Field Journaling

Phenology:

Recording the dates of first (and last) occurrence of biological events in their annual cycle and the study of the effects of the seasons on plants and animals. (paraphrased from Wikipedia)

 

Phenological Record

for the Pikes Peak Region

Unless otherwise mentioned, all observations are ‘at home’ at 9100 ft.

Snowfall amounts added in on the calendar rather than just listed below as it seems to make sense that way.

JANUARY

 

January 2

• 2010: 1/2″ of snow fell.

January 4

• 2009: 1″ of snow fell.

January 5

• 2007: 12″ of snow fell.

January 6

• 2008: 1″ of snow fell.

January 7

• 2008: 6″ of snow fell.
• 2012: The forecast originally had 5-8″ of snow for us, then it lowered to 2-4″ – we ended up with 1″ of snow.

January 9

• 2008: 3″ of snow fell.
• 2009: 3.5″ of snow fell.

January 10

• 2011: 4″ of snow fell.

January 11

• 2008: 1/4″ snow fell.

January 12

• 2009: 6″ of snow fell.

January 13

• 2007: 1.5″ of snow fell.

January 14

• 2007: 3″ of snow fell.

January 16

• 2008: 3″ of snow fell.
• 2012: 1/4″ of snow fell.

January 18

• 2011: 1/4″ of snow fell.

January 20

• 2011: 1/2″ of snow fell.

January 21

• 2007: 10″ of snow fell.

January 22

• 2012: A female red-breasted nuthatch showed up today – with the male tending to her and following her around. Also heard the pine siskens sing their ‘up the scale’ trilling song for the first time this year.

January 23

• 2009: 1/2″ of snow fell.
• 2012: Watched the White-Breasted Nuthatch start to air out the bedding in the bird box – mainly removed grass.

January 24

• 2011: 2″ of snow fell.

January 26

• 2011: 1/4″ of snow fell.

January 27

• 2009: 2″ of snow fell.

January 28

• 2010: 1″ of snow fell.

January 29

• 2008: 1″ of snow fell.

January 31

• 2008: 2.5″ of snow fell.
• 2011: 1.5″ of snow fell.

FEBRUARY

 

February 2

• 2007: 2″ of snow fell.

February 3

• 2011: 3.5″ of snow fell.
• 2012: Snowed all day- started the night before (and ended mid morning on the 4th). We ended up with 21″ of snow – but that number can be deceiving. It was amazingly fluffy powder that fell – beautiful crystal structure to the flakes. But the moment the sun hit it, the amount compacted to about 14″.

February 4

• 2010: 1/2″ of snow fell.

February 5

• 2008: 7″ of snow fell.
• 2012: About 1/2″ of hoarfrost covering everything this morning.

February 6

• 2011: 7.5″ of snow fell.
• 2012: Snow started to fall around 0730 and kept up through until 1130 which gave us 1/2″ of very fine ‘powder sugar’ snow. The crystals were very tiny. Much of it melted quickly as the sun hit it. Also saw a Red Crossbill at the feeder today – first one for me for the year here at the feeder.

February 8

• 2008: 1/4″ of snow fell.
• 2009: 1/2″ of snow fell.
• 2010: 2″ of snow fell.
• 2011: 6″ of snow fell.
• 2012: We woke to another 1/2″ of snow.

February 10

• 2009: 1″ of snow fell.

February 12

• 2010: 1/2″ of snow fell.

February 13

• 2009: 1″ of snow fell.

February 14

• 2008: 3.5″ of snow fell.

February 15

• 2007: 1″ of snow fell.

February 16

• 2007: 1″ of snow fell.

February 17

• 2008: 3.75″ of snow fell.
• 2012: First heard the Black Capped Chickadees calling their 2-note spring call – listened to it continuously for about 5 minutes, but went in as it was still 18° F outside, though the sun was warm. Have noticed two of them at the bird feeders daily for many weeks.

February 18

• 2010: 1″ of snow fell.
• 2012: We woke to 1/4″ of snow that fell overnight.

February 19

• 2010: 1″ of snow fell.
• 2011: 1/2″ of snow fell.
• 2012: A wide variety of birds started up the spring dawn chorus this morning – all singing their spring songs! Beautiful way to start the day!

February 20

• 2010: 1″ of snow fell.

February 21

• 2008: 2″ of snow fell.
• 2010: 2″ of snow fell.

February 22

• 2010: 2″ of snow fell.

February 23

• 2012: 3″ of snow fell in a very short time early in the morning. The weather forecasters were caught off guard with this fast moving storm. It snowed hard all along the front range for a couple of hours with many places receiving 2-3″ in that time.

February 24

• 2007: 1/2″ of snow fell.

February 25

• 2008: 1/2″ of snow fell.

February 26

• 2009: 1/2 ” of snow fell.
• 2010: 4″ of snow fell.
• 2012: Calving Season Begins – saw the first baby calves out in the fields on a cattle ranch on the way to church.

February 28

• 2010: 1″ of snow fell.

MARCH

March 1

• 2007: 3.5″ of snow fell.

March 2

• 2008: 12.25″ of snow fell.
• 2012: Saw my first robin in the area – as I was driving down to Colorado Springs, one flew across the road in front of me at Cascade.

March 4

• 2011: 1/4″ of snow fell.
• 2012: Heard the first robin singing in a tree near the house this morning as I filled the bird feeder.

March 5

• 2008: 1″ of snow fell.

March 6

• 2008: 4″ of snow fell.
• 2009: 1″ of snow fell.
• 2011: 1/4″ of snow fell.

March 8

• 2010: 1/4″ of snow fell.
• 2011: 1/4″ of snow fell.

March 9

• 2008: 2.5″ of snow fell.
• 2010: 4″ of snow fell.

March 10

• 2007: 1.5″ of snow fell.
• 2009: 1/2″ of snow fell.
• 2010: 3″ of snow fell.

March 11

• 2010: 4″ of snow fell.
• 2011: First night above freezing – Low overnight was 33° F
• 2012: The forecast called for severe clear – and yet, this morning we woke to clouds that gave us 1″ of snow.

March 12

• 2012: A raccoon visited our deck at 12:10 AM looking for birdseed. Also saw my first chipmunk of the year.

March 13

• 2009: 1/2″ of snow fell.

March 14

• 2008: 7″ of snow fell.
• 2012: Second day of highs in the lower 60′s – first insect found under the shop light in the morning – a tiny daddy longlegs spider.

March 15

• 2010: 4.5″ of snow fell.

March 17

• 2008: 4″ of snow fell.
• 2012: Saw my first pair of Canada Geese in Florissant, and Walmart had the first bedding plants out – violas – despite the frost free safe date in town being June 7.

March 18

• 2011: 1″ of snow fell.

March 20

• 2010: 12.25″ of snow fell.
• 2012: woke to a skiff of snow (not added to the total); A pair of Red Crossbills brought their two fledgelings to the bird feeder today.

March 23

• 2008: 3/4″ of snow fell.
• 2009: 1/2″ of snow fell.
• 2012: An amazing high temp today of 73.8° F.

March 24

• 2007: 2″ of snow fell.
• 2009: 1/2″ of snow fell.
• 2010: 12″ of snow fell.
• 2012: First night of the year that didn’t fall below freezing. The low overnight was 32.5° F. Also found the first Pasque Flower blooming on the property and the aspen trees that are always first at sending out catkins have just started to do so today. High today was 73.9° F.

March 25

• 2009: 1″ of snow fell.
• 2012: The Pussy Willows are starting to send out their catkins.

March 26

• 2009: 11.5″ of snow fell.
• 2012: A pair of Mountain Chickadees were seen carrying bits of moss from the garden – the material they’ve used before as a base for a nest. They flew off to the south of the house.

March 27

• 2009: 1/4″ of snow fell.
• 2010: 7.5″ of snow fell.
• 2011: 1/2″ of snow fell.
• 2012: The flower buds are showing as tiny white dots on the Kinnikinnik plants. They are a bit farther along in protected areas – I had checked a few days ago and saw none. And the White Breasted Nuthatches were hard at work at their spring cleaning, taking bits of nest material out and stuffing it into cracks in the bark of surrounding trees, tutting the whole time.

March 29

• 2011: 1/2″ of snow fell.

March 30

• 2007: 2″ of snow fell.
• 2009: 1/2″ of snow fell.

March 31

• 2008: 1/2″ of snow fell.
• 2012: Saw the first butterflies (think they were all painted lady butterflies, but honestly didn’t get a close look). Huge hatch of flies must have also happened as I notice them while cleaning up the dog yard.  12 wild turkeys caused me to stop to let them cross the road over by the quartz quarry. Then at home, a turkey vulture flew over, circling down to roost not terribly far away – maybe 1/2-3/4 mile. First fire nearby today – though we never saw a smoke plume, so they must have gotten it out.

APRIL

April 1

• 2009: 3″ of snow fell.
• 2012: Saw some of the first ants out and about today.

April 2

• 2011: First Pasque Flowers (anemone patens) found blooming on the property.
• 2012: A neighbor reported to me that she had seen the bucks started to rub antlers against trees – it’s time for them to start shedding them. Mike also saw a couple of bull elk not far from here, one of them a spike, they still had their antlers.

April 3

• 2008: 1/4″ of snow fell.
• 2011: 4.5″ of snow fell.
• 2012: 6″ of snow fell. The juvenile Red Crossbill showed up at the feeder today without an adult around. Is he on his own now?

April 4

• 2009: 9.5″ of snow fell.
• 2012: 1″ of snow fell overnight. Most, if not all of it will disappear with 50° F temps today.

April 6

• 2011: First Bluebird seen. A male Mountain Bluebird crossed the road in front of me at Shoemaker’s Ranch at about 1840.

April 7

• 2008: 1″ of snow fell.
• 2010: 5.25″ of snow fell.
• 2011: 1″ of snow fell.

April 8

• 2007:  1/2″ of snow fell.
• 2011: First Robin heard.

April 10

• 2007: 1/4″ of snow fell.
• 2008: 8.5″ of snow fell.
• 2012: Woodpeckers heard drumming in the mornings still.

April 11

• 2008: 1″ of snow fell.

April 12

• 2007: 3″ of snow fell.
• 2008: First Pasque flower found.
• 2009: 6″ of snow fell.
• 2012: First blossom on a ball cactus found open. First dandelion about to open. First thunder.

April 13

• 2007: 2″ of snow fell.
• 2011: First Dandelion and ball cactus blooming along with Candy Tuft and Pasque Flowers.  First thunder.
• 2012: White Breasted Nuthatches working on the nest.

April 14

• 2010: First Robin seen.
• 2011: First chipmunk seen. A few aspen and willows sending out their catkins. 1/2″ of snow fell.
• 2012: White Breasted Nuthatches on the nest – likely the first egg laid today. No more nest building, but two are feeding the one that stays in the bird box on the nest.

April 15

• 2012: Woke to 6″ of snow on the deck (less on the ground as it was warmer) and we got another 1″ later on in the day.

April 17

• 2007: 4″ of snow fell. First Red Crossbill Fledgelings noticed – LOTS of them – and lots of Red Crossbills in 2007 – we had a bumper crop of pine cones last summer.
• 2008: 11″ of snow fell.

April 18

• 2009: 25.5″ of snow fell.

April 19

• 2011: First small ants seen out and about. 1″ of snow fell.

April 21

• 2011: First hummingbird heard. First Mourning Dove seen.

April 22

• 2007: 1″ of snow fell.

April 23

• 2010: 11.5″ of snow fell.
• 2012: Heard (and saw) the first hummingbird of the year.

April 24

• 2011: 1″ of snow fell.

April 25

• 1998: First hummingbird heard.
• 2003: First hummingbird heard.
• 2007: 20″ of snow fell.
• 2012: The first aspen leaves were seen popping out – this year the first trees were in the valley on the shop side of the property.

April 26

• 2010: 2″ of snow fell.
• 2011: 1″ of snow fell.

April 27

• 2007: First hummingbird heard.
• 2009: 2″ of snow fell.

April 28

• 2000: First hummingbird heard.
• 2012: The White Breasted Nuthatches seem to be feeding babies today – didn’t see this type of activity yesterday.

MAY

May 1

• 2008: 2″ of snow fell.
• 2011: 5″ of snow fell.

May 3

• 2010: 1″ of snow fell.

May 4:

• 2011: White-Breasted Nuthatches are definitely on eggs in the nest in the bird box.

May 5:

• 2011: A pair of Steller’s Jays are taking sticks to and repairing the nest by the lower driveway used a few years back.
• 2011: First wild strawberry blossom seen near the garden.

May 6:

• 2011: Trees leafing out up as high as Bust, Colorado.

May 7

• 2007: 13″ of snow fell.
• 2011: First morning we didn’t need to light a fire to warm the house.

May 8:

• 2007: 1/2″ of snow fell.
• 2011: Insects are coming out – butterflies seen, crickets heard. Asters now blooming. Cinquefoil sending out leaves. Lilac bush in Woodland Park has leafs starting to separate in leaf buds. Aspen trees near buildings starting to leaf out.

May 9:

• 2004: The leaves ‘popped’ on the aspen trees. Click here to see a photo taken that day.

May 10

• 2008: 1″ of snow fell.
• 2010: First hummingbird heard.

May 11

• 2011: Snowed all day – got 10″ total. Hummingbird at the feeder.

May 12

• 2010: 1″ of snow fell.

May 13

• 2008: 1″ of snow fell
• 2011: First evenings I’ve heard the frogs.

May 14

• 2008: 3/4″ of snow fell – .49″ of precipitation (not sure if it changed over to rain or if the snow held that much water, my guess is the latter).
• 2011: The first magenta Douglas Firs blossoms (baby pinecones) starting to emerge.

May 15

• 2006: The leaves ‘popped’ on the aspen trees. Click here to see a photo taken that day.
• 2008: 4″ of snow fell. (last record of snow this year)
• 2010: 1″ of snow fell. (last record of snow this year)
• 2011: 2″ of snow fell.

May 16

• 2010: Last frost – Low was 28° F  (taken from our weather station data)

May 18

• 2011: 1/4″ of snow fell.

May 19

• 2009: .1″ of rain fell (first rain mentioned in the documentation for this year)
• 2011: 1/2″ of snow fell.

May 20

• 2009: .08″ rain
• 2011: 1/4″ of snow fell. (last snow fall recorded, though rain amounts in May were documented)

May 21

• 2009: .05″ of rain

May 22

• 1999: The aspen leaves “popped.” (from my personal journal)
• 2005: The leaves ‘popped’ on the aspen trees. Click here to see a layout of photos.
• 2009: .35″ of rain

May 23

• 2009: .53″ of rain

May 24

• 2007: 5″ of snow fell (last snow of the season)
• 2009: .49″ of rain
• 2011: The deer are starting to shed their winter coats in earnest. 1/4″ of snow fell (last snow of the season).

May 25

• 2009: .43″ of rain

May 26

• 2011: A dramatic increase in the number of hummingbirds at the feeder today. Looks like the female Broadtail Hummingbirds have arrived.

May 28

• 2008: The aspen leaves finally ‘popped’ after starting to leaf out on the 22nd only to be halted by a cold snap.
• 2011: The aspen leaves finally ‘popped’ after starting to leaf out on the 22nd only to be halted by a cold snap.

 

JUNE

June 9

• 2011: The wild iris are in bloom in wet areas – started sometime in the past week while I was gone. No real ‘rivers’ of iris this year, though. Ponderosa Pollen starting to fly.

June 11

• 2011: In bloom on the property: small asters, wallflowers, showy locoweed, small (3″) variety of penstemons, a few dandelions – not many of any of them due to the lack of moisture.

June 13

• 2011: The white-breasted nuthatch babies can be heard very loudly now and also beating their wings inside the bird box. The adults are bringing insects and ‘teasing’ them to come out by showing them the insect and then coming back out with it and stuffing it in cracks in the bark around the bird box with strong pounding. Later in the day I did see a baby looking out the hole in the bird box momentarily.

June 14

• 2011: Watched one of the baby White-breasted Nuthatches make its way out of the bird box and slowly (with encouragement from an adult) make its way up the tree the bird box is on.
• 2011: Violet-Green Swallows arrived – checking out the bird box currently occupied by the nuthatches – the one where they successfully nested last year.

June 15

• 2011: Wild Geraniums opening the first blossoms of the season – pollen from the Ponderosa trees is starting to fly.

June 22

• 2011: Western Tiger Swallowtail Butterflies have returned and are heavily feeding on the lilac blooms which are starting to fade.

June 30

• 2009: White-breasted Nuthatches around with fledgelings teaching them how to forage.

JULY

July 4

• 2011: Blooming in the National Forest along Cedar Mtn Rd – Pussy Toes – Black Eyed Susan (just starting to bloom) – Bedstraw – Mouse-Eared Chickweed – Rosy Pussy Toes – Tall Chiming Bells – Lambert Locoweed (past their prime & going to seed) – Sticky Geranium (only a few) – Richardson Geranium (quite abundant) – Wild Rose (in full bloom) – Colorado Columbine – Meadow Rue – Indian Paintbrush – Daisy/Aster (small white ones)  really not sure which type – Fairy Trumpets or Scarlet Gilia – Yellow Stone Crop (blooming in abundance) – Shooting Stars – Spreading Dogbane – Penstemon (larger ones – Whipple Penstemon?) – Leafy Cinquefoil – Butter and Eggs – Yarrow (just starting to come out) – Harebells (just starting to come out) – Fireweed – Yellow Mountain Parsley
• 2011: Just noticing a few of the grasses starting to bloom.

July 8

• 2011: The monsoon moisture arrived this week.

July 14

• 2011: First wild onion found blooming on the property.

July 24

• 2011: First Rufous hummingbird seen.

July 29

• 2011: Found a half green and half yellow aspen leaf on the driveway this morning. Looked at the surrounding aspen trees, but didn’t see any more.

AUGUST

August 14

• 2011: The squirrels and birds have started to harvest the green Ponderosa Pine cones that obviously are now ripe in their opinion.

August 17

• 2011: First snow on Pikes Peak – 2″ reported.

August 20-21

• 2011: Most of the male hummingbirds left over the weekend.

August 27

• 2011: First flecking of the aspen – just spots of yellow flecks in the stands of the trees.

SEPTEMBER

September 7

• 2011: Lit the first fire in the wood stove – two overcast and rainy days have left the house colder without the passive solar heat of the sun. Still hearing an occasional hummingbird. Evening Grosbeaks flocking to the feeder – at least a couple of dozen or so.

September 18

• 2011: Last day to see a hummingbird at our house.

September 20

• 2009: 1″ of snow (first snow according to this documentation, though it doesn’t directly state it is)

September 21

• 2009: 4″ of snow fell.
• 2011: First frost this morning – a light frost, but a frost nonetheless.

September 22

• 2009: 1″ of snow fell

September 23

• 2009: 3″ of snow fell

September 26

• 2008: Aspen at their peak of color

OCTOBER

October 1

• 2011: Aspen at their peak – though a couple of areas seemed to reach it between this day and Sept. 28

October 6

• 2011: First snow falling – no accumulation though.

October 8

• 2011: First measurable snow of the season at home – total of 9.5″ on the deck (less, of course on the warm ground)

October 9

• 2009: 1″ of snow fell

October 10

• 2006: 6″ of snow (think this was the first snow, but the documentation doesn’t say for certain)

October 12

• 2010: 1″ Snow (think this was the first snow, but the documentation doesn’t say for certain)

October 14

• 2007: 4″ of snow fell (think this was the first snow, but the documentation doesn’t say for certain)

October 15

• 2011: Trail cam picked up the first known raccoon on this property (Mike’s seen them in divide, but not out here in the subdivision before)

October 18

• 2006: 3″ of snow fell.

October 21

• 2007: We woke to 3″ of snow with more predicted for the day. Ended up with 9″ of snow.

October 22

• 2008: First measurable snow of the season. Woke to 9.5″ (had 10″ total) on the deck and about 4″ on the ground. Field Journal Layout
• 2009: 12″ of snow fell.
• 2010: 1/2″ of snow fell.

October 25

• 2010:  1/4″ snow fell.

October 26

• 2011: First snowfall in Colorado Springs, Denver and Ft. Collins. Snow at home as well, but not the first snow.

October 27

• 2006: 32″ of snow fell.
• 2009: 5.5″ of snow fell.

October 29

• 2009: 23″ of snow fell.

October 30

• 2011: We finished splitting and stacking the wood for the winter.

NOVEMBER

November 1

• 2010: 1/2″ of snow fell.
• 2011: 11″ Snow started at about 8:00 PM on the 1st and ended about 10:00 AM on the 2nd. Lots of wind and drifting – amount is an average in areas somewhat protected by the wind.

November 5

• 2011: snow showers moving through starting at 3 PM – only ended up with a skiff of snow (1/8″ – 1/4″) – not added to the total.

November 8

• 2006: 4″ of snow fell.

November 11

• 2010: 2.5″ of snow fell.

November 15

• 2009: 11″ of snow fell

November 18

• 2006: 4″ of snow fell.

November 21

• 2007: 4″ of snow fell.

November 22

• 2010: 1″ of snow fell.

November 23

• 2007: 1″ of snow fell.
• 2009: 1/2″ of snow fell.

November 27

• 2008: 1″ of snow fell.

November 28

• 2007: 1/4″ of snow fell.

November 29

• 2008: 1/2″ of snow fell.
• 2010: 4″ of snow fell.
• 2011: Deer appear to be in full rut right now – saw a barely 4×4 buck in hot pursuit of a doe today with quite a swollen neck from the hormones.

November 30

• 2008: 5″ of snow fell.

DECEMBER

December 1

• 2011: Snow today! Ended up with about 6″ on the deck – less on the ground as the past week has been in the 50′s and almost 60° F one day so the ground is warm.

December 2

• 2009: 1″ of snow fell

December 3

• 2011: 4″ of snow on the deck.

December 4

• 2008: 2.5″ of snow fell.

December 5

• 2011: 2″ of more snow on the deck this morning.

December 6

• 2009: 2″ of snow fell

December 8

• 2007: 5″ of snow fell.
• 2009: 2″ of snow fell.

December 9

• 2008: 10″ of snow fell.

December 11

• 2007: 4″ of snow fell.

December 14

• 2007: 1/2″ of snow fell.
• 2008: 2″ of snow fell.
• 2011: 1″ of snow fell in the morning.

December 17

• 2010: 2″ of snow fell.

December 20

• 2011: 4″ of snow fell on the 19th and overnight. The 20th dawned with a mostly clear sky, though.

December 21

• 2006: 28″ of snow fell.

December 22

• 2011: 13″ of snow fell from the 21st through the 22nd.

December 24

• 2006: 4″ of snow fell.
• 2009: 6″ of snow fell.

December 26

• 2008: 1″ of snow fell.

December 30

• 2006: 26″ of snow fell.

December 31

• 2010: 7.5″ of snow fell.

WINTER SNOWFALL AMOUNTS

Winter 2011 – 2012 (Total: 81.50″)

Winter 2010-2011 (Total: 75.75″) – most of it came in dribs and drabs throughout the winter. While much of the rest of Colorado north of us received record snowfall, we could only see the teasings of it. So often the clouds hung on the edge of South Park, but refused to make it over a few more miles to us.

Winter 2007-2008 (Total: 132″)