Scott et al,
Yes, this feels like a strange spring in terms of budbreak on woody plants and the arrival timing of various neotropical migrants. But we say that, in respect to some aspect of it somewhere in CO, every year, don't we? The plant people have their own listserv called "PestAlert" (run by my buddy Whitney Cranshaw at CSU) and they have been discussing this same phenomenon from the plant perspective. This year's plant development took several setbacks in April, both in the form of cold temps and snow. But I find it interesting that as of about a week ago, the quantitative measurement of where we stand in terms of accumulated heat units for 2013 plant development (referred to as "degree-days") puts us basically right at the 30-year average for early May. We, including me, tend to forget the last few years have been exceptionally early. As with climate change in general, such annual fluctuations and extreme phenomena like 4 feet of snow in April, make it difficult to truly assess long term trends. Just as the birds coped with the storms very well on their own (without genuine need for massive intervention on our part such as artificial feeding), the plants will, too (for the most part). We birders can, likewise, adjust and enjoy seeing birds without leaves in the way.
In another week of warm/hot weather, leaf elongation will probably hide the late migrants and things will look pretty "normal", whatever that is in CO?
Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
From: scottesevers@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 14 May 2013 12:05:01 -0600
Subject: [cobirds] migrants arriving to late leaf out
To: cobirds@googlegroups.com
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Yes, this feels like a strange spring in terms of budbreak on woody plants and the arrival timing of various neotropical migrants. But we say that, in respect to some aspect of it somewhere in CO, every year, don't we? The plant people have their own listserv called "PestAlert" (run by my buddy Whitney Cranshaw at CSU) and they have been discussing this same phenomenon from the plant perspective. This year's plant development took several setbacks in April, both in the form of cold temps and snow. But I find it interesting that as of about a week ago, the quantitative measurement of where we stand in terms of accumulated heat units for 2013 plant development (referred to as "degree-days") puts us basically right at the 30-year average for early May. We, including me, tend to forget the last few years have been exceptionally early. As with climate change in general, such annual fluctuations and extreme phenomena like 4 feet of snow in April, make it difficult to truly assess long term trends. Just as the birds coped with the storms very well on their own (without genuine need for massive intervention on our part such as artificial feeding), the plants will, too (for the most part). We birders can, likewise, adjust and enjoy seeing birds without leaves in the way.
In another week of warm/hot weather, leaf elongation will probably hide the late migrants and things will look pretty "normal", whatever that is in CO?
Dave Leatherman
Fort Collins
From: scottesevers@gmail.com
Date: Tue, 14 May 2013 12:05:01 -0600
Subject: [cobirds] migrants arriving to late leaf out
To: cobirds@googlegroups.com
During survey work this AM I was struck by the state of slow leaf out in the cottonwoods. It made for amazing observing conditions for arriving migrants, and it seems many species will arrive before well ahead of the majority of leaf out, making for great but odd observing conditions. I was especially struck by seeing Warbling Vireos and Orchard Orioles on bare branches today!
--Scott
Scott E. Severs
Longmont, CO
Scott E. Severs
Longmont, CO
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