Phenology
2024

PHENOLOGY FRIDAY - The December Doldrums

Today is the textbook definition of a dreary December day; a canvas painted in tones of gray on gray. It's been quiet at Long Lake with no two-legged critters to keep us laughing and smiling. Normally when the kids are away, nature reclaims campus. That is partially true this week. We have seen a few more Pileated and Red-bellied Woodpeckers than we normally do, and have found interesting tracks in the melting snow that we think are from a muskrat. Otherwise, we are seeing the normal assortment of Chickadees, Nuthatches, deer, and squirrels. The obvious note is the warm weather. The temperature right now is 37, down a few clicks from the daytime high of 39. The low was 33. The result is a foggy, slow melt. If you think this weather is unusual, you're mostly right. The average high temperature for December to date is 24.7 degrees, not far from the historical December monthly average of 24. The average low for the month so far, however, is 14.33, quite a bit warmer than the historical monthly average of 7. In other words, other than a short blast of arctic air it's be a warm December with much warmer than usual nights. The extended forecast doesn't look to have many sub-zero days or nights. We could use some snow, a bit of sunshine and blue skies, but even at its dreariest, nature is spectacular. Get outside and enjoy it. If you can, take a kid with you.

This report is brought to you by Max, Evan and the students from Oneka Elementary in Hugo.

Two inches of snow fell during our trip with a high temperature of 21 degrees Fahrenheit and a low of 7 below zero. The fresh snow allowed us to easily see animal tracks. One path looked like an animal highway. We also saw under-the-snow tunnels made by mice and voles. There were lots of deer tracks, but we also found turkey and canine tracks. The canine tracks weren’t big enough to be wolves, so we think they are most likely from a fox or a coyote. During our Snow Snakes class, we heard the ice sing as it froze. The ice song was described as “loud and scary.” The squirrels were fun to watch eating the bird seed at the feeders. They slept in and allowed the birds to get a meal first. We saw Black-capped Chickadees, Nuthatches and a wide variety of woodpeckers. We observed Hairy, Downy and Pileated woodpeckers and looked at pictures to tell the males from the females. It’s interesting that the males are more colorful than the females. During our Lichen class we found all three kinds of Lichen on all hard surfaces around Long Lake, including rocks, trees and buildings. We found lichen of just about every color imaginable. We learned that lichen is like a fungus house for algae - two organisms living together in harmony. It was a great week in nature, we want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside and LIVE CONNECTED!

This report is from Long Lake staff with photo by Katie Murphy

...and then there were none. This is a follow up to the November 26 report about swans. You may recall that the report highlighted the behavior of swans throughout the year at Long Lake, and that by November 25, there was only one remaining. Late last week, we learned the fate of that last-remaining swan. Its remains were discovered on the east end of Long Lake being eaten by Bald Eagles, crows, ravens and other scavengers. Our best guess is that it was an injured adult that was unable to fly. The other swans that congregated on the lake stuck with it until the very last minute, before finally leaving it to meet its fate alone. Left with no choice, the swan walked onto the ice where it was easy prey for any predator. The swan's end was neither not sad nor cruel. It was simply part of the circle of life. The predators gave the swan a quick, merciful death as compared to slow starvation. The swan gave the predators energy to live another day. In other phenology notes, it's cold. Really, really, really cold (-17 Fahrenheit on Tuesday). Naturalist Katie Murphy made the discovery and took the photo.

This report is brought to you by Gemma, Ren, Josie and the students from Andover Elementary School who visited from Dec. 4-6, 2024.

We had mostly beautiful winter weather with a high temperature of 29 degrees Fahrenheit and a low of 4. On Wednesday, high winds of more than 20 miles per hour made it feel downright chilly. Clear skies on Thursday night allowed us to look at constellations and see Jupiter and Venus. Long Lake is frozen solid and the ice is thick enough to support a herd of seven deer that were spotted crossing the middle of the lake. In the bog, the Black-capped chickadees were eating the seeds from the Tamarack trees. These seeds are a winter-long food source for chickadees. In the woods, we found grouse tracks and noticed that the dead leaves have not fallen off of the Ironwood trees. Our group noticed lots of interesting mice and vole trails forming little forest highways between trees. Many of these trails were subnivean, which we learned means beneath the snow. Some of the subnivean tunnels had collapsed. There’s good reason for these rodents to stay out of sight. Bald eagles were spotted soaring overhead, and owls and other predators are always on the prowl. It was a great week in nature, we want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside and LIVE CONNECTED!

This report is brought to you by Ellie, Addie and the students from Andover Elementary School, reporting from Long Lake for December 2-4. SPECIAL NOTE: The students saw mouse not MOOSE tracks on the lake.

Winter arrived with a high temperature of 22 and low of 5. We experienced snow, freezing rain and gusty winds up to 20 miles per hour. During our phenology hike, it was easy to see tracks in the fresh snow. We saw squirrel, mouse, rabbit, deer and fox tracks. We found False Turkey Tail Mushrooms and lichen of many colors, including yellow and green. Our group found plenty of Winterberry bushes filled with red berries and learned what marcescens is when we noticed that some of the deciduous trees still had dead leaves on them. We saw the leaves still on oak and ironwood trees. During another hike, we flushed a Ruffed Grouse. We noticed many woodpecker holes in trees. In one tree there were four holes in a row, three were old and the one at the top was new. We measured the thickness of the ice on Monday afternoon at about 3 inches. By Tuesday evening, it was already five inches thick. That’s pretty thick considering that ice went in on Wednesday, November 28th. It’s still borderline whether it’s safe to walk to the middle of the lake. We opted for caution and stayed close to shore. On the frozen lake we saw bubbles under the ice and mouse tracks. One of the highlights of the trip was seeing a flying squirrel eating bird seed. We learned that flying squirrels are common, but not often seen, especially in the middle of the day. On our phenology hike, we noticed lots of Goldenrod Galls. We got to cut open a few to find the little grub living in there. Dallas, Mylo and Luke ate the grub. Gross! They said it is not at all like gum. Levi and Kaler tried to eat one, but they dropped it. Womp. Womp. We only ate a few grubs and left the rest for the birds who rely on them for protein. One other interesting find was a dead mouse in a tree. It’s possible that it was killed by a Shrike, a bird that kills and impales its prey on a branch to eat when it gets hungry. A little cold, snow and wind was not enough to stop us from exploring and we want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside and LIVE CONNECTED!

PHENOLOGY REPORT - THE SWAN EDITION

And then there was one. It's been an interesting year for swans on Long Lake. Swans don't always choose Long Lake, but when they do, it's typically a single mated pair. This year was no different. A pair of swans arrived shortly after ice out and hung out for a while, but then after a particularly bad spring storm (you remember the one, right?) they disappeared. No swans were observed on the lake for weeks. Then, out of nowhere, three swans arrived and made it their home. We assumed they were bachelors. That was the case until about five weeks ago when more and more swans starting arriving - topping out at 19. The bevy of swans have been around, some coming and some going, ever since. At one point during the autumn, a solitary Canada Goose joined the mix, making us think that the bevy had adopted an abandoned gosling. As the temperatures dropped and the ice crept, fewer swans remained. Yesterday, among the bevy was a group of one adult and five still-gray cygnets. By the end of the day there were only three from the bevy remaining. This morning, only one remained. We suspect that with temperatures not expected to top freezing for the remainder of the week, the lake - now half frozen - will be completely frozen over forcing that swan to join a wedge and move on to open water or warmer climates. In a year marked by notably high numbers of red-headed woodpeckers and black bears, the graceful beauty of the swans was a daily joy to behold. We are thankful they spent the season with us and look forward to their return in the spring.

This report is brought to you by Rylie, Schnee and the students from New Century Academy in Hutchinson. Great job. Keep laughing and exploring.

Our trip experienced the season’s first snowfall. It was snowmaggedon…the snowpocalyse…the dusting heard around the world. In all, a whopping inch of snow fell and melted before another wave pelted us with its mighty frozen furry leaving behind another quarter inch. The high temperature for our trip was 39 degrees Fahrenheit and the low was 29. The snow allowed us to follow some tracks. We saw tracks of deer dragging their hooves. Those deer were clearly lazy walkers. Rabbit and squirrel tracks were also observed. Around the campus, we saw a scurry of squirrels, plus we counted eight around the bird feeders pigging out on the bird seed. It was fun to watch them crack open the sunflower seeds and discard the shells, and be upside down like Peter Parker, or swing back and forth like Miley Cyrus. Before heading out for our bird walk, we saw Pileated and Downy woodpeckers, Chickadees and a Bald Eagle. During our bird walk, we observed Trumpeter Swans on the Lake, Nuthatches and two grouse. The swans were talking pretty loudly and showed no intention of leaving any time soon. Our group found orange and black “jelly” fungus on a rotting log, and signs of beaver activity near their lodge on the far east side of Long Lake. It was notable that the beaver had chewed down three large oaks and a tamarack. We thought that was unusual. Snowmaggedon or not, it’s a great time to explore nature and we want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside and LIVE CONNECTED!

This report is brought to you by Ashten, Ruby and the students from Rum River Elementary School in Andover. Great job, young explorers. .

Our trip was rainy and foggy, with a high temperature of 49 degrees Fahrenheit and a low of 30. A little rain didn’t stop us from exploring. We saw Swans on the lake on Thursday, but it was too foggy today to see if they are still there. It was interesting to see a bird walk up and down a tree. We learned that it was a White-breasted Nuthatch. It was fun to watch the squirrels gorge themselves at the feeders, chasing each other. We named the chunkiest one with bright white ears “Chimichanga”.We saw lots of deer on campus. Their coats seem to be thickening up for the coming cold. Turkeys are everywhere. Some people in our group were freaked out by the spiders that were found inside and outside. One of the highlights was finding a garter snake outside a building. We named it Spaghetti. At first, we thought it was dead, but it was just very cold and slow-moving. We brought it inside so many in our group could get a close look. It perked up after a few minutes. Later, a Long Lake teacher took it to the entrance of a known hibernacula and watched it slither inside. We hope Spaghetti survives the winter. Rain or shine, it’s always a great time to explore nature and we want to remind everyone to unplug, wear blaze orange, get outside and LIVE CONNECTED!

This report is brought to you by Charlie, Courtney and the students from Underwood Elementary School in Underwood.

We had frosty mornings and clear pleasant days with a high temperature of 46 degrees Fahrenheit and a low of 21. We awoke on Tuesday morning to find the puddles in the road to be frozen, but there is no ice on the lake. Long Lake staff says that it is not uncommon for the lake to be at least partially frozen at this time of year. Last year, “Ice in” was on November 19th. The open water has allowed a bevy of Trumpeter Swans to stay on the lake. We counted 10 this morning. Oktober said she heard an owl hooting at night. We suspect it was a Barred Owl. During our school’s trip to Long Lake last year, there was a lot of beaver activity. They were very busy for most of the day and night. This year, we observed no beaver activity at all. We wonder if they have moved to a different lodge or nearby lake. As the winter approaches, most of the migrating animals have left, leaving only the hearty “tolerators” to remain. This includes plump squirrels, deer, white-breasted nuthatches, black-capped chickadees and red-bellied woodpeckers who were all very active around the bird feeders. The clear skies allowed us to get a good look at the half full moon. It’s a great time to explore nature and we want to remind everyone to unplug, wear blaze orange, get outside and LIVE CONNECTED!

PHENOLOGY FRIDAY

It felt like the seventh month of summer today with a balmy high temperature of 55 degrees Fahrenheit. The low temperature for the week was only 30. Naturalist Julia Kuhns reported a thin bit of ice in shady spots on the far east side of Long Lake this morning. Swans have been seen on Long Lake everyday this week. One day there were 16, including a few cygnet who were still sporting their gray feathers. Nine swans were spotted today. Cranberries have been noticeably absent in the Long Lake bog but have been found in the boggy edges of the lake. A very confused vole was found hiding in the middle of the path on campus, and only scurried away to the safety of the forest after getting nudged a few times. Lots of Milkweed seeds are flying on the wind. A garter snake was observed outside the hibernacula enjoying the mid-afternoon sun. Who can blame it for deciding that it was a great day to

unplug, get outside and LIVE CONNECTED!

PHENOLOGY FRIDAY

It's November - Gashkadino-Giizis, or "The Freezing Over Moon". Yesterday, the students from Cuyuna Range Elementary School (CRES) in Crosby-Ironton were supposed to see the first snowfall of the year during their visit. Instead, they saw a Loon. That's much better, if you ask me. Long Lake's resident Loons took off in July after an unsuccessful nesting season, and we haven't heard a Loon for six weeks. The obvious explanation for the sighting is that the Loon was born this spring, left by mom and dad to fend for itself and is now strong enough to begin its own flight south. The less obvious explanation is that it knew we were missing its song, saw us enjoying a bonfire and stopped back to serenade us with one last concert. Either way, we were glad to hear it. In other sightings, otters made a rare appearance, Trumpeter Swans and Mergansers are still on the lake, wolf and turkey scat were found in the woods, along with buck and doe tracks and tree scrapings. Yesterday's high winds took care of most of the leaves that were left on the trees, making for "crunchy" walks in the woods. It looks like winter is going to hold off for a bit longer. Get out and enjoy it. Thanks to the students from CRES for contributing to this report!

This report is brought to you by Eva, Jake, King and the students from Fridley Middle School, reporting for October 29 and 30. Great job, young explorers!

The weather was friendly with a high of 61 degrees Fahrenheit and a low of 32. Cold weather is on the way, but there are still a few Trumpeter Swans on the lake and flying. Garter Snakes were seen near the hibernacula but not out in the woods. It could be the last time we see them until the spring. In the bog, about 5% of the Tamarack needles are still hanging on. The pitcher plants have turned from the green with red vein coloring of summer to their solid dark red purple color of autumn and winter. Students enjoyed the challenge of catching the last of the falling leaves. There aren’t many left. It’s a beautiful time of year and we want to remind you that it is always a good choice to ELECT to unplug, get outside and LIVE CONNECTED!

This report is brought to you by Coraline, Keaton, Allie, Kailin and the students from Lincoln Middle School in Hibbing. Great job, young explorers.

The high temperature was 55 degrees Fahrenheit and the low was 34. 0.22 inches of much-needed rain fell. After the rain, a few earthworms popped out of the soil. Our trip was about what we’re still seeing and what we’re not seeing anymore. We’re still seeing Garter Snakes in the forest and near the hibernacula. We noted that ones near the hibernacula are very big, about as big around as a quarter. We wonder if there’s a reason the bigger ones are the last to return. Trumpeter Swans are still on the lake. We counted nine. Our group spotted moths in the bog. We saw a rabbit, Leopard frogs in the lake and encountered a Blue-spotted Salamander in the forest. One person in our group found a wood tick during Wilderness Meal. Long Lake staff says it was the first wood tick since August. The squirrels and birds that will spend the winter here are very active, including Nuthatches, Chickadees, all the normal varieties of woodpeckers and lots and lots of Blue Jays. What we didn’t notice during our stay were Robins, Monarch butterflies or chipmunks. It’s notable there seems to be no beaver activity on the lake. Other observations from our trip include Tamaracks in the bog still have most of their needles, but they’re falling fast. Milkweed pods have split open. The Long Lake staff told us that there aren’t as many Milkweed pods this year, probably because of the wet spring and dry summer and autumn. The times they are a’ changin’, but there’s never a bad time to explore nature and we want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside and LIVE CONNECTED!

This report is brought to you by Tyler, Olivia and the students from Trek North Middle School in Bemidji. Great report!

The unseasonably warm autumn continued with a high temperature of 76 degrees Fahrenheit and a low of 38. During Lake Bottom Organisms class we identified Sea Shrimp, a Fingernail Clam, a Scud, a Phantom Midge Larva, Crawling water beetles, a Mud minnow, a Crayfish, and dragonfly larva. On the lake and in the woods, our group saw a few Garter snakes, deer and - surprisingly - a dandelion flower in bloom. We also spotted a Robin on Monday, two common mergansers, a bevy of swans, a flock of Juncos, and Leopard frogs near the lakeshore. We noted that some were still green, but others had turned dark. It’s a great time to explore nature and we want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside and LIVE CONNECTED!

The students from SNAP (Science Nature Adventure Program) from Bemidji Middle School contributed to this report.

Swans are still on Long Lake. On Wednesday, we spotted a smaller grey/brown bird with a long neck sitting on shore with the swans. We didn't get a good look and couldn't tell if it was a Canada Goose or cygnet? When we went back to investigate today, no mystery bird was seen with the group of six swans. While trying to solve the Goose/cygnet mystery, we encountered a mosquito (hopefully that's the last one of the year), a lone female mallard duck, a large flock of Robins, and a thunder of Meadowhawks. Meadowhawks are typically the last of the autumn dragonflies to hatch every year. Closer to campus, the warm weather brough the Garter snakes out of their hibernacula, and Chipmunks are still out and about.

This report is brought to you by Hailey, Isabelle and the students from Rippleside Elementary in Aitkin and Oliver and the students from McGregor Elementary. Great job, young explorers!

We had a high temperature of 59 degrees Fahrenheit and a frosty, season-low of 21. Brrrrrrr. Lots of leaves are falling as Autumn is at its colorful peak. Our group spotted a flock of Dark-eyed Juncos migrating south, and uncovered a VEEEEERRRRYYYY slow moving Blue-spotted Salamander under a log in the woods. On Monday, we found a lone garter snake. The recent sub-freezing temperatures have made them more scarce. They’re cold-blooded, so that makes sense. We are still seeing Chipmunks and noticed that the squirrels are very, very actively preparing for winter. They seemed frantic. One of the highlights of the trip was seeing the ATLAS comet streak across the clear sky during astronomy class. The last time the comet was seen from earth was more than 80,000 years ago. We also saw the Big Dipper, various satellites and the big, bright nearly full moon.There are still swans on Long Lake. Four were spotted on Tuesday, floating in the morning mist. Joining them were six Canada Geese who stopped by on their journey south. Abby and Gwendolyn saw a doe near the compost. It was not wearing its winter coat and didn’t seem afraid of people. When she spotted them, she didn’t put up her white tail and slowly walked away. After being out of sight for the summer, Blue Jays and woodpeckers have returned to campus in big numbers. Most of them will spend the winter here. Male and female Hairy, and Red-bellied Woodpeckers were observed. A Blue Jay and a male Red-bellied Woodpecker fought over some seeds at the feeder. The Blue Jay eventually chased the woodpecker away. Their urgency suggests that food supplies in the forest are getting harder to come by. It’s a colorful time to explore nature and we want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside and LIVE CONNECTED!

This report is brought to you by Broox, Quinn and the students from Waconia Middle School - Gold Group . Nice job, young explorers!

Summer weather returned with a near record high temperature of 78 degrees Fahrenheit on Thursday with the low of only 39. Despite the warm temperatures, signs of autumn were everywhere, including the leaves becoming ablaze with color. We estimate that the trees are about 60-70% of peak color. The red maples on campus are fully turned and are a particularly beautiful red in contrast to the yellows of the Aspen and Birch. Garter snakes seemed to be everywhere, including the forest and around the hibernacula, but we also found one in the bog. Those who stayed up were rewarded with a brilliant Northern Lights show, and a clear view of the Milky Way and Jupiter. We thought we had seen the last Monarch butterfly of the season on October 3rd, but our group saw one on October 9th. Our group saw many tiny Wood Frog and a toad that looked angry! The squirrels and chipmunks are very busy getting ready for winter. Sunflower seeds in the bird feeders seem to be the meal of choice for the squirrels, but Blue Jays, Chickadees and Nuthatches managed to sneak in to grab a bite. We noticed lots and lots of Blue Jays. It’s so dry that even the bog isn’t very “boggy”. The bog puddles were less than ankle deep. The Long Lake staff said that when wet, they can be knee deep. Our group found a racoon’s nest with the remains of what we think are turtle eggs. We flushed two Ruffed Grouse, saw a few deer that don’t appear to be wearing their winter coats yet, a Wooly Caterpillar, a Wolf Spider, a Purple Aster, and Winterberry Hollies filled with red berries. It’s a beautiful time to explore nature and we want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside and LIVE CONNECTED!

This report is brought to you by Colton, Izzy and the students from Waconia Middle School - Purple Group. Great job, young explorers.

We had PERFECT autumn weather with a high temperature of 68 degrees Fahrenheit and low of 28. The warm sun brought the cold-blooded critters out, including two painted turtles that were spotted sunning themselves on a log in Long Lake. Garter snakes were abundant and a handful were seen in and around their hibernacula. In the forest, our group also found Purple Aster and Winterberry Hollies filled with red berries. In the bog, we were surprised to see a red squirrel and noted that the Cotton Grass has gone to seed and poofs are riding the wind. Tamaracks in the bog are about 20 percent golden and when we shook them, it rained needles. On a hike in the woods, a group encountered a Ruffed Grouse. To our surprise, it didn’t flush. Instead, it let us get a look at it before it ran away into a thicket. We spotted a few Blue Jays and Nuthatches, a flock of American Robins, and a swan is still on the lake. No Monarch Butterflies were seen, making October 3 the last sighting of the year. The cool nights have FINALLY 0started the trees turning color. We estimate that the trees are about a quarter of the way to peak color. Last year peak color happened on October 19th. At about 10:30 on Monday night, some teachers and chaperones saw the Northern Lights and took some cool pictures. In the day and at night, it’s a colorful time of year and we want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside and LIVE CONNECTED!

This report is brought to you by Francis, Veronica and the students from St. Joseph School in Rosemount, and Henry, Maggie and the students from Nativity of our Lord in St. Paul. Great job, young explorers.

We had beautiful autumn weather with a high temperature of 74 degrees Fahrenheit and low of 31. That is the first sub-freezing temperature of the season, and coldest since April 25th. There were some spots with frost. During our Wilderness Meal lunch we saw a bunch of Spring Peeper frogs, including an orange one. Most were green. We learned that Spring peepers can change their color quickly to camouflage from predators. Our group enjoyed beautiful, misty sunrises. One was pink and the other orange. A lone swan was still on the lake, and a flock of Canada Geese stopped by on their flight south. Robins were also observed flying south.

We saw two Monarch Butterflies on Tuesday, flying west. In the bog, we noted that Tamarack needles are starting to turn golden. Many of us tasted the bog water. The reviews were that it didn’t taste great or tasted weird. During Shelter Building class, we found a Wolf Spider on a dead tree. We found a dead fish while canoeing. There aren’t many wildflowers around, but we did see Great Blue Lobelia and Flat-top Goldenrod. Red Sumac are turning bright red and the leaves of the common Milkweed are turning yellow. Nature is turning colors and it’s a great time to unplug, get outside and LIVE CONNECTED!

This report is brought to you by Julia and the students from St. Odilia School in Shoreview .

The weekend winds carried seasonal Autumn weather and we enjoyed a pleasant high temperature on Tuesday of 60 degrees Fahrenheit and a crisp low of 40. Snakes took center stage during our trip. We observed garter snakes everywhere we went, including in the woods during Wilderness Meal, on campus and near the hibernacula. We watched a life-and-death battle between a large garter snake and a leopard frog. The struggle lasted for several minutes before the snake won its meal. Don’t worry, there are plenty of frogs left. We found six during Lake Bottom Organisms class - five leopard frogs and one toad. We also found a dragonfly larva. We flushed a grouse on a nature hike and heard the autumn song of the Chickadee which was different from the spring “Cheeseburger, Cheeseburger” song. Speaking of singing, unrelated to nature - we learned that Mrs. Archibald sings when she wakes up. The Chickadees have nothing on her. Our group found ripe cranberries in the bog. Liam ate three and said they tasted “pretty, pretty good.” During the peak of midday sun, we saw a Monarch Butterfly. Could it be the last of the season? Other than the cooler weather, signs of autumn were everywhere. Flocks of Canada Geese honking loudly flying overhead and 10-15% of the leaves have turned color. Fall is finally in the air and we want everyone to remember to unplug, get outside and LIVE CONNECTED!

This report is brought to you by Kallie, Astrid and the students from Braham Area School. Great job, young explorers.

September Summer continued with a record-setting high temperature of 82 degrees Fahrenheit and a low of 52. The frogs seemed to enjoy the abnormally warm weather. We spotted both wood and leopard frogs still in the lake. The lake was abuzz with insect activity and gaggles of Canada Geese flew overhead. Ezekiel and others saw a total of four garter snakes. It was fun to watch the Chipmunks, and Red and Gray Squirrels lunge acrobatically to try to get to the seeds in the bird feeders. They are pretty funny. With the clear, warm nights, Kalea saw the Big Dipper. Our group enjoyed the bonus summer weather and wants everyone to remember to unplug, get outside and LIVE CONNECTED!

This report is brought to you by Alexis, Alaina and the students from Pequot Lakes Middle School who visited Long Lake September 25-26, 2024.

Our weather was full September Summer with a record-tying high temperature of 81 degrees Fahrenheit and a low of 52. During our trip we saw a Blue Jay, a caterpillar, a squirrel running into a tree, and a chickadee, a deer, a frog jumping in the water, a one-inch garter snake and a Kingfisher snatching an insect off the surface of the water. During our phenology hike around the lake, we saw lots and lots of Wooly Bear Caterpillars and observed that the frogs are still very active. Our group found Chicken of the Woods, noted that the cattails are turning brown, Swans are still on the lake, more maple trees are turning color, the water levels have dropped quite a bit, and Winterberries are turning red. No matter the weather, it’s always a great time to explore nature. We want everyone to remember to unplug, get outside and LIVE CONNECTED!

This report is brought to you by Mady, Tobin, Foster, Harper, Levi and the students from St. Mary’s Catholic School in Alexandria reporting from Long Lake Conservation Center for September 23rd through the 25th.

Our weather was a mix of summer and autumn with a high temperature of 79 degrees Fahrenheit and a low of 43. Our group spotted a wide variety of plants, and animals - especially insects. We spot Blue Birds, lots of VERY active chipmunks and squirrels. A person in our group named one “larger” squirrel Fatso. We also observed frogs, Canada Geese, Swans, wasps, and Monarch butterflies. We suspect that these will be the last butterflies of the season. One student noted that the lake water is getting cold and another student saw scat that looked like beans. That was most likely deer scat. During our Insect Investigations class, we found many insects and invertebrates. We learned how to safely catch, examine and release insects with a net. We found 13 dragonflies of different types, seven Rolly Pollys, 11 worms, 1 Tussec Moss Caterpillar, nine centipedes, three Wooly Bear Caterpillars, 12 slugs, one Blue-spotted Salamander, one Crane Fly, one Brown-belted Bumblebee, two moths, three ants, one wasp, two snails, one Japanese Beetle, one Leopard and two Wood Frogs, four Daddy Longlegs, one fly, one Drone Fly, one gnat, one firefly, one grasshopper and one we couldn’t identify. Autumn is here. It’s a great time in nature and we want everyone to remember to unplug, get outside and LIVE CONNECTED!

This report is brought to you by Grace and the students from DaVinci Academy of Arts and Science in Ham Lake who visited Long Lake Sept. 18-20, 2024.

Our group experienced “September summer” with a high temperature of 82 degrees Fahrenheit and a low of 56. Leaves are starting to turn, but only a few. We saw lots and lots of Wooly Bear Caterpillars, and one group found a baby Snapping Turtle that was about the size of a quarter. We helped it find the water. At night, everyone got to see Dill Prickles, the famous porcupine. He walked right up the path and was also seen in the compost pile. It’s the first sighting of Dill in a few weeks.

There were some interesting snake sightings. Our group found a baby Red-bellied snake in the woods, and a pair of canoers encountered a garter snake IN THE CANOE. It was hiding under the front and slithered out during the canoe ride. The students stayed calm, returned to shore, tipped over the canoe and let the snake escape into the tall grass. Our group also saw lots of slugs in the forest. Early bird teachers took canoeing adventures each morning and were rewarded with a beautiful sunrise on Friday. They reported seeing three Swans on the far eastside of Long Lake. Nature didn’t stop when the sun went down, the first night we heard lots of thunder rumbling and the second night we heard the coyotes howling and yipping. It was a great time in nature and we want everyone to remember to unplug, get outside and LIVE CONNECTED!

This report is brought to you by Denise Carlson and the rest of the Two Harbors Quilters who visited Long Lake Sept. 12-14, 2024.

This report is for the week of September 9th through the 13th. The high temperature was 85 degrees Fahrenheit and the low was 50. Smooth Aster is in full bloom and is very pretty. Trees are starting to turn colors, especially maples, aspens and birches. Trees that are stressed turn color sooner. We have seen a few leaves already on the ground. Winterberry bushes are now full of the berries that will last all winter - or until the birds have eaten them. We have seen Flickers, Kingfishers, lots of leopard frogs and three Swans on the lake. Three otters were seen along the shore actively hunting. In a sure sign that autumn weather will soon be here, garter snakes are starting to relate to their hibernaculum. One was even seen entering. This seems a bit premature. It was a great week in nature and we want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside and LIVE CONNECTED!!

This report is brought to you by Mark Job and the other members of the Minnesota Astronomical Society who visited Long Lake as part of their annual Northern Nights Star Fest, August 28 - September 2, 2024.

This report is brought to you by Kathy Sidles and the astronomers who visited Long Lake as part of their annual Northern Nights Star Fest.

This report is for the week of August 25th through the 30th and will focus on our terrestrial observations. Next week’s report will focus on the objects we observed in the night sky during our visit. The high temperature was 87 degrees fahrenheit and the low was 50. Another noteworthy sign of Autumn was a kettle of Nighthawks spotted flying over the lake. A gaggle of Canada Geese stopped at Long Lake for a quick rest on their flight south. The familiar “Who Cooks for You” call of the Barred Owl was heard and Blue Birds and Red-headed Woodpeckers were seen. It was two years ago during this week that Dill Prickles returned to Long Lake’s campus after his summer vacation. No sightings of Dill so far, but we are hopeful he’ll make his triumphant return any day now. The Minnesota Department of Agriculture found two Spongy Moths in a trap they set earlier at Long Lake as part of their annual Spongy Moth Survey. This is typical for the area. Spongy Moths are invasive and pose a threat to Minnesota’s forests. One of my highlights so far is observing Bumble Bees. I’m a contributor to the U of M’s Atlas Project. There were a good amount of bees on the Golden Rod. I observed Common Eastern, Brown Belted and Half Black Bumble Bees. Last year, I photographed a rare Frigid Bumble Bee, but no luck this year. The Long Lake staff conducted their second Bee Survey of the summer and reported identifying a total of 13 bees, down from 40 two weeks ago. This may be a result of the fact that the Bee Balm is done blooming. It was a great week in nature and we want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside and LIVE CONNECTED!!

This report is brought to you by Lily and the cohort of future teachers from Minnesota North - Itasca who visited Long Lake prior to the their school year which begins next week.

The high temperature was 77 degrees Fahrenheit and the low was 55. There are signs of fall everywhere. Two signs of note are that the Wild Sarsaparilla in the forest have changed colors and Long Lake’s loons have left. We suspect they’ve moved to a larger lake where they’ll raft up and fly south in a month or so. They didn’t have any loonlets so there's no reason to stick around. Other observations from our trip were: Asters in full bloom, beavers along the lake shore, pitcher plants are in bloom, mushrooms are growing, including crown-tipped coral and chicken of the woods, wans are on the lad and small wood frogs, spring peepers and toads. It was a great week in nature and we want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside and LIVE CONNECTED!!

This report is brought to you by Long Lake staff with an assist from the students from Migizi School in Minneapolis.

The first formal Bumble Bee survey was conducted at Long Lake on August 8th. We had a very successful survey and captured around 40 bees in 45 minutes. No bees were harmed and were handled by trained professionals. The method for documentation was capturing the bee, cooling it down so it stops moving, photographing and then letting them warm up again to release it. That is why the bees are positioned the way that they are in the pictures. They curl up when their bodies cool down. During our survey we photographed many different species, our most common find was the Brown Belted Bumblebee. Most of the bees were on the Wild Bergamot, but a few were on Blazing Star flowers and Goldenrod. Nine of the bees we found had visible mites on them. These mites do not harm the bee, but use them as transport to get to new nests where they eat things like the wax from the hive. We will be conducting a survey like this twice a summer to help scientists gather more accurate information about bumblebees. This is a citizen science project through the Xerces Society Bumble Bee Watch Program.

Thank you to the students and leaders from Migizi in Minneapolis for your help with the survey. It was a great day to be among the wildflowers.

Remember to unplug, get outside and LIVE CONNECTED!!

This report is brought to you by Talula, James and the stargazers from Astronomy Camp who visited Long Lake August 8-11.

The high temperature was 76 degrees Fahrenheit and the low was 48. We spent our days having terrestrial fun and our evenings exploring the stars. Our group heard coyotes howling at night, saw a few busy chipmunks and went waist deep in the bog. At night, we were lucky to have clear skies to enjoy the Perseid Meteor Shower. It wasn’t quite at the peak of one meteor per minute, but we saw lots and lots, including some really bright ones. Other night sky sightings included a really clear view of the Milky Way, craters on the quarter crescent moon, the Big Dipper, Saturn and two of its moons, the Omega and Dumbbell Nebula, and the Whirlpool and Swan galaxies. We were looking for a nova explosion in the star system called T Coronae Borealis, but it didn’t happen during our camp. It’s supposed to happen soon. Our group also got to look at the sun through a solar telescope and saw sunspots that were larger than the Earth. Members of the Minnesota Astronomical Society let us use their GIANT telescopes and guide us. Thanks. Day or night, it’s always a great time to explore nature and we want everyone to remember to unplug, get outside and LIVE CONNECTED!

This report is brought to you by Sophia, Izzy and the students from Ponemah School who visited Long Lake from August 6-8.

The high temperature was 76 degrees fahrenheit and the low was 51. We noticed many things in nature during our visit: tiny wood frogs, grasshoppers, garter snakes, swans, weeds and leeches in the shallow part of the lake and squirrels eating green pine cones.Flowers blooming are; lilies, bee balm, daisies, jerusalem artichokes and wonderful smelling milkweed. We saw bumblebees and goldfinches on the thistle blooms. It was a great time in nature and we want everyone to remember to unplug, get outside and LIVE CONNECTED!

This report is brought to you by Andrae, Navari and the campers from Forkhorn I camp who visited Long Lake July 28- August 1.

The high temperature was 87 degrees fahrenheit and the low was 61. A Barred Owl was heard hooting in the evening, we were able to spot it and get some good pictures before we were literally chased away. Coyotes were also heard at night and we think maybe even a wolf was heard. An unidentified Hawk was seen flying with a chipmunk in its talons. We found deer tracks and saw a fawn at the archery field, a hummingbird also buzzed by our group as we sat on a bench. We saw a tree frog, several very tiny wood frogs, a small garter snake, a mouse and a woodpecker. The milkweed plants have pods and the bee balm is in full bloom. A few wild raspberries are still being found, between the campers and the critters there are not many left. Not many ticks were found this week, but there are still MANY deer flies. We saw several busy squirrels and one that was just sitting in a tree eating a pancake. Bear scat was closely inspected. We heard loons calling and saw swans on the lake a few times, usually near the beaver lodge. We were excited to see a pair of otters in the lake with 3 baby otters! It was a great week at camp and in nature and we want everyone to remember to unplug, get outside and LIVE CONNECTED!

This is the phenology report from Long Lake Conservation Center for the week of July 12-19. The high temperature was 86 degrees Fahrenheit and the low was 44. Nature has a lot of GALL lately. We’ve observed hundreds of Galls, mostly on the Goldenrod, but we also found a handful of dried Oak Apple Galls on the ground beneath oak trees. The Goldenrod Galls are the result of a reaction to eggs implanted in the developing buds by the Goldenrod Gall Fly. If the eggs survive the Chickadees and woodpeckers, they’ll hatch next spring. Plants in bloom include Pearly Everlasting, Purple Prairie Clover, Butterfly weed, Common Mullein, Goldenrod and Black-eyed Susan. Other plant related notes include; the wispy seedheads of the Prairie Smoke also known as “Old Man’s Whiskers” and a few Pagoda dogwood berries that the catbirds and robins (and others) haven’t eaten yet. It’s been relatively quiet in the wildlife world. We’ve observed the normal collection of deer, mostly at dusk, squirrels and chipmunks, but not much else. The birds have been quiet and shy, other than a pair of Trumpeter Swans on the lake and a Kingfisher fishing in the very shallow water. The Loons were seen together on the lake for the first time in weeks yesterday. It may only be a coincidence, but a very long and loud Loon ruckus was reported during overnight hours. It’s possible that their second nesting fell victim to predators. The summer of 2024 has been a tough one for the Long Lake Loons. We noticed a conspicuous absence of Monarch Butterflies in the last few weeks. After an early spring in which we saw quite a few, we go days at a time without seeing any. We aren’t finding caterpillars on the Milkweed. This year’s raspberries are very small, but still tasty. Summer is in full bloom. It was a great week in nature and we want everyone to remember to unplug, get outside and LIVE CONNECTED!

This report is brought to you by Hunter, Nora, Rainn and the campers from Outdoor Explorers who visited Long Lake July 21-25.

The high temperature was 81 degrees Fahrenheit and the low was 47. It’s officially mid-summer and life is in full bloom. One of the highlights was finding lots of baby frogs hopping about. We found a number of Wood Frogs that were about the size of a dime. Very cute. We also saw a baby painted turtle that was freshly hatched. While canoeing, we had very close encounters with the loons. Both swam near and popped out of the water. We named them Alfred and John Cena. Also on the lake, we saw the otters, Trumpeter Swans, big fat leeches that were about four inches long, and tadpoles. Someone accidentally stepped on a baby spotted salamander. Other observations included a nest of baby bunnies near the archery range, a spotted fawn and a doe, a lone Monarch butterfly, a few bumble bees, two squirrels fighting, a chipmunk, big and small spiders, and a bunch of colorful mushrooms. A Barred Owl was heard calling and coyotes howling at night. We learned that horseflies cut open our skin - OUCH - and drink our blood. It felt like sweet revenge to watch a dragonfly eat one. The bog is still very boggy. Hunter enjoyed a bog “mud” bath and Brayley did a swan dive into the “muddy bog”. It was a great week at camp and in nature and we want everyone to remember to unplug, get outside and LIVE CONNECTED!

This report is brought to you by Hattie, Lila and the campers who attended Forkhorn I Camp at Long Lake July 7-11.

Hi, I am Hattie and Lila reporting Summer Camp Phenology from Long Lake Conservation Center. First, the loon report, we haven't checked to see if they are back on the nest but we are only seeing one loon at a time. If they are back on, it will be a very late hatch. Other animal sightings included; sandhill crane chicks, turkey poults, two spotted fawns following one doe and a large black bear by the side of the road that completely disappeared by slowly moving its head back into the brushline. Now for the plant report; we noticed yellow hop clover lining the paths, also, showy tick trefoil, creeping thistle, daisy fleabane, self-heal, black-eyed susan, blue bellflower, common milkweed and leadplant. The mountain mint is not flowering yet but will be very soon. The first of the raspberries were found, picked and eaten, they are small but very tasty. It was a great week in nature. Remember to unplug, get outside and LIVE CONNECTED!!

This report is brought to you by Julia Kuhns live from the Nature Rocks Concert for Conservation on Friday, June 21, 2024.

This week's report is coming to you live from the Aitkin County Fairgrounds when in a few hours, Nature Rocks Concert for Conservation gets underway. It's not raining, and you can get your tickets online at Naturerocksconcert.com or at the gate. The phenology highlight for the week was rain. LOTS AND LOTS of rain. There has been a little more than 4.5 inches of rain so far this month, including almost 2 inches this week. The high temperature for the week was 78 and the low was 49. Between raindrops, we observed some interesting things, including a rare Charlie Mitchell sighting. Charlie joined us last Saturday for Rivers and Lakes Fair. We trekked with her to the bog where we saw Pink Lady's Slippers and Labrador Tea and Pitcher Plants flowering. Some of the Pitcher Plants were just starting to flower and others that were already about 10 inches high with fully open petals. On the lake, we saw the season's first Sundew on the boggy south shore of the lake. Two beavers slapped their tails at us when we canoed too close. The Loons were on their nest late last week, but are no longer on it this week. The big storm that blew through might have swamped the eggs. The pair of Loons were together and let us get to about 10 feet away before moving on. About three weeks ago, we reported two families of Canada Geese families, one with five goslings and the other with two. We haven't seen them since. It was a mystery. Today, a pair arrived on the beach with one pretty large gosling. We don't know if they are new, or what's left of the other families. Either way, it was nice to see them. Wild Roses are in bloom, and raspberries and blackberries have mostly finished flowering. It'll soon be berry season. We have seen quite a few Monarch caterpillars on Milkweed. Some were almost too tiny to see and others were two to three plump inches. The American Robins and Tree Swallows we've been watching have fledged. We watched a large snapping turtle lay her eggs. A few days later, the hole was dug up and the eggs were eaten. We suspect a skunk had a turtle egg omelet. The turtle was one of a dozen Snapping and Painted turtles we've seen laying eggs in the last week. It's a great night for a concert and we want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside and live connected.

This report is brought to you by AJ, Kameron, Kaiden and the campers who attended Forkhorn I Camp.

Here is our phenology report for the week of June 9th through June 13th. The high temperature was 82 degrees Fahrenheit, the low temperature was 36 degrees Fahrenheit. There were several sightings on campus of a doe followed closely by her fawn. We kept an eye on a snapping turtle laying her eggs, she was in her egg-laying spot for over 3 hours! We also saw 3 painted turtles, 1 loon on the lake, 1 loon on the nest, beavers, frogs and chipmunks. Many colorful birds were noticed; goldfinch, blue birds, red-headed woodpecker, red-eyed vireos, which are not very colorful except for their little red eye. A clutch of 3 baby robins barely fitting in their nest and looking ready to fledge. Monarch butterflies, monarch eggs and tiny monarch caterpillars are all on the milkweeds. The flowers in bloom are pink lady’s slippers, wild rose, blackberries and blue flag iris. We had a great week at summer camp and we want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside and LIVE CONNECTED!!

This report is brought to you by Elsie, Sebastian and the students from Madison Elementary in Blaine.

We had a hot and muggy visit to Long Lake Conservation Center this week! The high temperature was 84 degrees fahrenheit. Here is our phenology report. There were soooo many mosquitos that joined us on all of our adventures. We noticed that the more people there were in our group the more mosquitos there were too. Dragonflies were seen hunting in groups and solo. We saw wasps flying and forest tent caterpillars crawling. A deer was sitting in the grass near campus, we got pretty close, it didn’t move, we left it alone. In canoeing class we noticed loons, lily pads, blue flag iris, fish and a few painted turtles sunning themselves on the beaver lodge. Beavers and muskrats were also seen in the lake. The pink lady’s slipper flowers are in full bloom in the bog. We had a great end of the year nature field trip and we want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside and LIVE CONNECTED!!

This phenology report is brought to you by the students from Pillager Middle School who visited Long Lake on Wednesday, May 29, the young men and women who are on campus studying to become Conservation Corps members, and the Long Lake staff.

The low temperature for the week was 37 degrees Fahrenheit and the high was 76. For the month of May, the highest recorded temperature was 82 degrees and the lowest was 33. It was a wet May with 4.5 inches of rain. After the winter that wasn’t, we needed it. Nature is bursting with life, plush, green and in full bloom. We enjoyed watching the Bluebirds near their birdhouse, and have had a lot of sightings of Red-headed Woodpeckers. They are truly stunning with the brilliant red heads and stark white and black bodies. This is the first season in years we have had Red-headed Woodpeckers on campus. It’s a joy to hear the song of the Oriole and get a glimpse or two of their beautiful orange feathers. Julia Kuhns got a photo of the season’s first Pink Lady’s Slipper in the bog and a pair of newborn skunks. They seem to be living in a groundhog hollow. Are they sharing the space, or did the groundhogs move on? A black bear has been active in and around campus. It destroyed our beehives and made a mess in our dumpsters. Berry season is coming soon, and hopefully the bears will find enough food in the woods to leave our garbage alone. We have seen a few newborn fawns out and about and spotted a buck with the fuzzy beginning of a set of antlers. The deer coats are turning their summer red and they look healthy. This is good news after tough and long winters in 2022 and 2023. We have not seen the otters frolicking this spring, which is unusual, but have regularly spotted a muskrat. A pair of Common Loons is on the lake and Julia went in search and found a nest. It didn’t appear to be active. We are starting to suspect that Long Lake is a “bachelor’s lake.” We are still seeing the Trumpeter Swans on the lake from time to time, but no signets in sight. In a concerning and confusing note, we have not seen the two pairs of Canada Geese and their combined nine goslings in the last two weeks. They either walked to nearby Townline Lake or the goslings fell to predators. As a reminder, turtles are starting to be on the move as part of their egg laying mission. Be careful on the roads and highways, and if you can, help them cross the road in the direction they are heading. There are too many different types of wildflowers blooming to list. It’s sure nice to see pops of color in the woods, fields and wetlands. The pollinators, including bumblebees and Monarch Butterflies are finding plenty of nectar. With all the rain, the mosquitoes are ferocious right now and the Wood Ticks are abundant and hungry. One naturalist pulled 14 ticks off his clothes after a recent hike. Fortunately, the dragonfly army is emerging and helping thin the mosquito population. It’s a great time to be alive and outside and we encourage everyone to unplug, get outside and live connected!

This report is brought to you by Ian, Gloria, Oz and the students from Lincoln Elementary School in Anoka.

During our outdoor school trip to Long Lake Conservation Center on May 22nd through the 24th, the low temperature was 39 degrees Fahrenheit and the high temperature was 74. One of the highlights of our trip was seeing a porcupine walking across campus. We think it was probably the famous Dill Prickles. Long Lake staff said it’s been a month or so since Dill was on campus. Our group also saw a Red-belly Snake IN THE BOG. We were told that this is a bit unusual. There were also lots of signs of new life, including a handful of Robins egg shells on the ground. We found bear paw prints in the mud and learned that a black bear had gotten through the electric fence and into the beehives. He made a BIG mess. Our group also saw an orange butterfly, lots of garter snakes, a handful of deer, Common Loons, red grasshopper mites, snails, slugs, worms, chipmunks and Hairy and Red-headed Woodpeckers. We even found the bones of a dead chipmunk. Someone in our group thought they saw a red fox. There was a gray squirrel eating the grape jelly and oranges that were left out for the Orioles, and a red squirrel sat in the window feeder, pigging out on millet for about half an hour. It didn’t care one bit that we were inches away, staring at him. We are happy to report that we spotted many dragonflies who were very busy eating the mosquitoes. It’s a great time to be alive and we want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside, and LIVE CONNECTED!!

This report is brought to you by Asher, Mr. Beau and the students from Hamilton Elementary School in Coon Rapids. The report is for May 21 and 22, 2024.

This report is brought to you by Avery, Emmit and the students from Saints Peter and Paul School in Richmond.

During our outdoor school trip to Long Lake Conservation Center on May 20th and 21st, the low temperature was 50 degrees Fahrenheit and the high temperature was 71. The highlight of our trip was the return of Monarch butterflies. As the wildflowers start to bloom, the pollinators are returning, including a variety of bumblebees. Emmit saw a blue damselfly on our walk to the bog. We need the dragonfly army to arrive in full because the mosquitoes hatched this week. They are pretty thick right now and we were swatting them like crazy. Our group loved the trek to the bog, where we picked a few cranberries. Bentley didn’t like the taste. On the way to the bog, we heard and saw frogs and toads jumping around, and saw a lot of different types of plants blooming, including Bogbean, March Calla, Wood Anemone and Largeflower Bellwort. Jude found a Garter snake and the birds were singing. We found a turtle shell that was probably decomposing, and saw Loons and Trumpeter Swans on the lake. It’s a great time to be alive and we want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside, and LIVE CONNECTED!!

This report is brought to you by Makayla, Marianne and the students from St. Andrew Catholic School in Elk River. Great job, young explorers.

During our outdoor school trip to Long Lake Conservation Center on May 13th through the 15th, the low temperature was 37 degrees Fahrenheit and the high temperature was 66. Long Lake’s two pairs of Canada Geese had goslings. One pair had five goslings, and the other two. Both families hung out together and were very protective of the little yellow fuzzballs, keeping them near at all times. Our group saw lots of bumble bees and flies. The bumble bees were mostly on the dandelions. We also saw a beaver, and Snapping and Painted turtles. One of the highlights of the trip was seeing a Black Bear on the opposite side of the lake. During our canoe adventure, we saw a nesting Loon, and a second Loon diving under the water fishing for perch. One person had a moth land on his hand in the bog. There is a lot of bird activity and singing. Sightings included a Tree Swallow nesting in a Chickadee Box, House Sparrows, Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers, Orioles, Bluebirds and Blue Jays. The worms are actively making soil in the woods, and we saw “big, chunky worm balls.” Our group also saw lots of squirrels and chipmunks. They were observed eating tree nuts and even a leftover pancake. We didn’t know squirrels ate pancakes. We also saw spiders, and - unfortunately - a few ticks and mosquitos. Nature is bursting with life and we want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside, and LIVE CONNECTED!!

This report is brought to you by Ivy, Avery and the students from Cold Spring, Richmond and Rockville Elementary Schools in the Ricori School District.

During our outdoor school trip to Long Lake Conservation Center on May 16th and 17th, the low temperature was 42 degrees Fahrenheit and the high temperature was a season high 79. Other than the beautiful spring weather, the highlight of our trip was encountering the season’s first fawn. Our group was hiking in the woods and left the trail to dodge the puddles when we found a newborn fawn, curled in the grass. It was really cool. We all took a quick look and a few pictures and left it alone, knowing that mom was probably nearby, looking on nervously. The warm weather has been great for the flora and fauna. Marsh Marigolds are blooming in the bog. In the woods, fiddlehead ferns have emerged and are around 12” tall and Wood Anemones and Trilium are blooming. Our group also saw frogs, slugs, a chipmunk stuffing its mouth with nuts, a doe running across campus, a garter snake on a log, a bald eagle flying over the lake and a baby toad. The woods are still a little muddy, but the ticks are out like crazy. It’s the beginning of baby critter season - a great time to explore - and we want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside, and LIVE CONNECTED!!

This report is brought to you by Aubrey, Owen, another Owen, Kason and the students from Minnewaska Area Middle School in Glenwood.

During our outdoor school trip to Long Lake Conservation Center on May 8th through the 10th, the low temperature was 36 degrees Fahrenheit and the high temperature was 66. Our group spotted and heard the first Oriole of the season. Service Berries are blooming, Aspen leaves are growing quickly and are now about the size of a quarter, and we saw the fiddleheads ferns sprouting from the forest floor. We found a number of newly hatched baby painted turtles and one person in our group helped one by putting it in the lake. The grouse were still drumming, which the Long Lake team said was a little late in the season for that. The frogs are croaking loudly in the marshes. They sound a lot like birds. The ground is muddy from the recent rain and we found some really cool tracks. In addition to A LOT of deer tracks, we also found what we think are wolf tracks and a bear paw print near the Cooperation Course. A neighbor reported capturing a bear on her trail cam and we found a large deposit of bear scat on campus. There are clearly bears in the area. Wild Turkeys are laying their eggs and we found two that were eaten by an unknown predator. There was a hole about the size of a golf ball in the side of the eggs. Both eggs were found near the edge of the bog where Short-tailed weasels are known to live. We think it might be the critter eating the eggs. One person in our group ate a dandelion and we found lots of slugs. Unfortunately, we found a puddle filled with mosquito larvae. Mosquito season is coming soon. It was a great week in nature and we want to remind everyone to Unplug, get outside, and LIVE CONNECTED!!

This report is brought to you by Kaylee from Battle Lake Public School is Battle Lake, Angela from Good Shepherd School in Golden Valley and Molly from Mary of Lourdes Middle School in Little Falls.

During our outdoor school trip to Long Lake Conservation Center on May 6th through the 8th, the low temperature was 40 degrees Fahrenheit and the high temperature was 72. The first hummingbird of the season was spotted on campus. Long Lake naturalists believe it was probably a scout, coming to see if food is available. There have been reports of Orioles in the area, as well, but none were observed at Long Lake. A pair of Bluebirds were seen at a birdhouse near the chef’s garden. We think they are going to build a nest in the birdhouse. Our group heard lots of frogs and saw a tree frog on the bench near the fire pit. Olive found a leech on the bottom of her canoe and the ticks were out in good numbers, despite the rain yesterday. Our group saw a number of baby turtles making their way to the lake. On the lake we saw two Loons and a beaver. On our bog trek, we got to eat cranberries. They were very sour. We observed a dragonfly, chipmunks, Red-winged Blackbirds and even saw a mouse in a room. We named him Tom and let him go back outside. It was a great week in nature and we want to remind everyone to Unplug, get outside, and LIVE CONNECTED!!

This report is brought to you by Wesley, Kiarra, Kiley and the students from Crooked Lake Elementary in Andover.

During our outdoor school trip to Long Lake Conservation Center on May 1st through the 3rd, the low temperature was 41 degrees Fahrenheit and the high temperature was 60. Our group discovered a variety of creepy crawlies that come out after rain, including lots of slugs living on and under logs. They are very cute. Most trees are budding and when the sun came out this morning, the birds were singing loudly. We also found a baby Painted Turtle. Before breakfast, a group sat at the shore of the lake and listened to the bird concert. We used the Merlin app and confirmed five different types of birds - the American Robin, Chipping Sparrows, Yellow-rumped Warblers, Dark-eyed Juncos and Swamp Sparrows. Our group likes lichen. We found red, yellow, green, white, and blue, but NOT purple licken. With all the rain, the bog is VERY wet these days. We watched a single Loon fly over the lake. The pair of resident Long Lake Loons didn’t like that, and called loudly. We assume they were saying, “This lake is taken! Stay away!” The frogs are starting to be on the move. We spotted two Leopard frogs near the marsh. We also found a spider, interesting fungus, and Pileated and Red-bellied Woodpeckers. It was a great week in nature and we want to remind everyone to Unplug, get outside, and LIVE CONNECTED!!

This report is brought to you by Chase, Brooke and the students from Central Elementary in Norwood Young America. The report is for April 29-May 1, 2024. DILL PRICKLES MADE A TRIUMPHANT RETURN. We missed the little bugger.

During our outdoor school trip to Long Lake Conservation Center on April 29th through May 1st, the low temperature was a rainy 36 degrees Fahrenheit and the high temperature was 58. One of the highlights of the trip was the triumphant return of Dill Prickles the porcupine. Dill returned to campus after a month-long absence and put on an impressive display of eating. Everyone got a good long look as it sat in an Aspen tree having a feast on the newly budded leaves. The prickly little friend’s hands were a blur, bringing leaf after leaf to its mouth, gorging itself. We checked the ground beneath him and confirmed that it was only the leaves he was eating and not the bark. Another really cool sight was watching a painted turtle hatch and emerge from the ground. Our group also observed a skunk in the compost. Long Lake staff told us that skunks are a rare sight on campus. We also saw a Red-headed Woodpecker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, a doe running through the woods, lots of squirrels, ten ducks, two loons, geese, chipmunks, and two beavers. One of the beavers was eating what we thought looked like a nut on the shore of the lake. A little rain couldn’t stop us from having a great week in nature and we want to remind everyone to Unplug, get outside, and LIVE CONNECTED!!

This report is brought to you by Owen, Evan, Gia and the students from Sand Creek Elementary in Coon Rapids. The report is for April 24-26, 2024.

During our outdoor school trip to Long Lake Conservation Center April 24th through the 26th, the low temperature was 29 degrees Fahrenheit and the high temperature was a sunny 67. The beavers were swimming around the edge of the lake and hiking up a hill, we think they were looking for a snack. They seemed to be very used to humans watching them. We noticed many deer tracks and saw deer running in the forest. One student found what they guessed was a clump of fuzzy fox fur and several students saw a chipmunk with a small dead snake. We also saw a garter snake and noticed the orangey/red coloring on it. When the garter snake was picked up it made a smelly smell just like the Long Lake naturalist said it would. We noticed male and female purple finches and a yellow-bellied sapsucker. Before we went canoeing we were sitting on the shore of Long Lake and we got to watch a curious loon swim very close to shore. We saw many different sized painted turtles both in the lake and on land. We also saw the year’s first dragonflies. The marsh marigolds have flower buds and the hepatica are in bloom. In the bog it was calm, there was lots of water and a very big dip. If you stepped on that spot you might sink to your shoulders! ”We had a great week in nature and we want to remind everyone to Unplug, get outside, and LIVE CONNECTED!!

This report is brought to you by Piper, Hayden and the students from Modern Montessori Charter School in Champlin.

During our outdoor school trip to Long Lake Conservation Center on April 22nd through the 24th, the low temperature was 27 degrees Fahrenheit and the high temperature was 64. We had a few sprinkles and tiny hail. Our group observed that pink, purple and white hepatica are blooming and that the grass is turning greener. There are still lots of leaves, pine needles and acorns on the ground. We learned that bog water is tasty and Labrador Tea leaves when boiled make a mildly sweet and delicious tea. The squirrels are very active at the bird feeders. We observed beavers swimming in the lake, and two of them swam close to us and flapped their tails in the water as a warning. Two Loons were spotted on the lake, diving for fish. The frogs are noisy and active. We heard lots of croaking from the marsh, saw a Leopard Frog by the lake and “Spring Peepers be peeping.” It was a great week in nature and we want to remind everyone to Unplug, get outside, and LIVE CONNECTED!!

This report is brought to you by Wes, Margeaux and the students from Highland Catholic in St. Paul.

During our outdoor school trip to Long Lake Conservation Center on April 17th through the 19th, the low temperature was 26 degrees Fahrenheit and the high temperature was 48. We had some rain and it was snowing this morning. Will it be the last snow of the season? In between the rain and snow, we observed lots of interesting nature, including a few first-of-the-year sightings. We found the first baby Painted Turtle of the year. We learned that hatchlings from eggs that are laid late in the season may stay underground in the nest over the winter, emerging in the spring. The Long Lake staff thinks that’s what happened. For the first time this year, a groundhog was observed out of his burrow and running around. The woodpeckers are out in the trees being “VERY” loud. We identified Hairy, Downy, Red-bellied, Pileated and even a Red-headed woodpecker. Naturalist Katie told us that she saw the year’s first Bluebird on campus. The Ruffed Grouse were drumming like crazy and the chirping from the frogs in the marsh was loud and beautiful. Our group found two snails on wood, observed loons, ducks and beavers in the lake. During lake bottom organisms class, we found dragonfly nymphs and diving beetles and looked at them under a microscope. In the bog, Tamaracks have small buds on them after losing their needles last fall. There is a lot of poop in nature. Our group found racoon “dumpings” near the compass field, deer scat, “the earthworms are pooping,” and we watched the squirrels relieve themselves IN the seeds they were eating. Gross! It was a great week in nature and we want to remind everyone to Unplug, get outside, and LIVE CONNECTED!!

This report is brought to you from Curran and the students from St. Joseph’s Catholic School in Grand Rapids, Harper and the students from St. Henry’s Area School in Perham, and Elizabeth and the students from St. Wendelin’s Catholic School in Luxemburg.

During our outdoor school trip to Long Lake Conservation Center on April 10th through the 12th, the low temperature was 32 degrees Fahrenheit and the high temperature was 66 degrees. Nature was coming alive, particularly the lake. During our canoe adventure we saw a loon catching fish, Hooded Mergansers and both painted and snapping turtles. Long Lake staff says those are the first turtles spotted this year. A pair of Trumpeter Swans landed on Long Lake this morning and hung around for a while. They are beautiful birds. Also in and around the lake, our group saw a leach and a caddisfly in his home. A beaver was swimming to shore, possibly chewing on some reeds. We saw a mud minnow and a mouse swimming. We didn’t expect to see that. Multiple frogs were seen, including leopard frogs. We also saw a vole and crayfish. On land and in the air, we saw lots of Purple Finches and had an invasion of Dark-Eyed Juncos. We also saw American Robins and a Pileated Woodpecker. Our group observed a moth that looked like an Edwards Glassy-Wing Moth, and a weird, fat slug sleeping on a stick. Someone reported that a spider crawled on them and a boy caught a garter snake. At night, we saw Orion and the Big Dipper. We also enjoyed seeing the different textures of the moon and watching Sirrius changing color. The bog continues to be extra boggy, and a student shared this bog wisdom moments after sinking past her knees: Never trust a puddle. It was a great week in nature and we want to remind everyone to Unplug, get outside, and LIVE CONNECTED!!

This report is brought to you by Maddie and the students from Montessori Renaissance Academy, and Sophia, Jackson and the students from St. Stephen’s Catholic School. Both schools are from Anoka. The report is for April 8-10, 2024.

During our outdoor school trip to Long Lake Conservation Center on April 8th through the 10th, the low temperature was 33 degrees Fahrenheit and the high temperature was a season-high 68 degrees. It was a week of firsts. Our group spotted the year’s first earthworm on the path after the rain, and, UNFORTUNATELY, we encountered ticks. Two first-of-the-year highlights were frogs singing in the marsh and the return of loons to Long Lake. Our group also heard a Ruffed Grouse drumming and saw Hooded Mergansers and Mallards on the lake. It was fun watching the squirrels steal all the bird seed from the feeders. There were LOTS of ladybugs. Our group had an eventful night hike. We saw a beaver swimming in the lake. Everytime we made a different animal call, a Canada Goose would call back. We howl like a wolf, and the goose would honk. We hooted like a Barred Owl and the goose honked. We determined that the “Goose knows too much.” There was still a little ice in the bog. We observed a pitcher plant that had been partially eaten. We also saw Fairy Goblets, and lots of deer scat near the bog. It was a great week in nature and we want to remind everyone to Unplug, get outside, and LIVE CONNECTED!!

This report is brought to you by Bella, Holland and the students from Benilde-St. Margaret's in St. Louis Park.

During our outdoor school trip to Long Lake Conservation Center on April 4th and 5th, the low temperature was 21 degrees Fahrenheit and the high temperature was a balmy 54 degrees. Our group tapped maple trees. The sap was only 1.5% sugar, compared to earlier in the season when it was closer to 3%. The Long Lake staff said that with warmer temperatures ahead, it looks like this week is the end of the 2024 maple season. We ventured into the bog and discovered that it was particularly boggy. One person sank up to her waist and said “she nearly died to death.” Naturalist Katie saw the first bat of the year by the school house, the house flies were buzzing and a pair of wood ducks were spotted flying over the lake. Hooded mergansers and the season’s first mallards were seen on the lake. Our group enjoyed watching the red and gray squirrels running up and down the trees and eating seeds at the window feeder. Someone found a frog during Lake Bottom Organisms class. The garter snake hibernacula was a busy place. Lots and lots and lots of snakes were out being very active in the midday sun. A slithering ball of a dozen or more snakes was observed. Naturalist Marla said it was most likely a mating ball. That’s the first time that’s been observed this year. It was a great week in nature and we want to remind everyone to Unplug, get outside, and LIVE CONNECTED!!

This report is brought to you by Garrett and the students from TrekNorth High School in Bemidji.

During our outdoor school trip to Long Lake Conservation Center April 1st through the 3rd, the low temperature was 27 degrees Fahrenheit and the high temperature was 47 degrees. Our group saw a beaver swimming in the lake at night. The lake is completely open after starting the week with ice around the edges. Unfortunately, it’s not quite the season for canoeing. On the lake we observed a pair of Canada Geese and ducks, which we learned were actually Hooded Mergansers. We saw a mix of birds including Blue Jays and Robins, but our highlight was a red squirrel gorging himself of black sunflower seeds in the window feeder. He was “p-h phat”. We named it Gus. Our group also found cool creatures in the muck during our Lake Bottom Organisms class, including a very large Caddisfly larva and a leech. It was a great week in nature and we want to remind everyone not to be April fools. Unplug, get outside, and LIVE CONNECTED!!

The Long Lake Conservation Center's phenology report for March 27-29 is brought to you by Scott, one of the several Minnesota Master Naturalist volunteers that attended the advanced training Ecology Retreat this week. Unplug, Get Outside, Live Connected!

PHENOLOGY FRIDAY

Winter struck back. Well, not exactly. We experienced slightly colder than normal temperatures and got a dusting of snow, but still... For the week, the high temperature was 41 degrees Fahrenheit and the low was 9. Snowmaggedon 2024 is on the horizon with forecasts calling for between 1 to 2,474 inches of snow. The meteorologists are having a hard time predicting this particular storm. Nobody is eager to shovel, but we need it. The Palisade area is bone dry, as evidenced by the wildfire that burned 200+ acres of land about 10 miles south of LLCC (near Gun Lake) earlier in the week. If not for the efforts of the Minnesota DNR and local fire fighters, it could have been much worse. Great work! You are appreciated! Adhere to burning restrictions in your area and exercise extra caution. The return of cold weather had us asking the question: If the lake freezes over again, will we get to declare a second ice out? It doesn't look like we'll have the chance. At its coldest, ice covered about half of Long Lake. We've been watching two pairs of Canada Geese. The pair met up and made quite a ruckus. It was mostly loud squawking with necks close to the water and a few charges. They seemed to solve the dispute. The result: One pair is nested near the beach on the west end of the lake. The other pair is near the abandoned beaver lodge on the far east end. It appears we'll have two families of goslings this year. I love a happy ending. Mergansers returned to the lake. A Bald Eagle spotted them and tried to make a meal of them, but had no luck. The beavers have been busy. They've even started gnawing on an old oak that is close to three feet in diameter. We'll see how that goes. We heard and saw our first Sandhill Crane of the year, flying north. Strangely, it was alone. There was a report of the Red-winged Blackbird in the area, but so far none have been spotted at Long Lake. The maple sap flow has slowed to a near stop, but we suspect it will flow again before the trees bud and turn the sap bitter. Woodpeckers have been putting on a great show. Lots of drumming, close interactions and loud singing. It seems they may have picked mates and are getting ready to start families. Dill Prickles has been scarce during daylight hours, but has been seen at night eating acorns from the leaf litter beneath the oak tree on campus. Deer are plentiful and look very healthy. There are still acorns for them to eat, which is unusual. A buck was spotted a bit south of here that still had its antlers - another sign of good health. It looks like winter is going to press pause on spring for a bit longer, but that shouldn't stop you from unplugging, getting outside and living connected!

This report is brought to you by Candy. Claire and the students from Saint Raphael Catholic School in Crystal.

During our outdoor school trip to Long Lake Conservation Center March 11th through the 13th the low temperature was 27 degrees Fahrenheit and the high temperature was 64 degrees. The last time we had temperatures in the 60s was October 20th. The big news was that the ice went out on Long Lake on Monday, March 11. That is a full month earlier than the historical average. In comparison, last year ice out was on April 30th and in 2022 it was on April 29th. The open water seemed to wake nature up. Our group saw and heard many cool things, including lots of first-of-the-years sightings. These included American Robins, Canada Geese, Common Grackles, a Hooded Merganser (Mer-Gann-zer), and Compton Tortoiseshell Butterflies. Our group had a really fun close encounter with beavers. We watched two small and two large beavers carrying sticks through the water. One even came and sat on a log near shore. The otters were seen popping their heads up and playing, and we saw two eagles flying over the lake together. One was an adult and the other was immature. The Hairy and Pileated woodpeckers were very active, drumming and playing. Our group counted 40 garter snakes outside of the hibernacula (hyber - knack - you - la) soaking up the warm sun. We encountered a gopher in the thicket and enjoyed drinking the sap and tasting syrup and maple candy. Our teachers confessed to cutting a night hike short because they “got the poop scared out of them” by three owls. It was an eventful week in nature and we want to remind everyone to Unplug, get outside, and LIVE CONNECTED!!

PHENOLOGY FRIDAY - ICE OUT ALERT

The calendar is a darn, dirty liar. This time last year, we were figuring out where to put all the snow that refused to stop falling as we cursed the never-ending winter. 2024 has been opposite - the year without a winter. Here are our notes for the week: We are officially on ice-out alert. The last time we checked the thickness of the ice was Monday when it measured 4 inches about 30 yards from shore. It's less than that now. We are not willing to risk going for a polar plunge to get another measurement. Our guess is that it's three inches or less. The open water around the beaver lodge is growing, and the east end of Long Lake is open. In the heat of the day, there is open water around most of the shoreline. Ice out may happen as early as this weekend. That means it's almost swimming season. Who wants to go for a refreshing dip? One of our friends reported hearing a Robin on campus, but we have not had visual confirmation yet. There are lots of reports of Robins a bit south of Palisade. They are coming! Garter snakes are still coming out of their hibernacula, but aren't venturing very far from home quite yet. We are hearing lots of woodpeckers drumming. The chipmunks are out in good numbers and are very active. There have been lots and lots of reports of tick encounters in the area, but so far we have been lucky to have not seen any. An unidentified critter ran across the lake this morning. It was brown/black, squat, smaller than a coyote, and pretty speedy. It was too far away to make an accurate identification, but it was clearly not an otter or beaver. We suspect it was a fisher. We've seen lots of fisher tracks, but so far they've avoided observation. They're sneaky that way. The maple sap is running like Usain Bolt. Get tapping. In the stars, it's been fun to be able to see Jupiter and its moons, as well as Uranus in the western sky. It's a great time of year and we hope you unplug, get outside and live connected.

This report is brought to you by the MN Phenology Network who visited Long Lake March 1-3, 2024. It was a who's who of Minnesota phenologists, including John Latimer, Larry Weber, Rebecca Montgomery, Stephan Carlson, Erica Houser, Dallas Hudson, Charlie Mitchell, and "Astro" Bob King. We were honored to host this event and meet people with a passion for phenology. What? Did you think we would have 40+ phenologists on campus and not have a phenology report. John Latimer is recording the report for his Tuesday morning Phenology Talkback show on KAXE community radio.

This report is brought to you by Eh Htoo, Chelsy and the students from Sejong Academy in St. Paul. Sejong is a Korean language immersion school. The report is for March 4-6, 2024.

During our outdoor school trip to Long Lake Conservation Center March 4th through the 6th the low temperature was 12 degrees Fahrenheit and the high temperature was 44 degrees. Our group saw a lot of whitetail deer, including a group of eight by the bird feeders. Chipmunks were spotted out and about, along with squirrels, and a porcupine napping in a Red Oak. The Chickadees were singing loudly, particularly in the morning. A pair of Trumpeter Swans was seen AND HEARD flying southwest. They were REALLY loud. Now we understand why they are called trumpeter swans. We had clear skies and the constellations we saw were Orion, the Big Dipper and the seven sisters. We learned that cultures view the night sky differently and have their own constellations. Stars are very far away so they appear to twinkle but planets are much closer so they are a steady point of light. The thickness of the ice was measured at only 4 inches on Monday…less closer to the shore. The east end of Long Lake was open water on Monday, but refroze overnight. There is more and more open water around the beaver lodge everyday. We are happy to say that our group did NOT encounter any ticks. It was a great week in nature and we want to remind everyone to bakk-e nagaseo jayeon-eul jeulgyeoboseyo (go outside and enjoy nature).Unplug, get outside, and LIVE CONNECTED!!

This report is brought to you by Violet, Jaxon and the students from Our Lady of Victory School in Fergus Falls.

During our outdoor school trip to Long Lake Conservation Center February 28th through March 1st the low temperature was negative 2 degrees Fahrenheit and the high temperature was 51 degrees. It was a warm ending to a very warm February. The average February high temperature at Long Lake was 34 degrees Fahrenheit, compared to the historical average of 25. The average low this February was 19.7 degrees compared to the historical average low of 0. The February averages were closer to what we expect to see in mid-March. On Friday, it was so warm that the garter snakes came out of their hibernacula to soak up the warm sun. Our group saw lots of deer, including four that we observed from the windows of our rooms and a handful by the Dining Hall. Dill Prickles made a couple of appearances and we all got a close look. He looked very cute drinking water. The temperatures were mostly below freezing so the maple sap wasn’t flowing. One of the highlights of the trip was listening to the lake sing. We learned that the singing is caused by the expanding and contracting of the ice, causing cracking that vibrates and makes noise. It was really loud. At the feeders, we saw a female Hairy Woodpecker and a Common Redpoll. The snow is gone and spring is on the way. It was a great week in nature and we want to remind everyone to… Unplug, get outside, and LIVE CONNECTED!!

This report is brought to you by Claire, Vance and the students from Bertha-Hewitt Elementary School.

During our outdoor school trip to Long Lake Conservation Center February 26th through the 28th the low temperature was -5 degrees Fahrenheit and the high temperature was 54 degrees. On our drive east and north to LLCC we saw a pair of trumpeter swans on a frozen pond near Staples, a bald eagle and a pair of turkeys. When we got to LLCC it was warm and sunny, we checked the garter snake hibernacula and there were a few snakes out in the sun along the cement foundation of the garage. We also found active slugs on this warm day and noticed green grass, beaver-chewed trees and deer tracks. The second day was cold and windy. Very early in the morning one of our chaperones saw a doe and 2 fawns on the shore of Long Lake. Later in the day we got to see 5 swans flying in a “V”, 2 eagles fighting in the sky, Dill Prickles the porcupine and some squirrels sitting on logs. It was a great week in nature and we want to remind everyone to…Unplug, Get outside, and LIVE CONNECTED!!

PHENOLOGY FRIDAY

Otters and beavers and porcupines! Oh my!

The high temperature for the week was 35 degree Fahrenheit and the low was 2. Signs of spring are around if you look for them. In our case, there was one sign that was easy to spot. There is now open water around the beaver lodge on Long Lake! Both the otters and beavers were spotted in and around the open water. The beavers immediately went to work and took down a tree for a late-winter snack. The otters preferred playing to working and were spotted frolicking. A bald eagle was perched in the tree above the lodge, watching the show and perhaps determining if he could make a meal of anything swimming below. We don't think the otters or beavers should worry about the eagle, but they might want to keep their heads on a swivel and be on the lookout for Fishers. Naturalists Anna and Ren spotted what they identified as probable Fisher tracks near the beaver lodge. On campus, Chewbarka and Dill Prickles continue to make daily appearances. We are growing to suspect that Dill is a male and Chewbarka is a female and that they might be or become a mating pair. It was Valentine's Day this week. Maybe there was a little rodent romance in the air? Naturalist Katie has spotted a juvenile Red-headed Woodpecker around, but so far we haven't been able to get a picture. There are lots of woodpeckers on campus, but this is the first Red-headed we've seen for a while. Exciting. The woodpeckers are drumming and the Chickadees are particularly vocal with their "Pheobe" calls. Both of these are sure signs of spring. Best of all, the students from St. Mary Help of Christians and St. Elizabeth Ann Seaton, along with a crew of future Conservation Corps members were here to see it all. We are in the home stretch of winter and we want to remind everyone to unplug, get out and live connected!

Photos by Anna and Ren.

This report is brought to you by Nathan, Louise and the students from Paynesville Elementary School.

During our outdoor school trip to Long Lake Conservation Center February 21st through the 23rd the low temperature was 16 degrees fahrenheit and the high temperature was 50 degrees. What is left of the snow is very patchy. The ice is getting darker, but was still 7 inches thick. Our group found some cranberries in the “baby” bog around the shore of Long Lake. Some of us even tasted them. There were some small sprouts of green popping up in the woods and we saw chipmunks running around. The Long Lake staff says that’s the first time the chipmunks have been seen on campus since November 19th. Though there are reports of ticks emerging a bit to the south, we are happy to say that we did NOT see any. On one of our hikes, we found a deer skull, and saw lots of deer tracks in the mud. We also found what we think is wolf scat. A porcupine was observed near its outhouse a long way from campus and Naturalist Beth told us that she smelled a skunk on campus during an evening hike. Common Redpolls found the feeders, along with Chickadees, Nuthatches, Hairy, Downy and Pileated Woodpeckers, and Blue Jays. We heard woodpeckers drumming. There is a juvenile Red-headed woodpecker around, and a group of turkeys was on campus on Wednesday including a Tom in strut. The maple sap is flowing and it tasted sweet. It was a great week in nature and we want to remind everyone to…Unplug, Get outside, and LIVE CONNECTED!!

This report is brought to you by Mia, Azalea and the students from St. Mary Help of Christians and St. Elizabeth Ann Seaton.

This is Mia from St. Mary Help of Christians in St. Augusta and Azalea from St. Elizabeth Ann Seaton in St. Cloud with the Long Lake Conservation Center phenology report for the week of February 12th through the 14th. The low temperature during our visit was 21 degrees fahrenheit and the high temperature was 33 degrees. On our way to Long Lake we noticed that the bus ran over a dead skunk on the road near Mille Lacs, we ALL noticed it for MILES and MILES... Otters were seen on Long Lake near the open water area around the beaver lodge. Otters have not been seen on the lake since November 2023. We explored the lake and saw fisher tracks and cracks in the ice. The porcupines were active on and around campus; we got to see Chewbarka and Dill Prickles digging around in the leaves on the ground and climbing trees. We learned that porcupines CANNOT shoot their quills! Woodpeckers were drumming and the chickadees were singing so much they were interrupting each other. When the squirrels ate out of the bird feeders attached to the windows we got a good look at how white the hair on the back of their ears were. We had some great outdoor adventures and we want to remind everyone to…Unplug, Get outside, and LIVE CONNECTED!!

This report is brought to you by Claire, Parker and the students from St. Mary's School Melrose and Sacred Heart.

The high temperature during our visit was 48 degrees Fahrenheit and the low temperature was 24 degrees. We had clouds, sun, rain, wind and snow! While out hiking we noticed clumps of deer hair in the snow. A bald eagle high in a tree. Mushrooms of different colors and shapes were growing on trees. There were green wild strawberry plants and green hepatica leaves on the forest floor. A winter crane fly was seen. Ironwood leaves are still hanging onto the branches. We observed new beaver chews and bright new logs on the top of the beaver lodge. Naturalist Katie taught us that beavers don’t poop in their lodge. They hang their bottoms out of the door and go. We found pitcher plants along the edges of Long Lake and in the bog, some were starting to look green and a few looked like an animal had eaten them. The lake ice is 6 inches deep and we noticed lots of frozen bubbles in the ice. We found a caterpillar crawling across the snow on the lake. Closer to campus we noticed gray squirrels, red squirrels, blue jays, chickadees, nuthatches, and a pileated woodpecker. The fresh snow that greeted us on Friday morning made some of us very happy, others not so much. Neither rain, nor snow, nor sleet, nor hail shall keep us from enjoying nature…Unplug, Get outside, and LIVE CONNECTED!!

This report is brought to you by Natalie, Grace and the students from Cohasset Elementary. The report is for Feb. 1-2, 2024. The script and embed code are below, and the .mp3 is attached.

The high temperature during our trip was 44 degrees Fahrenheit and the low was 23 degrees. One of the highlights of our trip was finding wolf tracks near the North Star Lodge. There was some debate whether the tracks were actually made by a wolf or not, but the Long Lake staff did report finding confirmed wolf tracks in the bog earlier this week. Our group saw Chickadees, Nuthatches and woodpeckers at the feeders, as well as very active squirrels. In the woods, we heard a woodpecker drumming which we learned is a bird announcing to potential mates that they’re available. Both male and female woodpeckers are known to drum. We heard ravens cawing and saw Dill Prickles the porcupine on campus. Despite the holiday, we observed no groundhogs. Punxsutawney Phil did NOT see his shadow which predicts an early spring. Based on how warm it’s been lately, and that the snow has almost entirely melted, it seems like a pretty good guess. No matter the weather, it’s a great time to explore nature and we want to remind you to Unplug, Get outside, and LIVE CONNECTED!!

This spring-like phenology report is brought to you by Isabell, Bentley and the students from Cannon River STEM School in Faribault. The report is for Jan. 29- Feb. 1, 2024. The script and embed code are below, and the .mp3 is attached.

The high temperature during our visit was 52 degrees Fahrenheit the low was 24 degrees. The last time it was 52 degrees here was on November 19, 2023. The average high temperature at LLCC for this January was 22 degrees and the average low was 12 degrees. Historically the average is 19 degrees for a high and 4 degrees for a low. The bird sightings included; blue jays, white-breasted nuthatches, black-capped chickadees, pileated woodpeckers, hairy and downy woodpeckers and ravens.We also saw a few mammals; gray squirrels and red squirrels are very active. We saw two different porcupines, Dill Prickles and Chewbarka. They were seen nearby each other and we are hoping they are a couple and will have some “Baby Dills”. We also got to watch four white-tailed deer cross the lake in the evening. One student in our group counted 13 deers in the woods. The ice and snow is melting, it was pretty slushy out on the lake. When we measured the ice it was 11” deep. There were some patches of green grass and there was a white moth flying around in the bog. Because of the above freezing temperatures, the Long Lake staff tapped a few maple trees and discovered that the sap is flowing. The sugar content of the sap is 3 percent - normal for first flow. Typically sap doesn’t flow until March or April. Bright colorful ribbons of clouds made for some beautiful sunsets and once it was dark we did some stargazing and could see the moons of Jupiter. It was a great time in nature and we want to remind everyone to…Unplug, Get outside, and LIVE CONNECTED!!

This report is brought to you by Mandi and the students from Trek North in Bemidji. The Dill Prickles saga continues. We are now pretty certain that Dill is living under the sugar shack. An interloping porcupine lives in the woods on the other side of campus, and may or may not be living in a culvert. TWO campus porcupines, perhaps?

FRIDAY PHENOLOGY REPORT by Dill Prickles

I don't mean to be a diva, but I'm getting a little sick and tired of all the attention Long Lake is giving to the "new porcupine in town." They even gave him a cool name - Chewbarka. There's plenty of room in the forest for more than one porcupine, but why does he have to come into my territory and steal the glory? I don't mean to brag, but I put in the work. Day in and day out last year I showed up - rain or shine or snow. It didn't matter. I was there. I ate the bark off an entire tree, dang it! And now, "Chewbarka" just saunters in from across the street and everybody gushes. Sorry for being so prickly, but it chaps my hide. He just comes over, eats the fruit in the compost pile and leaves. Sometimes, he doesn't even stop and pose for pictures. That's part of the job, dude! If you're going to be a celebrity porcupine, you have to sit for pictures. Feel free to gawk at the new kid, but give me my due. I'm freakin' Dill Prickles for goodness sake! Plus, I'm way better looking. Chewbarka is tiny. I'm a broad-shouldered beefcake with a face of a Hollywood idol.

I apologize for the crankiness, but this weather has got me down. My forest friends and I are confused. The Chickadees were singing their spring mating song...."Hey, Dilly. Hey, Dilly." And the squirrels are even more annoying than ever. They've been bananas, scurrying around, making an infernal racket, They're acting like it's spring. I've even seen the humans who live here tapping a few maple trees. That normally happens in March and April. I know my friends the deer are happy about the weather, and they deserve it. The last two years have been hard on them. It would be nice to get snow so that the little humans can ski and snowshoe. Sometimes, I sit and watch them fall. They are hilarious. But what do you expect? They only have two legs. Anyway, I've got to go. It's almost nap time and I need my beauty rest. To summarize, it feels like spring and my forest friends are confused, a little weirded out and some are getting crazy. It's spring fever in January! As I hear my human friends say, unplug, get outside and live connected!

There were several Dill Prickles sightings this week. He seems to be sheltering under the Long Lake Sugar Shack. This is a prime real estate area. We know that many, MANY chipmunks already call “under the sugar shack” home and we also noticed several deer bedding spots very near the shack. The deer really have the run of the place when students are not visiting. We also noted rubs on small trees, many areas the deer have been digging through the leaves for acorns and some very dark red/brown urine. The tannins in the browse and acorns that make up the deer’s winter diet along with concentration from lack of water all contribute to their urine being this color. While the deer rule the land, the woodpeckers rule the skies, trees and feeders with their calls, drumming and feeding. A clump of interesting seed pods had us doing some quick research, they turned out to be from the Indian Pipe plant. We also spied a small slow spider on the snow. On Thursday, the sun appeared! We seized this recently rare opportunity to unplug, get outside and LIVE CONNECTED!!

Happy first phenology Friday of 2024!

Long Lake lost several inches of ice early in the week, before the end of the week we were making it back up quickly. We had beautiful hoar frost, on and off snow flurries and a high temperature of 49 degrees Fahrenheit, low temperature of 22 degrees Fahrenheit. A winter hike flushed up 4 grouse and at least 6 white-tailed deer. We also noticed fresh beaver chews on a tree and when we looked on the ground there were new chips laying on top of the small amount of snow on the forest floor. A snow-white ermine was spotted, it was pretty easy to see as it ran across the brown area of an open field. The red oak tree that Dill Prickles worked very diligently to strip of bark last winter is now a favorite place for woodpeckers looking for a snack. Hairy and pileated woodpeckers were seen (and heard) hammering away on it. The freezing and thawing of the ice makes perfectly frozen tracks on the lake. We found evidence of muskrat (with tail drag) and coyotes crossing the lake. It isn’t too late to make a resolution to unplug, get outside and LIVE CONNECTED!!