Spring is arriving fast across Minnesota. The songs of the first red-winged blackbirds of the season were heard in north Maplewood during the late morning of Sunday March 11, one day after the first housefly was spotted in Maplewood.
Phenology which is derived from the Greek word phaino meaning to show or appear, is the study of periodic plant and animal life cycle events that are influenced by environmental changes, especially seasonal variations in temperature and precipitation driven by weather and climate. A new national network of Phenology is being developed. The USA National Phenology Network (USA-NPN) will facilitate systematic collection and free dissemination of phenological data from across the United States. Also track the progress of The Ruby-throated Hummingbirds as they migrate north.
Here is some recent spring phenology for a site in Maplewood just north of St. Paul.
First Red-winged Blackbirds Heard ---------------------- 1999 March 22 2000 March 4 2001 March 28 2002 March 25 2003 March 19 2004 March 8 2005 March 12 2006 March 10 2007 March 13 2008 March 19 2009 March 15 2010 March 14 2011 March 17 2012 March 11 Frost Leaves the Ground ---------------------- 2001 April 4 2002 April 12 2003 April 11 2004 March 28 2005 April 10 2006 April 2 2007 March 30 2008 April 18 2009 April 7 2010 March 16 2011 April 2 2012 March 15 First Western Chorus Frogs Heard -------------------------------- 1999 April 3 2000 April 13 2001 April 11 2002 April 12 2003 April 10 2004 April 5 2005 April 3 2006 April 10 2007 March 25 2008 April 14 2009 April 14 2010 March 30 2011 April 5 2012 March 16 First Dandelions ----------------- 2003 April 29 2004 April 23 2005 April 8 2006 April 21 2007 April 15 2008 May 3 2009 April 27 2010 April 4 2011 April 22 2012 April 2 Crabapples Blooming ---------------------- 1999 May 2 2000 May 2 2001 May 9 2002 May 17 2003 May 7 2004 May 6 2005 May 3 2006 May 5 2007 April 30 2008 May 17 2009 May 8 2010 April 24 2011 May 18 2012 April 13 Lilacs Blooming --------------------- 1999 May 10 2000 May 4 2001 May 13 2002 May 25 2003 May 13 2004 May 9 2005 May 9 2006 May 6 2007 May 6 2008 May 24 2009 May 15 2010 May 1 2011 May 19 2012 April 14* *from a variety of lilacs in the area.