Drew Monkman’s spring nature almanac
As we turn the corner into spring, let’s pause a moment to reflect back on the winter that’s been. For many of us, the temperate weather in February was a welcome change, especially after the frigid December we endured.
However, with the mean temperature a staggering 4.8 C above the 1971-2000 average, February was yet another reminder that the climate is changing faster and more profoundly than almost anyone predicted.
The last days of February saw the arrival of short-distance migrants like Redwinged Blackbirds, followed shortly after by American Woodcocks, Sandhill Cranes and Turkey Vultures. We usually don’t see these species until mid-March at the earliest. Even more surprising, a Spring Peeper was heard calling in Jackson Park on March 1, which is more than a month earlier than usual.
Since January 2010, I have been tracking the mean monthly temperatures for Peterborough and comparing them to the 19712000 Normal. Of the 99 months, 71 have been warmer than average. The ratio of “warmer than average months” versus “cooler than average months” is almost 3:1. If the climate wasn’t warming, this ratio would be close to 1:1. Scientists have been relentless in their warnings that humanity is barreling towards climate disaster and that the goal of limiting warming to 2 C is insufficient. Most troubling, however, is that the world’s countries are not even on track to reach a 2 C goal.
Despite all the climate chaos visited upon the planet in recent years, an online poll by Abacus Data found that 30 per cent of Canadians do not believe in the science of climate change and 42 per cent said that carbon taxes aren’t designed to change behaviour but rather to generate revenue for the government. There was also a drop in the percentage of Canadians who want more of a government emphasis on reducing emissions — from 69 per cent in 2015 to 60 per cent today.
Only 57 per cent of Ontarians say the government should put more of an emphasis on fighting climate change. All of this is troubling, given that Progressive Conservative Leader Doug Ford is promising to get rid of Ontario’s carbon tax (cap-andtrade) should he be elected. Even former leader Patrick Brown was informed enough to support a tax on carbon. Ford’s contempt for expert opinion and established facts — reminiscent of Donald Trump in this regard — should have Ontarians very worried.
With the caveat that climate change is disrupting the timing of events in nature, I would still like to remind readers of the mileposts of spring’s progression. Regardless of what the weather throws at us, the order of the events, which are listed chronologically, should remain the same.
April
It’s time to start indoor sowing of annuals for your pollinator garden. Some great species include Mexican Sunflower (Tithonia), Common Sunflower (Helianthus annuus) and catnips (Nepeta).
For anyone paying attention, the increase in bird song is hard to miss. If you don’t already know the voices of common songsters like the American Robin and the Song Sparrow, now is the time to start learning them. Go to allaboutbirds.org, enter the name of the species, and click on the Sound tab.
With a bit of work, you should be able to find a dozen or more species of migrating waterfowl. Some hotspots include Little Lake, the Otonabee River and the Lakefield Sewage Lagoon on County Road 33. The latter is Peterborough County’s number one birding destination. Watch especially for easy-to-identify species like Hooded Mergansers, Buffleheads and Common Goldeneyes.
April is a busy time for feeders. American Tree Sparrows, Dark-eyed Juncos and, later in the month, White-throated Sparrows move north through the Kawarthas in large numbers. They can all be attracted by spreading millet or finch mix on the ground.
Watch for yellow, dandelion-like Coltsfoot growing in roadside ditches.
On April 11 at 7:30 pm, Mark Raycroft will present a talk to the Peterborough Field Naturalists entitled “Moose: Crowned Giant of the Northern Wilderness”. Mark is one of Canada’s foremost wildlife photographers. The meeting will be held at the Lion’s Centre at 347 Burnham Street in Peterborough.
The Peterborough Garden Show runs from April 13 to 15 at the Evinrude Centre. On the Sunday afternoon at 1:15 pm, Sean James will speak on “Working with Nature” and share eco-gardening techniques.
Close to 30 species of birds nest this month. Among these are Canada Geese, Mallards, Bald Eagles, Mourning Doves and American Robins.
For many rural residents, the return of the Yellow-bellied Sapsucker is hard to miss. This migratory woodpecker loves to hammer on resonant objects such as stovepipes to advertise ownership of territory and to attract a mate.
If the weather is mild, local wetlands come alive in early April with the clamorous calls of countless frogs. The first voice usually heard is that of the Chorus Frog. Within a few days, Wood Frogs, Spring Peepers, and Leopard Frogs add their voices to the symphony. To learn amphibian calls, go to naturewatch.ca. In the menu at the top of the page, click on FrogWatch, then “How-to Guide”, followed by “Identifying Frogs”.
Hepaticas are usually the first woodland wildflowers to bloom in the spring. The flowers can be pink, white or bluish in colour. Kawartha Land Trust’s Stony Lake Trails are a great place to see this species, along with many others such as Dutchman’s Breeches. Park at 105 Reid’s Road and start with the yellow trail. You can download a trail map at the land trust’s website.
The courtship flight of the American woodcock provides nightly entertainment in damp, open field habitats such as fields at the Trent Wildlife Sanctuary.
May
A variety of interesting butterflies is already on the wing as May begins. These include the Compton Tortoiseshell, the Eastern Comma and the Mourning Cloak. Try walking the new, 1.5 kilometre interpretive trail in Kawartha Highlands Provincial Park. The trailhead is at the parking lot/boat landing off County Road 36, just north of Buckhorn. It provides an excellent example of The Land Between ecoregion.
The yellow-gold flowers of Marsh Marigolds brighten wet habitats in early May. By mid-month, White Trilliums blanket woodlots throughout the Kawarthas. A closer look will reveal numerous other wildflowers, too, like Yellow Trout Lily. Ties Mountain Road north of Nogies Creek provides a great wildflower display.
The first Ruby-throated Hummingbirds usually return on about May 5, so be sure to have your nectar feeders up and ready to greet them. Keep your sunflower feeders well-stocked, too, since Rose-breasted Grosbeaks and even Indigo Buntings may just pay you a visit.
The long, fluid trills of the American Toad can be heard day and night. They are one of the most characteristic sounds of early May. Later in the month, Gray Treefrogs serenade us with their slow, bird-like musical trills.
Watch for native solitary bees in your garden and yard. Some common species include sweat, mason, carpenter and orchard bees.
Don’t miss the Pollination Summit, presented by Peterborough Pollinators. Mark Winston, one of the world’s leading experts on bees and pollination, will speak at Market Hall on Saturday, May 5 at 8 pm. Mark is the author of the Governor General’s Literary Award winning book Beetime: Lessons from the Hive. He also coauthored a new book, “Listening to the Bees”, with Canadian poet Renée Sarojini Saklikar. A book signing will precede and follow his presentation. On Sunday, May 6, you can take part in guided walks of local pollinator gardens as well as a dialogue summit with Mark. Go to peterboroughpollinators.com for more information.
If you are looking for pollinator plants for your garden, don’t miss the Peterborough Horticultural Society Plant Sale on May 12 at Westdale United Church (9 to 11 a.m.) and the GreenUp Ecology Park sale on May 20 (noon to 4 p.m).
Mid-May sees the peak of songbird migration with the greatest numbers of warblers, vireos, thrushes, orioles, flycatchers and other neo-tropical migrants passing through. Mild, damp mornings usually provide the best viewing conditions. Beavermead and Ecology Park can often be quite productive.
Wild Columbine blooms in late May on rocky hillsides and along roads and trails. The flowers, a beautiful blend of red and yellow, hang in bell-like fashion and are often visited by hummingbirds. The Nanabush Trail at Petroglyphs Provincial Park is worth checking out for these and other late spring wildflowers, including Pink Lady’s-slipper orchids.
The showy, yellow and black Canadian tiger swallowtail butterfly appears by month’s end .
June
In downtown Peterborough and Lakefield, Chimney Swifts will be putting on quite a show. Pairs can be observed in courtship flight as they raise their wings and glide in a V position.
Painted and Snapping Turtles are often seen along roadsides and rail-trails laying their eggs. Please slow down in turtlecrossing zones and, if it is safe, help the reptiles across the road.
The first Monarch butterflies usually appear in the Kawarthas in June. Make sure you have some milkweed in your garden on which they can lay their eggs.
The Summer Solstice occurs on June 21 at 6:07 am. The sun will rise and set farther north than on any other day of the year. Celebrate this profound celestial event with your family.
Drew Monkman is a retired Peterborough teacher and co-author of The Big Book of Nature Activities. Reach him at dmonkman1@cogeco.ca. To see past columns, recent nature sightings and his other books, go to www.drewmonkman.com.