Sunlight & Seasons Signs of Spring: Observations for May 2010 From barn swallows to BioBlitz, we have a lot to celebrate this month. Alaska reports their first mosquito sightings. Warblers, hummingbirds, and grosbeaks are making their way north. Did you know barn swallows migrate 4,000 miles and more each spring and fall? Investigate a BioBlitz and consider having one at your school. News: BioBlitz is the Buzz Observations: What's Happening to Sunlight? Explore: Barn Swallows Year-end Evaluation: Please Share Your Thoughts Would you expect a flying visitor 40 miles from shore? Take a closer look... News: BioBlitz is the Buzz Biodiversity BioBlitz We usually hear the word "biodiversity" in regard to rainforests with their vast number of species. Yet the diversity of life in our own backyards is phenomenal. We take for granted clean water, fertile soil, and air to breathe. Yet these are all the result of working ecosystems filled with species that perform these tasks. Start a BioBlitz at Your School A BioBlitz is an intense 24-hour survey of all the biodiversity in an area; everything from birds and mammals to mosses and fungi. The very first BioBlitz was held in 2003 at Central Park in New York City. That year they discovered a completely new species of centipede! You never know what you will find until you start looking! Maybe some of you could have a BioBlitz at your school. Other News: Bird watchers are enjoying early arrivals of their spring favorites. Warblers have arrived in Juneau, Alaska. Rose-breasted Grosbeaks and Baltimore Orioles were reported this week in Middleville, Michigan. Spring wouldn't be right without a spring snowstorm. One was reported in Norwich, Vermont May 28. And, last but not least, the news from Palmer, Alaska: "For Alaska, no other sign of spring can be more noticeable and more annoying than the return of mosquitoes!! Over the past 4 days, a few big, slow, spring emergers have been cruising around the school grounds. The numbers are still small, but they've definitely come out. Soon, another sure sign of Spring will be noticed - the smell of insect repellent!" Read all Other Recent Spring Sighting Reports Here What's Happening to the Sunlight? A lot has happened since we started noticing and tracking the sunlight last fall. Isn't it amazing what you notice when you keep track from month to month? You might not see much from day to day, but sunlight has changed dramatically through the school year. Let's take a look! Imagine you're in space looking at Earth on the morning of May 1: This is what you'd see... How is sunlight changing? Explore: Barn Swallows Slideshow Did you know that a Barn Swallow might fly 600 miles in a single day in order to capture enough insects to eat? These amazing neotropical migrants fly thousands of miles each spring to arrive in your hometown! Slideshow: Barn Swallows: Migration Champions This spring and summer watch for barn swallow nests. They are big, made of mud, and found in barn rafters and under bridges. Watch for the birds nearby. They are amazing acrobats in the sky. Slideshow Year-end Evaluation: Please Share Your Thoughts Will you take a few minutes to complete our Year-end Evaluation? With your help, we can we document Journey North's reach, impact and value. We need comments like yours to keep the program going and growing. Year-end Evaluation: Please Share Your Thoughts Resources to Explore Slideshow: Barn Swallows: Migration Champions Student Journal: What signs tell you spring has arrived? Report: Leaf Out Handout: Signs of Spring Checklist (grades 4+) Report all other observations(Choose the sighting or event that best fits!) Maps: Spring events and Signs of Spring Journal Handout: Signs of Spring: Clues About Seasonal Change Tool: Sunrise/Sunset Data Teachers: About Signs of the Seasons Photo: Wayne Kryduba What's happening here? Check it out! This is our final report for the season. Thank you for your participation in Signs of Spring!

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