Northeast Iowa Mini Almanac

First migratory waterfowl spotted:
March 9, 2007
March 1, 2008
March 6, 2009

March 8, 2010
March 3, 2011
February 21, 2012
Ice-out at the Blackhawk Bridge:
Third week of March 2008
Feb. 24, 2009

Feb. 22, 2010
March 11, 2011
By late January
When snow falls thrice on the robin's head:
April 12, 2008 (and snowed again on 4/28/08)

2009: Forgot to notice but it was way more than 3 times before it was all done
About April 30, 2011
Peak lilac season:
May 20, 2008

May 15, 2009

May 1, 2010
May 20, 2011
Last killing frost:
Second week of April 2008
Night of May 16, 2009

Night of April 27, 2010
About April 30, 2011

First firefly sighted:
June 19, 2008
June 13, 2009
June 12, 2010

June-bearing strawberries at peak:
June 18, 2008
June 21, 2009
2010--totally missed them
High Temp on the 4th of July:
2008: 81 degrees F. (and down to 55 that night!)
2009: 78 degrees F. (kinda cloudy and depressing)
2010: 80 and rainy (we weren't here)
2011: 89
The day we broke down and turned on the a/c for the first time:
July 16, 2008

June 17, 2009, because we are incredibly spoiled with the geothermal system and we just wanted to see if it works (it does)
May 24, 2010!! Unbelievable.
May 11, 2011 - some of us are wimps
Last firefly sighted:
August 12, 2008
August 23, 2009
August 16, 2010
First killing frost:
About October 15, 2008
October 10, 2009
The day we broke down and turned on the heat for the first time:
2008 - Doesn't count - heat didn't work till October 23
September 29, 2009
October 16, 2010
First flakes of snow:
About October 20, 2008
About October 10, 2009
First time the plows run:
November 30, 2007
December 5, 2008
December 7, 2009
December 4, 2010
First tundra swan sighted:
3rd week of November 2008
October 30, 2009
October 29, 2010
October 20, 2011
First subzero (F) temperature:
About December 1, 2008
December 9, 2009