Phenology
2022

PHENOLOGY FRIDAY - PALISADE PORCH POSSUM EDITION Opossums (or possums, as they are commonly called) have lived in southern Minnesota for about a century. With the climate warming, they have been expanding their territory northward and are likely to become more common in the coming years. This week there was a sighting close to Long Lake Conservation Center, near Palisade. Here's what you need to know about these interesting animals and how they might fit into our ecosystem. Opossums eat just about anything, including fruit, eggs and young birds, worms, snakes, insects, and even garbage and carrion. This one was eating seeds under a bird feeder. Their predators include dogs, bobcats, coyotes, foxes, hawks, and owls. Because they also like to eat roadkill, many possums are killed by vehicles as they scavenge for food on roadways. They are more active in the evening. When threatened, opossums may click their teeth, growl, screech, or lie still and secrete a foul-smelling scent. This is commonly known as “playing dead” or “playing possum.” The Palisade possum is up in garage rafters living in a den of insulation and making a big old mess on the car below. The resident (and the UPS delivery driver) would like the possum to find another home. Especially when it was discovered that possum mating season begins in January and litters are six to 20 young! https://static.wixstatic.com/media/08ac95_4cbe0dc777d342459953b42490341695~mv2.jpg

PHENOLOGY FRIDAY - SUB-ZERO TEMPERATURES EDITION This report is brought to you by Addy, Ellie and Tate from Oneka Elementary in White Bear Lake. During our trip to Long Lake Conservation Center from December 19th through the 21st we experienced lots and lots of snow and the first sub-zero temperatures of the season. The snow was measured in 15 different locations in the woods and 15 places in open spaces. The average depth of snow in the open was 16 and a half inches, and 14.96 inches in the woods. Temperatures overnight fell to 12 degrees below zero. The snow and cold didn’t stop us from venturing into the woods to explore nature. One of the highlights was finding a spot where the deer cleared the snow to lay down. Our group saw a porcupine on campus eating the bark of a tree, Pileated Woodpeckers, Nuthatches, Chickadees, Blue Jays and a rare sighting of a Cardinal. The Long Lake staff told us that they don’t often see Cardinals on campus. We also saw a Bald Eagle flying overhead, and the tracks of deer and rabbits. During survival shelters class, we discovered that heavy snow caused the Ironwood trees to bend into an arch. One of our chaperones shook the trees and dumped several inches of snow on our heads. It was pretty funny…and also a little mean. It’s the winter Solstice, days are getting long, and despite the cold, we want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside and to… LIVE CONNECTED. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_8ca71542107a453b9fece420f0313ff4/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

PHENOLOGY FRIDAY - SNOWMAGGEDDON 2023 The first major snowstorm of the season dumped 11.5 inches of very heavy and wet snow at Long Lake. The weight of the snow snapped lots of trees on campus and power lines in the region. But, holy cow! It sure is beautiful. Like us, the animals hunkered down. During snowstorms, many birds find shelter in holes in trees, burrowing animals retreat underground, while others wait out the storm in nooks, crannies and man-made structures. One such critter was our resident porcupine who has set up camp in the culvert on campus. As soon as the snow started to ease up yesterday, it was spotted in a tree enjoying a meal. The birds that frequent our feeders are back and ravenously hungry. A pair of Chickadees were darn near eating the seed from our hand as we refilled the feeders this morning. Nuthatches, Pileated Woodpeckers, and Blue Jays have all be spotted on and around the feeders. Understandably, here has not been a lot of other action. In fact, we are seeing very few tracks in the fresh snow. Though not spotted on campus, a turkey was seen perched atop a tree, and a very pudgy Possum visited a deck in Palisade. We hope you are all safe, warm and able to enjoy this winter paradise. Unplug, get outside and to… LIVE CONNECTED.

PHENOLOGY FRIDAY - HIGH-JUMPING OFFICE MICE EDITION Winter has settled in at Long Lake. We experienced our first zero degree temperature of the year, but came up a tick short of our first sub-zero night. Ice is between 5-7 inches thick on Long Lake, plenty for the deer to take the frozen shortcut from one shore to the other. We haven't seen them on the lake, but there is a well-worn path. We are still seeing our neighborhood porcupine in the heart of campus, and tracked him to a culvert where he spends his time when not feasting on the inner bark of branches and Red Pine needles. There have been lots of subnivean tunnels/trails around campus. We witnessed a very loud Blue Jay argument, but couldn't determine the cause of the ruckus. Many Ironwood trees and Red Maples have marcescent leaves (withered but persisting). During our forest hikes we've spotted a few Red Squirrels, and lots of deer, Nuthatches, Chickadees, Red-Bellied, Pileated, Downy and one Hairy Woodpecker. Indoors, we've had an office mouse feasting on a succulent plant. We raised the plant high off the desk, but the little fella still managed to get to the leafy goodness. To find out how, we put a trail camera on the plant and watched the mouse jump almost 10 inches into the air to reach its food. An NBA-caliber leap. We'll see if he can jump 15 inches. Any wagers?

This week's report is brought to you by Aitkin County Land Department Senior Forester Tom Parkin. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_526b37ab98ad41f8a0084e19debf2fab/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

This week's report is about our all-time favorite species. They are unique, energetic, passionate, loud, funny, intelligent, zany, weird, and endlessly entertaining. We are thankful beyond measure to get to interact up close with these critters every day! https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_4335109c21d743dba611b6fc119c55e2/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

This report is brought to you by Rett, Adelynn and the students from Rum River Elementary. ​ During our trip to Long Lake Conservation Center on November 16th through the 18th it was the beginning track season. The fresh coating of snow opened a window to animal activity that we don’t always see. We saw mouse, rabbit and lots and lots of deer tracks, even though we didn’t see any of the actual animals. One of our favorite sighting was a deer yarding spot where a deer cleared an area of snow to make a bed to lay down to rest. It was nearly perfectly round and looked cozy. Our group was able to cross country ski and explore the woods where we saw a porcupine in a tree munching on some branches, and lots of birds. Bird sightings included Chickadees, Nuthatches, and Pileated, Red-bellied, Snowy and Downy Woodpeckers. We’re still seeing lots of Blue Jays, and were hoping to see to Pine Grosbeaks, but had no luck. Also, we heard but didn’t see a flock of Tundra Swans fly overhead. In the bog, a red squirrel was spotted chasing around. When our group arrived, the lake was almost half frozen, and now it’s almost totally frozen. We predict ice in to be complete by tomorrow. This week was notable as much for what we didn’t see as what we did. Long Lake’s naturalists said that this was the first week since last spring that we haven’t seen Chipmunks, Canada Geese, turtles, frogs or snakes. Have a nice winter, little dudes. We’ll see you next spring. ​ It’s a winter paradise outside, and perfect campfire weather. We want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside and to… LIVE CONNECTED. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_3a05b12c61514e97b89f1fc5b0a84d86/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

This report is brought to you by Myla, Carsten and the students from Underwood Elementary. ​ During our trip to Long Lake Conservation Center on November 7th through the 9th we noticed a lot of animals busy preparing for the winter. Many people in our group saw chipmunks gathering food, and stuffing their cheeks. A grey squirrel was busy at the bird feeder and gathering acorns. We also saw a porcupine race through campus, climb a tree and chew on the branches of a Red Oak tree. We were close enough to hear it chewing. ​ Though it’s late in the season, we still saw Robins, a few frogs in the bog, and Mike found a Garter Snake in his room and released it. We didn’t see any snakes outdoors, so they are now likely in their hibernacula for the winter. Our guess is that we won’t see Robins or frogs again until spring. In other sightings, we saw Black-capped Chickadees, White-Breasted Nuthatches, Bluejays, two rabbits, Hairy and Pileated Woodpeckers and otters. Long Lake naturalists say that the otter sighting was the first in a few weeks. It’s a great time to explore nature and we want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside and to… LIVE CONNECTED. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_56e60a7d7ac04f50abc6a06fbedc9af7/1080p/mp4/file.mp4 This report is brought to you by MaKenna, Annette and the students from St. Michael-Albertville. ​ During our trip to Long Lake Conservation Center on November 9th through the 11th it was rainy and cold, but it didn’t stop us from exploring nature and seeing some pretty unusual things. The rain filled the bog, and seemed to bring it to life. Our group saw a VERY slooooowwwww moving wood frog, and few bog cranberries, but the highlight was what we think was a Short-tailed Weasel, also known as an Ermine, chasing a vole. It has already turned completely white for winter. The chase lasted less than a minute. They ran out of sight before we could see if the weasel caught his prey, or if the vole survived to see another day. Because the bog was so wet, a couple of student sunk in to past their knees. ​ Other sightings included lots of earth worms cruising out and about, a mouse was spotted in the thicket, a few slugs were seen, the deer were out and about, and a porcupine was sitting in the hollow of a tree. Everyone was able to get a good look at it. We are still seeing lots of Blue Jays and few Canada Geese, but no Robins were observed. ​ Despite the rain, thunder, and snow, it was great to be outside exploring. We want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside and to… LIVE CONNECTED. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_f0d314e758c94478a903d2dfa2c6ba23/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

This report of the week is brought to you by Eli and the students from St. Michael-Albertville West, group B. ​ During our trip to Long Lake Conservation Center this week, we saw trumpeter swans on Long Lake along with a pair of Canada Geese. The geese were honking loudly as they landed on the lake, then they swam around a bit still honking very loudly and then they took off into the sky honking the whole time. In the bog one class found a lost mitten and when they looked inside of it they found 3 large spiders. The mitten was left in the bog since it was being put to good use. Also in the bog, we saw a gray tree frog, little moths, a giant leopard moth caterpillar and the tamarack trees have lost 99.6% of their needles. Other sightings included chipmunks, squirrels, blue jays, juncos, nuthatches and a red-bellied snake. The garter snakes we saw were all near their hibernaculum. We enjoyed helping the aster, goldenrod and milkweed with seed dispersal by giving them little shakes as we walked through the forest. It was a great week in nature and we want to remind everyone to…Unplug, Get outside, and LIVE CONNECTED!! https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_f92f43e64ed8425ca10c4465954fcf12/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

This first report of the week is brought to you by Lola and the students from St. Michael-Albertville East, group A. ​ During our trip to Long Lake Conservation Center on October 24th through the 26th the march toward winter retreated and our group had lots of sightings typical of mid-Autumn. The biggest example of this is that frogs were everywhere. Patrick saw one hopping across the path, and another person in our group caught one. They were mostly Leopard Frogs. This surprised us because last it snowed recently and temperatures dipped into 20s. We thought they would be at the bottom of the Long Lake by now. There was a report of a Garter Snake in the woods and a Redbelly Snake was found in the entrance way of a building and moved back outside. We even heard crickets at night. In other sightings, Mia saw deer tracks and scat, but our group didn’t see any deer. It’s about the time of year when we start to find deer rubs, but we didn’t see any. Our group saw a flock of Juncos, lots and lots of Blue Jays, and White and Red-Breasted Nuthatches and Chickadees on the bird feeders. In the bog and along the shores of Long Lake, the Tamaracks are at peak golden color and needles are dropping. Other than Oak trees, most of the leaves have fallen from the trees. Winter IS coming, but Autumn fought back this week and we were thankful it did. It’s a great time to explore nature and we want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside and to… LIVE CONNECTED. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_3f0ecaa42c4c4287bcf32f77a84623f5/1080p/mp4/file.mp4 This second report of the week is brought to you by Eric, Maddie and the students from St. Michael-Albertville East, group B. ​ Our trip to Long Lake Conservation Center on October 26th through the 28th was notable for what we are still seeing and what we are no longer seeing. Our group saw Canada Geese, Chipmunks and Snakes. In the Bog, there are still a few cranberries. Of course, we ate them. The Tamarack are at peak color and dropping needles. About half of the Milkweed Pods have burst, releasing the silk that carries seeds on the wind. What we are no longer seeing are Robins, Mosquitos and Ticks. There were reports of Leopard frogs earlier in the week, but we didn’t see any. In other sightings, five deer – all does and fawns – were spotted in the early evening, and almost all of the trees have lost their leaves. It’s a great time to explore nature and we want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside and to… LIVE CONNECTED. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_4e9c44b7dc304ea394790df5145b6c6f/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

This first report of the week is brought to you by Tenley, Benny, Chloe, Malin and the students from Aitkin, Hill City and McGregor! ​ During our trip to Long Lake Conservation Center October 17th through the 19th temperatures dropped into the low 20s and ice formed along the shore of Long Lake. It’s the first temperature in the 20s since last May. Sunrise with the mist rising off the lake is really pretty. A flock of Canada Geese stopped in for a while on their journey south. We wonder if this will be the last we see of Geese until spring. Our group saw a sundog in the morning, a flock of Juncos, and an immature Bald Eagle flying over the lake. Nuthatches, Chickadees, Common Grackles, and Pileated, Snowy and Downy Woodpeckers have been active on the bird feeders. There was a report of a Garter Snake in the woods. It’s very late getting into its hibernaculum. Our group had a couple of close encounters with animals. During Thicket class, a chipmunk joined a student who was hiding and sat with him the entire time. It was a very friendly chipmunk. A porcupine wandered through the heart of campus and didn’t seem to care one little bit that students and adults were nearby. Lily saw an otter feeding this morning. Long Lake’s naturalists say that this was the first sighting of otters in nearly a month. There were officially no ticks on our trip. Last year, the last reported tick sightings at Long Lake was November 5th. It’s a great time to explore nature and we want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside and to… LIVE CONNECTED. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_89e5e7b9171e4beb9692fe78e97d1741/1080p/mp4/file.mp4 https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_2895b13494eb48fabe4b2e69535ec60d/1080p/mp4/file.mp4 https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_30a8f111dbcc439ab572c76bf91b6981/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

This first report of the week is brought to you by William from Waconia Middle School - Purple Group. ​ During our trip to Long Lake Conservation Center October 10th through the 12th, we were awash in Garter Snakes. They were everywhere, all of them soaking up the sun’s warmth and heading toward their hibernaculum. We followed them and found the entrance to their den, and even saw a few of them poking their heads out and looking at us. That the Garters are staging and moving into their hibernaculum is a sign that colder days are fast approaching. A few Milkweed pods broke open and the silk that carries their seeds have been seen drifting on the breeze. It’s only just started because most pods are still closed. The Asters and Golden Rods have gone to seed, and their poofs (not an official science term), like the Milkweed are spreading on the wind. In the Bog, we found AND ATE what was left of this year’s cranberries, and noted that the Pitcher Plants are turning purplish red. In other sightings, our group found a Stinkhorn…gross, one of Long Lake’s naturalists saw a porcupine in the parking lot, a Bald Eagle flew over the lake, and Wooly Bear and Giant Leopard Moth Caterpillars are still out and on the move. We also found a few Boxelder Bugs, Brown Marmorated Stink Bugs, and a really cool Grass Spider in a funnel web. ​ The trees are all colorful, and lots of leaves are falling. It’s a great time to explore nature and we want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside and to… LIVE CONNECTED. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_b83cf6c2afd54dff88ce2e0e6b431b8e/1080p/mp4/file.mp4 This second report of the week is brought to you by Maggie and the students from Waconia Middle School - Gold Group ​ During our trip to Long Lake Conservation Center from October 12th through the 14th winter arrived. The first official snowfall of the year happened on Thursday, October 13th, close to the average date of first snow. As the temperatures dropped we watched the Garter Snakes leave their forest territory and head to their hibernaculum for the winter. On Wednesday Dozens of Garter Snakes were spotted approaching and nearby the hibernaculum on Wednesday, with many clustered and seen entering it. When our group peered into the opening of the hibernaculum, a baby Blue Spotted Salamander came out of the hole. Is it normal for Salamanders and Garter Snakes to share the same hibernaculum? Other sightings included the arrival of a flock of Juncos and a large group of Blue Jays. In the bog, the Tamaracks have now turned about half gold in color and some of their needles are starting to fall off. Many of the Pitcher Plants have turned completely purplish red, and during our Bog trek we saw two voles. Our Naturalists tell us that this is the first sighting of voles in the bog in a while. More Milkweed pods have burst open, but many are still closed. Oak trees have joined the autumn fun, and are now full color, and leaves are falling as fast as the snow. It’s a great time to explore nature and we want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside and to… LIVE CONNECTED. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_ae93bdf662d64696a97974e25ea0e685/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

This first report of the week is brought to you by Elsa and Brayden from St. Mary's Catholic School in Alexandria. ​During our trip to Long Lake Conservation Center from October third through the fifth, we had late summer weather with all the beautiful changes of Autumn. The trees are approaching peak color, with Red Maple leaves 100 percent red with leaves falling. Tamaracks in the bog are only about 5 percent yellow and the Pitcher Plants are just starting to turn dark red. Some of our group found a few cranberries, but there are not a lot left. Our group saw lots of snakes and several blue-spotted salamanders, including a baby one. Garter and Redbelly Snakes were seen, including one that was swimming in the lake. There was an unconfirmed report of a Hognose Snake. The naturalists said that there has not been a sighting of a Hognose at Long Lake, so they are going to keep their eyes open. We saw a lot of does and fawns, but no bucks. It appears that they are starting to get their winter coats. On the lake, we observed a few Coots. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_4fd4d2f25c7846429bf5f2ff87c5ad3e/1080p/mp4/file.mp4 This second report of the week is brought to you by Eme, Mike and students from St. Joe's Rosemount ​During our trip to Long Lake Conservation Center from October fifth through the seventh, we had the arrival of Autumn weather. The trees are at peak color and were absolutely beautiful. Our group saw quite a few Garter snakes on the trails. Asters are still blooming, and we saw a few bees. Colorful mushrooms were a highlight of our trip. We saw Blue Stain Fungi which is carried by Bark Beetles and can be found around dead trees. It’s a pretty blue color. We also saw Wood or Purple Blewit Mushrooms. They are purple and are actually edible, but don’t have a very distinct flavor. Colorful mushrooms, who knew? Our favorite mushroom was the Puff Ball. We loved puffing them. During Astronomy, we saw the bands Jupiter and its four visible moons. The moon was at perigee, the closest it will be to Earth this year, and we got a good look at it. In the woods, Winterberry and Kinnikinnik or Red Bearberry Bushes are both full of berries. Kinnikinnik Berries are edible, but flavorless. The Ojibwe relied on these as a food source because they last all year. Despite the colder weather, the spring peepers and wood frogs were quite abundant and active. It’s peak autumn colors - a beautiful time to explore the world. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_c62ba9181f1d44c0a4476d682fb9c843/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

This first report of the week is brought to you by Dawson and students from Braham Elementary. ​ During our trip to Long Lake Conservation Center the week of September 26, we enjoyed beautiful early fall weather. A gaggle of Canada Geese stopped at Long Lake on their journey south. A Belted Kingfisher and large group of Blue Jays also paid us a visit. In the morning the Bumblebees, Flower Flies and Soldier Beetles were on the remaining Golden Rod and Purple Aster. They didn’t move at all and we thought they were dead, but they were just very cold. When the sun came out and they warmed up, they resumed collecting nectar and pollen. Our group found a Stinkhorn Mushroom. It’s a weird looking thing that smells like…well let’s just say it smells bad. The smell attracts flies. Stinkhorns are edible, but only when they are young and not slimy and smelly. No thanks. We found a lot of really cool stuff in the lake bottom, including Damselfly Nymphs, Water Boatman and Caddisfly nymphs. The Caddisfly nymphs were spotted scurrying around in the sand. They glue the sand together to make a shell that they use for protection. Pretty cool. We also found lots and lots of Dragonfly Larva. If this is any indication, next year’s hatch of Dragonflies should be a big one. The lots of trees are starting to turn colors and lose leaves, but our favorite is the Red Maple. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_330974b96fc34cbe96d2cc9309eb9fe3/1080p/mp4/file.mp4 This second report of the week is brought to you by Lilly on and students from Ramsey Elementary. ​ During our trip to Long Lake Conservation Center the second half of the week of September 26, we saw a lot of interesting nature. Wooly Worms were out and moving in the woods and the paths. We call them Wooly Worms, but we learned they are actually Wooly Bear Caterpillars and are the larva of the Isabella Tiger Moth. This week is the first week they have been seen at Long Lake. Long Lake’s naturalists told us that people believe that the amount of orange on the caterpillar is an indication about how long winter will last. They say that’s not true, but if it were, it will be a short winter. Our group also saw Giant Leopard Moth Caterpillars, also a first for the season. They are big, black and a little spikey. In other nature sightings Steve, Adrian and Jamie saw deer, Landon found a Garter Snake, Taeclen found a dragonfly, Adrian and the yellow group spotted a Redbelly snake, Emma found a Blue Spotted Salamander, Elise and Ava found a wide variety of mushrooms (but none that were edible), Kanyin found a leopard frog, Erik saw a wood frog, McLadi spotted a Ladybug and a Spring Peeper was seen. One group found a moth that looked like a stick and camouflaged itself perfect in a fallen wood, we think it might be a Sweetheart Underwing Moth. It was very cool. This week was also notable for what we didn’t see. Our group did NOT see any deer flies or ticks, and we only had a report of ONE mosquito. This was nearly our first pest insect-free week! https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_7171266c11ed44e198f01d32bf2c1c34/1080p/mp4/file.mp4 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/08ac95_07166b8fd1ab4b5293013b5e823d5bb9~mv2.jpg Never Miss a Sunrise!

This week's report is brought to you by Will and students from DaVinci Academy of Arts and Science in Ham Lake. ​ During our visit to Long Lake Conservation Center this week we saw a few dragonflies, including a big blue one, and a pair of small red damselflies. Bumble Bees and Soldier Beetles were feeding on the remaining Golden Rod flowers. Our group saw LOTS of Garter Snakes in the woods. I think almost everyone in our group saw one. Our teachers think that they are out and feeding in preparation for winter. Olivia got bitten by a Garter Snake when she tried to pick it up, but she said it didn’t hurt. Our group also saw a lot of Leopard Frogs and toads. Imani saw lots of Carolina Grasshoppers and a few crickets. EJ identified the Purple Asters, and Lilith found a Puffball mushroom. Flocks of Canada Geese were spotted flying south over Long Lake, and a Solitary Sandpiper joined us on the beach. Leaves are starting to turn colors, especially the red maples, birch and aspens. Our group saw lots of spiders, and Aubri even found and held a small slug in her hand. Aashi said she thinks it’s cool that there is FREE drinking water in the bog, and everyone ate leaves from Labrador Tea Plant. We also found bog cranberries and ate them. It’s a great time to explore the world and we want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside and to LIVE CONNECTED. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_d582e621842645f0b388df10873b71cd/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

Fall is definitely in the air, but summer is not giving up quite yet. The big news of the week is that our Loon chick is nowhere to be found. It was last spotted on Saturday. Our Loon expert friends say there are two options. The first is that our little friend became strong enough to fly, and joined a raft of Loons on a bigger lake. The other option is that it ventured too close to shore and became a meal for a predator. We may never know, but we’re clinging to the idea that it’s chilling with some friends on another lake. Either way, goodbye little dude. We enjoyed watching you grow up. Some of the highlights this week include a flock of migrating Blue Jays, mixed with a handful of Grey Jays. Unfortunately, they didn’t stay long enough to pose for a picture, but they sure were fun to look at. There was a hatching of Snapping Turtles. We saw four who made it to Long Lake. Winter Berry Shrub has its berries. These beautiful red berries remain on the shrub all winter long, even after its lost all its leaves. Many animals eat the berries, but however tasty they might look, you should NOT EAT THEM. They are toxic. Some leaves are beginning to turn, especially Red Maples, Birch and Aspen. With warm days and cool nights, it’s a great time to explore the world and we want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside and to LIVE CONNECTED.

This week's report is brought to you by brand new Long Lake Naturalist Amanda Gray. First, an update about the Loon Chick. After being left alone for days, a parent returned for an afternoon, left and hasn’t returned. We worry that the chick might not be at the top of itd class. It was observed awkwardly walking onto the beach and searching around before heading back into the safety of the water. This is not a good idea with all the predators lurking nearby. Despite some questionable decisions, the chick is getting bigger, and its head is starting to turn black, but it has a long way to go before it’s ready to fly south. Our little Loon friend has been joined on the lake by small flocks of migrating Canada Geese and a pair of Trumpeter Swans. We’re still seeing some warblers, including a Nashville Warbler, along with Sandpipers, Blue Jays, Gold Finches and Kingfishers. It’s peak mushroom season, and we’ve had fun with Puff Balls. There was a mysterious yellow hairy substance growing on some mushrooms that we couldn’t figure out. It’s stringy and hair-like with what looked like little seeds inside. Our identifier app said it was lichen, but we have our doubts. Any ideas? The Asters, Goldenrods and Jerusalem Artichokes are still blooming and continuing to attract bees and some butterflies. We have found a large number of Milkweed Tussock caterpillars on the Milkweed plants. The seed pods of the Milkweed plants are getting bigger and could break open in the next few weeks. It’s a great time to explore the world and we want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside and to…LIVE CONNECTED. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_82b4dcecd5f141d6b9f741f1db7fff30/1080p/mp4/file.mp4 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/08ac95_1333c61d7ee64eea9e676e3aaea1f4e8~mv2.jpg

As always, nature put on a great show this week. We thought the adult loons had left the chick for good, but after a four-day absence one of them came back to check on the little feller, but after a morning of fishing, quickly left again. The chick is growing rapidly and seems to be getting better at diving and nabbing perch. The otters were frolicking on the shores of Long Lake, feasting on frogs. We have not seen the third otter in many weeks. It may have moved on to find its own territory. Or, it’s just been sleeping in (it is a teenage otter after all). A wide variety of cool mushrooms were spotted, including the Coral Mushrooms. We saw many varieties of bumble bees, including a rare Frigid Bumble Bee, on the Asters and Golden Rod. We’ve enjoyed watching the Kingfisher dive into the water catching minnows from the shallows. They have a lovely trill call. There has been a hatch of large dragonflies, but they have avoided our net and remain unidentified. We’ve been serenaded by the mating call of a Tree Frog all week. He has such a beautiful singing voice. The warblers are still migrating through on their way south, and caterpillars – including Monarchs – are still forming chrysalis on Milkweed. A young Broad-Winged Hawk landed on the road in front of a car and refused to move. Eventually, it picked up the dead frog on the road and flew away. Gaggles of up to 20 Canada Geese have been gathering on the lake. There have been a lot of Garter snakes moving about with many finding their way onto the roads. Be careful to avoid them if you can. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_2284c4900b43445ea0d39c5ce79f0a38/1080p/mp4/file.mp4 OTTERS AT PLAY, JUST BECAUSE IT'S FUN https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_5ca2aa27456c4490854b8da40985c619/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

This week’s report is brought to you buy Jerry, Earl, Kathy and the members of the Minnesota Astronomical Society attending Northern Nights Star Fest at Long Lake. ​ BIRDS. BEES. STARS. Terrestrial sightings included deer, Garter Snakes, Leopard Frogs, a chipmunk, mosquitos, Carolina Grasshoppers, Pileated Woodpeckers, Pitcher Plants still in bloom and a Monarch butterfly that landed on the tripod of a telescope and started to form a cocoon. Lots of birds are migrating through on their ways south. The Loon family was spotted and the chick is getting bigger. Kingfisher, Sandpipers, Sandhill Cranes, Wilson’s, Black and White, and Nashville Warblers, Wood Pewees, Broad-Winged Hawk and Brown Creepers were also observed. Great Horned Owls and Barred Owls were heard at night, but not seen. Bumble Bee surveyor for Atlas at the U of M spotted Tri-Colored (and queens), Two-Spotted, ½ Black (and queen), ​ Common Eastern, Brown Belted (and queen) and Borreal bees feasting primarily on the remain Bee Balm and Goldenrod flowers. Extraterrestrial sightings were also plentiful. In our solar system, Saturn and Jupiter are visible in the early evening and Mars closer to morning. Moving a little farther out, Light and Dark Nebula are clear and fun to look at. Looking into other solar systems, Sagittarius was observed as well as a cluster of five solar systems called Stephen’s Quintet. M13 is in Hercules and M31 is in Andromeda. Various very distinct and bright meteors were also observed. ​ It’s a great time to be outside. Look down and around you, but don’t forget to look up. There is a lot of see in the heavens! https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_3bcb17fe22074dbcbf06caf9ccec6d18/1080p/mp4/file.mp4 PHOTOS FROM THE WEEK BY EARL BYE

This week's phenology report is brought to you by Kathy, Connor and the incoming class of future teachers at Minnesota North College - Itasca Branch. ​ During our visit to Long Lake Conservation Center, we saw lots of signs of summer, but plenty of hints that autumn is fast approaching. Our group spotted a Doe with 3 fawns. We thought it was a bit unusual to see a Doe with triplets. Watching the otters frolic in the shallows, munching of frogs was fun. We got a good look at the adult Loons and their chick who is now nearly as big as they are. It was a good trip for birding. We saw a Roughed Grouse, two large families of turkeys with lots of poults, Tennessee Warblers, Kingbirds, and Solitary Sandpipers. A Long Lake naturalist said he saw a large flock of Tree Swallows riding the north wind on their migration south. In general, many insect-eating birds have already left. One really fun sighting was an army of Wood Frogs. There were hundreds of them. In the flora and fauna world, the pitcher plants in the bog are STILL in bloom, as well as cotton grass. Jewelweed and Big-Leaf Aster are abundant. Blackberries are now ripe – and delicious, and we harvested some Chicken of the Woods and enjoyed it for lunch. It was a fun and delicious trip to Long Lake, and we want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside and live connected! Share your nature photos and notes to info@longlakecc.org.(mailto:info@longlakecc.org) https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_fc476e84c8f24a1999a39ac7dcac10bf/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

This week's report is brought to you by Education Coordinator Beth Haasken. A walk from my office to the shore of Long Lake is only about 200 feet but because there's so much to see it can take me 30 minutes. On my walk today, I spied Black-Eyed Susans, Pagoda Dogwood Berries, Butterfly Weed blooms and pods, Common Milkweed, Bull Thistle, Canada Thistle gone to seed (should have weeded them), Tansy (them too), Common Yarrow, Green Bulrush, Giant Goldenrod, Virginia Mountain Mint, Nodding Onion, Prairie Goldenrod, Prairie Ironweed, Asters, Purple Prairie Clover, Bee Balm, and White Water-Lilies. Two large oak trees are dropping lots of acorns. A chipmunk was so busy gathering/eating acorns on the path, I had to move for it. There are lots of bees (especially around the Bee Balm) and Carolina Grasshoppers. I spotted the season's first Hummingbird Moth on Arrowhead blooms. Along the way I encountered Frogs, Canada Geese swimming in oddly perfect single-file lines, Adult Loons and their little loon, a Kingfisher, and Solitary Sandpipers. It was a short but lovely little walk. You don't have to go on long adventures to see wonderful things. Unplug, get outside and live connected.

Food and Fung, a report by LLCC Naturalist Julia Kuhns Wild raspberries are still in abundance and blueberries are ripe in the bog. Gooseberries are ripening (all berries eaten by photographer for purely scientific reasons). Maybe the first signs of chicken of the woods re-appearing and large patches of False Chanterelles were spotted on campus. We also found clumps of ghost pipes. In other news, the Loon was teaching its baby to dive in the shallows. The chick is now spending more time away from mom and dad and growing more independent. They grow up so fast. The Milkweed is just starting to form its pods and the Monarch caterpillars have formed chrysalises in the butterfly house.

This week's phenology report is brought to you by Chloe, Adeline, Clare, Finn, Sam and the campers from Outdoor Explorers Camp. During our week at Outdoor Explorers Camps at Long Lake Conservation Center we experienced the peak of summer with life bursting everywhere. Master Naturalists Ron and LeAnn Plinskey taught us all about dragonflies and damselflies. We netted, identified and released more than a dozen different varieties, including Twelve-Spotted Skimmers, Widow Skimmers, Bluet Damselflies, Common Whitetail Skimmers, Chalk-Fronted Corporals and a variety of Meadowhawks. We even handfed Deerflies to the Dragonflies. This was a first even for LeAnn and Ron. ​ The Loon chick is alive and growing. It’s nearly doubled in size since it hatched two weeks ago. We nearly had a Loon fight. What we suspect was a young male Loon landed on the lake, causing a huge ruckus with the mom and dad. It looked like the invading male was going to challenge the resident male for the territory. They both puffed up their chests and did a lot of loud calling. The invader thought the better of it and flew away. ​ We saw two families of turkeys. The poults in one family were almost fully grown, but the poults in the other family were still very small. The deer were active. A doe and fawn were spotted on the shore of Long Lake. The fawn is about half the size of mom with its spots still clearly visible. One of the naturalists reported seeing a buck with felt-covered antlers. He thought it was probably a six-pointer. The otters were out, about and playing. Good news! Long Lake now has THREE otters. Congratulations momma and poppa otter. One of the highlights of the week was learning about bees from Roger Sorben from Sorben Honey. We visited Long Lake’s hives where we saw the queen, and a few of us held stingerless drones. All of us ate honey straight from the hive. VERY sweet. Speaking of eating, we found and feasted on plenty of wild blueberries and raspberries on the way to the bog. The bog is plush right now. Pitcher plants are flowering with one tall flower towering out of the cups below. We didn’t see any Sundews, but we ate Labrador Plant leaves and drank bog water. Oddly, we saw a garter snake in the bog. The naturalists say that’s very rare. None of them have ever seen a snake in the bog. Our group also saw porcupines walking through campus, lots of garter snakes, a baby snapping turtle, a handful of painted turtles, leopard frogs, toads, a mouse, a variety of different spiders, a yellow finch, and an unidentified hawk. We noticed lots of new mushrooms starting to emerge. During Lake Bottom Organisms class, we found dragonfly nymphs and caught dozens of leaches that we used to catch mostly perch and bluegills. What a week in nature! It’s a great time to explore the world and we want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside and to LIVE CONNECTED. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_55f154965f0a49d4ad7f148455470974/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

This week's phenology report is brought to you buy Lauryn and the explorers from Forkhorn I Firearm Safety Camp. First, what we did not see; the naturalists asked us to keep an eye out for the Loon chick but we did not see the chick. We didn’t see or hear any loons this week. We did see three otters rolling onto their backs in the lilypads, chowing down frogs and maybe some tadpoles. Either a bohemian or a cedar waxwing, we are not sure. We also saw Garter Snakes, Frogs, Leeches, Painted Turtles, Horseflies, Dragonflies, Slugs, Monarch Butterflies and Deer. We caught small bluegills, yellow perch and a bullhead from the swimming raft, and heard lots of Barred owl hooting. One of the highlightswas earing nice ripe Raspberries and smelling Pineappleweed. It was a great week in nature. Don’t forget to unplug, get outside and LIVE CONNECTED!! https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_210eef62b0544ce0a842626441931413/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

This week's phenology report is brought to you by Lucy, Jalynne and Bubbles the baby Painted Turtle from the Big Sandy Water Institute through McGregor Community Education. The big news from the week is that Long Lake’s resident Loons finally had a chick. It’s the first successful nesting in a number of years. We hope the Eagles leave it alone and it reaches maturity. During our hikes through the woods, one of our group almost stepped on a fawn. It was nestled down, hiding and didn’t move until we were right on top of it. It was pretty big and ran fast. We also got very close to a hen turkey and five or six poults. Our group found the season’s first ripe blueberries and raspberries. We spotted Self-heal flowers, Milkweed, and Pointed Leaved Tick-Trefoil flowering. Acorns are growing and look like large green bananas or jalapenos. Lastly, the slugs are out and about and Wood Frogs were found in the trail side pond. It’s a great time to explore the world and we want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside and to…LIVE CONNECTED. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_db4e9bececbc4862a1d5822b3ca15542/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

This week's phenology report is brought to you by Sara and Tika from Forkhorn I Camp. It was baby week at Long Lake with sightings of lots of newborn critters. So fun. Enjoy... We had some warm daytime weather that made swimming feel great, and cool nights that made sleeping pleasant. Near and in the lake we saw painted turtles sunning on a log, snapping turtles, leeches and frogs. Flying in the sky we found mosquitos, dragonflies, deer flies, horse flies, bluebirds, red-winged blackbirds and robins. On our night hike there was a shooting star over Long Lake and some glowing eyeballs looking at us from the forest. Many deer are out and about in the mornings and the evenings; we saw Does and a spotted fawn, and a couple of fawns that looked young but did not have spots anymore. We noticed a place on the sidewalk that had a lot of bird poop and when we looked up there was a tree swallow nest with 3 or 4 baby birds that looked like they were just barely fitting in the nest. A baby chipmunk about the size of a red pine pinecone with a tail, was also seen running back and forth across the trail. We spotted the loons, but still no babies, humming birds, garter snakes, a Yellow Warbler and a weird wasp nest with a tube hanging down that we think is the entrance. It’s a great time to go for an explore and we want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside and to…LIVE CONNECTED. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_078127513d1248b9a8a46819ffc4a103/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

This week's phenology report is a reminder how beautiful, yet how cruel nature can be. We experienced a Snapping Turtle egg massacre, but saw an abundance of new life. Summer has arrived!

During our week at Forkhorn and Fishing Camps at Long Lake we saw lots of really cool nature. Our group spotted the first poults, also known as Turkey chicks, of the season, and lots of painted and snapping turtles out laying eggs. One of the Painted turtles had a leech on its back. Sometimes these turtles find their way onto roads and highways, so be careful. We spotted our loons on the nest. We didn’t get a great look, but it appears they have two eggs. Our group saw otters, clusters of tent caterpillars on the Aspens in the thicket, Pink Lady Slippers and a new Pitcher Plant blooming. It’s a great time to go for an explore and we want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside and to LIVE CONNECTED. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_c6ba3814195c45fa9a11a985a6719624/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

Brought to you by Maddy and the students from Madison Elementary School in Blaine During our trip to Long Lake we saw a lot of absolutely amazing things. Some of the highlights were the season’s first hummingbird and fawn. We also saw a hummingbird moth. In the bog, there are Poofs on the Cottongrass, the Labrador Leaf Plants are blooming, and there are new Pitcher Plants budding. The buds look like cute little purplish-red mushrooms. We even saw a handful of Pink Lady Slippers. Our group encountered a variety of spiders, including a big skinny one, and another with a sack of eggs on her back. We also saw lots of Army Worms in the woods, Toads, Garter Snakes, and Dragonflies. It was cool to see the Dragonfly Chrysalis on the water. We noticed a few Monarch butterflies, but not many bees. Our teachers said there are normally more bees here this time of year. A giant immature bald eagle flew overhead,, and the Loons were active on the lake, but still no babies yet. It’s a great time to be alive, and we want to remind everyone to…UNPLUG, GET OUTSIDE and LIVE CONNECTED https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_9a05e78056f9450d91b5a116b958844f/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

PHENOLOGY FRIDAY - Pollination Nation Edition It's an amazing time to be alive. There is so much happening in the woods and waters at Long Lake, we can't possibly share it all. Here are some highlights: Columbine, Jacob’s Ladder, and Prairie Smoke are up and in bloom. A variety of bees and butterflies, including Monarchs, have returned. There are also roughly 25 gazillion Mosquitos out and feeding. Did you know there are more than 40 different species of Mosquitos in Minnesota? Yippee! Thank goodness for the Dragonfly hatch. The big news of the week, however, is pollinators. Aitkin County Soil and Water Conservation District secured a grant to seed a full five acres of Long Lake with plants for pollinators. Aitkin County’s Land Department conducted a controlled burn on a large area east of the archery field. This is part of the area that will be seeded. We know that bees in the hives installed this week by our good friend Roger Sorben of Sorben Honey will appreciate the efforts. There are approximately 20,000 bees in each of four hives installed, and by summer’s end that number will increase dramatically. These hives with bees carrying out different functions, working in unison to sustain and propagate life is an absolute miracle of nature. We can’t wait to teach summer campers about it! So cool! The world is a wondrous place. Unplug, get outside and live connected.

THIS NATURE REPORT IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY JACK, GRACIE AND THE SEVENT GRADE STUDENTS FROM BATTLE CREEK We had a stormy trip to Long Lake Conservation Center this week! Here is our phenology report. Biotic sightings were Loons, Beavers, a Merganser diving and swimming under the water, white-tailed deer eating bright green grass. Tamarack trees just starting to get their new needles, wood ticks, a tree frog, and a very small painted turtle. Abiotic notes were lightning, so much wind that there were waves crashing onto the Long Lake shore, the LLCC staff says that it is rare. Amazing cloud formations and RAIN! The bog was extra boggy for us after ALL THAT RAIN! It was a great week in nature and we want to remind everyone to get outside, jump in some puddles and LIVE CONNECTED!! https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_dcefa05f67744ee896672fd2cbd46966/1080p/mp4/file.mp4 THIS NATURE REPORT IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY CALLIE AND THE FIFTH GRADE STUDENTS FROM BATTLE CREEK Our group enjoyed perfect spring weather and saw a lot of interesting plants and animals. We saw our first Bluebird of the season and a bunch of Tree Swallows dancing in the air. Both the bluebirds and swallows are busy building nests in the bird houses on campus. The lake is warming and brimming with life. During our canoe adventure we saw painted and snapping turtles, leaches and minnows. We found dragonfly larvae in the lake bottom, but didn’t spot any dragonflies yet. We wonder when they’ll emerge and take flight. Unfortunately, mosquitos and ticks are out. We’ve had our first dandelions of the year and lots of garter snakes were spotted. At night we enjoyed looking at the lunar eclipse. It’s a great time to go for an explore and we want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside and to…LIVE CONNECTED. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_79e98a39c16e456188315935ce29e9de/1080p/mp4/file.mp4 THIS NATURE REPORT IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY KATRINA, PETER AND THE STUDENTS FROM FERTILE-BELTRAMI The woods and waters continued to burst to life during our trip to Long Lake. One of the highlights was seeing a pair of male Orioles sparring in midair as part of their annual mating rituals. We also saw the season’s first Solitary Sandpiper on the shore of the lake, along with the usual collection of songbirds, including Bluebirds, Catbirds and Tree Sparrows. The song of the Robin was particular beautiful. After last night’s rain, the earthworms emerged in force. The birds were happy with that. Our group found a Gray Tree Frog stuck on a window, and heard the songs on many others. Marsh Marigolds are blooming in the leck, and Cottongrass and Labrador Tea plants are starting to flower in the bog. We’ve heard reports of Morels in the area, but didn’t see any in ourselves. It’s a great time to go exploring and we want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside and to LIVE CONNECTED. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_f8b79aa5ce0c429fa55b1bb96637398d/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

Life is in a constant state of creation. That is most obvious in the spring when all forms of plants and animals are bursting with activity and creating even more life. The Canadian Geese had their first Goslings of the year. The nesting Loons appeared together, but still have not produced any chicks. Maybe this will be the year. Painted turtles are abundant and easily found sunning themselves on logs. Toads, and all their croaking goodness, are out and about. The mosquitos are everywhere and as big as small birds (only a slight exaggeration), but the dragonflies emerged TODAY just in time to enjoy a bountiful feast. Unfortunately, they are too busy gorging themselves to pose for a picture. A nest of Army Worms was found. Their arrival was not a minute too soon. The air is filled with the white puffs of Cottonwood seeds and our resident Woodchuck is out and about again. There have been many reports of Morels, but we haven’t spotted any at Long Lake. In the forest, we’ve spied Bellwort, Wood Anemone and Wild Sarsaparilla is up, but is not flowering yet. Pretty much everything in nature is up and at ‘em, enjoying the world. Any why not? Life is good. Get out and enjoy it.

THIS NATURE REPORT IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY WAYLON, AVERY AND THE STUDENTS FROM CENTRAL ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN NORWOOD YOUNG AMERICA Spring has sprung at Long Lake Conservation Center. Our group saw lots of really interesting things, including the season’s first Oriole. It didn’t stick around for very long so it must be migrating up north to John Latimer’s backyard. One of the naturalists said she spotted a hummingbird at her house. It’s great to have them back. We also saw a baby snapping turtle, and a porcupine eating grass. Our group couldn’t decide whether to name it Porkie or Ollie. There are lots of insects out and about, including mosquitos, butterflies and a bumble bee, plus the ticks found a few of the kids in our class. Be careful when exploring. The grass in turning green, and the red maple buds, and forest wildflowers are popping, including Hepatica. Our group saw a snail and a weird looking slug next to the season’s first Devil’s Urn mushroom. Naturalist Marla says they aren’t safe to eat, but that they are a sign that Morels are close to emerging. We also saw Blue Jays, bunny poop, and Gartner and Red-Bellied Snakes. For people phenology, we observed lots of happy people. This is probably because of the spring sunshine and the first 70 degree temperatures of the year. It’s a great time to go for an explore and we want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside and to…LIVE CONNECTED https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_b6b049f32e984223839bcb16f74559a9/1080p/mp4/file.mp4 THIS NATURE REPORT IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY SOPHIA, ALLIE AND THE STUDENTS FROM MINNEWASKA SCHOOL IN GLENWOOD We had a stormy trip to Long Lake Conservation Center this week! Here is our phenology report. Biotic sightings were Loons, Beavers, a Merganser diving and swimming under the water, white-tailed deer eating bright green grass, Tamarack trees just starting to get their new needles, wood ticks, a tree frog, and a very small painted turtle. Abiotic notes were lightning, so much wind that there were waves crashing onto the Long Lake shore. The LLCC staff says that it is rare. Amazing cloud formations and RAIN! The bog was extra boggy for us after ALL THAT RAIN! It was a great week in nature and we want to remind everyone to get outside, jump in some puddles and LIVE CONNECTED!! https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_703524eb3c8f4880bdbc285cc7810712/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

THIS WEEK'S NATURE REPORT IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY CONNOR, BLAKE AND THE STUDENTS FROM CROOKED LAKE ELEMENTARY SCHOOL IN ANDOVER Spring FINALLY arrived and with it came the first flowers of the season – including beautiful Hepatica plants. A porcupine visited campus and we got a good long look at it as it chomped on the buds of an Aspen tree. We think it’s probably a solitary male who left mom and her porcupette back at home in the hollow. There were lots of garter snakes on the trails and we also had our first positive ID of a red bellied snake. The beavers were VERY active and our group saw a few butterflies. Other flying friends included swallows, northern flickers and at night bats were spotted on the hunt. A Long Lake teacher saw a wasp, and, UNFORTUNATELY, the ticks are back and plentiful. The Chorus and Tree frogs sang all night. It was beautiful and very peaceful. Spring is here, and changes are happening every minute. It’s a great time to go for an explore and we want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside and to…LIVE CONNECTED. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_56106a02a45640a796ea1062254b57c4/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

THIS WEEK'S NATURE REPORT IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY SAM AND THE STUDENTS OF HIGHLAND CATHOLIC SCHOOL IN ST. PAUL One of the highlights of our trip to Long Lake Conservation Center was an up-close encounter with beavers, who were VERY active. A beaver swam right up to shore during one of our classes and sat there, paying no attention at all to our class. Another beaver walked right through campus, carrying a stick. He didn’t seem to care that dozens of kids were only a few feet away either. That’s was fun. The big news of the week was that on Friday morning, the ice is OFFICIALLY out on Long Lake. There is still some floating chunks of ice and slush, so no swimming for a while. On one our adventures, we saw a pair of loons near the beaver lodge. They’ll be on the nest soon. A Kingfisher, a female Yellow-Bellied Sapsucker and Golden-Crowned Kinglet were spotted, along with a large flock of geese, a few Hooded Mergansers and Mallards. During our Survival Shelter class, we encountered a Garter Snake. The Long Lake staff told us that it’s been a few days since they’ve been spotted sunning themselves outside of their hibernaculum. That means they have scattered in search of food. The sun came out for a while, and buds are starting to pop. The deer are active, rooting around looking for greens to eat. It was a great week in nature and we want to remind everyone to…LIVE CONNECTED. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_25c72179568d4b48b3f609b9713fa73c/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

THIS WEEK'S NATURE REPORT IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY JONAH, A STUDENT WHO VISITED AS PART OF LONG LAKE'S FIRST EVER HOMESCHOOL WEEK We noticed that the lake is still frozen! The Canada Geese are wandering around on the ice looking at the canoe that is out there. The canoe and the geese are just waiting to be floating in water. We found a bright orange Cinnabar-red polypore mushroom on a down tree, and spotted our first Great Blue Heron of the season. At the bottom of a tree there were woodpecker pecks, the sunshine we saw on Tuesday must have caused the bugs to start moving. When we tapped a maple tree the sap started flowing right away so we got to taste sap right out of the tree. The hydrometer said the sap was 3 percent sugar. One student reported seeing “a ton” of trumpeter swans, so we did some research and found that a group of flying swans is called a wedge or a flight. We also saw turkeys, sandhill cranes, a fox, squirrels, bunnies, spiders and in the bog we saw tiny white moths. A mink was spotted along the shore of Long Lake, it ran under an overturned rowboat and then immediately a chipmunk ran out the other side of the rowboat. That was a close call for the chipmunk! https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_f7d7b37872a04817ad7558583d202692/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

THE GRUMPY DAVE EDITION​ Despite the unseasonably cold weather, quite a bit of great stuff was happening in nature. A snowy owl spent a good part of Sunday hanging out at Long Lake. That’s always a thrill. We spotted an Orange Sulfur butterfly – our first of the year, and had a healthy fly hatch. A flock of 12 wood ducks were hanging out in the mud and water near the orienteering field. They are very pretty. In the open water around the beaver pond, we’ve spotted Hooded Mergansers, Mallards and Buffleheads. There are plenty of signs of beaver activities including fresh tree chews. The Robins have settled into our woods, and a flock of about 100 were observed flying over campus. Our first Red Winged Blackbird was spotted. In the plant world, the leaves of the wild strawberry plant are green and Pussy willows are blooming. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_7566fddb406e41469d7b4873af022991/1080p/mp4/file.mp4 https://static.wixstatic.com/media/08ac95_12998a79a991401fbbe059c09bfb08a7~mv2.jpg

CAYLEE AND ROSIE FROM DELANO MIDDLE SCHOOL https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_df1039705a51464b94e9fe768e8190b0/1080p/mp4/file.mp4 AVERY AND NORA FROM ST. JOE'S IN GRAND RAPIDS AND ST. HENRY'S IN PERHAM https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_e78b71677f754a2da7d274b04749df6a/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

This phenology report is brought to you by Thomas and the students from St. Raphael Catholic School of New Hope. ​ NATURE REPORT During our trip to Long Lake, winter fought back. The cold and snow didn’t stop the squirrels from chasing each other as part of their spring courtship. It sure looks like they are having fun. Porcupines were spotted in their den trees and seemed to be happy there after a being on the move the last couple of weeks. We think that they are settling in and getting ready to give birth. After a seven-month gestation period, porcupines give birth between April and June. Maybe we’ll see some babies soon. By the way, the Long Lake teachers like to call porcupines “Stabby Squirrels”. We think that’s kind of funny. Our school tapped maple trees, and all the trees were awake, but the sap was flowing VERRRRRY slowly, just a few drips. We were still able to taste the sap and it was sweet. When we went to collect the sap, however, it was frozen in the bucket. Our group trekked into the bog and ate the leaves of the Labrador plant and the needles from the black spruce trees. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_d68dae8a0cf2433aa1d58ee9dc815584/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

This week's phenology report is brought to you by Alex, Claire and the students of St. Francis of the Lakes School in Brainerd. ​ Our trip to Long Lake started out sunny and in the 40’s, and ended with a coating of wet snow. In between we saw lots of amazing nature. More than a dozen garter snakes were seen under the entryway floor grate. They were in a slithering ball, emerging from their winter slumber. We left them there safe from foot traffic. Otters were seen in three open holes on the lake and on the shore. We were told that it was the first time they have been spotted since January 3. One otter was seen eating a big, juicy frog. It was one of several frog-sicles seen being eaten. It was a good day to be an otter, but not so good for the frogs. There were so many red polls at the feeders we could not count them all. Bald eagles, hawks and swans were also spotted, along with the normal collection of Chickadees, nuthatches and woodpeckers. Our group trekked into the bog and were surprised to see a bunch of small white moths. We also saw a pitcher plant full of liquid peeking out of the snow, and got to eat leaves from the Labrador plant. Our school tapped maple trees, and collected the sap. The sap was flowing, but not very fast. We only collected a few gallons so far, but think with warmer weather ahead, the flow will pick up. The porcupine stayed up in the tree through the snow storm and was seen Wednesday morning covered in snow, matching the rest of the tree. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_d6a874774c334a86bfac8f4b45181311/1080p/mp4/file.mp4 OTTERS https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_03a817accccb4fadac305f91946aafc2/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

This week's phenology report is brought to you by Edwin and the students of Great River Schools. Spring weather arrived, and the students spotted the first Robin AND tadpole of the spring. Thanks for exploring nature with us! https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_c7713ad0a58b48a4a97087fb78e92c1a/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

This week's phenology report is brought to you by the students of St. Joe's in Rosemount! ​ https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_bb1b56da2e3f47869277938bb1411ecc/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

This week's phenology report is brought to you by the students of Bertha-Hewitt! ​ The temperature hit 40 degrees for the first time since early December and lots of snow is melting. Our group saw a couple of bald eagles that we think were migrating through to their nests for the spring. At the bird feeder, we saw chickadees, red poles, pileated, downy and red-bellied woodpeckers, plus squirrels, rabbits and signs of deer. The chickadees have begun making their familiar two-note mating call. We think they’re saying Long Lake. March is the Ojibwe’s “Hard Crust on the Snow” Moon, and it’s true. The snow has a thick crust on it which allows rabbits, squirrels and other small animals to escape predators who break through and can’t catch them. During our snowshoeing and hikes through the woods we saw many signs that the deer are becoming more active, though we didn’t see many actual deer. We spotted two porcupines in separate trees eating bark. They are most likely a mated pair and we think they will eventually end up on the same tree. The skies were clear for stargazing, and we saw an expanding cluster. Zoie said the sky was as dark as a crow’s feather. Great job young explorers! https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_bbee7f1034414a97a9c3fc3276694603/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

This week's phenology report is brought to you by the students of Our Lady of Victory! Great job young explorers! https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_20374c758e0d4f25bbd039278500fba5/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

PHENOLOGY WEDNESDAY - FRED THE SQUIRREL EDITION The students from St. Mary Help of Christians, St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and St. Andrew of St. Cloud had some nice winter weather to explore. Among the highlights was a moon halo, lots of deer, porcupines paired in a tree and a friendly squirrel they named Fred. Thanks for exploring nature with us! https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_023aec6d2f474d2ea460cc8a85027a47/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

This week's phenology report is brought to you by Brayden and Savana and the students from Paynesville Schools. The bitter cold didn't stop them from snowshoeing, cross country skiing and exploring nature. During their adventures, they saw a pair of porcupines, lots of deer tracks and a few even managed to entice some Chickadees to eat out of their hands. Great job young naturalists! Keep exploring! https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_47ae60ac453b4380ae76c2c3d2fef108/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

This week's phenology report is brought to you by Nolan, Sydney and Kora from St. Agnes, St. Mary's and Sacred Heart. During their adventures, they saw some uniquely shaped snowflakes, an otter hole (but no otters), porcupines and more. Great job young naturalists! Keep exploring! https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_57de4e01eb454eb8899c643626aace27/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

This week's phenology report is brought to you by the sixth grade students of Rippleside Elementary School in Aitkin who came to Long Lake for a cross country skiing and snowshoeing adventure. The porcupines were spotted again, and we had new visitors to our feeders - Pine Grosbeaks! How fun. Great job young naturalists. Keep exploring! https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_ca47c6e7f89044909d04825374233c48/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

PHENOLOGY FRIDAY This week's report is brought to you by LLCC Education Coordinator Beth Haasken. Redpolls were spotted at our feeder for the first time this winter, and the cold weather has caused the deer and turkey to become less skittish. The porcupines are still putting on a show and a few teachers from Aitkin School District tried their luck fishing on nearby Townline Lake. The crappie were biting and the ice is 18 inches thick and getting thicker by the minute. What are you seeing in your world? Let us know. https://video.wixstatic.com/video/08ac95_064d0eb2faff4769b3de54dca052a7d5/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

PHENOLOGY FRIDAY - CLOSE ENCOUNTERS OF THE QUILLY KIND It's been a spectacular week in nature - but then again, when isn't it? Bitter cold turned to pleasant temperatures allowing our students and Naturalists to venture deep into the woods following assorted tracks. One such track led to a porcupine hiding in a hollow of a tree. What a treat to get an up close look at this beautiful animal. We took some photos and Jake Panozzo and Katie Murphy actually touched it. The poor little guy looked scared, so we left him alone. We’ve spotted a total of four porcupines, including one sleeping in the top branches of a white pine. We came upon a thunder of Ruffed Grouse buried in the snow in the middle of a stand of trees. They were there eating the Aspen seeds, no doubt. We flushed up eight in a matter of minutes. That will get your heart beating in a hurry. The otters were spotted poking their heads through the ice again this week and the feeders were a popular destination for Chickadees, Nuthatches, squirrels, deer and woodpeckers. One morning this week, we observed a larger than usual number of Pileated Woodpeckers. We’re not sure why there were so many, but speculate it has something to do with ample food nearby (insects in dead and dying trees). What are you seeing in your world? Let us know and send photos to info@longlakecc.org.(mailto:info@longlakecc.org) Keep exploring and always live connected!