This report is brought to you by Brentley, Norah and the students from Paynesville Elementary.

During our trip to Long Lake Conservation Center from February 11th through the 13th the high temperature was 43 degrees Fahrenheit and the low was 5. The sun is getting stronger and there are spots where the snow has melted and the ground and is showing. The lichen was colorful and bright in the sun. One person saw a lichen that was a perfect circle. We learned that lichen are a symbiotic pairing of fungi and algae. We saw rabbit tracks, watched a vole scurry into a hole in the ground and saw an unidentified white animal run across the hill. It could have been an ermine. The warm temperatures brought a garter snake inside our dorm. It’s too early for them to venture outside, but it’s a sign of spring that they are moving around. We saw a flock of Pine Grosbeaks and a female Hairy Woodpecker at the feeder along with red and grey squirrels, but no chipmunks yet. Deer were on the move and spotted numerous times around campus. There were signs of wolves in the area, including large scat, and perhaps some howls were heard. One of our minions says he thinks he saw wolves on the far side of the lake. We had a great time exploring nature and we encourage everyone to unplug, get outside and LIVE CONNECTED!

This report is brought to you by Rose and Tommy from St. Elizabeth Ann Seton School in St. Cloud.

During our trip to Long Lake Conservation Center from February 9th through the 11th the high temperature was 38 degrees Fahrenheit and the low was 14. We saw and heard very early signs of spring, including Chickadees singing the “Cheeseburger” song. We also observed that birch trees are shedding their seeds. This signals that the trees are starting to wake up and get ready for new growth. We heard a great horned owl during our Wolfpack class and found coyote scat during Wilderness Meal. A fat squirrel was in the bird feeder, spilling seeds onto the ground. A flock of eight Pine Grosbeaks were on the ground eating the spilled seeds. Seven of the Grosbeaks were female and one was male. We also saw a Waxwing, but couldn’t tell whether it was a Cedar or Bohemian. Pileated, Downy and Hairy woodpeckers were seen, but we didn’t hear any drumming. One person saw a vole digging in the snow, another person saw four deer from their window, and one of the parents saw racoons at the bird feeders before sunrise. Rose and Mia saw the Big Dipper near the North Star on the night hike.  Winter is not over yet, but signs of spring are out there. We had a great time in nature and we encourage everyone to unplug, get outside and LIVE CONNECTED!

This report is brought to you by Cohan, Baron, Gus and the students from Bigfork, Cohasset and Grand Rapids East Elementary School.

During our trip to Long Lake Conservation Center from February 4th through the 6th. The high temperature was 36 degrees Fahrenheit and the low was 16. At the bird feeders we saw downy woodpeckers, red-bellied woodpeckers, Pine grosbeaks, chickadees, nuthatches and of course, squirrels and more squirrels. In the forest we noticed that there are trees that still have some leaves on them.  We also found deer, mouse and rabbit tracks. We heard a barred owl calling in the evening and Bohemian Waxwings singing from the treetops during the day. The woodpeckers were heard drumming, Mr. Latimer visited us for a phenology walk. Some of the things we talked about on the walk included;  

• Winter is a good time to find and investigate bird nests.

• When looking closely at evergreen needles, you know that if it has more than one needle in the bundle, it is from a pine tree.

• Squirrels make nests called dreys.

• You can tell an aspen from a birch tree by the color of the branches; aspen have white branches, and birch trees have black branches.

• Grouse like to hide in thickets because the close together trees protect them from hawks looking for a grouse meal. 

• Unlike in our teeth, cavities in trees are GOOD! The holes are homes for wildlife like songbirds, owls and bats.

• We ended the walk by following a deer trail into a frozen swamp where we found black spruce trees, tamarack trees, Labrador tea plants and sphagnum moss. Thanks for joining us on our field trip Mr. Latimer!

We had a great time exploring nature and we want to remind everyone to brush your teeth, unplug, get outside and LIVE CONNECTED!

PHENOLOGY SATURDAY

This week was dominated by frigid Arctic air with highs in the single digits and lows inching toward -20. Compared to last week, it didn't seem so bad. It's during the depth of winter when we are reminded of the lessons from those animals who don't flee for warmer weather, or take a winterlong siesta, but rather stay. We always marvel that the squirrels, Chickadees, Nuthatches, woodpeckers, deer, coyotes, wolves and other critters not only survive, but seem to have fun doing it. We watched squirrels chase each other, and Chickadees dance in mid air. There's a sense in their actions not of "we just have to make the most of it", but rather of the pure and simple joy of being alive. This lesson was not lost on the sixth grade students who came for a day trip from Rippleside Elementary. The kids had a blast cross country skiing, snowshoeing and playing snow snakes. It was pure joy and a raucous reminder that life and nature is a gift. We have choices to make. We can complain about the cold, curl up by a fire and stay inside, or we can bundle up, get outside and breathe the daily miracle of existence. If you opt for the latter, you'll get to enjoy glorious sunrises like this... As for us, we choose to unplug, get outside and live connected!

This report is brought to you by Tegan, Paycen and the students from Bertha-Hewitt Elementary who braved the cold for a fun outdoor adventure.

During our trip to Long Lake Conservation Center on January 22nd and 23rd, it was cold. Really, really, really cold with the high temperature of 7 below zero and a low of 30 below zero. It was the coldest temperature of the year. The last time it was this cold was February 13 , 2021, when it reached 31 below. Many schools in the state were closed, but it didn’t stop us from getting outside and exploring. In the “warmth of the day” we bundled up, played snow snakes on the lake, and went crosscountry skiing. We learned that when it gets really cold, trees that are holding lots of moisture can crack and explode. No trees exploded during our trip. We tested a theory that you can pound a nail with a frozen banana and it actually worked. We tested another theory to see if bubbles froze and they did. Although we went exploring, the mammals seemed to be bundled up. We only noticed a few Chickadees, Nuthatches, a Red-bellied Woodpecker and red and gray squirrels. They grabbed a quick meal of seeds and quickly went back to warm up. It’s always fun to explore nature, and we encourage everyone to unplug, bundle up, get outside and LIVE CONNECTED!

This report is brought to you by Ray, George, Jake and the new Minnesota Master Naturalists! Welcome to club nature!

Phenology Friday. Winter appreciation photo edition.

Deer bedding on LLCC campus at 4:40pm.

Track evidence of bunnies munching on a down maple branch.

Winter sunshine! Always a welcome sight.

This report is brought to you by Emma Kippley-Ogman and the other writers from the Legends and Lore Winter Writer's Retreat.

During our visit from January 4th to the 7th, the low temperature was 16 degrees Fahrenheit and the high was 35. This week we noticed many birds – a female hairy woodpecker pecking out a rhythm on an old birch tree, red-bellied woodpeckers on the trees near the dining hall, pileated woodpeckers calling and flying through the trees, a raven calling and another one picking up and flying off with a snowball in its beak, blue jays, white- and red-breasted nuthatches, a pine grosbeak and black-capped chickadees. We saw a vole scampering across the snow, and a red squirrel chasing a gray one away from the leftover pancakes. We saw deer tracks and scat. We noticed birch seeds on the snow, and bright green and orange lichens of many textures on the trees. We noticed thaw circles at the bases of trees. On our way here, despite temperatures in the 20s, rain fell in freezing pellets, coating car windshields and stinging our faces. One morning the rime frost from an overnight fog outlined every oak leaf like a crayon drawing and every twig and needle. We had a great time writing and sharing; hearing from remarkable local storytellers Beth Hautala, Hope Flanigan, and Michael Goldberg, and learning with the naturalists of Long Lake; hiking, skiing and making pine needle baskets, and we want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside, and LIVE CONNECTED!

PHENOLOGY REPORT - THE YEAR IN PHOTOS

This phenology report is a celebration of our favorite critters - the smart, curious, weird, funny and enthusiastic campers, students and friends who fill our days with laughter and joy! Thanks for the memories! Here's to another great year!