Too Fast...

As usual - Spring is moving by too fast.  We've had so much cool weather...several light frosts and very little rain...until just a few days ago.  No we've had our first 1" rain in May here...we had a pittance in April and March as well.  But that one inch and all the humidity brought on by southern Gulf air has transformed everything into a jungle of green!  Although we are being listed in a "Severe" drought so far this year, it "looks" pretty enticing for the moment.

Gray Catbird

photograph -  © Bruce A. Morrison

Most of our favorite birds have returned...still waiting on the Dickcissels.  Although most are "favorites", we seem to have some very social Gray Catbirds this spring; so fun to watch!  It is bird song heaven around here now, and even the Cricket Frogs started singing last night.  You know the temps have warmed the water when your hear these little buggers...the American Toads have been singing each night for some time now too, and the Chorus and Northern Leopard frogs seem to be done with their monkey business for another year. 

 

I've been working in the pastures here more than normal...trying to rein in some bad actors.  Been mowing parts short and seeing what shakes out when I keep it up through the summer.  Right now there's some really nice things blooming - all the usual early/mid spring forbs like Blue-eyed Grass, Starry Solomon Seal, Fringed Puccoon, Ground Plum, and the Golden Alexanders. 

 

Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium campestre)

photograph -  © Bruce A. Morrison

 

The Blue-eyed Grass in the pasture varies from blue to light blue, to white.  I automatically look for it here on May 15th each year...I've only found it earlier in unusually warm and early Springs.

 

Fringed Puccoon (Lithospermum incisum)

photograph -  © Bruce A. Morrison

 

The Fringed Puccoon is always out before or with the Blue-eyed Grass, and I'm beginning to find it in more locations around both the north and south pastures.  I'ts likely always been in both but possibly the grazing of sheep and/or cattle in years previous to our arrival had suppressed these and they're just making a come-back again...? 

 

Ground Plum (Astragalus crassicarpus)

photograph -  © Bruce A. Morrison

The Ground Plum is a fun one...I personally like the common name "Buffalo Berry" but the fruit is more "plum" size and in appearance.  I guess its edible but its restricted to just one location on the pastutre and I'm being very protective of it...would like it to spread around some.

I'm far behind with chores around here and these are all the forbs I've been able to photograph so far this spring!

Hope your spring is a nice relief from the covid year we left behind, and that you're able to get out and enjoy it again; its moving too fast!

Be good to one another and see you on the Tallgrass!

 

Cycles Behind...Cycles Ahead

Blue-eyed Grass with native Bee

- photography © Bruce A. Morrison

(click on image for a larger view) 

I've written about Phenology before; if you keep any kind of record of events or relating to events (like writing down rain amounts on your wall calendar) - then you're practicing Phenology.  The Aldo Leopold Foundation states that Phenology is " a segment of ecology focusing on the study of periodic plant and animal life-cycle events that are influenced by climate and seasonal change in the environment."

For instance, we keep records each year as to when certain birds first appear in the spring or fall during migration, when the Great Blue Herons in the Waterman Creek rookery across the road first return, when the native plants in the prairie pasture here begin blooming, and so on.

We don't specifically do this because we're doing scientific research or something of that nature, we also do it because we're just plain interested and its fun!  It also can help with just plain curiosity.

We've all heard someone exclaim that "things are sure early this year"!  Well, are they really?  Or are they just early compared to "last year", or are they running at an average?  Phenology can answer a lot of those questions.  But one reason I like keeping records like this are to "be prepared"!

If I know that the hummingbirds usually show up at such and such a time (on the average), and we put the feeders out a couple days ahead of time - we're ready for 'em!

I also know that certain other events like bloom time can be prepared for...here on our prairie pasture one example is the Blue-eyed Grasses (Sisyrinchium campestre).  It is such a small flowering native forb that it can be easily missed if you're not out and looking in the right places.  But I know (from past years) that it usually shows up on May 15th.  But some years it may be early or late, so I'll start looking during the first week of May just in case.  This year it was fortunate I did - it showed up here on our pasture on May 7! 

The blossoms of this tiny member of the Iris family measure around 1/2" or slightly less across; so you can get an idea of how small the little native bee (specific species unidentified) actually is!  Iowa has maybe around 35-40 types of native Bees and some, like this one are quite small.  When does this bee usually show up here on our pastures?  Well - when their forage does, so each year I see this bee its on the day I find the first Blue-eyed Grasses in bloom!

Just because one plant bloomed early, does that mean everything is?  Not necessarily but sometimes other things show the same pattern as well...this year the American Toads here began singing the 3rd week of April - that is early for them also...about 2 weeks early!  

Ya, some years those cycles we all pay attention to are behind, and some years ahead - its fun keeping track and looking forward to the next arrival or departure...that's life ya know!

Rushing Forward!?

Bue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium campestre)

© Bruce A. Morrison

The signs of progress and the phenological records of the past just aren't in agreement this spring on the Tallgrass here.  For people who often get impatient (I'd probably qualify most of the time), its been a bonanza around here!

This week we've had May records broken easily...Monday had our first Monarch Butterfly flying through (had 3 yesterday)...surely looking for milkweeds to lay their eggs, because the specimens that Georgie and I have been seeing were very faded after a long flight from the south.  We do have milkweeds up - hope they find them before the poor things expire!

In fact I was out looking for milkweed plants and checking for possible eggs when I also discovered the the Blue-eyed grasses were up as well...looked like they'd been up for some time too!  I have never seen Blue-eyed grass much before May 15th, in fact that is usually my "go to" date when looking for them!

Monarch Butterfly (Danaus plexippus)

© Bruce A. Morrison

But Monarchs in April???  Here??!!  That is really unreal...I remember years when we waited well into June for them.  Well - welcome Monarchs!

Spring (Summer!) In The Valley

Scibner's Panic Grass (Panicum oligosanthes) -left

and Porcupine Grass (Stipa spartea) -right

(click on image for a larger view)

It's Spring in the valley here for sure now...in fact summer is more the feel.  On the tallgrass there is still some catch up in forbs but they're catching up fast.  I was just on an area prairie yesterday morning and the Prairie Phlox, Purple American Vetch, Canada Anemones and Hoary Puccoon were all hitting stride.  I'm seeing the Scribner's Panic Grass and the Porcupine Grass setting fruit here on our remnant pasture now also.

Blue-eyed Grass (Sisyrinchium campestre) from the

remnant pasture here.

I usually am able to gauge everything here by the Fringed Puccoon and the Blue-eyed Grasses, but they were both later than I've ever recorded them this year (about 12 days late), but they are in record number here - very fun to see!  I'm not sure what causes the different variations in the Blue-eyed Grass but they are generally almost white to very pale blue here, yet this year I had 40-50% blue to dark blue...interesting!

I recorded some of the noise in the neighborhood here a couple weeks back, and although they're still singing, aside from the neighborhood Coyotes - some of the frog voices have changed; the Toads and Leopard and Chorus Frogs have finally finished and the Cricket and Copes Gray Tree Frogs are taking over!  I'm trying to find a good time to record them as well but here is our "Spring in the Valley" chorus for you to listen to!

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http://tallgrassjournal.blogspot.com/

Stay busy and hope to see you in the tallgrass!