APRIL NATURE NOTES
by Katie Andersen
Our April showers may sometimes be of the snow variety, but this month is when the signs of spring really become noticeable in the Erie area. The dawn chorus begins to pick up, our first larger influx of migrating birds can be seen, and wildflowers dot the landscape. Here are some of April’s Nature Happenings to watch for this month.
Early spring wildflowers are in peak bloom. Check along the trails of Presque Isle, Erie Bluffs, Asbury Woods, and other local green spaces for flowers like Spring Beauty (pictured left), Dogtooth Violet, Trout Lily, and more.
Migration picks up for numerous nocturnal migrants. Use BirdCast to keep an eye on large movements and help these migrating birds by turning out lights at night.
Early April: look for migrants like Eastern Phoebe, Eastern Towhee, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Brown Creeper, Fox Sparrow, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Common Snipe, and Tree Swallows.
Pine Warbler. Connor Vara
Late April: migrants to watch for include Brown Thrasher, Ruby-crowned Kinglet, Pine Warbler, Palm Warbler, American Bittern, Chimney Swift, Chipping Sparrow, Barn Swallow, and Caspian Tern.
Adult Purple Martins return by the middle of the month. Follow their migration at www.purplemartin.org
Listening to Woodcock peent. Jason Bojczyk
American Woodcock continue their courtship flights. Look for them just before sundown in the open areas along the east end of Presque Isle.
Great Horned Owls have young on the nest.
Northern Cardinals, Black-capped Chickadees, and Eastern Bluebirds begin nesting.
White-throated Sparrows begin singing.
Turkey Vulture. Katie Andersen
South winds bring waves of raptors along Lake Erie. Look for hawks such as Red-tailed, Broad-winged, Rough-legged, and Northern Harriers, as well as Bald Eagles, Osprey, and Turkey Vultures. When winds come straight out of the south, kettles of migrating raptors can be viewed soaring overhead from the Tom Ridge Environmental Center parking lot. Check out the daily reports HERE.
Spring Peeper Calling. Katie Andersen
Spring Peeper frogs are calling.
Mourning Cloak and Comma butterflies emerge from hibernation. They can sometimes be found nectaring from sap wells made by Sapsuckers.
Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and Baltimore Orioles return around the First of May, with a few early birds typically arriving in the last few days of April.
Have feeders up by the end of April.
Both hummingbirds and orioles will come to a CLEAR sugar water mixture of 1 part table sugar to 4 parts water.
Orioles may also be attracted with orange halves and grape jelly.
Key April 2023 Dates
Earth Day— April 22nd.
Arbor Day— April 28th.
April 6th: Full Moon.
April 20: New Moon.