May treats us to two full Moons! The first full Moon known as the Flower Moon occurs at 1:23PM EDT on Friday, May 1st, 2026. This exact moment when the Moon is officially full occurs when the Moon is below our horizon. Remember being able to see a full Moon at the exact moment it’s 100% illuminated depends on your location. The full Moon alignment happens at one specific moment in time, regardless of the observer’s time of day or location on Earth. But no worries the Flower Moon will still be round and full when it rises at 8:47PM EDT. In fact, weather permitting, the Moon will look full on April 30th and May 2nd as well. The Algonquin people have been given credit for the Flower Moon name that honors beautiful and colorful wildflowers such as bluebells, lupin, violets, anemones, sundrops, and so many more that bloom during May. While Flower Moon is the most common name for May’s full Moon there are other nature-inspired spring names – as this Moon is not only the harbinger of all the beautiful wildflowers to come, but also of trees and bushes leafing out, migrating birds returning, butterflies and moths appearing, and baby animals of all kinds being born. Some of these names are based on other plant observations, for example the Cree call this Moon the Budding Moon and the Leaf Budding Moon. The Dakota and Lakota people call this Moon the Planting Moon as May is when seeds are planted. The Abenaki call this Moon the Field Maker Moon, and the Winnebago call it the Corn Moon. There are also animal inspired names for the May Moon. If you’ve been at the Wilderness Center, you’ve heard the beautiful call of the spring peepers. The Cree heard the frogs too and called this the Frog Moon. And the Oglala call it the Moon of the Shedding Ponies. All these names reflect the changes warmer weather brings. The second full Moon is a Blue Moon that occurs on Sunday, May 31st, 2026, at 4:45AM EDT. If you stay up really late or get up really early, you can see this Moon at the exact moment it’s full and before it sets at 5:36AM EDT. However, if you enjoy sleeping this Blue Moon will look full and round when it rises after sunset on May 30th and on May 31st. This Moon is being called a full Blue Micromoon. Micromoon is a trendy internet term for what astronomers call a full moon that happens at, or very near apogee, the exact moment in time the Moon is farthest from Earth. A Micromoon is a bit smaller and dimmer than an average full Moon, but these differences are so small the eye can’t see them. This second Moon will not be blue in color; it’s blue in name only. The name Blue Moon is used when there are two full moons in a single month – the second Moon is called a Blue Moon. You may see blue-colored Moons in photos. Almost always these photos are made by using blue filters on the camera used to take the photo or by using processing software such as Photoshop. However, there are rare occasions when an actual, blue-colored Moon occurs, and the Moon doesn’t have to be full, it can happen during any phase of the Moon. For this to happen Earth’s atmosphere must contain high-altitude dust or smoke particles, the type of particles produced by wildfires or ash from erupting volcanoes. These high-altitude particles scatter red light in our atmosphere while allowing the longer wavelengths of blue light to pass through the atmosphere. It’s this blue light in our atmosphere that makes the Moon appear blue in color. Two full Moons in a month is rare – it happens about seven times every 19 years. If the weather cooperates, take time to enjoy the full Moons of May. Perhaps take a night hike and enjoy what nature has to offer under these two full Moons.
Here they come! It’s #WildlifeWednesday and a truly delightful harbinger of spring is the dazzling appearance of hummingbirds as they return from their wintering grounds in Central America. The most common species of hummingbird in Ohio is the Ruby-throated Hummingbird, which is the only hummingbird that breeds in the eastern part of the United States. With their brilliant iridescent red throats and sparkling emerald backs and crowns, the males are the first to arrive, usually 1-2 weeks ahead of the females, who lack the ruby throat and are more muted in plumage color. The males arrive earlier in order to scout for food and set up territories. Their diet consists primarily of nectar and insects. They prefer to drink from red and orange tubular flowers, using their long bills and tongues to access the center of the bloom while hovering in the air, and they will also frequent backyard feeders. Insects may be caught while on the wing or plucked from foliage and spider webs. Ruby-throats are precision flyers and able to hover, flapping their wings at 53 beats per second. Between the males aggressively defending their favorite feeding locales with swift aerodynamic chases and dramatically swooping and diving while performing elaborate courtship displays, this species is very captivating and entertaining for human observers. To attract these charismatic birds to your yard, plant flowers such as trumpet creeper, cardinal flower, jewelweed, bee-balm, and red morning glory. You can also provide food in the way of a hummingbird feeder. The liquid mixture in the feeder should be ¼ cup of sugar to 1 cup of water and there is no need to add red food coloring or dyes. To keep your avian visitors healthy, thoroughly clean the feeder the recommended every 2-3 days or when the water gets cloudy, as harmful bacteria and mold can accumulate and sugar can ferment and become toxic. A number of feeders rather than one large feeder is generally better due to the territoriality of the hummers. Place the feeders and enjoy the show! Join us for Backyard Actions for Spring Bird Migration on May 2nd from 9:30 - 11 am! https://www.wildernesscenter.org/inspire-events/15148
