2007

April 21: Not much change over the last week. The cherry outside the office seems to be losing all of its petals in a hurry now. Dogwoods still in bloom, and some azaleas. Weather has been beautiful for the last several days--clear and bright, no clouds. Headed for a high of 81 today. There are still lots of small black tadpoles amongst the cat tails, but fewer of them. Green pond scum starting to form in the pond. White oaks have sprouted from acorns in Governor's Club. If you pull one up, the nut remains attached and you can see that the acorn was two to three inches under the surface. Not clear how they get buried that way.
April 14: Hard rain starting at midnight lasting to noon. Pond still teeming with quarter inch black tadpoles. Pond water not too murky. New cattail leaves 2-3 feet high. Duckweed starting to grow. Willows are in flower.
April 13: The maple in front of the office is still hanging on to its seeds, but other maples down the street have shed most of theirs. At least two different species have shed seeds and leafed in, one with larger leaves and seeds. Saw my first tentworm yesterday afternoon, and it looked full grown. Some others were crawling out of their tents. Longleaf pine tree flowers are still tight and do not look like they've opened. Lower Booker Creek is a little swollen but clear. Dogwoods not losing petals there. Lenten roses are in full bloom. After one day of rain, the bottom lands by Booker Creek are flooded or swampy. Saw the first rabbit I've seen this year. Swarms of gnats out. 57 at noon.
April 12: Rain stopped early this morning. Azaleas in my front yard noticeably wilted, dogwoods seem to be losing petals. Wisteria blossoms wilted and colorless, but still there. There was a breeze at lunchtime that blew the petals off the cherry tree outside my office around--they were so light that they followed the breeze around the corner of the building. Today the sweetgum outside my window seems to have shed lots of its flowers. Not much pollen. Saw a group of about four does at Governor's Club last night, apparently grazing on grass or clover--first I've seen in a while. There was no moon, and they vanished into the brush after watching me for a few seconds.
April11: It is raining today, but the rain does not appear to be knocking any blooms loose. The maple tree outside the office still hasn't leafed in and is hanging on to its seeds, which have wings but aren't dry.
April 10: According to Dot at the North Carolina botanical garden, the following wildflowers are in bloom around Chapel Hill (I have personally seen the starred ones and am taking Dot's word on the rest): columbine,* witch alder,* eastern blue star,* common golden alexander, creeping phlox, Jacob's ladder,* wild azalea,* red buckeye,* sweet shrub, lousewort, dwarf iris,* crested iris,* foamflower,* wild geranium or crane's bill, golden seal, trillium grandiflorum,* Virginia bluebells,* mountain doghobble, bellwort, Jack in the pulpit,* gooseberry, flame azalea,* horse sugar, sand myrtle, bird's foot violet,* may apple,* chickweed.
April 9: The temperature dropped below freezing over the weekend. Redbuds now gone, wisteria still in bloom but faded. Dogwood, azaleas still in full bloom. Fresh deer tracks near the house today. Trees on some hardwoods look wilted, perhaps by the freeze. Cherry trees in full bloom.
April 6: No changes in what's in bloom. Pollen lighter. They say it was supposed to get near freezing last night, but the blooms do not appear to be any worse off. Supposed to be colder tonight, so we will see. 54 degrees at 5:18.
April 5: No changes on what's in bloom. Pollen slightly lighter but still falling. Wisteria blooms slightly faded since yesterday. 53º at 3:30, with a sharp temperature fall overnight to below freezing. Oaks and other hardwoods are still dropping their flowers, suggesting pollination is complete. Questions: What happens to a hardwood tree when there is a freeze after the sap has risen? Will a freeze kill all the recently-formed acorn embryos? If so, next winter could be hard on the deer.
April 4: Moon two days past full--this Sunday is Easter. All flowers from yesterday still in bloom. Most trees look completely leafed in, although not darkened yet. Pollen still heavy, buy not quite as heavy as yesterday. Oak and sweet gum flowers are falling everywhere, with oak flowers gathering in small clumps in the street and getting blown around like little tumbleweeds. Azaleas are in bloom and have been for a week. Wisteria may be at its peak. The only white wisteria I have seen this year is one bloom on Weaver Dairy Rd. Low 80's in the afternoon.
April 3,: Moon one day past full. Redbuds and dogwoods have been in bloom about a week. Forsythia bright yellow and full. Leaves appear to be out or partially out on all trees, although still pale. Wild violets, spring beauties, green and gold, pickerel weed, bloodroot all in bloom. Tentworms still in their tents. No mosquitoes out. Pollen heavy and has been since late last week--thick yellow coating on everything outdoors. 83º at 5:30 p.m.