Spring is definitely upon us, so let’s take a look at the April Observations at the Cove…
JANUARY | FEBRUARY | MARCH | APRIL | MAY | JUNE| JULY | AUGUST | SEPTEMBER | OCTOBER | NOVEMBER | DECEMBER
April Flora…
Plants continue to flower…Fringe Tree, some azaleas still in bloom, numerous coreopsis, spiderwort, walking Iris, petunia, roses…the rudbeckia is close to blooming. Thunbergia, Honeysuckle, and Confederate Jasmine are in bloom by the 18th of the month. Wildflowers blooming along the highway including Mullein. This year’s oaks continue to have an abundant leaf drop and are still in the process of putting on their new leaves. Wisteria is finishing up blooming and our dogwood had a nice bloom in early April. Also in early April, the leaves of Pecan trees were budding out.
April Fauna…
Deer are still seen along the side of the roads and an occasional turkey. Hemingway is still around fishing in the pond. Haven’t seen any gators recently. Small lubbers are everywhere and easily killed in the early morning and evenings. Bullfrogs sound strong, whip-poor-wills heard in the morning along with the now yearly call of the Sandhill Cranes out in the prairie. Owls and hawks are also a continued part of the day and evening homestead wildlife. Armadillo’s activity is starting to pick up. Mosquitos are prevalent in the early morning and evening. Had the first sign of Deer Fly on the last day of April (’16) in the late evening. Dragonflies are becoming active. Several Geese are heard on the lake once again.
April Celestial Observations…
- April 2: the Moon passes 5° from Regulus (mag 1.35) in the evening.
- April 5: Mars passes 2°49’ from Tejat (mag 2.9) in the evening.
- April 6: Full Pink Moon; the Moon passes 2°36’ from Spica (mag 1.0) in the evening.
- April 7: the Moon passes 4°49’ from Spica (mag 1.0) in the morning.
- April 10: the Moon passes 1°33’ from Antares (mag 1.0) in the morning;
- April 11: Venus (mag -4.1) passes 2°31’ from the Pleiades (mag 1.2) in the evening; Jupiter in the solar conjunction; Mercury (mag 0.0) reaches evening elongation.
- April 15: Neptune’s (mag 7.9) morning visibility begins.
- April 16: Saturn (mag 1.0) passes 3°29’ from the Moon in the morning.
- April 20: Hybrid solar eclipse; New Moon.
- April 21: Mercury goes retrograde.
- April 22: Mercury (mag 2.4) passes 3°50’ from Uranus (mag 5.8) in the morning; the Moon passes 4°28’ from the Pleiades (mag 1.2).
- April 23: April Lyrid meteor shower’s peak; the Moon passes 1°17’ from Venus (mag -4.2) in the morning.
- April 24: π-Puppid meteor shower’s peak.
- April 25: Mercury’s visibility ends.
- April 26: the Moon passes 3°36′ from Mars (mag 1.3) and 2°07’ from Pollux (mag 1.1) in the evening.
- April 27: Uranus’ visibility ends.
- April 29: the Moon passes 3°48’ from Regulus (mag 1.4).
