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.

May 2002

Observations by Gary Fewless, except as noted

Date	Observation (Click on links for photos)
May 31	Yellow-throated warbler at Point au Sauble. Many other warbler species at the point today, including Golden-winged, Tennessee, Yellow, Chestnut-sided, Magnolia, Black-throated Green, Blackburnian, Blackpoll, Black-and-White, American Redstart, Ovenbird, Northern Waterthrush, Mourning, Common Yellowthroat, Wilson's, and Canada (Joan Berkopec). Monarch butterfly, Kewaunee County (Joel Trick). First mosquitos, Manitowoc County, Town of Cooperstown (Joel Trick).
May 30	First flowers for Dame's Rocket (Hesperis matronalis), Manitowoc County, Town of Cooperstown (Joel Trick) and also on UWGB Campus (Gary Fewless). Mayapple (Podophyllum peltatum) , Rose Twisted-stalk (Streptopus roseus), Nannyberry (Viburnum lentago) in flower, UWGB (Gary Fewless). Also first day for Jack Pine (Pinus banksiana) male flowers dispersing pollen.
May 28	Butternut (Juglans cinerea) in flower, UWGB.
May 27	Memorial Day. A nice day in northern Wisconsin for the most part, but there are scarcely any leaves on the trees north of U.S. Highway 8, due to a cold and cloudy May. Sugar Maples are just starting to leaf out and Oaks look bare. Only the Quaking Aspen are conspicuously green. Apples and Lilacs have not yet begun to flower there. No mosquitos! With over a foot of snow on April 28 and consistently freezing temperatures at night in May, there is little enthusiasm in this area for "putting out the tomato plants".
May 26	Some of the White Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum) flowers are beginning to turn pink, UWGB (Gary Fewless).
May 25	A cold and rainy day. Green Bay's high temperature was 44 F and it rained most of the day (0.83 inches of rain). It snowed a little in northwestern Marinette County, among other nothern places.
May 23	Choke Cherry (Prunus virginiana) in flower, Allouez. Lar year this same plant flowered on May 10. Junebugs flying, Allouez, Brown County.
May 22	They may have been flying before now, but today is the first day I saw a Cabbage Butterfly, UWGB (Gary Fewless). Tussock Sedge (Carex stricta) in flower (anthesis), UWGB (Gary Fewless).
May 21	Record low temperature for this date in Green Bay, 31F. Seaside Crowfoot (Ranunculus cymbalaria), Wild Geranium (Geranium maculatum) and Hawthorn (Crataegus mollis) in flower, UWGB (Gary Fewless). The same Hawthorn tree flowered 11 days earlier last year.
May 20	Record low temperature for this date in Green Bay, 30F.
May 19	Record low temperature for this date in Green Bay, 31F. There are reports of snow flurries in Oconto County, and also reports of people still finding snow in the woods in northern Wisconsin. Common Fox Sedge (Carex stipata) and Freeway Sedge (Carex praegracilis) in flower (anthesis), UWGB (Gary Fewless. Also the seeds of Quaking Aspen (Populus tremuloides) are dispersing on UWGB. Each seed has a tuft of hairs on top to enhance movement in the wind. The seeds and their hairs accumulate in drifts on the ground and collectively they look a little like cotton (Cottonwood is in the same genus). Fringed Polygala (Polygala paucifolia) in flower, Brown County, Town of Suamico (Gary Fewless). It was reported in flower for Shawano County May 18 (Joel Whitehouse).
May 18	Record low temperature for this date in Green Bay, 30F. Columbine (Aquilegia canadensis) Worm-seed Mustard (Erysimum cheiranthoides) and Dwarf Sand Cherry (Prunus pumila - planted) in flower, UWGB (Gary Fewless). Dwarf Ginseng (Panax trifolia), Thyme-leaved Speedwell (Veronica serpyllifolia) in flower, Brown County, Suamico area (Gary Fewless). Kidney-leaved Violet (Viola renifolia) in flower, Shawano County (Joel Whitehouse).
May 17	Biodiversity Day at the Baird Creek Parkway in the city of Green Bay involved at least 41 people and recorded in excess of 350 species of plants and animals (the data is still being processed). Click here for a list of 176 vascular plants encountered and identified during this day. The total number is clearly higher. Thanks to all who participated. Wild Strawberry (Fragaria virginiana) and Bishop's Cap (Mitella diphylla) in flower, UWGB (Gary Fewless). Low temperature of 31 misses the record low by 2 degrees F.
May 16	Lily-of-the-valley (Convallaria majalis), Early Meadow Rue (Thalictrum dioicum) and Starry False Solomon's-seal (Smilacina stellata) in Flower UWGB (Gary Fewless).
May 15	Red Baneberry (Actaea rubra) and Hairy Sedge (Carex hirtifolia) in flower, UWGB (Gary Fewless).
May 14	We had at least a trace of rain on 10 of the first 13 days of May, with cloudy skies and mostly cool temperatures. Development of the plants has been very slow. American Black Currant (Ribes americanum) and Meadow Foxtail (Alopecurus pratensis) in flower, UWGB (Gary Fewless).
May 12	Orchard Oriole feeding on oranges, and on our hummingbird feeder, Town of Cooperstown, Manitowoc Co. (Joel Trick).
May 11	Black-throated Green Warbler, Indigo Bunting, Northern Oriole, 11 male Rose-breasted Grosbeaks (all at the same time) at 2 feeders, Elton, Langlade County (Steve Janke). Orchard Oriole, with a dozen or so Baltimore Orioles, at least two Wood Thrushes were singing at 6:30 AM, a Mourning Warbler and the first observed Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Bay Beach Wildlife Sanctuary, Brown County (Ida and Ty Bauman via wisbirdnet).
May 10	Blackburnian Warbler, Bay-breasted Warbler, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Langlade County (Steve Janke). Dwarf Red Raspberry (Rubus pubescens), Missouri Gooseberry (Ribes missouriencsis) and Green Ash (Fraxinus pennsylvanica) in flower, UWGB (Gary Fewless).
May 9	A Flowering Crab tree on UWGB began flowering today, about 6 days later than last year and 3 days later than the average for the last 17 years. During that time the first flowering date has ranged over a period of 29 days (April 20-May 19). A planted Japanese Yew (Taxus cuspidata) began flowering, also about 3 days later than the long term average. We've had at least a trace of rain during 7 of the first 9 days of May. The total rainfall is not large (about 1 inch), but it means there have been a lot of cloudy days. Low temperatures in Green Bay have all been in the 30's and low 40's. Black and Forsters Terns are back in our area (wisbirdnet). Wood Thrush, Harris Sparrow, Manitowoc County, Cooperstown area (Joel Trick).
May 8	Temperatures are about 10 degrees below the average for this time of year. We got about 1/4 inch of rain today. Cool temperatures and cloudy skys have virtually stopped development of the plants, so there are no new flowering species to report. Indigo Bunting, White-crowned Sparrow, Manitowoc County, Cooperstown area (Joel Trick).
May 7	Red Elderberry (Sambucus pubens), Yellow Violet (Viola pubescens), Juneberry or New England Serviceberry (Amelanchier sanguinea) in flower, UWGB (Gary Fewless). Young goslings of Canada Geese seen at UWGB (Pete Wolter). The water level of Lake Michigan is up about 8 inches since last year at this time (U. S. Army Corps of Engineers). Note a few late additions for plants in flower for May 6.
May 6	It looks like the warblers are back in big numbers. Many people in southern Wisconsin have reported seeing 10-15 species of warblers in an outing. Black Medick (Medicago lupulina), Purslane Speedwell (Veronica peregrina), Corn Speedwell (Veronica arvensis), Lily-of-the-Valley (Convallaria majalis), Golden Currant (Ribes odoratum, planted) in flower, UWGB (Gary Fewless). Ovenbird singing, Elton, Langlade County (Steve Janke). Baltimore Oriole, Manitowoc County, Cooperstown area (Joel Trick).
May 5	Ruby-throated Hummingbird at our hummingbird feeder (just hours after I put it up today!), Cooperstown, Manitowoc Co. (Joel Trick). Spring Azure butterfly, UWGB (Gary Fewless). Wood Anemone (Anemone quinquefolia), Small-flowered Crowfoot (Ranunculus abortivus), Gooseberry (Ribes cynosbati), Cherry-currant (Ribes rubrum), Long-beaked Sedge (Carex sprengellii) in flower UWGB. The first Big White Trillium (Trillium grandiflorum) are now fully open on UWGB's Cofrin Arboretum. The number of plants seems much small than a few years ago. (Gary Fewless). Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale) seems to be at about peak in the City of Green Bay (Gary Fewless).
May 4	Dog violet (Viola conspersa for many years, V. labradorica now) and Common Blue Violet (Viola sororia) in Flower UWGB (Gary Fewless). I saw the first 13-lined Ground Squirrel today, Marinette Co. It seems very late (we usually see them by mid-april on UWGB) , so if anyone has a previous date, please pass it along (Gary Fewless).
May 3	Orange-crowned Warbler and Common Yellowthroat, City of Green Bay (Ida and Ty Bauman via wisbirdnet) Canada Wild Plum (Prunus nigra) in flower, UWGB (Gary Fewless).
May 2	Nashville Warbler, City of Green Bay (Ida and Ty Bauman via wisbirdnet).
May 1	Some new Whitetail Deer fawns have been reported in southern Wisconsin (wisDNR). Several people have reported that the Multicolored Asian Lady Beetles seem to be unusually abundant this spring.