hawk, sharp-shinned hawk, and osprey are establishing breeding territories and initiating nesting.

Upland Game Birds:

• Wild turkey flocks are continuing to dissolve. Wild turkey toms, with colorful heads and fanned tails, will intensify their courtship displays to hens.
• Listen for drumming displays by male ruffed grouse in the southern part of the Buffalo-Niagara region as well as the Alabama Swamps area.
• Male ring-necked pheasants that have become naturalized in the region will continue their rooster-like crowing to establish territories and attract mates. Hens are incubating eggs at this time.

Songbirds:

• Enjoy viewing dark-eyed juncos and American tree sparrows at bird feeders as most will leave for northern breeding grounds over the next week.
• Watch for early migrant feeder birds such as red-winged blackbird, common grackle, brown-headed cowbird, chipping sparrow, white-throated sparrow, fox sparrow, song sparrow, purple finch, and American goldfinch. Be sure to place seed such as white millet in ground feeders or directly on the ground to attract these migrants.
• If you don’t have a feeder of your own, consider visiting a local nature education center (see the last column of the site lists under the “B-N Region & Sites” tab on this web page).
• Additional early migrant songbirds will continue to trickle into the region:   chimney swift, brown creeper, golden-crowned kinglet, ruby-crowned kinglet, blue-gray gnatcatcher, eastern phoebe, tree swallow, barn swallow, rough-winged swallow, bank swallow, purple martin, winter wren, house wren, marsh wren, northern flicker, yellow-bellied sapsucker, American pipit, belted kingfisher, hermit thrush, gray catbird, brown thrasher, eastern meadowlark, blue-headed vireo, red-winged blackbird (females), rusty blackbird, eastern (rufous-sided) towhee, rose-breasted grosbeak, white-throated sparrow, white-crowned sparrow, fox sparrow, chipping sparrow, field sparrow, swamp sparrow, and savannah sparrow.
• Among the early migrant songbirds will be some warblers, including yellow-rumped warbler, pine warbler, palm warbler, yellow warbler, black-and-white warbler, black-throated green warbler, Louisiana waterthrush, and northern waterthrush.
• Early breeding songbirds such as the mourning dove, blue jay, American crow, horned lark, white-breasted nuthatch, Carolina wren, American robin, eastern bluebird, European starling, song sparrow, northern cardinal, common grackle, house finch, and house sparrow may already be incubating eggs. Others will continue to sing, establish territories, and court as they prepare to nest.

Mammals:

• Big brown bats will continue to emerge from hibernacula in local attics etc. and be seen foraging for insects.
• Other true hibernators (several species of bats, meadow jumping mouse, and woodland jumping mouse) will continue to be mostly inactive in the region during the coming week.
• Gray squirrels, red squirrels, and southern flying squirrels are caring for recent litters in leaf nests and tree cavities. Eastern chipmunks are doing the same in underground burrows.
• Yearling beavers disperse from natal ponds to establish their own territories at this time. Now is an especially good time to find scent mounds marking beaver territories, typically along edges of beaver ponds.
• Eastern cottontails will continue to give birth to the first of three litters of young at about this time.
• Coyotes and red & gray fox have young in their dens, some of which are old enough to occasionally wander out into view.
• White-tailed deer will continue to travel in herds. Finding food will continue to be difficult until the growing season gets into full swing.

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

Chuck Rosenburg

Skunk cabbage is leafing out

Mix of yellow trout lily & wild leek leaves

Spring beauty is flowering

Spring cress

Colts-foot

Tartarian & Morrow’s honeysuckle are leafing out

Choke cherry leaf and flower buds have popped

Pussy willows catkins are starting to produce pollen

Spicebush flower buds are popping

Maple-leaf viburnum flower buds have opened

Migrant common loon (photo by Brittany Rowan)

American robin nest

With warmer than average temperatures forecast for the Buffalo-Niagara Region during much of this week, spring ephemeral wildflowers (woodland species that bloom fleetingly before trees leaf-out) will begin to flower abundantly later this week, and will likely reach peak bloom next week. Southerly winds will propel the ongoing passage of migrant birds, some of which will nest in the Buffalo-Niagara Region and others which will continue north to breeding grounds in Canada. Many other animal and plant activities will also advance.

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

• 6:27 AM/8:03 PM DST (13 Hours, 36 Minutes)
• 4 Hours, 35 minutes of daylight longer than at Winter Solstice

Typical Weather:

• Normal High Temperature: 56.6° F  Normal Low Temperature: 38.1° F
• Cumulative Growing Degree Days thru April 15, 2019: 53

Lake, Pond, Stream & Wetland Conditions:

• While the west end of Lake Ontario is ice-free, the east end of Lake Erie is still mostly ice-covered (albeit less concentrated) as the ice boom is still in place.
• The Lake Erie water temperature off Buffalo remained at 32°F and the Lake Ontario water temperature off Greece (Monroe County) rose slightly to 39°F as of April 16.
• Inland ponds, wetlands, and vernal pools are near annual high-water levels.
• Streams will continue with moderate flow levels this week, with the potential for high levels if the Region experiences thunderstorms and/or other heavy precipitation.

Fungi:

• Watch for early fungi such as scarlet cup fungus in hardwood forests.

Ferns and Grasses/Sedges/Rushes:

• Fiddleheads (furled leaf fronds coiled like the scroll of a violin head) will start to emerge for a few species of wetland ferns (e.g., cinnamon, royal, and sensitive ferns) later this week.
• Watch for field horsetail growing in wet areas, resembling a small pine seedling.
• While we’ve seen just slight grass growth in our lawns, wool-grass (a type of bulrush), a variety of sedge species, and wetland grasses have grown several inches in wet meadows and the edges of marshes.

Wildflowers:

• Skunk cabbage is nearly done flowering. Its large skunky-smelling leaves will become evident in forested wetlands over the next couple weeks.
• The large leaves of false hellebore will also become evident in forested wetlands, but this species won’t flower until late May or June.
• Sharp-lobed hepatica and bloodroot, the earliest of our spring ephemeral wildflowers (woodland species that bloom fleetingly before trees leaf-out), will continue to bloom in suitable areas this week.
• Watch for other early-flowering spring ephemerals such as spring cress, purple cress, and red trillium.
• Most other spring ephemeral wildflowers will begin to bloom later this week and reach peak flowering next week, including yellow trout lily, spring beauty, Carolina spring beauty, northern blue violet, Canada white violet, downy yellow violet, wild ginger, large-flowered (white) trillium, blue cohosh, early meadow rue, cut-leaved toothwort, two-leaved toothwort, foam flower, Dutchman’s breeches, and squirrel corn. Sites along the Niagara and Onondaga Escarpments offer the greatest diversity and abundance of these species.
• Wild leek leaves have 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.
• Coltsfoot, a non-native species that has naturalized across the region, will continue to bloom this week. Look for its yellow, dandelion-like flowers.
• Lesser celandine, an invasive non-native species of buttercup, will bloom in some areas this week. It is most common in floodplain forest habitats.

Trees and Shrubs:

• The flowering of red and silver maple trees is now slightly beyond peak, but still adding subtle color to our leafless woodlands.
• Pussy willows will flower across most of the region this week, developing stamens that will produce pollen.
• Spicebush will start to flower in some forested wetlands later this week. Look for its small yellow blossoms. Blooming will approach peak over the next week.
• A few serviceberry trees and shadbush shrubs may begin to bloom in forest understory and edge habitats. Blooming will approach peak over the next week.
• Quaking aspen, big-toothed aspen, American elm, eastern hophornbeam, speckled alder, and American hazelnut will continue to flower this week.
• Wind-dispersed pollen of red & silver maples, poplars/aspens, and American elm continue to be the leading allergens in the Buffalo Area at this time.
• Leaf buds on Tartarian and Morrow’s honeysuckles will produce small leaves this week. Early leaf-out of this non-native invasive shrub species helps to give it a competitive advantage over native shrubs.
• Choke cherry, a native fruit-bearing shrub, will also produce small leaves this week.

Insects & Other Invertebrates:

• Ticks are now active so wear protective clothing and/or repellent, and do tick-checks after every outing.
• Flooded lawns will force earthworms to the surface and onto roads, driveways, and sidewalks where they are easily gleaned by American robins.
• 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.
• Early spring species of caddis flies, stoneflies, and midges will continue to emerge from streams and be active when air temperatures are about 40°F and warmer.
• Watch for honeybees and native pollinators such as bumblebees and hover flies visiting newly blooming flowers this week.
• Wooly bear caterpillars that overwintered beneath leaf litter will continue to be active on warm days. After a brief feeding period, each will spin a cocoon of their orange and black hairs and develop into an Isabella tiger moth.
• Mourning cloak and eastern comma butterflies (which overwintered as adults) will continue to be active during relatively warm days this week.
• Common green darners will migrate back into our Region from the South this week, typically the earliest dragonflies to be seen here.

Fish:

• Northern pike are concentrated in tributary streams, ditches, and shoreline wetlands for spawning.
• White suckers will continue to migrate upstream within Great Lakes tributary streams to their spawning grounds.
• Large schools of alewife will continue to move from cold depths of Lakes Erie and Ontario to nearshore areas in preparation for spawning.
• Large runs of brown bullheads will continue to enter tributary streams and harbors.
• Walleye and yellow perch will continue to move into shallow waters to spawn.
• Steelhead that migrated from Lakes Erie and Ontario into tributary streams (including Niagara River) last fall are joined by fresh steelhead entering tributaries in preparation for spring spawning (when water temperature approaches 42°F). 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.
• Some brown trout that spawned in Great Lakes tributaries and the Lower Niagara River in autumn remain in those areas through winter. Brown trout were introduced into our Region from Europe.
• The DEC will continue to stock some local streams with hatchery-raised brown, brook, and/or rainbow trout this week.

Amphibians & Reptiles:

• Early breeding frogs such as the western chorus frog, spring peeper, northern leopard frog, and American toad will continue to vocalize and breed in wetlands and vernal pools when temperatures are warm enough (typically 40° F or warmer).
• Most mole salamanders (spotted, blue-spotted, and Jefferson salamanders) have now migrated out of the vernal pools, where they bred, and have returned to their mostly subterranean lifestyles in nearby upland forest habitats. Look for egg masses left behind in vernal pools.
• Red efts (non-breeding migrant phase of the eastern/red-spotted newt) will continue to migrate to breeding ponds this week where they will transform into breeding adults, joining newts that overwintered in the ponds.
• Lungless salamanders (e.g., red-backed, northern slimy, northern dusky, mountain dusky, and two-lined salamanders) will remain active this week. They can be found under rocks and logs during the day.
• Eastern garter snakes will continue to emerge from hibernation/brumation. Watch for “snake balls” – breeding clusters consisting of multiple males attempting to mate with a single female.
• Common snapping and midland painted turtles will continue to be active this week. Watch for painted turtles basking on logs, especially during cool but sunny periods.
• Watch for tiny midland painted turtles to emerge from nests in lawns, flower beds, and road shoulders – typically near ponds and wetlands.

Water & Shore Birds, Gulls & Terns:

• Fair numbers of “puddle ducks” such as the northern pintail, American wigeon, mallard, American black, gadwall, redhead, ring-necked duck, blue-winged teal, green-winged teal, ruddy duck, wood duck, and hooded merganser will continue to stop-over in the region as they migrate north, or return to local breeding areas such as Iroquois NWR.
• Pairs of Canada geese will continue to occupy and defend nesting sites in ponds and wetlands.
• Some early breeding ducks such as mallard and wood duck may already be incubating eggs. Don’t be surprised to see wood ducks perched in trees, near nest cavities, this time of year.
• Great blue herons will continue to nest on Motor Island in the Niagara River (along with a few great egrets), as well as inland nesting areas (rookeries).
• Black-crowned night-herons will gather at nesting areas (rookeries), including Motor Island and a large rookery on one of the small islands just above the brink of Niagara Falls.
• Double-crested cormorants are returning in large numbers to the Niagara River and Great Lakes.
• Watch for additional migrant and summer resident water birds such as the common loon, American bittern, black-crowned night-heron, pied-billed grebe, horned grebe, green heron, Virginia rail, sora, common gallinule, and American coot this week.
• Bonaparte’s gulls will continue to enter the region, using the Niagara River as a significant stop-over feeding area along their migration route north. This species will reach its peak spring numbers in the region in mid- to late April when thousands will be present along the Niagara River.
• The numbers of common terns will continue to build along the Great Lakes and Niagara River this week. They will start nesting at their typical colony sites soon.
• Watch for 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.
• Killdeer pairs are courting this week and some may be nesting.
• Male American woodcock and Wilson’s snipe will continue to perform their elaborate aerial displays designed to attract mates. Woodcock perform mostly near dawn and dusk whereas snipe display mostly during daylight hours.
• Some woodcock hens are already incubating eggs.
• Other early migrant shorebirds may arrive in our area this week: greater yellowlegs, lesser yellowlegs, pectoral sandpiper, and spotted sandpiper.
• To stay abreast of bird sightings in the region, consult eBird, Genesee Birds, and Dial-a-Bird (see the “Resources” tab on this web page for more details).

Birds of Prey:

• Spring migration flights of hawks, falcons, eagles, and turkey vultures will continue to follow the Lake Erie and Lake Ontario shores as they migrate north. An excellent observation area for seeing hundreds (sometimes thousands) of these migrants in a single day is Lakeside Cemetery in Hamburg.
• Northbound long-eared owls and northern saw-whet owls will continue to arrive in the region, most notably near the southern shores of Lake Erie and (especially) Lake Ontario.
• Most year-round resident raptors such as the great horned owl, barred owl, eastern screech owl, bald eagle, peregrine falcon, and red-tailed hawk are incubating eggs or brooding young chicks.
• Recent arrivals such as the red-shouldered hawk, Cooper’s hawk, sharp-shinned hawk, and osprey are establishing breeding territories and initiating nesting.

Upland Game Birds:

• Wild turkey flocks are starting to dissolve. Wild turkey toms, with colorful heads and fanned tails, will intensify their courtship displays to hens.
• Listen for drumming displays by male ruffed grouse in the southern part of the Buffalo-Niagara region as well as the Alabama Swamps area.
• Male ring-necked pheasants that have become naturalized in the region will continue their rooster-like crowing to establish territories and attract mates. Some hens may be laying eggs at this time.

Songbirds:

• Enjoy viewing dark-eyed juncos and American tree at bird feeders as most will leave for northern breeding grounds over the next week or two.
• Watch for early migrant feeder birds such as red-winged blackbird, common grackle, brown-headed cowbird, chipping sparrow, white-throated sparrow, fox sparrow, song sparrow, purple finch, and American goldfinch. Be sure to place seed such as white millet in ground feeders or directly on the ground to attract these migrants.
• If you don’t have a feeder of your own, consider visiting a local nature education center (see the last column of the site lists under the “B-N Region & Sites” tab on this web page).
• Additional early migrant songbirds will continue to trickle into the region:   brown creeper, golden-crowned kinglet, ruby-crowned kinglet, blue-gray gnatcatcher, eastern phoebe, tree swallow, barn swallow, rough-winged swallow, bank swallow, purple martin, winter wren, house wren, northern flicker, yellow-bellied sapsucker, American pipit, belted kingfisher, hermit thrush, brown thrasher, eastern meadowlark, red-winged blackbird (females), rusty blackbird, eastern (rufous-sided) towhee, white-throated sparrow, fox sparrow, chipping sparrow, field sparrow, swamp sparrow, and savannah sparrow.
• Among the early migrant songbirds will be some warblers, including yellow-rumped warbler, pine warbler, palm warbler, yellow warbler, black-and-white warbler, Louisiana waterthrush, and northern waterthrush.
• Songbirds have initiated their pre-nuptial molt – most evident in male American goldfinches visiting feeders.
• Early breeding songbirds such as the mourning dove, blue jay, American crow, horned lark, white-breasted nuthatch, Carolina wren, American robin, eastern bluebird, European starling, song sparrow, northern cardinal, common grackle, house finch, and house sparrow may already be incubating eggs. Others will continue to sing, establish territories, and court as they prepare to nest.

Mammals:

• Male woodchucks have emerged from hibernation and seek to mate with females as they emerge from their winter dens.
• An occasional big brown bat may emerge late this week from hibernacula in local attics etc. and be seen foraging for insects.
• Other true hibernators (several species of bats, meadow jumping mouse, and woodland jumping mouse) will continue to be mostly inactive in the region during the coming week.
• Newborn opossums suckle from the safety and warmth of their mother’s pouch. A single litter often consists of over a dozen young.
• Eastern chipmunks have emerged from winter torpor and are actively feeding and breeding this week.
• Gray squirrels, red squirrels, and southern flying squirrels will continue to give birth to the first of two litters of young at about this time.

• Yearling beavers disperse from natal ponds to establish their own territories at this time. Now is an especially good time to find scent mounds marking beaver territories, typically along edges of beaver ponds.
• Eastern cottontails will continue to give birth to the first of three litters of young at about this time.
• Coyotes and red & gray fox give birth to pups at about this time.
• White-tailed deer will continue to travel in herds. Finding food will continue to be difficult until the growing season gets into full swing.

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

Chuck Rosenburg

Sedges, bulrushes, and similar plants are sprouting now – especially in wetlands

Wild leeks (AKA ramps) are sprouting across many upland forests

Watch for trout lily leaves in upland forests – note the speckled brook trout appearance

Hepatica is starting to flower in upland forests

Watch for bloodroot flowers, often partially shrouded by leaves

A few spring beauty flower buds are opening

Quaking aspen catkins

Pussy willow catkins

American hazelnut catkins plus tiny red female flowers at branch tips

Common green darners may migrate into our Region this week (photo by Brittany Rowan)

Red-breasted mergansers are passing through our Region in large numbers at this time (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Large numbers of migrant Bonapate’s gulls are stopping in our Region now (Photo by Dave Denk, Instagram handle = dddave226)

Ring-necked pheasant cocks are actively crowing to attract hens at this time (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Good numbers of yellow-bellied sapsuckers are migrating through our Region now (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Eastern bluebirds are returning to nesting areas (Photo by Dave Denk, Instagram handle = dddave226)

Migrant yellow-rumped warblers are starting to pass through our Region (photo by Tim Baird)

The large swings in air temperature that the Buffalo-Niagara Region experienced over the past few weeks will continue through much of Week 15. Those temperature swings have led to an erratic progression of spring, characterized by fits and starts. The unexpectedly warm weather April 6-8 triggered considerable plant growth and insect emergence while the associated southerly winds provided excellent conditions for northbound migrant birds to enter the Region. Subsequent cool temperatures and northerly winds shut down that progression. However, tomorrow’s unseasonably warm and wet weather will revive plant growth and animal activities, albeit briefly.

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

• 6:38 AM/7:55 PM DST (13 Hours, 17 Minutes)
• 4 Hours, 16 minutes of daylight longer than at Winter Solstice

Typical Weather:

• Normal High Temperature: 53.5° F  Normal Low Temperature: 35.6° F
• Cumulative Growing Degree Days thru April 10, 2019: 40

Lake, Pond, Stream & Wetland Conditions:

• While the west end of Lake Ontario is ice-free, the east end of Lake Erie is still mostly ice-covered (albeit less concentrated) as the ice boom is still in place.
• The Lake Erie water temperature off Buffalo remained at 32°F and the Lake Ontario water temperature off Greece (Monroe County) remained at 38°F as of April 11.
• Inland ponds, wetlands, and vernal pools are near annual high-water levels.
• Streams will continue with moderate flow levels this week, with the potential for high levels if the Region experiences thunderstorms and/or other heavy precipitation.

Fungi:

• With the onset of winter, most fungal fruiting bodies (e.g., mushrooms, bracket fungi) were extinguished. The fungal “roots” (mycelium network) 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:

• While freezing temperatures during late autumn killed remnant grass, sedge, and rush stems, the roots of these perennial plants survived and are beginning to sprout (in particular, wool-grass (a type of bulrush), a variety of sedge species, soft rush, and wetland grasses).

Wildflowers:

• Wildflower stems died back following late fall freezing temperatures. Roots and rhizomes of perennial wildflowers will survive and sprout soon. Seeds of annual wildflowers will do the same.
• Skunk cabbage will continue to flower in forested wetlands, remaining near its peak blooming period this week.
• The earliest of the spring ephemeral wildflowers, sharp-lobed hepatica and bloodroot, may start to bloom in some areas this week.
• The leaves of spring ephemeral wildflowers can now be found in many woodlands, the most evident being yellow trout lily with its mottled pattern (resembling a brook trout). A few buds and blossoms may start to show this week.
• Wild leek leaves have 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.
• Coltsfoot, a non-native species that has naturalized across the region, will continue to bloom this week. Look for its yellow, dandelion-like flowers.
• Lesser celandine, an invasive non-native species of buttercup, will begin to bloom in some areas this week. It is most common in floodplain forest habitats.

Trees and Shrubs:

• Red and silver maple trees will be remain near peak flowering this week.
• Pussy willows will continue to “flower” across most of the region, soon developing stamens that will produce pollen.
• Quaking aspen, big-toothed aspen, American elm, eastern hophornbeam, speckled alder, and American hazelnut will continue to flower this week.
• Wind-dispersed pollen of red & silver maples, alder, and American elm are currently the leading allergens in the Buffalo Area.
• Leaf buds on some Tartarian and Morrow’s honeysuckles may open this week. Early leaf-out of these non-native invasive shrub species helps to give them a competitive advantage over native shrubs.

Insects & Other Invertebrates:

• Freezing temperatures during late autumn killed most adult insects and other invertebrates that did not migrate or enter hibernation. The vast majority of insect species in our Region over-winter as eggs or larvae/nymphs/pupae, although some species over-winter as adults.
• Flooded lawns will force earthworms to the surface and onto roads, driveways, and sidewalks where they are easily gleaned by American robins.
• 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.
• Early spring species of caddis flies, stoneflies, and midges will continue to emerge from streams and be active when air temperatures are about 40°F and warmer.
• Watch for honeybees and native bumblebees visiting newly blooming flowers this week.
• Wooly bear caterpillars that overwintered beneath leaf litter will continue to be active on warm days. After a brief feeding period, each will spin a cocoon of their orange and black hairs and develop into an Isabella tiger moth.
• Mourning cloak and eastern comma butterflies (which overwintered as adults) will continue to be active during relatively warm days this week.
• Common green darners may start migrating back into our Region from the South this week, typically the earliest dragonflies to be seen here.

Fish:

• Northern pike are concentrated in tributary streams, ditches, and shoreline wetlands for spawning.
• White suckers will continue to migrate upstream within Great Lakes tributary streams to their spawning grounds.
• Large schools of alewife will continue to move from cold depths of Lakes Erie and Ontario to nearshore areas in preparation for spawning.
• Large runs of brown bullheads will continue to enter tributary streams and harbors.
• Walleye and yellow perch will be moving into shallow waters to spawn.
• Steelhead that migrated from Lakes Erie and Ontario into tributary streams (including Niagara River) last fall are joined by fresh steelhead starting to enter tributaries in preparation for spring spawning (when water temperature approaches 42°F). 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.
• Some brown trout that spawned in Great Lakes tributaries and the Lower Niagara River in autumn remain in those areas through winter. Brown trout were introduced into our Region from Europe.
• The DEC will continue to stock some local streams with hatchery-raised brown, brook, and/or rainbow trout this week.

Amphibians & Reptiles:

• Early breeding frogs such as the wood frog, western chorus frog, spring peeper, and northern leopard frog will continue to vocalize and breed in wetlands and vernal pools when temperatures are warm enough (typically 40° F or warmer).
• Some American toads have joined the frog chorus in ponds, wetlands, and vernal pools.
• Red efts (non-breeding migrant phase of the eastern/red-spotted newt) will continue to migrate to breeding ponds this week where they will transform into breeding adults, joining newts that overwintered in the ponds.
• Lungless salamanders (e.g., red-backed, northern slimy, northern dusky, mountain dusky, and two-lined salamanders) will remain active this week. They can be found under rocks and logs during the day.
• Eastern garter snakes will continue to emerge from hibernation/ brumation. Watch for “snake balls” – breeding clusters consisting of multiple males attempting to mate with a single female.
• Common snapping and midland painted turtles will continue to be active this week. Watch for painted turtles basking on logs, especially during cool but sunny periods.
• Watch for tiny midland painted turtles to emerge from nests in lawns, flower beds, and road shoulders – typically near ponds and wetlands.

Water & Shore Birds, Gulls & Terns:

• Noticeably smaller numbers of over-wintering ducks remain in open water areas of the Niagara River and Lake Ontario this week. The most abundant species at this time is the red-breasted merganser, many of which are performing courtship displays and vocalizations.
• Larger numbers of “puddle ducks” such as the northern pintail, American wigeon, mallard, American black, gadwall, redhead, ring-necked duck, blue-winged teal, green-winged teal, ruddy duck, wood duck, and hooded merganser will continue to stop-over in the region as they migrate north, or return to local breeding areas such as Iroquois NWR.
• Pairs of Canada geese will continue to occupy and defend nesting sites in ponds and wetlands.
• Some early breeding ducks such as mallard and wood duck may already be incubating eggs. Don’t be surprised to see wood ducks perched in trees, near nest cavities, this time of year.
• Great blue herons will continue to nest on Motor Island in the Niagara River (along with a few great egrets), as well as inland nesting areas (rookeries).
• Black-crowned night-herons will gather at nesting areas (rookeries), including a large rookery on one of the small islands just above the brink of Niagara Falls.
• Watch for additional migrant and summer resident water birds such as the common loon, double-crested cormorant, American bittern, black-crowned night-heron, pied-billed grebe, horned grebe, and American coot this week.
• Bonaparte’s gulls will continue to enter the region, using the Niagara River as a significant stop-over feeding area along their migration route north. This species will reach its peak spring numbers in the region in mid- to late April when thousands will be present along the Niagara River.
• Watch for 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.
• Killdeer pairs are courting this week and some may be nesting.
• Male American woodcock and Wilson’s snipe will continue to perform their elaborate aerial displays designed to attract mates. Woodcock perform mostly near dawn and dusk whereas snipe display mostly during daylight hours.
• Some woodcock hens are already incubating eggs.
• Other early migrant shorebirds may arrive in our area this week: greater yellowlegs, lesser yellowlegs, and spotted sandpiper.
• To stay abreast of bird sightings in the region, consult eBird, Genesee Birds, and Dial-a-Bird (see the “Resources” tab on this web page for more details).

Birds of Prey:

• Some winter resident raptors (e.g., snowy owl, short-eared owl, rough-legged hawk, northern harrier) will continue to migrate through and linger in the Region, especially in areas with extensive open grassland habitat.
• Spring migration flights of hawks, falcons, eagles, and turkey vultures will continue to follow the Lake Erie and Lake Ontario shores as they migrate north. An excellent observation area for seeing hundreds (sometimes thousands) of these migrants in a single day is Lakeside Cemetery in Hamburg.
• Northbound long-eared owls and northern saw-whet owls will continue to arrive in the region, most notably near the southern shores of Lake Erie and (especially) Lake Ontario.
• Year-round resident raptors such as the great horned owl, barred owl, eastern screech owl, bald eagle, peregrine falcon, and red-tailed hawk are paired up and many are already on-nest. Some great horned owl nests may have young chicks already.
• Recent arrivals such as the red-shouldered hawk, Cooper’s hawk, sharp-shinned hawk, and osprey will be establishing nesting territories.

Upland Game Birds:

• Wild turkeys will continue to travel and feed in flocks. Wild turkey toms, with colorful heads and fanned tails, will intensify their courtship displays to hens.
• Listen for drumming displays by male ruffed grouse in the southern part of the Buffalo-Niagara region as well as the Alabama Swamps area.
• Male ring-necked pheasants that have become naturalized in the region will continue their rooster-like crowing to establish territories and attract mates. Some hens may be laying eggs at this time.

Songbirds:

• Typical winter songbirds such as the dark-eyed junco and American tree sparrowsback, scaup, common goldeneye, common merganser, long-tailed duck plus less common species such as the pine siskin and common redpoll will continue to visit local bird feeders. Most will leave for northern breeding grounds over the next two or three weeks.
• Watch for early migrant feeder birds such as red-winged blackbird, common grackle, brown-headed cowbird, chipping sparrow, white-throated sparrow, fox sparrow, song sparrow, purple finch, and American goldfinch. Be sure to place seed such as white millet in ground feeders or directly on the ground to attract these migrants.
• If you don’t have a feeder of your own, consider visiting a local nature education center (see the last column of the site lists under the “B-N Region & Sites” tab on this web page).
• Additional early migrant songbirds will continue to trickle into the region:   brown creeper, golden-crowned kinglet, ruby-crowned kinglet, eastern phoebe, tree swallow, barn swallow, rough-winged swallow, purple martin, winter wren, northern flicker, yellow-bellied sapsucker, American pipit, belted kingfisher, hermit thrush, brown thrasher, yellow-rumped warbler, pine warbler, eastern meadowlark, eastern bluebird, American robin, horned lark, red-winged blackbird, rusty blackbird, eastern (rufous-sided) towhee, white-throated sparrow, fox sparrow, chipping sparrow, field sparrow, swamp sparrow, savannah sparrow, and American goldfinch.
• Songbirds have initiated their pre-nuptial molt – most evident in male American goldfinches visiting feeders.
• Early breeding songbirds such as the mourning dove, blue jay, American crow, horned lark, white-breasted nuthatch, Carolina wren, American robin, eastern bluebird, European starling, song sparrow, northern cardinal, common grackle, house finch, and house sparrow may already be incubating eggs. Others will continue to sing, establish territories, and court as they prepare to nest.

Mammals:

• Male woodchucks have emerged from hibernation and seek to mate with females as they emerge from their winter dens.
• Other true hibernators (several species of bats, meadow jumping mouse, and woodland jumping mouse) will continue to be mostly inactive in the region during the coming week.
• Ermine (AKA short-tailed weasel) are molting from white to brown pelage at this time.
• Newborn opossums suckle from the safety and warmth of their mother’s pouch. A single litter often consists of over a dozen young.
• Eastern chipmunks have emerged from winter torpor and are actively feeding and breeding this week.
• Gray squirrels, red squirrels, and southern flying squirrels will give birth to the first of two litters of young at about this time.
• Yearling beavers disperse from natal ponds to establish their own territories at this time. Now is an especially good time to find scent mounds marking beaver territories, typically along edges of beaver ponds.
• Eastern cottontails will give birth to the first of three litters of young at about this time.
• Coyotes and red & gray fox give birth to pups at about this time.
• White-tailed deer will continue to travel in herds. Finding food will continue to be difficult until the growing season begins.

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

Chuck Rosenburg

Coltsfoot is now blooming

Northern leopard frogs have joined the frog chorus

Watch for young painted turtles emerging from nests (photo by Kristen Rosenburg)

Breeding pairs of osprey are returning to the Region (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Watch for hemit thrushes among the early spring migrants (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Eastern garter snakes are now emerging from brumation

The weather forecast this week for the Buffalo-Niagara Region calls for seasonal temperatures which will continue to progress spring-time plant growth and animal activities. A few grasses, sedges, and rushes are now beginning to sprout. Skunk cabbage will continue to bloom, and coltsfoot will follow suit. Red maple, silver maple, and pussy willows will continue to flower, joined now by quaking aspen, big-toothed aspen, American elm, and eastern hop-hornbeam.

Even with relatively little precipitation in the forecast, early breeding species of frogs and salamanders will continue to migrate to and breed in vernal pools and other ponds and wetlands. Southerly winds will carry more northbound migrant birds into and through our region, especially late in Week 14. Early breeding bird species are continuing to sing, display, and initiate nesting. Squirrels, foxes, and coyotes are now giving birth to young.

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

• 6:50 AM/7:47 PM DST (12 Hours, 57 Minutes)
• 3 Hours, 56 minutes of daylight longer than at Winter Solstice
• 57 minutes of daylight longer than at Vernal Equinox

Typical Weather:

• Normal High Temperature: 50.3° F  Normal Low Temperature: 33.0° F
• Cumulative Growing Degree Days thru April 3, 2019: 22

Lake, Pond, Stream & Wetland Conditions:

• While the west end of Lake Ontario is ice-free, the east end of Lake Erie is still mostly ice-covered (albeit less concentrated).
• The Lake Erie water temperature off Buffalo remained at 32°F and the Lake Ontario water temperature off Greece (Monroe County) remained at 38°F as of April 4.
• Inland ponds, wetlands, and vernal pools are near annual high-water levels.
• Streams will continue with moderate to high flow levels this week.

Fungi:

• With the onset of winter, most fungal fruiting bodies (e.g., mushrooms, bracket fungi) were extinguished. The fungal “roots” (mycelium network) 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:

• While freezing temperatures during late autumn killed remnant grass, sedge, and rush stems, the roots of these perennial plants survived and are beginning to sprout (in particular, wool-grass (a type of bulrush), a variety of sedge species, soft rush, and wetland grasses).

Wildflowers:

• Wildflower stems died back following late fall freezing temperatures. Roots and rhizomes of perennial wildflowers will survive and sprout soon. Seeds of annual wildflowers will do the same.
• Skunk cabbage will continue to flower in forested wetlands, near its peak blooming period this week.
• Coltsfoot, a non-native species that has naturalized across the region, is starting to bloom in some areas. Look for its yellow, dandelion-like flowers.

Trees and Shrubs:

• Sugar maple sap will continue to flow (and be harvested within some sugar bushes).
• Sap is flowing in trees and shrubs, as visualized by brighter yellow branches of crack and other willows and redder branches of red osier and silky dogwoods.
• Red and silver maple trees will be close to peak flowering this week.
• Pussy willows will continue to “flower” across most of the region, soon developing stamens that will produce pollen.
• Some quaking aspen, big-toothed aspen, American elm, and eastern hophornbeam have started to flower this week.
• Wind-dispersed pollen of red & silver maples and poplars are currently the leading allergens in the Buffalo-Niagara Region.

Insects & Other Invertebrates:

• Freezing temperatures during late autumn killed most adult insects and other invertebrates that did not migrate or enter hibernation. The vast majority of insect species in our Region over-winter as eggs or larvae/nymphs/pupae, although some species over-winter as adults.
• Flooded lawns will force earthworms to the surface and onto roads, driveways, and sidewalks where they are easily gleaned by American robins.
• 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.
• Early spring species of caddis flies, stoneflies, and midges will continue to emerge from streams and be active when air temperatures are about 40°F and warmer.
• Wooly bear caterpillars that overwintered beneath leaf litter will continue to be active on warm days. After a brief feeding period, each will spin a cocoon of their orange and black hairs and develop into an Isabella tiger moth.
• Mourning cloak and eastern comma butterflies (which overwintered as adults) will continue to be active during relatively warm days this week.

Fish:

• Most species of fish will remain relatively sedentary as water temperatures in most lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams hover at or just above freezing.
• Northern pike are concentrated in tributary streams, ditches, and shoreline wetlands for spawning.
• White suckers will continue to migrate upstream within Great Lakes tributary streams to their spawning grounds.
• Large schools of alewife will continue to move from cold depths of Lakes Erie and Ontario to nearshore areas in preparation for spawning.
• Large runs of brown bullheads may enter tributary streams and harbors.
• Steelhead that migrated from Lakes Erie and Ontario into tributary streams (including Niagara River) last fall are joined by fresh steelhead starting to enter tributaries in preparation for spring spawning (when water temperature approaches 42°F). 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.
• Some brown trout that spawned in Great Lakes tributaries and the Lower Niagara River in autumn remain in those areas through winter. Brown trout were introduced into our Region from Europe.
• The DEC will continue to stock some local streams with hatchery-raised brown, brook, and/or rainbow trout this week.

Amphibians & Reptiles:

• Early breeding frogs such as the wood frog, western chorus frog, and spring peeper will continue to vocalize and breed in wetlands and vernal pools.
• Some northern leopard frogs have joined the frog chorus in ponds, wetlands, and vernal pools.
• Spotted, blue-spotted, and Jefferson’s salamanders will continue to make their annual migration to vernal pool breeding sites when conditions are favorable this week.
• Red efts (non-breeding migrant phase of the eastern/red-spotted newt) will migrate to breeding ponds this week where they will transform into breeding adults, joining newts that overwintered in the ponds.
• Lungless salamanders (e.g., red-backed, northern slimy, northern dusky, mountain dusky, and two-lined salamanders) will become active this week. They can be found under rocks and logs during the day.
• Eastern garter snakes will emerge from hibernation/brumation. Watch for “snake balls” – breeding clusters consisting of multiple males attempting to mate with a single female.
• Common snapping and midland painted turtles will continue to be active this week. Watch for painted turtles basking on logs, especially during cool but sunny periods.
• Watch for tiny midland painted turtles to emerge from nests in lawns, flower beds, and road shoulders – typically near ponds and wetlands.

Water & Shore Birds, Gulls & Terns:

• Thousands of diving ducks will remain in their wintering areas, primarily open water areas of the Niagara River and Lake Ontario. The most abundant species include common merganser, red-breasted merganser, common goldeneye, bufflehead, scaup, and long-tailed duck. Many will be performing courtship displays and vocalizations.
• Watch for red-throated loons, red-necked grebes, and white-winged scoters in open water areas of the Great Lakes.
• Horned grebes will continue to use open water areas as stop-over feeding areas along their migration route north.
• Large flocks of Canada geese, snow geese, and tundra swans will continue to stop-over in the region on their migration northward. The highest concentrations are typically found at the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge and adjoining Tonawanda and Oak Orchard Wildlife Management Areas.
• Larger numbers of “puddle ducks” such as the northern pintail, American wigeon, mallard, American black, gadwall, redhead, ring-necked duck, blue-winged teal, green-winged teal, ruddy duck, wood duck, and hooded merganser will continue to stop-over in the region as they migrate north, or return to local breeding areas such as Iroquois NWR.
• Pairs of Canada geese will continue to occupy and defend nesting sites in ponds and wetlands.
• Some early breeding ducks such as mallard and wood duck may already be incubating eggs.
• Great blue herons will continue to nest on Motor Island in the Niagara River (along with a few great egrets), as well as inland nesting areas (rookeries).
• Watch for additional migrant and summer resident water birds such as the common loon, double-crested cormorant, American bittern, black-crowned night-heron, pied-billed grebe, horned grebe, and American coot this week.
• Bonaparte’s gulls will continue to enter the region, using the Niagara River as a significant stop-over feeding area along their migration route north. This species will reach its peak spring numbers in the region in mid- to late April when thousands will be present along the Niagara River.
• Male American woodcock and Wilson’s snipe will continue to perform their elaborate aerial displays designed to attract mates. Woodcock perform mostly near dawn and dusk whereas snipe display mostly during daylight hours.
• Some woodcock hens are already 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).

Birds of Prey:

• Some winter resident raptors (e.g., snowy owl, short-eared owl, rough-legged hawk, northern harrier) will continue to linger in the region, especially in areas with extensive open grassland habitat.
• Spring migration flights of hawks, falcons, eagles, and turkey vultures will continue to follow the Lake Erie and Lake Ontario shores as they migrate north. An excellent observation area for seeing hundreds (sometimes thousands) of these migrants in a single day is Lakeside Cemetery in Hamburg.
• Northbound long-eared owls and northern saw-whet owls will continue to arrive in the region, most notably near the southern shores of Lake Erie and (especially) Lake Ontario.
• Year-round resident raptors such as the great horned owl, barred owl, eastern screech owl, bald eagle, peregrine falcon, and red-tailed hawk are paired up and many are already on-nest. Some great horned owl nests may have young chicks already.
• Recent arrivals such as the red-shouldered hawk, Cooper’s hawk, sharp-shinned hawk, and osprey will be establishing nesting territories.

Upland Game Birds:

• Wild turkeys will continue to travel and feed in flocks. Wild turkey toms, with colorful heads and fanned tails, will intensify their courtship displays to hens.
• Male ring-necked pheasants that have become naturalized in the region will continue their rooster-like crowing to establish territories and attract mates.

Songbirds:

• Typical winter songbirds such as the dark-eyed junco and American tree sparrow plus less common species such as the pine siskin will continue to visit local bird feeders.
• Bird feeders will also 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.
• Watch for early migrant feeder birds such as red-winged blackbird, common grackle, brown-headed cowbird, chipping sparrow, fox sparrow, song sparrow, purple finch, and American goldfinch. Be sure to place seed such as white millet in ground feeders or directly on the ground to attract these migrants.
• If you don’t have a feeder of your own, consider visiting a local nature education center (see the last column of the site lists under the “B-N Region & Sites” tab on this web page).
• Additional early migrant songbirds will continue to trickle into the region:   brown creeper, golden-crowned kinglet, eastern phoebe, tree swallow, winter wren, northern flicker, American pipit, belted kingfisher, eastern meadowlark, eastern bluebird, American robin, horned lark, red-winged blackbird, rusty blackbird, common grackle, brown-headed cowbird, purple finch, song sparrow, white-throated sparrow, fox sparrow, chipping sparrow, and American goldfinch.
• Watch for large flocks of migrating blackbirds consisting of red-winged blackbird, rusty blackbird, common grackle, brown-headed cowbird, and/or European starling.
• Songbirds have initiated their pre-nuptial molt – most evident in male American goldfinches visiting feeders.
• Early breeding songbirds such as the horned lark, mourning dove, American crow, and American robin may already be incubating eggs. Others will continue to sing, establish territories, and court including black-capped chickadee, tufted titmouse, white-breasted nuthatch, Carolina wren, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, red-bellied woodpecker, pileated woodpecker, blue jay, northern cardinal, red-winged blackbird, song sparrow, and house finch.

Mammals:

• Male woodchucks have emerged from hibernation and seek to mate with females as they emerge from their winter dens.
• Other true hibernators (several species of bats, meadow jumping mouse, and woodland jumping mouse) will continue to be mostly inactive in the region during the coming week.
• Ermine (AKA short-tailed weasel) are molting from white to brown pelage at this time.
• Tiny newborn opossums suckle from the safety and warmth of their mother’s pouch. A single litter often consists of over a dozen young.
• Eastern chipmunks have emerged from winter torpor and are actively feeding and breeding this week.
• Gray squirrels, red squirrels, and southern flying squirrels will give birth to the first of two litters of young at about this time.
• Muskrat love is in the air. Male muskrats actively seek females and are therefore exposed to greater risks of predation and road kill.
• Watch for elaborate courtship displays by eastern cottontail pairs, including “boxing matches” and high-jumping antics.
• Coyotes and red & gray fox give birth to pups at about this time.
• White-tailed deer will continue to travel in herds. Finding food will continue to be difficult until the growing season begins.

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

Chuck Rosenburg

Red/silver maple flowers

Pussy willow catkins

Skunk cabbage flowers

Coltsfoot buds & early flowers

Caddis fly case from forested wetland

Fairy shrimp from vernal pool

Wooly bear caterpillar

Spotted salamander

Spring peeper singing

Common snapping turtle

Midland painted turtle

Flock of mallards (Photo by Paul Bigelow)

Scaup eating crayfish (Photo by Paul Bigelow)

Male bufflehead (Photo by Paul Bigelow)

Red-tailed hawk (Photo by Paul Bigelow)

Osprey (Photo by Paul Bigelow)

Male red-winged blackbird (Photo by Paul Bigelow)

Golden-crowned kinglet (Photo by Paul Bigelow)

With temperatures mostly at or above normal in the Buffalo-Niagara Region, the spring-time advancement by plants and animals that started in Week 11 has continued into Week 13. Red and silver maples, as well as pussy willows and skunk cabbage, are flowering. Early breeding species of frogs and salamanders have started migrating to and breeding in vernal pools and other ponds/wetlands, especially following Saturday’s heavy rainfall. Early migrant bird species are continuing to trickle into the Region, and early breeding species are continuing to sing, display, and initiate nesting. However, from Sunday through early Tuesday this week, the Region is forecast to return to temperatures that are well below normal. That will put most of the plants and some of the animals into a brief period of suspended animation. Regardless, an abundance and diversity of life can still be found by anyone eager to get outdoors.

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

• 7:02 AM/7:39 PM DST (12 Hours, 37 Minutes)
• 3 Hours, 36 minutes hours of daylight longer than at Winter Solstice
• 37 minutes of daylight longer than at Vernal Equinox

Typical Weather:

• Normal High Temperature: 47.2° F; Normal Low Temperature: 30.4° F
• Cumulative Growing Degree Days thru March 29, 2019: 17

Lake, Pond, Stream & Wetland Conditions:

• While the west end of Lake Ontario is mostly ice-free, the east end of Lake Erie is still mostly ice-covered (albeit less concentrated).
• The Lake Erie water temperature off Buffalo remained at 32°F and the Lake Ontario water temperature off Greece (Monroe County) warmed slightly to 38°F as of March 30.
• Inland ponds, wetlands, and vernal pools are ice free and near annual high-water levels.
• Streams will continue with moderate to high flow levels this week.

Fungi:

• With the onset of winter, most fungal fruiting bodies (e.g., mushrooms, bracket fungi) were extinguished. The fungal “roots” (mycelium network) 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:

• Freezing temperatures during late autumn killed remnant grass, sedge, and rush stems. The roots of these perennial plants survive and will sprout soon.

Wildflowers:

• Wildflower stems died back following late fall freezing temperatures. Roots and rhizomes of perennial wildflowers will survive and sprout soon. Seeds of annual wildflowers will do the same.
• Skunk cabbage will continue to flower in forested wetlands, approaching its peak blooming period this week and next.
• Coltsfoot, a non-native species that has naturalized across the region, is starting to bloom in relatively sunny areas (but little activity yet in shaded areas). Look for its yellow, dandelion-like flowers.

Trees and Shrubs:

• Sugar maple sap will continue to flow (and be harvested within some sugar bushes).
• Sap flow is occurring in other tree and shrub species, too, as visualized by brighter yellow branches of crack and other willows and redder branches of red osier and silky dogwoods.
• Red and silver maple trees have begun to flower in full force this week.
• Pussy willow flower buds burst across most of the region this week.

Insects & Other Invertebrates:

• Freezing temperatures during late autumn killed most adult insects and other invertebrates that did not migrate or enter hibernation. The vast majority of insect species in our Region over-winter as eggs or larvae/nymphs/pupae, although some species over-winter as adults.
• Flooded lawns will force earthworms to the surface and onto roads, driveways, and sidewalks where they are easily gleaned by American robins.
• 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.
• Early spring species of caddis flies, stoneflies, and midges will continue to emerge from streams and be active when air temperatures are about 40°F and warmer.
• Wooly bear caterpillars that overwintered beneath leaf litter will continue to be active on warm days. After a brief feeding period, each will spin a cocoon of their orange and black hairs and develop into an Isabella tiger moth.
• Mourning cloak and eastern comma butterflies (which overwintered as adults) will become active during relatively warm days this week.

Fish:

• Most species of fish will remain relatively sedentary as water temperatures in most lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams hover at or just above freezing.
• Northern pike are concentrated in tributary streams, ditches, and shoreline wetlands for spawning.
• White suckers will continue to migrate upstream within Great Lakes tributary streams to their spawning grounds.
• Steelhead that migrated from Lakes Erie and Ontario into tributary streams (including Niagara River) last fall are joined by fresh steelhead starting to enter tributaries in preparation for spring spawning (when water temperature approaches 42°F). 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.
• Some brown trout that spawned in Great Lakes tributaries and the Lower Niagara River in autumn remain in those areas through winter. Brown trout were introduced into our Region from Europe.
• The DEC will continue to stock some local streams with hatchery-raised brown, brook, and/or rainbow trout this week.

Amphibians & Reptiles:

• Early breeding frogs such as the wood frog, western chorus frog, and spring peeper will continue to vocalize and breed in wetlands and vernal pools.
• Spotted, blue-spotted, and Jefferson’s salamanders will continue to make their annual migration to vernal pool breeding sites when conditions are favorable this week.
• Some eastern (red-spotted) newts may migrate to breeding ponds this week where they join newts that overwintered in the ponds.
• Common snapping and midland painted turtles have been active over the past week. Watch for painted turtles basking on logs, especially during cool but sunny periods.

Water & Shore Birds, Gulls & Terns:

• Thousands of diving ducks will remain in their wintering areas, primarily open water areas of the Niagara River and Lake Ontario. The most abundant species include common merganser, red-breasted merganser, common goldeneye, bufflehead, canvasback, scaup, and long-tailed duck. Many will be performing courtship displays and vocalizations.
• Watch for red-throated loons, red-necked grebes, and white-winged scoters in open water areas of the Great Lakes.
• Horned grebes will continue to use open water areas as stop-over feeding areas along their migration route north.
• Large flocks of Canada geese, snow geese, and tundra swans will continue to stop-over in the region on their migration northward. The highest concentrations are typically found at the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge and adjoining Tonawanda and Oak Orchard Wildlife Management Areas.
• Larger numbers of “puddle ducks” such as the northern pintail, American wigeon, mallard, American black, gadwall, redhead, ring-necked duck, blue-winged teal, green-winged teal, ruddy duck, wood duck, and hooded merganser will continue to stop-over in the region as they migrate north, or return to local breeding areas such as Iroquois NWR.
• Pairs of Canada geese will continue to occupy and defend nesting sites in ponds and wetlands.
• Great blue herons will continue to nest on Motor Island in the Niagara River (along with a few great egrets), as well as inland nesting areas (rookeries).
• Watch for additional migrant and summer resident water birds such as the double-crested cormorant, black-crowned night-heron, pied-billed grebe, and American coot this week.
• Bonaparte’s gulls will begin to build up in the region, using the Niagara River as a significant stop-over feeding area along their migration route north. This species will reach its peak spring numbers in the region in mid- to late April when thousands will be present along the Niagara River.
• Male American woodcock and Wilson’s snipe will perform their elaborate aerial displays designed to attract mates. Woodcock perform mostly near dawn and dusk whereas snipe display mostly during daylight hours.
• To stay abreast of bird sightings in the region, consult eBird, Genesee Birds, and Dial-a-Bird (see the “Resources” tab on this web page for more details).

Birds of Prey:

• Some winter resident raptors (e.g., snowy owl, short-eared owl, rough-legged hawk, northern harrier) will continue to linger in the region, especially in areas with extensive open grassland habitat.
• Spring migration flights of hawks, falcons, eagles, and turkey vultures will continue to follow the Lake Erie and Lake Ontario shores as they migrate north. An excellent observation area for seeing hundreds (sometimes thousands) of these migrants in a single day is Lakeside Cemetery in Hamburg.
• Northbound long-eared owls and northern saw-whet owls will continue to arrive in the region, most notably near the southern shores of Lake Erie and (especially) Lake Ontario.
• Year-round resident raptors such as the great horned owl, barred owl, eastern screech owl, bald eagle, peregrine falcon, and red-tailed hawk are paired up and many are already on-nest. Some great horned owl nests may have young chicks already.
• Recent arrivals such as the red-shouldered hawk, Cooper’s hawk, sharp-shinned hawk, and osprey will be establishing nesting territories.

Upland Game Birds:

• Wild turkeys will continue to travel and feed in flocks. Some toms may start displaying to hens.
• Male ring-necked pheasants that have become naturalized in the region will continue their rooster-like crowing to establish territories and attract mates.

Songbirds:

• Typical winter songbirds such as the dark-eyed junco and American tree sparrow plus less common species such as the pine siskin will continue to visit local bird feeders.
• Bird feeders will also 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.
• Watch for early migrant feeder birds such as red-winged blackbird, common grackle, brown-headed cowbird, chipping sparrow, fox sparrow, song sparrow, purple finch, and American goldfinch.
• If you don’t have a feeder of your own, consider visiting a local nature education center (see the last column of the site lists under the “B-N Region & Sites” tab on this web page).
• Early migrant songbirds (e.g., brown creeper, winter wren, golden-crowned kinglet, eastern phoebe, tree swallow, northern flicker, eastern bluebird, hermit thrush, American robin, eastern meadowlark, red-winged blackbird, rusty blackbird, common grackle, brown-headed cowbird, chipping sparrow, field sparrow, fox sparrow, song sparrow, swamp sparrow, and American goldfinch) will continue to trickle into the region.
• Watch for large flocks of migrating blackbirds consisting of red-winged blackbird, rusty blackbird, common grackle, brown-headed cowbird, and/or European starling.
• Early breeding songbirds such as the horned lark, mourning dove, American crow, and American robin may already be incubating eggs. Others will continue to sing, establish territories, and court including black-capped chickadee, tufted titmouse, white-breasted nuthatch, Carolina wren, downy woodpecker, hairy woodpecker, red-bellied woodpecker, pileated woodpecker, blue jay, northern cardinal, red-winged blackbird, song sparrow, and house finch.

Mammals:

• Male woodchucks have emerged from hibernation and seek to mate with females as they emerge from their winter dens.
• Other true hibernators (several species of bats, meadow jumping mouse, and woodland jumping mouse) will continue to be mostly inactive in the region during the coming week.
• Ermine (AKA short-tailed weasel) are molting from white to brown pelage at this time.
• Tiny newborn opossums suckle from the safety and warmth of their mother’s pouch. A single litter often consists of over a dozen young.
• Eastern chipmunks have emerged from winter torpor will be actively feeding and breeding this week.
• Muskrat love is in the air. Male muskrats actively seek females and are therefore exposed to greater risks of predation and road kill.
• Watch for elaborate courtship displays by eastern cottontail pairs, including “boxing matches” and high-jumping antics.

• Most large mammals bred during the fall or winter, so we can expect to see fawns, pups, and kits over the next few to several weeks.
• White-tailed deer will continue to travel in herds. Finding food will continue to be difficult until the growing season begins.

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

Chuck Rosenburg

Flooded forested wetland

Skunk cabbage flower

Maple sap collection

Red stems of red osier dogwood

Fairy shrimp

Spotted salamander

Spring peeper

Great blue heron (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Canada geese (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Male Canada goose defending nest (photo by Kristen Rosenburg)

Female common merganser (photo by Paul Bigelow)

American wigeon (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Migrant sharp-shinned hawk (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Peregrine falcon at DEC nest box (photo by Mike Koch, NYSDEC)

Red morph eastern screech owl at nest box (photo by Celeste Morien)

Migrant long-eared owl (photo by Jim Pawlicki)

Migrant northern saw-whet owl with daytime snack (photo by Keith Lang)

American robin (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Wintering junco (photo by Paul Bigelow)

Eastern chipmunk that recently emerged from winter torpor

Beaver forming scent mound (photo by Brittany Rowan)

Beaver scent mound (photo by Kristen Rosenburg)

Branches recently chewed by beaver (photo by Kristen Rosenburg)

White-tailed deer (photo by Kristen Rosenburg)

The relatively warm weather that the Buffalo-Niagara Region experienced last week triggered some plant and considerable animal activity that has extended into this first week of spring. Tree sap began to flow, as evidenced by maple syrup production at sugaring operations in our Region. Pussy willow and red and silver maple flower buds are swollen, ready to burst into flower over the next week or two. Skunk cabbage plants have started to flower in forested wetlands.

Early-spawning species of fish such as northern pike have started to move toward and concentrate in prospective spawning sites. Burbot, a large elongated fish in the cod family, has already spawned. Moderate temperatures combined with light rainfall and snow melt prompted initial nocturnal movements of frogs and mole salamanders (i.e., spotted, blue-spotted, and Jefferson salamanders) toward vernal pools and other pond/wetland breeding sites. Significant numbers of frogs and salamanders will enter those pools once the Region receives moderate or heavy rainfall.

Large flocks of Canada geese and tundra swans have been migrating through and congregating in the Region, and pairs of geese are returning to previously used nesting sites. Puddle ducks such as the northern pintail, wood duck, and American wigeon have also arrived in open water areas in large numbers.

Spring flights of hawks, bald eagles, and turkey vultures have been observed along the Lake Erie and Lake Ontario shorelines over the past week. Great horned owls have been on-nest for a few weeks or more. Other raptors, including bald eagles, peregrine falcons, and red-tailed hawks have recently laid eggs or started preparing nests.

A few early migrant shorebirds and songbirds (e.g., killdeer, American robin, red-winged blackbird, common grackle) have arrived in the region. Songbirds have initiated their pre-nuptial molt (most evident in male American goldfinches visiting feeders), and several year-round resident species have been singing and establishing territories since early to mid-February.

A few eastern chipmunks have emerged from their winter dens to feed and breed. Most large mammals bred during the fall or winter, so we can expect to see fawns, pups, and kits over the next few to several weeks.

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):          7:14 AM/7:31 PM DST (12 Hours, 17 Minutes)

3 Hours, 16 minutes longer than at winter solstice

Typical Weather:     Normal High Temperature: 44.2° F Normal Low Temperature: 27.8° F

Cumulative Growing Degree Days thru March 20:  4

Lake, Pond, Stream & Wetland Conditions:

• While the west end of Lake Ontario is mostly ice-free, the east end of Lake Erie will remain mostly ice-covered this week.
• The Lake Erie water temperature off Buffalo was 32°F and the Lake Ontario water temperature off Greece (Monroe County) rose slightly to 37°F as of March 21.
• Inland ponds are mostly ice-free and most wetlands and vernal pools are ice-free or have limited ice cover. Wetland water levels are at seasonal highs.
• Streams will remain mostly ice-free with moderate flow this week.

Fungi:

• With the onset of winter, most fungal fruiting bodies (e.g., mushrooms, bracket fungi) were extinguished. The fungal “roots” (mycelium network) 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:

• Freezing temperatures during late autumn killed remnant grass, sedge, and rush stems. The roots of these perennial plants will survive and sprout soon.

Wildflowers:

• Wildflower stems died back following late fall freezing temperatures. Roots and rhizomes of perennial wildflowers will survive and sprout soon. Seeds of annual wildflowers will do the same.
• Skunk cabbage will begin to flower in some forested wetlands with peak blooming period over the next week or two.

Trees and Shrubs:

• Sugar maple sap will continue to flow this week (and be harvested within some sugar bushes). Sap flow is especially strong during days with temperatures above freezing following nights with sub-freezing temperatures
• Sap flow is occurring in other tree and shrub species, too, as visualized by brighter yellow branches of crack and other willows and redder branches of red osier and silky dogwoods.
• Red and silver maple flower buds will continue to swell but will not flower substantially this week.
• Pussy willow flower buds are swollen but will not burst this week.
• If you are impatient to see flowering trees and shrubs, try “forcing” branches to bloom by placing 12 to 18-inch cuttings (make sure each has flower buds) in a vase of water indoors. Flowers will appear after several days. Recommended species include red maple, silver maple, pussy willow, spicebush, shadbush, and hawthorn. The following non-native species may also be “forced”: forsythia, lilac, apple, and cherry.

Insects & Other Invertebrates:

• Freezing temperatures during late autumn killed most adult insects and other invertebrates that did not migrate or enter hibernation. The vast majority of insect species in our Region over-winter as eggs or larvae/nymphs/pupae, although some species over-winter as adults.
• A surprising diversity and abundance of vernal pool invertebrates will spring to life as pools warm: fingernail clams, amphipods, isopods, fairy shrimp, caddis fly larvae, dragonfly nymphs, giant water bugs, an assortment of aquatic beetles, etc.
• Early spring species of caddis flies, stoneflies, and midges will continue to be active when air temperatures are about 40°F and warmer.
• Wooly bear caterpillars that overwintered beneath leaf litter are starting to become active. After a brief feeding period, each will spin a cocoon of their orange and black hairs and develop into an Isabella tiger moth.
• A few mourning cloak and eastern comma butterflies (which overwintered as adults) may become active during relatively warm days this week.

Fish:

• Most species of fish will remain relatively sedentary as water temperatures in most lakes, ponds, rivers, and streams hover at or just above freezing.
• Burbot (AKA freshwater cod) spawn throughout February and early March in the Great Lakes, forming writhing balls of a dozen or more intertwined fish.
• Northern pike will begin to concentrate near tributary streams, ditches, and shoreline wetlands in preparation for spawning, which will start when water temperature exceeds about 40°F.
• White suckers will start to move into Great Lakes tributary streams, preparing to migrate upstream to spawning grounds.
• Steelhead that migrated from Lakes Erie and Ontario into tributary streams (including Niagara River) last fall are joined by fresh steelhead starting to enter tributaries in preparation for spring spawning (when water temperature approaches 42°F). 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.
• Some brown trout that spawned in Great Lakes tributaries and the Lower Niagara River in autumn remain in those areas through winter. Brown trout were introduced into our Region from Europe.
• The DEC will stock local streams with hatchery-raised brown, brook, and rainbow trout in preparation for the opening of trout season on April 1.

Amphibians & Reptiles:

• Most species of amphibians and reptiles currently remain in hibernation (technically considered brumation).
• Early breeding frog species such as the wood frog, western chorus frog, and spring peeper may begin to vocalize from wetland breeding pools. Significant numbers will start once the Region receives moderate or heavy rainfall.
• Some spotted, blue-spotted, and Jefferson’s salamanders will make their annual migration to vernal pool breeding sites this week (especially males). Significant numbers of males and females will enter the pools once the Region receives moderate or heavy rainfall.

Water & Shore Birds, Gulls & Terns:

• Thousands of diving ducks will remain in their wintering areas, primarily open water areas of the Niagara River and Lake Ontario. The most abundant species include common merganser, red-breasted merganser, common goldeneye, bufflehead, canvasback, scaup, and long-tailed duck. Many will be performing courtship displays and vocalizations.
• Watch for red-throated loons, red-necked grebes, and white-winged scoters in open water areas of the Great Lakes.
• Horned grebes will continue to use open water areas as stop-over feeding areas along their migration route north.
• Large flocks of Canada geese, snow geese, and tundra swans will stop-over in the region on their migration northward. The highest concentrations are typically found at the Iroquois National Wildlife Refuge and adjoining Tonawanda and Oak Orchard Wildlife Management Areas.
• Larger numbers of “puddle ducks” such as the northern pintail, American wigeon, mallard, American black, gadwall, redhead, ring-necked duck, blue-winged teal, green-winged teal, ruddy duck, wood duck, and hooded merganser will stop-over in the region as they migrate north, or return to local breeding areas such as Iroquois NWR.
• Watch for pied-billed grebes and American coots starting to arrive in the Region.
• Pairs of Canada geese will continue to return to previously used nesting sites.
• Great blue herons are already nesting on Motor Island in the Niagara River whereas they are just returning to inland nesting areas (rookeries).
• Some winter gulls, such as the glaucous, Iceland, and great black-backed gull may remain in the region over the coming week or two.
• A few early migrant shorebirds (e.g., killdeer, American woodcock, Wilson’s snipe) will continue to trickle into the region. Male woodcock and snipe will begin performing their elaborate aerial displays designed to attract mates. Woodcock perform mostly near dawn and dusk whereas snipe display mostly during daylight hours.
• To stay abreast of bird sightings in the region, consult eBird, Genesee Birds, and Dial-a-Bird (see the “Resources” tab on this web page for more details).

Birds of Prey:

• Some winter resident raptors (e.g., snowy owl, short-eared owl, rough-legged hawk, northern harrier) will continue to linger in the region, especially in areas with extensive open grassland habitat.
• Spring flights of hawks, bald eagles, and turkey vultures that started last week will continue this week, following the Lake Erie and Lake Ontario shores as they migrate north.
• Northbound long-eared owls and northern saw-whet owls will continue to arrive in the region, most notably near the southern shores of Lake Erie and (especially) Lake Ontario.
• Year-round resident raptors such as the great horned owl, barred owl, eastern screech owl, bald eagle, peregrine falcon, and red-tailed hawk are paired up and many are already on-nest. Some great horned owl nests may have young chicks already.

Upland Game Birds:

• Wild turkeys will continue to travel and feed in flocks at this time.
• Male ring-necked pheasants that have become naturalized in the region will continue their rooster-like crowing to establish territories and attract mates.

Songbirds:

• Typical winter songbirds such as the dark-eyed junco and American tree sparrowsback, scaup, common goldeneye, common merganser, long-tailed duck plus less common species such as the pine siskin will continue to visit local bird feeders.
• Bird feeders will also 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.
• Watch for early migrant feeder birds such as red-winged blackbird, common grackle, brown-headed cowbird, song sparrow, and purple finch.
• If you don’t have a feeder of your own, consider visiting a local nature education center (see the last column of the site lists under the “B-N Region & Sites” tab on this web page).
• A few wintering and migrant snow buntings, horned larks, and Lapland longspurs may still be found in open farmland, although most that wintered in our region have migrated north already.

• Local horned larks are establishing territories and some may be incubating eggs already.
• Several species of songbirds have been singing and establishing territories since mid-February and will continue to do so over the coming week. Included are mourning dove, black-capped chickadee, tufted titmouse, white-breasted nuthatch, Carolina wren, blue jay, northern cardinal, and house finch. Also included are downy, hairy, red-bellied, and pileated woodpeckers that use drumming as well as vocalizations.
• A few early migrant songbirds (e.g., belted kingfisher, northern flicker, tree swallow, eastern bluebird, American robin, eastern meadowlark, red-winged blackbird, common grackle, brown-headed cowbird, song sparrow, and purple finch) will continue to trickle into the region.

Mammals:

• Resident species of cave bats (big brown, little brown, and eastern pipistrelle [tri-colored] bats), woodchucks, and meadow & woodland jumping mice continue to hibernate. These species are true hibernators.
• Striped skunks emerged from winter torpor a few weeks ago and will remain mostly active in the coming week. This is their breeding season.
• Virginia opossum and raccoon, which became significantly more active the past few weeks, will continue to be active (other than during extremely cold periods).
• Tiny newborn opossums suckle from the safety and warmth of their mother’s pouch. A single litter often consists of over a dozen young.
• Some eastern chipmunks have emerged from winter torpor will be actively feeding and breeding this week.
• Muskrat love is in the air. Male muskrats actively seek females at this time and are therefore exposed to greater risks of predation and road kill.
• Watch for elaborate courtship displays by eastern cottontail pairs, including “boxing matches” and high-jumping antics.
• Most large mammals bred during the fall or winter, so we can expect to see fawns, pups, and kits over the next few to several weeks.
• White-tailed deer continue to travel in herds. Finding food will continue to be difficult until the growing season begins.

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

Chuck Rosenburg

Great horned owl on-nest (Photo by Henry Ciesla)

Eastern screech owl in nest box (Photo by Celeste Morien)

Nine bald eagles on ice off Strawberry Island (Photo by Paul Bigelow)

Juvenile bald eagle near Strawberry Island (Photo by Paul Bigelow)

Bald eagles in aerial tussle near Strawberry Island (Photo by Paul Bigelow)

Eastern screech owls are increasingly vocal now (Photo by Tom Poczciwinski).

Barred owls are increasingly vocal now (Photo by Tom Poczciwinski).

Mourning doves are increasingly vocal now

Blue jays are increasingly vocal now

Cardinals are increasingly vocal now

Eastern chipmunk tracks in snow – watch for a few vernturing from winter dens to feed and breed

Eastern gray squirrels are especially active now as it is their breeding season

Gray fox are especially active now as it is their breeding season (Photo by Anne Rothrock)

Mink are especially active now as it is their breeding season (Photo by Paul Bigelow)

Winter conditions still dominate the Buffalo-Niagara Region. However, even with vernal equinox nearly a month away, early signs of spring are already evident. The best indicators of the advancing spring are provided by birds and mammals. Some great horned owls are already incubating eggs and most others will be on-nest by early March. Other raptors, including bald eagles, peregrine falcons, and red-tailed hawks have started to prepare nests and most will lay eggs by mid-March. Barred owls and eastern screech owls are increasingly vocal at this time and will soon start to establish nesting territories.

Flocks of male red-winged blackbirds are just beginning to reach our Region. These northbound migrants are returning to summer breeding areas where they will rapidly establish nesting territories. Their arrival suggests that other early migrant species such as killdeer, American robin, eastern bluebird, eastern meadowlark, common grackle, and brown-headed cowbird will soon follow. In response to longer daylength and its effects on bird hormones, several species of songbirds are now singing occasionally. Thus, the 2019 songbird breeding season has begun (albeit the very early stages). Early singing species include mourning dove, black-capped chickadee, tufted titmouse, white-breasted nuthatch, Carolina wren, blue jay, American crow, northern cardinal, and house finch. Also included are downy, hairy, red-bellied, and pileated woodpeckers that use song as well as drumming as an advertising display. Typical winter-resident songbirds such as the dark-eyed junco and American tree sparrow will remain in our Region several more weeks but have also started singing, well before migrating north to their nesting grounds.

Early signs of spring are also offered by wild mammals in the Buffalo-Niagara Region. Gray squirrel activity has been heightened recently by the onset of their breeding season. A few eastern chipmunks have emerged from winter dens and are actively feeding and breeding. Coyotes, red fox, and gray fox are noticeably more active as they have begun courtship and mating. The mating seasons for Virginia opossum, raccoon, striped skunk, and mink start in early February and extend into March. Sadly, roadkill is often the best evidence of increased activity by these species.

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):

• 7:03 AM/5:55 PM EST (10 Hours, 52 Minutes)
• 1 Hour, 51 minutes of daylight longer than at Winter Solstice

Typical Weather:

• Normal High Temperature: 34.7° F  Normal Low Temperature: 20.1° F

Lake, Pond, Stream & Wetland Conditions:

• The Lake Erie water temperature off Buffalo remained at 32°F and the Lake Ontario water temperature off Greece (Monroe County) remained at 35°F as of February 25, 2019.
• Lake Erie is now mostly ice-covered while Lake Ontario is mostly ice-free, other than shore ice.
• Inland ponds, wetlands, and vernal pools are mostly ice-covered.
• Many streams are now partly or mostly ice-free following the recent warmup.

Fungi:

• With the onset of winter, most fungal fruiting bodies (e.g., mushrooms, bracket fungi) have been extinguished. 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:

• Freezing temperatures during late autumn killed remnant grass, sedge, and rush stems. The roots of these perennial plants will survive and sprout next spring.

Wildflowers:

• Wildflower stems died back following late fall freezing temperatures. Roots and rhizomes of perennial wildflowers will survive and sprout next spring. Seeds of annual wildflowers will do the same.

Trees and Shrubs:

• Some American beech trees will hold their dead leaves over most of the winter.
• A few native shrubs and vines continue to provide fruit (soft mast) that is an important winter food source for a variety of birds and mammals: cranberry viburnum, staghorn sumac, and swamp rose.
• In addition, one non-native species, multiflora rose, provides fruit consumed by wildlife.

Insects & Other Invertebrates:

• Freezing temperatures during late autumn 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/pupae, although some species over-winter as adults.
• On warm and sunny days in late winter, watch for “snow fleas” (springtails), especially at the bases of tree trunks in streamside areas. They emerge in large numbers and may appear like a sprinkling of pepper on the surface of snow. They apparently do not feed or mate but instead seem to wander somewhat aimlessly before returning below the surface at night.
• Also watch for small winter stoneflies, winter craneflies, winter scorpion flies, and winter gnats.

Fish:

• Burbot (AKA freshwater cod) spawn throughout February and early March in the Great Lakes, forming writhing balls of a dozen or more intertwined fish.
• During brief warm periods throughout winter, fresh steelhead from Lakes Erie and Ontario migrate into tributary streams (including Niagara River) in preparation for spring spawning. 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.
• Some brown trout that spawned in Great Lakes tributaries and the Lower Niagara River in autumn remain in those areas through winter. Brown trout were introduced into our Region from Europe.

Amphibians & Reptiles:

• With the onset of winter weather, essentially all amphibians and reptiles are now hibernating (technically considered brumation).

Water & Shore Birds, Gulls & Terns:

• The annual buildup of “sea ducks” and similar waterbirds that over-winter in the Great Lakes and Niagara River is near its peak with impressive numbers 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.

Birds of Prey:

• Bald eagles can still be found along the upper and lower Niagara River where good numbers are over-wintering.
• Bald eagles typically begin performing aerial courtship displays at about this time. Some of the breeding pairs in our Region will start nesting over the next week or two, and many will be on-nest by mid-March.
• Some red-tailed hawks are now paired up and have initiated nest building. Many will be incubating eggs by mid-March.

• Winter resident raptors will continue to occur 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.
• Some great horned owls are already on-nest, incubating eggs, and most others will be nesting by early March. Horned owls do not build their own nests but instead usurp existing red-tailed hawk nests and tree cavities.
• Barred owls and eastern screech owls will be increasingly vocal this week and over the next several weeks as they establish nesting territories.

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.
• Small to medium sized flocks of American robins and family groups of eastern bluebirds may be encountered in our Region at this time. Most are birds that over-wintered here since northbound migrant flocks are still mostly to our south at this time.
• Flocks of male red-winged blackbirds are just starting to reach our Region. Some of these northbound migrants are returning to summer breeding sites in our Region where they will rapidly establish nesting territories.
• Small flocks of horned larks and Lapland longspurs and large flocks of snow buntings can be found in open farmland and other tundra-like habitats by snow buntings.

• Several species of songbirds are now singing occasionally, initiating the 2019 songbird breeding season (albeit the very early stages). These species include mourning dove, black-capped chickadee, tufted titmouse, white-breasted nuthatch, Carolina wren, blue jay, American crow, northern cardinal, dark-eyed junco, and house finch. Also included are downy, hairy, red-bellied, and pileated woodpeckers that use drumming as well as vocalizations.
• 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), woodchucks, and meadow & woodland jumping mice continue to hibernate. These species are true hibernators.
• False hibernators such as the raccoon and striped skunk are mostly dormant, other than occasional feeding and breeding forays during relatively warm weather. In contrast, Virginia opossums stay active all winter other than brief denning during particularly cold weather.
• Most eastern chipmunks remain 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, other than during extremely cold periods. Similarly, red squirrels feed from middens of pine and spruce cones.
• Watch for increased activity by gray squirrels. They mate in February and early March.

• Watch bird feeders after dark for nocturnal visits by southern flying squirrels.

• A few eastern chipmunks have emerged from winter torpor and are actively feeding and looking for mates.
• Some white-footed mice and deer mice spend the winter in nests they built in woodpecker holes, bird houses, and squirrel leaf-nests. Some rehab old bird nests by adding a roof and insulation.
• Beavers continue to feed on cut branches they cached in shallow water near their lodges during the fall, and muskrats do the same with herbaceous vegetation cached near their lodges.
• The mating season for beavers is January and February.
• The mating seasons for Virginia opossum, raccoon, and mink start in early February and extend into March. Sadly, roadkill is often the best evidence of this increased activity.
• Skunks are noticeably active in mid to late February as their breeding season begins. Watch for tracks of wandering males searching for females. Or just take a sniff outdoors first thing in the morning.
• Watch for increased activity by coyotes, red fox, and gray fox as they are now courting and mating.

• 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).
• Black bear cubs are typically born in January or early February while sows are in a state of carnivorous lethargy.
• White-tailed deer continue to travel in herds. Finding food will continue to be difficult until the growing season begins.

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

Chuck Rosenburg