May 1999

     Happenings in and around Linnaeus Arboretum

Listed below are a few observations from a year ago in the Linnaeus Arboretum area, and out of the area when indicated. These events can be used to anticipate upcoming spring happenings and will help to compare this year with last.

1 - First brown thrasher, Baltimore oriole and house wren return to Waconia. Green ash and staghorn sumac leaves first out. Rose-breasted grosbeak seen in Wayzata. At Nerstrand Big Woods State Park, in Rice County, 21 species of wildflowers including false rue anemone and swamp buttercup are now blooming. Ice-out date for Devil Track Lake located northwest of Grand Marais.

2 - Common purple lilac begins blooming in city of Waconia. Backyard plum trees loaded with white flowers. First leaves out on butternut trees. Near Cambridge, eastern bluebird and black-capped chickadee nests have eggs. Statewide, 41 percent of the expected field corn acreage has been planted, compared with 73 percent last year and 36 percent for the 5-year average.

3 - Masses of dandelions blooming. Wild plum in bloom. Apple and crabapple trees begin flowering. Spring development is running about 8 days ahead of normal in Faribault and Twin Cities areas. First ruby-throated hummingbird arrived at feeder on shore of Green Lake at Spicer.

4 - More new broods of Canada goose goslings seen. Many southern Minnesota farmers in fields, preparing soil and  planting. At Linnaeus Arboretum in St. Peter, eastern redbud trees are at bloom peak and both northern catalpa and Kentucky coffee trees have begun to leaf out.

5 - Baltimore orioles vocal. American robin eggs hatching. First gray catbird and yellow warbler. Scarlet elderberry shrubs at bloom peak. Tulips very showy. Common milkweed up a few inches.

6 - Morel mushrooms up. Rhubarb flower stalks starting to appear Quaking aspens shedding seeds on carriers. In wooded valley near St. Peter, wild blue phlox and large-flowered trillium are at bloom peak and numerous.

7 - Crabapple and apple tree blossoms very colorful and filling the air with one of the best spring scents. First eastern kingbird returns. European starlings and common grackles feeding young nestlings. In wetlands, new cattail leaves up about 2 feet above water.

8 - Common purple lilacs blooming nicely. Lawns nice and green. Blue-gray gnatcatcher chasing insects. Killdeer parents seen with three tiny young. At Hastings, lily-of-the-valley is first flowering and Ohio buckeye tree is at bloom peak.

9 - Choke cherry started blooming. First eastern tiger swallowtail butterfly. Wood ticks out. Gray tree frogs calling. Crabapple collection at University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum is at overall bloom peak and very showy. Statewide, 79 percent of the field corn, 76 percent of sugarbeets and 26 percent of sweet corn is planted.

10 - First indigo buntings. Swarms of midges (Chironomidae) seen and heard. First migrating monarch butterflies spotted in Blue Earth and at St. Peter.

11 - First common nighthawks migrating over. American goldfinches seen feeding on dandelion seedheads. Several species of warblers moving through. American toads very vocal this evening.

12 - Blooming tulips, apple and crabapple trees continue to be showy. Fernleaf peony now blooming. Lush green lawns from all the rain. Tiny Canada goose goslings eat young grass blades.

13 - Mourning dove incubating eggs. Female Baltimore orioles are nest building. Morel mushroom hunting is good.

14 - Tartarian honeysuckle begins blooming. Full shade now in deciduous forests. Junebugs hitting screens and outdoor lights this evening. House finches eating dandelion seeds from seedheads. White-tailed deer fawns are being born.

15 - First bobolinks. Surface temperature of Lake Waconia is 59 degrees F. Eastern bluebird eggs hatching. First eastern cottontail rabbit young out and about. Blue jays seen collecting nesting materials. Big common nighthawk migration at sunset. Ruby-throated hummingbirds come to sugarwater feeder near Grygla (northwest Minn.).

16 - Bleedingheart, a garden perennial which is native to Japan, is blooming nicely. Broods of newly hatched wood duck young jump from their nesting boxes - 8 to 8:30 a.m. is usual time to jump. Swallow-tailed kite seen in Sakatah Lake State Park. Statewide, 87 percent of field corn and 26 percent of soybeans have been planted.

17 - Choke cherry shrubs at bloom peak. Wild geranium, Virginia waterleaf and columbine are showy blooming woodland wildflowers. Many temporary ponds and flooded farm fields in south central Minnesota. At Grygla, plum trees are in full bloom and crabapples are just starting.

18 - Silver maple seeds begin falling. Common grackle young leaving nests. Lawns continue to be lush green from the above normal rainfall.

19 - Black field crickets begin chirping. New candles on Scotch, red and white pines. Red pines shedding pollen. Morel mushrooms, our Minnesota state mushroom, continue to be collected in numbers by southern Minnesota mushroom fanciers. Black flies bothersome in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area.

20 - Fernleaf peony at bloom peak. End of bloom for common purple lilac. Red-eyed vireo first heard singing. Surface temperature of Lake Minnetonka is 61 degrees F.

21 - The harvest of alfalfa hay is starting in Carver County. At the University of Minnesota Landscape Arboretum, the Northern Lights series of azaleas are at bloom peak. First spittlebug froth seen. In Chisago City area, eastern phoebes are feeding young, and first lightningbugs are seen.

22 - Goat's-beard and ox-eye daisy first blooming. In gardens, tall bearded irises are starting to flower. Birders attending the 3rd annual Detroit Lakes Festival of Birds observed 129 species today in the area, including 13 warbler species, and both Baltimore and orchard orioles. Monarch butterfly eggs can be found on milkweed leaves. Common tree frogs very vocal tonight.

23 - Bridal wreath spirea at bloom peak; the shrubs look like white fountains. First young eastern chipmunks out and about. Statewide, soybeans are 41 percent planted versus 90 percent a year ago and 62 percent for the 5-year average.

24 - Dame's rocket and red-osier dogwood at bloom peak. Chipping sparrows are incubating eggs. Common nighthawk migration continues with biggest flights about sunset.

25 - Monarch butterflies nectaring on late blooming lilacs. Gray catbirds heard singing and meowing. Another good haying day in southern Minnesota.

26 - Much alfalfa being cut and raked. Eastern cottonwoods spitting seeds on cotton carriers. At Walker, choke cherry and common purple lilac at bloom peak, purple martins and common loons are vocal, and migrating monarch butterflies and common nighthawks are seen.

27 - Highbush cranberry and rugosa rose shrubs now blooming. Amur maple bloom, peak and fragrant. Lightningbugs on the wing. The surface temperature of Leech Lake is 63 degrees F.

28 - Scarlet tanagers seen. Black locust trees starting to bloom, Foxtail barley first showy along roads. Painted turtles up on dry land to lay eggs. At Prairie Farm, Wisconsin, alfalfa hay harvest is underway, snowball bush blooms, and the water temperature of the Hay River is 70 degrees F.

29 - Red clover now blooming. American crows and mourning doves feeding nestlings. The white flowers covering the golden mockorange shrubs smell like orange blossoms.

30 - Tall bearded irises blooming nicely. First ripe everbearing strawberries. Gardeners pulling radishes and cutting spinach. In Belle Plaine area, fields of early June peas are in bloom.

31 - Black locust trees at bloom peak.  Alfalfa hay has begun blooming.  Silver maple trees continue dropping seeds; a bumper crop of these seeds this year.