1 Could 2024
Since our final spring checkup six weeks in the past, Pittsburgh has galloped into summer time. Final weekend we had July-in-April climate with official highs of 83°F and even increased on the town.
Carla felt the warmth at 10am on 29 April as she shaded her chicks and gular fluttered (panted) to chill herself off.
Pittsburgh just isn’t alone. In a large swath of the U.S. from Iowa to New York spring was 20+ days early this 12 months. In Pittsburgh practically half of April was greater than 10°F above regular whereas we had just one chilly day at 12°F beneath regular.
So what temperature ought to we anticipate if we’re solely 20 days forward of schedule? April twenty ninth must have been like a standard 19 Could however it was method past that.
The warmth prompted the bushes to leaf out early and flowers to bloom forward of schedule. Maples and buckeyes are in full leaf now and our oaks are at flower+leaf stage as proven at prime. The leaves are internet hosting meals for birds within the type of tiny caterpillars, so …
Migratory birds are benefiting from the south winds and early leaf out. Since 27 April we’ve seen our first scarlet tanagers, rose-breasted grosbeaks, Baltimore orioles, indigo buntings and warblers.
Charity Kheshgi has been documenting our good luck with warblers at Frick Park. Discover the scale of the leaves in her pictures!
p.s. And the place am I? Proper now I’m at Magee Marsh per week forward of The Greatest Week in American Birding. I don’t anticipate to see the swarms of migratory birds that will probably be right here subsequent week (I’m leaving on 3 Could) however I’ll be taught what occurs earlier than the individuals present up and why everybody waits till subsequent week. 😉
(credit are within the captions)
