Discover and Document Changes in Nature Near You

Track changes in the timing of plant and animal seasonal activity with the Nature's Notebook program. See what it’s like to be a Nature’s Notebook observer in this video from our partners at Audubon Starr Ranch:

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YOUR OBSERVATION DECK

Join a Data Collection Campaign

Nature's Notebook Campaigns focus on species of particular interest to researchers and natural resource managers. Find a campaign near you to join!

 

Green Wave

 

Flowers for Bats

 

Nectar Connectors

 

Redbud Phenology Project

 

Quercus Quest

 

Cloned and Common Lilacs
 
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View Species

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Sugar Maple
Acer saccharum

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Common Milkweed
Asclepias syriaca

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Allen's hummingbird
Selasphorus sasin

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American Bullfrog
Aquarana catesbeiana

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Mayfly
Hexagenia spp.

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Creosote bush
Larrea tridentata
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Bring Phenology to your Classroom

Explore our phenology-focused lesson plans for grade levels from Kindergarten to Post-secondary, and learn how you can use Nature's Notebook with your students.

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Learn How Your Data Are Used

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Weather impacts autumn phenology differently in the eastern and western U.S.

Mon, May 04, 2026
Publication Summary

The timing of phenological events in autumn like leaf color and leaf fall have important consequences for nutrient cycling, species interactions, and even tourism. However, there has been less research on autumn phenology than spring phenology and the effects of temperature, precipitation, and day length are not well understood. To fill this gap, researchers used Nature’s Notebook observations of autumn phenology from woody plant species across the U.S. They found strong regional differences. Leaf color in the eastern U.S. was driven primary by summer temperatures, whereas in the western U.S., leaf color change was influenced more strongly by precipitation that occurred more than six months prior. Given these differences, the effects of climate change are likely to be complex. Increased temperatures may extend the growing season for some plants and increased drought may shorten the growing season for others.

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Nature’s Notebook observations reveal clear changes in New Jersey

Mon, Mar 09, 2026
Publication Summary

Global temperatures are increasing and the impacts are numerous and wide ranging. Temperatures have been rising at a particularly fast rate in the northeastern U.S., including many densely populated areas like New Jersey. To document environmental changes and better understand the impacts of climate change in this region since the mid-1960s, researchers gathered data on sea and air temperatures, lake ice, and snowfall. They complimented the weather data with observations of spring leaf-out and flowering in local lilac plants. The researchers found clear evidence of climate change, with notable increases in both daytime and nighttime temperatures and earlier spring plant activity. These changes will have numerous economic, social, and ecological impacts. Among other effects, earlier spring onset has the potential to alter plant-pollinator interactions and the length of the pollen and growing seasons.

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2026 Heat Accumulation vs Rodent Prognostication

Mon, Feb 02, 2026
Seasonal Story

On February 2, 2026, Punxsutawney Phil made his annual prediction of what the next six weeks of weather will bring. According to Phil, more winter is on the way! But what does the science say?

Our maps of heat accumulation provide a more scientific look at how much heat has accumulated so far this year, and what's next. Our maps show that heat accumulation is ahead of schedule in much of the west, on time in the Midwest and upper Northeast, and behind schedule in the East.

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Explore the Glossary

See definitions of terms used in descriptions of plant and animal phenophases.

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