By Richard B. Primack
“You only need sit still long enough in some attractive spot in the woods that all its inhabitants may exhibit themselves to you by turns.” Henry David Thoreau in Walden
Since 1903, volunteers at the Fairbanks Museum in St. Johnsbury, Vermont have been displaying the first blooms of the local flora on a “Wildflower Table” and recording their observations in logbooks. Volunteers have also been recording the first spring arrival dates of migratory birds. Amanda Gallinat, from Colby College, and I worked with the Museum staff to analyze how these plants and birds are affected by changes in temperature. The Museum recently mounted an exhibit to highlight our findings in a series of posters.
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| Photo 1: Amanda Gallinat and I meeting with staff behind the Wildflower Table. Note the posters behind us. |
Amanda Gallinat, several of her students, and I presented our results in a lecture, and met with the public afterwards during a reception.
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| Photo 2: I am presenting an overview of the project to the Museum audience. |
Our analysis reveals a clear trend in spring-blooming wildflowers: plants are flowering earlier over time, and warmer springs lead to earlier blooming. In contrast, migratory birds are not consistently shifting their migration timing. This means some migratory birds may be out of sync with their food sources.
We are grateful for the many decades of committed volunteers and Museum staff who have maintained these records of first blooms and bird migration.
Here is a link to the exhibit: LINK
