2001 Phenology:

January

(1/15) Robins in downtown La Crosse

(1/15) Bluebirds near Winona

February

(2/7) Two Squirrel bodies on big loop

(2/8) Nuthatches, Gold Finch, House Finch, Brown Creeper, Downy Woodpecker and Titmouse on Mouse Tree Loop feeding station

(2/8) Six Deer crossing the railroad tracks 12:30 pm

(2/10) Pair of Bluebirds in La Crescent

March

(3/2) Open water on the La Crosse River Marsh

(3/6-3/15) White-throated Sparrow at 15th St. & Market St.

(3/11) Canada Geese and Mallards in the Marsh

(3/19) Great Blue Heron in the Marsh, Killdeer, Flickers, and Robins

(3/20) Spider crawling on a log

(3/21) Pair bonding - Cardinals, Mourning Doves

(3/21) House Finches carrying nesting material

(3/21) Gold Finches changing color

(3/21) In the Marsh - 6-8 Song Sparrows, American Tree Sparrow, Common Grackle (new in marsh), Red-winged blackbird (bigger #'s now), Sharp-shinned Hawk, American Kestrel (defending territory against hawk), Wood Duck, American Widgeon, Gadwall, Black Duck, Ring-necked Duck, Lesser Scaup, Bufflehead, Robins, Great Blue Heron

(3/23) Turkey Vulture over the bluff

(3/26) Cedar Waxwings

(3/29) Bluebirds in Holmen

(3/29) Coots, Egrets, Blue-wing Teal in the Marsh

April

(4/2) Northern Shovelers

(4/3) Lots (12-15) of large flocks of Vultures

(4/4) Mourning Cloak in Hixon Forest

(4/4) Tree Swallows

(4/5) First lightening & thunder in La Crosse this year

(4/9) Woodchuck by Myrick Park Zoo

(4/16) Marsh trails flooded

(4/17) Yellow-headed blackbird & Pied-billed Grebes

(4/18) Mississippi crested at 16.41 feet

(4/19) Cedar Waxwings

(4/24) Northern Mockingbird, Baltimore Oriole, White-throated Sparrow, Lesser Yellow Legs, Green Heron, Pine Siskin, Blue-grey Gnat Catcher, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Spotted Sandpiper, Ruddy Duck

(4/26) Lots of Dragonflies, Kinglets, Yellow-rumped Warbler

(4/27) Rue Anemone, Bellwort, Wood Anemone, Common Blue Butterfly, Blood Root, Dutchman's Breeches

(4/30) Jack in Pulpit

May

(5/3) Mourning Dove Fledged - 1st batch

(5/4) Rufous-sided Towhees on Bur Oak Trail

(5/4) Jack in Pulpits all over

(5/8) Tunnels no longer under water

(5/15) Monarch on Sumac Trail

(5/25) Robin eating homemade Peanut Suet

June

(6/11) Wrens fledging from house outside of the Nature Center

(6/25) Yellow-headed blackbird and Orioles in the Marsh

July

(7/1) A deer outside the Nature Center

(7/23) A deer by the tunnels

(7/30) Male Rose-breasted Grosbeak and two young fledglings in the Mullberry tree outside the Nature Center

August

We must have been busy. Nothing is in my book!

September

(9/4) Timber Rattlesnake on Sumac Trail (evening)

(9/4) Philadelphia Vireo on Lookout Trail

(9/6) Indian Pipe Blooming

(9/26) River Otters playing in the La Crosse River Marsh (4)

(9/27) Timber Rattlesnake on Sumac Trail

October

(10/3) Junco in Upper Hixon Forest

(10/21) Bat roosting in doorway in downtown La Crosse

(10/24) Snowlakes fell - no accumulation

(10/24) American Kestral catches mouse in the Prairie behind the Nature Center and sits on a wire while eating it. Staff watches in awe!

(10/?) My incredible sighting was a River Otter Family in the La Crosse River Marsh. Two young and two adults. They were eating tubers, and came within 10 feet of me!

November

(11/2) Monarchs flying south

(11/2) Dragonflies

(11/2) Sulphur Butterfly

(11/2) Cloudless Sulphur Butterfly

(11/2) Very Warm!

(11/3) La Crosse River Marsh - Black Duck, American Widgeon, Green Teal, Canada Geese, Mallards, Pileated Woodpecker, Downy Woodpecker, Red-winged Blackbird, American Kestral, Mosquitoes

(11/3) American Kestrel eating a mouse outside the Nature Center!

(11/5) Fox crossing Bliss Road

(11/6) La Crosse River Marsh - Garter Snake, Turtle, Sulphur Butterfly & Dragonfly

(11/7) Dragonflies