When you check the Events Calendar on the Crossroads at Big Creek website (and we hope you do frequently), it looks like things are slowing down at Crossro ds. Looks can be deceiving! Our restoration efforts have ramped up into the planting phase. And it really seems l " “Every Day IS Earth Day.” thanks to a full schedule of field trips and Earth Day events for students ranging from kindergarten to college level, plus we are hosting a number of private events as well.
But scheduling public interpretive programs is almost as daunting as assembling the May field trip jigsaw puzzle. Spring is glorious but unpredictable! When will the warblers be dripping from the trees? When will the spring ephemerals bloom in the woods? How long before the woodcocks stop dancing and the frogs stop their nightly choruses? Even in a normal weather year—2024 certainly has not been—it's hard to predict.
The word used to describe our woodland ponds and spring wildflowers---ephemerals—means "lasting for a very short period of time." But when will that very short period be for each species?
When talking about woodland ponds, we hope they don't dry up until the tadpoles go through metamorphosis.
Woodland wildflowers must bloom, be pollinated, and set seed, and their foliage must collect energy during the very short period between thaw and the day when unfurling tree leaves thrust the plants into shade.
Complicating predictions, wildflowers have evolved to stagger their blooming dates so different floral species do not have to compete for pollinators (and consequently, pollinators have a constant supply of nectar and poll n). Also, very brief blooming periods can become even shorter if driving rain or winds strip the petals from the flowers.
Weather strongly influences the time migrating birds will use Door County for their midflight stop over. If wind direction and weather conditions are favorable, birds might rest and feed for a very short time or fly right over us. Bad weather may ground the migrating birds for a week, sometimes even more.
Watch our website—or follow Crossroads at Big Creek on Facebook for Pop-Up Events—which will be published a day or so before the outings---- to learn the topics, times, and meeting locations.
The State Bee Inspector is coming! The inspector is from the Department of Trade, Agriculture, and Consumer Protection. That sounds ominous to us. You might expect the Door County Beekeepers to tremble in their Wellington boots, but the beekeeper's LOVE State Bee Inspector Donna Stine is remarkably helpful.
On Tuesday, May 21, Donna will conduct a Hive Dive at the Crossroads Apiary at 5:30 p.m. (bee suits are recommended), followed by a lecture on "What to Look for When Inspecting Your Hive" at their 6:30 p.m. monthly meeting.
Saturday, May 11, 6:30 AM Global Big Day Bird Hike Crossroads invites learners of all ages to participate in birding's largest community science team by participating in the Global Big Day. Bring binoculars if you have them, and it will be helpful if you have the MERLIN APP loaded on your cell phone. We plan to be out for about two hours and will report our bird observations using eB Rd. Meet by the new interpretive signs by The Cove Estuary Parking Lot, 817 S. 18th Avenue, Sturgeon Bay.
Tuesday, May 21
5:30 pm Hive Dive with the Bee Inspec or. (wear your bee suit)
6:30 pm Door County Beekeepers May Meeting
State Bee Inspector Donna Stiles will give her presentation on “"hat to Look For When Inspecting Your Hive.” Also, report on the status of Wisconsin beehives for 2023-2 24. Free and open to the public. Meet at the Collins Learning Center 2041 Michigan, Sturgeon Bay