30 years of nature journals document annual spring robin sightings, other seasonal observations
This week marks the first calendar-official days of spring. Some ground around the Adirondacks is covered in white while other parts are bare and evolving into the next season.
The state Department of Environmental Conservation in early March advised hikers to avoid elevations higher than 2,500 feet, an announcement made earlier than usual. The park saw the warmest winter on record, producing spring-like weather during the last weeks of the season.
But it’s still unknown how the conditions will impact the arrival of the traditional “signs of spring.” We do know it’s been an early maple season. What other changes can we expect in the emergence of flora and fauna?
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The Explorer looked back on nearly 30 years of data collected by scientist and Paul Smith’s College professor Curt Stager. He recorded sightings of bees, trout lily, salamanders and more from 1991 to 2021. He is currently continuing similar work in a different journal. The observations on the grounds of the college campus, in the northern Adirondacks, along with notes on the weather, offer material for analysis.
Robins on campus: Tracking first sightings
One note made almost every spring was the first sighting of American robins. Although a small percentage of robins don’t migrate, the species has long been an early sign of warmer weather. The gray and bright orange bird’s behavior also changes by season, the Cornell Lab of Ornithology states. Robins are more likely to be found along the ground in warmer temperatures.
Starting in the early 1990s, robins on Paul Smith’s campus have been spotted in late March and early April. A majority of entries show the species present in March.
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Nature journals kept over long periods such as Stager’s can provide insight into local weather patterns and contribute to larger science projects. This category of study, called phenology, is used in some research on climate change, showing changes in plant behavior and temperature.
Salamander activity, trout lilies and bees were also noted among the pages. A majority of salamanders were spotted in April. Trout lily observations were recorded around the end of April and the start of May.
From left: A trout lily, bee and spotted salamander, with observations taken from a phenology journal by Curt Stager, professor and scientist at Paul Smith’s College. Graphic by Chloe Bennett. Photos from Canva
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Do you keep a nature journal? What interesting observations have you noted in recent years? What are some of the tell-tale signs of spring you pay attention to? Drop us a line in the form below!
Um, that’s not an American Robin in the graphic entitled “Tracking Robin Sightings.” I believe it’s a European robin, an entirely different species unrelated to our robin, which is a thrush.
Sorry about that! Just replaced it.