Phenology

Observations by Gary Fewless for Green Bay WI (Lat.N 44.51° Long. W 88.02° ), except as noted. For flowers lacking conspicuous petals or sepals I define "anthesis" as release of pollen by mature anthers.

March 2000

Observations by Gary Fewless, except as noted

Date	Observation (Click on links for photos)
Mar 28	Ruffed Grouse drumming near Pensaukee, Oconto County, Tom Erdman. One Forsythia shrub in conspicuous flower against a wood fence along Libal St. near the Allouez/Green Bay border--very early.
Mar 27	Double-crested Cormorants return to Green Bay (Tom Erdman); Red-breasted Mergansers at the mouth of the Fox River (Tom Erdman).
Mar 26	White Pelicans return to Green Bay (Tom Erdman). First fully open Dandelion flowers. This is on an extreme site, UWGB lawn, south facing slope against a wall, where it gets a heat subsidy. Dandelions on unsubsidized sites will not flower for a long time--UWGB average is 04/20 and the earliest previous was 04/08. The peak of Dandelion bloom is usually in May.
Mar 25	Turkey Vultures, Nicolet National Forest (Andy Paulios). American Elm, UWGB
Mar 24	A new brood of Mallards reported for Marquette Co.!!! "Town Ducks", but still remarkably early (from "Wisbird" on internet)
Mar 23	Milder weather has returned and we will see rapid changes if it continues. Andy Paulios reports large numbers of calling Wood Frogs (and spring peepers) in Oconto County near Lakewood on the 22nd (also in Brown County 0323, Joan Berkopec). We have had reports of a few calling frogs a couple of weeks ago, but Andy has been in Oconto County regularly, working on his study of owls, and this is the first night he heard large numbers of frogs calling. Bob Howe reports Tree Swallows and Phoebes in the Shiocton area on his ornithology field trip on the 23. A Snowy Owl was reported on ice in lower Green Bay on the 23rd and a Greater Yellowlegs was seen on the shoreline of lower Green Bay.
Mar18	NOAA announced that this winter was the warmest on record (105 years of records).
Mar16	March temperatures, compared to the averages: After the warm beginning in which several new record high temperatures were recorded, the recent cooling trend has been a shock. However only one day actually had a high temperature below average--it's all relative.
Mar 9	Snow returns to remind us that the recent warm weather is the exception for this time of year.
Mar 7	Green Bay shoreline - daily series of photos on UW-Green Bay from February 21 through March 7 (about 175K). Unbelievable warm weather continues with high temps of 70+ predicted. Speckled Alder (Alnus rugosa) is in flower, City of Green Bay - previous early date was March 15. Many new insects first sighted today, including Mourning Cloak, Milbert's Tortoiseshell and Comma butterflies and "water striders" on UW-Green Bay. Today is the first report for Killdeer on UW-Green Bay. Today is also the first day a Garter Snake was seen on UW-Green Bay (Joan Berkopec).
Mar 6	Silver Maple (Acer saccharinum) has begun to flower, City of Green Bay. For the last 15 years I have monitored the same tree and the earliest it ever flowered before was March 14 (1990). The average date is about March 25!