First calls of the Spring Peepers and Wood Frogs heard in Stacy, MN

First Oriole of the Year Spotted

Frogs strident lately, though I believe that with the drop in temperatures (only 49.5 at the moment) and the gusty winds we're having they will be quiet this evening.

Chorus Frogs

Call of the chorus frog, like a thumb slowly strumming the teeth of a plastic comb, heard on the swamps.

Wood Ducks scoping out potential nests in Circle Pines, MN. Cooler. Fewer chorus frogs, but Spring Peepers still heard sporadically.

Heard the first spring peepers and sandhill cranes yesterday. Peepers strident this evening as the first storm hits. Unusually warm&humid.

First Gray Tree Frog seen on the windowsil this evening. Spring Peepers and Chorus frogs calling outside.

First Oriole of the year spotted today. Toads trilling throughout the day.

Prairie Smoke

Trees just starting to bud. Red-winged blackbirds draining feeders on a weekly basis.

Went down to check out Martin Lake. It's larger than Typo, and about the same distance from us (a few miles.)

Noticed piping call Spring Peepers interspersed with the Chorus Frogs. The decibles these tiny guys pump out are amazing. For something the size of a paperclip, their call can be heard for a quarter mile or more. If they were the size of humans, the shockwave produced by their calls could break glass.

Seeing lots of red-winged blackbirds at the feeder.

In twenty minutes counted (by either sight or sound) a bald eagle, a white-tailed deer, several robins, a flock of red-winged blackbirds, and a pair of wood ducks, and a growing number of chorus frogs. Wonder how long it is before I'll be hearing the Grey Frogs in my backyard pond.

A slow trill like a finger being dragged across the teeth of a barber's comb echos across the wetlands; the chorus frogs have come out of their frozen slumber before the snow is even off the ground. The call is slow at first, speeding up at the temperature rises.

High 80's, very muggy. Almost like a broth outside. Storms yesterday, light rain today.

Lots of Monarch caterpillars on the milkweed outside, and loads of small, plain yellow butterflies seen all over the cities. Glade Mallow finally petered out, while Butterfly Weed is still holding on.

Loons heard on the local lakes, and wife spotted our first hummingbird. Counted eight young tree frogs on the window in the evening.

Both Creeping Charlie and Crabgrass are rampant this year. Have had to use chemicals to try to get rid of them.

80's, humid, sunny. Counted six Grey Tree Frogs (one adult, five young) on the windowsills last night. Appears the pond has made a good breeding pool as they've been growing more numerous on the property every year.

80's, humid, periodic bouts of rain that get heavy at times. Butterflyweed now in bloom, and early Purple Coneflower about to pop. The rains have kept everything extremely lush, including the creeping charlie that seems to be coming up in droves. Had to rip bushels of it out of the native gardening, and am starting to use ground cloth to better control the invasives. Sweet Joe Pye weed about 6' tall (but not blooming yet,) and Goldenrod and Bergamot growing taller every day.

Loons heard from the house, and Grey Tree frogs constantly seen clinging at night to doors and windows.

Wildlife Spotted

• American Toad
• Baltimore Oriole
• Black-capped Chickadee
• Blue Jay
• Canadian Goose
• Chipmunk, Eastern
• Cottontail Rabbit
• Downy Woodpecker
• Eastern Bluebird
• Goldfinch
• Gray Tree Frog
• Green Frog
• Grey Squirrel
• Hairy Woodpecker
• Loon
• Monarch Caterpillar
• Nuthatch
• Purple Finch
• Red-bellied Woodpecker
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Squirrel, Grey

Natives in Bloom:

• Butterfly weed
• Early Meadowrue
• Glade Mallow
• Harebell
• Spiderwort
• Swamp Buttercup
• Swamp Milkweed

Prairie Ninebark in bloom

Been incredibly negligent blogger lately, but intend to catch up. Prairie Ninebark just exploded into full bloom; the native bush covered in clumps of white flowers. Seen a few honeybees and native bees around it, but not many, though it's in a good sunny spot. Bit of a dry period lately, with hot, sunny weather lasting most of the week. Peepers cut out, replaced mostly by Tree Frogs and Chorus Frogs. Lots of dragonflies, fleabane in bloom, and Wild Geranium flourishing.

Orioles and Red-winged Blackbirds common at the feeders, and the bluebird couple appear to have completed their parenting for the year and moved out. No hummingbirds spotted yet.

Wildlife Spotted since last update

• American Toad
• Bald Eagle
• Baltimore Oriole
• Black-capped Chickadee
• Blue Jay
• Canadian Goose
• Chipmunk, Eastern
• Cottontail Rabbit
• Downy Woodpecker
• Eastern Bluebird
• Goldfinch
• Gray Tree Frog
• Green Frog
• Grey Squirrel
• Nuthatch
• Purple Finch
• Red-winged Blackbird
• Sandhill Crane
• Squirrel, Grey

Native Plants Blooming Since Last Update:

• Fleabane
• Jacob's Ladder
• Prairie Ninebark
• Rue Anemone
• Swamp Buttercup
• Wild Geranium

Toads began trilling yesterday, joining the Green Frog and Gray Tree Frog in my pond and the Chorus Frogs and Peepers in the surrounding swamplands. Can hear several other Tree frogs not far off at night. Orioles have found our hummingbird and oriole feeders. Baby bluebirds heard in bluebird house; first family of the season. Tent caterpillars found building large "tents", and tearing the foliage from buckthorn.

Quite warm, temperatures in the mid 70's with lots of sun. Decent gardening weather!

This evening marks the first break in the clouds we've seen since Sunday of last week. So far the week has been unseasonably cold, with temperatures peaking in the 40's.

Still lots of Red-winged Blackbirds hanging around the feeder, though we've seen the first Baltimore Oriole of the year just today, and the Eastern Bluebirds seem to have set up house in one of the two boxes. Loon calls can be heard from the nearby lakes and ponds, while the Peepers' chorus is still strident.

Last Friday's snow had a horrible effect on the native grape vines we had growing on the trellis. They seem to be making a bit of a comeback, but only time will tell if we see any grape production this year.

Native flowers seem to be doing quite well. Columbine, Blue-flag Iris, Swamp Buttercup, and Meadowrue foliage continuing to flourish (though no flowers yet), Prairie Smoke just starting to pop, stems of Butterflyweed and Bergamot finally starting to pop up. Mohican Viburnum just about to go out of bloom.

Snow Friday night! About a quarter of an inch collected on the grass, all of it melted by around 9 AM. Snow and frost killed back a few of my vines, though there's already new growth on most of them. The ones against the house seem absolutely fine.

Didn't hear frogs again until last night, when I only heard Spring Peepers.

Jacob's Ladder starting to come up, Columbine leaves huge but no blooms yet. Spring peepers still strident at night. Red-winged blackbird at seed feeders.

Flowers in Bloom:

• Purple Pasque Flower
• Black Cherry

Wildlife Spotted:

• Black-capped Chickadee
• Chorus Frog
• Cottontail Rabbit
• Downy Woodpecker
• Eastern Bluebird
• Eastern Chipmunk
• Eastern Goldfinch
• Green Frog
• Grey Squirrel
• Northern Cardinal
• Nuthatch
• Purple Finch
• Red-winged Blackbird (flocks!!)
• Spring Peeper

Prairie Pasque Flower currently in bloom. Spring Peepers downright strident in the evening; chorus frogs now joining in.