Long Lake Phenology 2000



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News From Nature at Long Lake

2000 Phenology

1/5/00

A shrike was in a tree opposite Piispanen's driveway.
1/8/00: Pat saw 2 shrikes on her way to Brainerd.
1/18/00: A fox squirrel returned to chase away a gray squirrel.
1/19/00: A porcupine returned; saw it in white pine during several hikes.
1/21/00: A mature eagle was seen along Hwy 210 perched in a tree.
1/27/00: Northern Lights observed from the lake.
1/29/00: Hoar frost covers everything with a glistening coat.
1/30/00: Another frosty morning.
2/3/00: "Sleeping Beauty" or "Jamal & the Night Visitors" hmmmmm!
2/7/00: Keith sees 2 wolves on Cty Rd 5.
2/8/00: 10:15pm wolves howling near east end of Long Lake.
2/10/00: Late afternoon a barred owl was spotted sitting in an oak across from Bob Ebsen's house.
2/11/00: A mature bald eagle flew over LLCC road.
2/14/00: Early morning, a red fox was by the grate.
2/15/00: Snowed a lot! (~ 6"). St Andrew's school is the first to use green trail for cross-country skiing in the '99-00 school year.
2/16/00: Webster school is the first to snowshoe during the '99-00 school year.
2/18/00: A nearly full moon + newly fallen snow really brighten up the night.
2/20/00: Thirteen deer seen in Schwampy's yard!
2/21/00: How warm was it today? 51°F. International Falls breaks a record with 50°F!
2/22/00: 52°F today! A small caterpillar (black head, brown middle, yellow end) was spotted crossing Townline Road.
2/23/00: Spiders were sunning themselves on the new dorm.
2/25/00: 5:45am, 5 deer were standing in the road on Cty Rd 5 in the fog. It rained again, the snow is just about gone!
2/26/00: More rain and fog with thunderstorms overnight, and the snow is now gone. A blue, spotted salamander was spotted during today's Orienteering race. Mallards were seen just north of Aitkin.
2/27/00: 30° today. Lake serenades U of M-ers. A bald eagle was spotted soaring over Hwy 210 just west of I-35.
2/28/00: An eagle was perched in a tree on the south side of the lake.
3/5/00: A robin seen near Hill City. Is this the fist sign of Spring?
3/6/00: A pair of Canadian geese were flying over the flats. Red-winged blackbirds returned to the neighborhood. Schwampy saw an opposum on Hwy 210 near the Aikin/Calrton County line. Four swans spotted near Hill River off Hwy 169 near Hill City. 9:30pm a thunderstorm rattles above Long Lake. A Northern harrier was spotted hunting in fields along Cty Rd 5.
3/7/00: Robins spotted on Cty Rd 5 outside LLCC.
3/9/00: A flock of "honkers" flew over Hill Lake. Two large eagles, 1 red-tail hawk and 1 Northern harrier seen on old Hwy 232.
3/12/00: Rose saw a bluebird north of Palisade.
3/13/00: Two Sandhill cranes in a field beside Hwy 210; a Kestrel on Hwy 169; a Groundhog near Aitkin; and Ospreys are back at the Townline Road nest.
3/18/00: Five deer at Schwampy's yard entertaining pine cone campers. Ice out on Lake Minnetonka (west of Twin Cities). Second earliest on record in 123 years!!!
3/20/00: Happy Spring! Long Lake is about 25% open and experienced a NE wind today. Four Hooded Mergansers were swimming and fishing in the lake.
3/23/00: Ice Out!! Earliest seen in 25 years!
3/25/00: Swans spotted in fields and skies around Aitkin.
3/29/00: A porcupine was seen in a tree by the bog.
3/30/00: Schwampy saw lots of Juncos at his house. First Marsh Marigolds emerging through ice on the edge of the bog.
3/31/00: Heard Spring Peepers and a chorus of Wood frogs last night in the wet areas around LLCC.
4/2/00: A Turkey Vulture seen outside Aitkin. A Blue Heron on Long Lake.
4/3/00: Northern Lights - big display! Several Male Hooded Mergansers were vying for a solitary female's attention - lots of displays. A major influx of Robins - main flock moving through the area. Keith sees a Wood duck on Fleming Lake. Jupiter, Mars and Saturn - evening showtime.
4/6/00: Tara's oreinteering class sees a displaying of male and female grouse near the orienteering field. A Phoebe was outside Pat Francis' house.
4/7/00: Ospreys on the Townline nest.
4/9/00: A bluebird was on the powerline outside Pat Francis' house.
4/14/00: 7:10am, a Gray Wolf crossed Hwy 169 one mile south of Hill City. Freezing rain and snow today.
4/16/00: More freezing rain in Central Minnesota, LLCC acquired about 1" of snow. Feeder Report: Bunches of Juncos (nearly 100); Purple Finches; 1 Fox Sparrow; a few Redpolls; Chickadees, WB Nuthatches; and a Hairy Woodpecker.
4/17/00: Song Sparrow singing.A Yellow-rumped (Myrtle) Warbler was in Schwampy's feeder. A porcupine was climbing in a tree by the bog.
4/18/00: Hepaticas are blooming. 7:00pm, heard wolves howling on Woodcock hike. A garter snake seen on CCC course.
4/19/00: A Flicker (or Yellow-bellied Sap Sucker?) was drumming on the basketball backboard.
4/20/00: A Yellow-rumped Warbler seen by the office. a loon was calling on the lake. Two Ospreys together on the Townline Road nest. A deer tick crawling on a student.
4/23/00: New arrivals: American Goldfinches, White-Trhroated Sparrow, and Common Snipe.
4/24/00: Schwampy saw Goldfinches this morning at his feeder. First canoeist took their adventure cruise today.
4/25/00: A Red fox checking out a deer carcass on Cty Rd 5. Robins building nests, Swallows flying over Long Lake.
4/26/00: Marsh marigolds blooming. Tree swallows checking out nesting box by dining hall.
4/27/00: Heard a Thrush near the dining hall - probably a Wood Thrush. Red Pines and Spruces "candling".
4/30/00: A pair of Herons on Long Lake. Leaves emerging on Popples and Maples.
5/1/00: Loon display on Long Lake - flips, turns, flapping wings. Many painted turtles basking on the edge of the lake.
5/2/00: Wood Anemone blooming near old composting pile.
5/3/00: Goshaw visits Schwampy's feeder - comes up empty - talent! Pussy Toes blooming like crazy by the Pump House. Northern Harrier cruiese north lake shore - watch out, goslings! Nine (count 'em 9!!!) spotted sandpipers on Long Lake shores. White-crowned Sparrows in bushes by office. 77° at 11:30am - warm-ish! 84° at 5:30pm (darn right hot for May!) Huge (we're talking BIG here) Dragonfly flitting around Sandpipers. A Brown-headed Cowbird spotted near the Schwaderer's residence.
5/10/00: Watch Out! Poison ivy leafing out. A Ruby-throated Humminbird visits feeders at Bob Ebsen's house.
5/13/00: Goslings at Rice Lake Wildlife Refuge.
5/14/00: Pat startled a newborn fawn in her back pasture. a small group of Harris sparrows has been at her feeder the last week.
5/15/00: The Robin's eggs in the Marcum House nest have hatched delivering 3 baby Robins.
5/19/00: 30°F - ice in bird bath and dog's dishes - a touch of frost on roofs.
5/22/00: Mallard ducklings and "Mum" on Long Lake in the morning.
5/24/00: Acorns growing! In May! In Minnesota!
5/27/00: A buck with antlers starting (4-6") was seen near Aitkin.
5/28/00: $1 million rain - 0.55" a real soaker.
5/29/00: A major influx of nighthawks.
6/1/00: Students from Lino Lakes see a fawn during the Wilderness Meal.
6/6/00: Millie Holm saw a big brown bear on Cty Rd 5. Kevin Baumgartner found a snapping turtle near the east side of the dining hall.
6/16/00: All night rain event measures 1.27" in the gauge. That's 2.3" in June, so far to date.
6/20/00: A doe and fawn were "hanging around" the Lift House. A painted turtle was "checking things out" by our recycling bin.
6/25/00: Three young raccoons were on Cty Rd 5 heading towards Palisade.
6/26/00: Deer on campus and one in the woods. A grouse with its young spotted near the bog. During a walk around the lake, we found 5 deerticks and at least 20 woodticks. Yuck!
6/27/00: 7:00am a doe and twin fawns were signted on LLCC road.
6/28/00: A dead grouse was discovered outside the pine plantation (head, feathers and stomach only.)
6/29/00: 2:00am a deer was observed feeding outside counselor Andrew's window.
6/30/00: 7:15am, one deer seen near the Marcum House, another on the trail by the Marcum House. A Great, Blue Heron near Marcum House at the edge of the lake.
7/9/00: 8:30pm, 2 groundhogs (woodchucks) were seen at the Archery Shed.
7/8/00: Skunk avoided at LLCC gate.
7/10/00: 7:15am, 2 small does on the MO trail. Sandhill cranes flew over the radio tower near the archery range.
7/11/00: Itasca County Trail #4 - held activity of painted turtles being born. Watched them crawling out of the ground and shells.
7/15/00: Laura Czarnieki, Camp Counselor and Kyle Whittinghill, Summer Intern chased a loon around Long Lake. (We hope they're joking!)
7/16/00: Major humidity - afternoon storms sweep across Minnesota and Wisconsin as cold front advances.
7/18/00: A chilly morning and light showers greet campers on Crow Wing River, Wild Rivers Trip. It's a perfect day...for October 18th!! Low around 47°F, High around 63°F and NO BUGS!!! Astecs blooming between dining hall and the administration buildings.
7/19/00: Another delicious morning 47°F - heavy dew.
7/20/00: 9:00AM, Jennifer saw a bluejay zip past the School House bell in pursuit of a finch.
7/29/00: Noon, Scott saw a doe and 2 fawns eating outside his bedroom window.
8/7/00: 12:00AM, racoon climbing a tree outside of dormitory.
8/8/00: 12:30PM, 4 Sandhill Cranes observed by Millie on Cty Rd 5.
8/9/00: 1:00PM, A doe and 2 fawns (spots gone) at Archery Field seen by Barb. 4:00PM, a fox was spotted in back of staff apartments.
8/14/00: Major thunderstorms howl thru Minnesota. LLCC receives hail, wind (>70 m.p.h.) and lotsa rain (2.59"!)
8/15/00: 11:30AM, Jenny watched two baby turtles hatch and swim into Long Lake. Beautiful "Chamber of Commerce" day: cool (low 70's), clear, breezy and low dew points.
8/16/00: Nice morning (49·) followed by clouds, followed by soaking rain (.27"). Schwampy spots beautful buck in velvet along Hwy. 210.
8/17/00: Gray day for starters...Pied-bill grebe arrives.
8/18/00: As CLS 2000 ends, Wolly Bear caterpiller walks across driveway and gets squished!
8/19/00: They're G-O-N-E! Deer flies have disappearedyesssss!!
8/22/00: PM Large flock of night hawks southbound over Aitkin.
8/23/00: Robins and yellow-shafted flickers moving through LLCC
8/25/00: PM Night hawks over Brainerd.
8/26/00: PM Large flock of night hawks and huge grackles over the St. Croix near Taylor Falls during Bob and Denise's boat ride.
8/27/00: Increasing heat and humidity produces light show and light showers.
8/30/00: Cool and rainy 1.05 " in rain gauge.
8/31/00: Cool weather continues, another 0.2" of precip.
9/01/00: More than 20.5" precip measured in rain gauge so far in Y2K
9/3/00: Mpls Hikers dodge showers at Big Sandy Lake--drippy all day, 0.25"
9/4/00: What's that bright glare in the sky? Omigosh its the SUN!
9/5/00: A spectacular day: cool, clear, calm--Chamber of Commerce weather.
9/6/00: Warm front rattles through. 1.7" (?) rain and lots of humidity.
9/15/00: First frost in Aitkin County. Little brown bat roosting in door frame of Archery Shed.
9/10-9/15: A perfect Minnesotan beginning to auturm: blue skies, cool fresh-smelling air, a full moon on 9/13, and no precip.
9/18/00: Warmth and mosquitos return. Mid-80s for a high.
9/20/00: Warmth and mosquitos leave. windy, afternoon temps in upper 40s.
9/26/00: One group saw a red-bellied snake in the pine plantation on the way to the bog.
9/27/00: 11:30 a.m. Frozen rain falls on LLCC. Lake Crystal-Wellcome-Memorial kids arrive in shorts.
9/28/00: Various times: kids found a red-bellied snake, wood frog, leopard frog, small garter.
9/30/00: 10 p.m. porcupine walking in grass by Marcum House.
10/1/00: A dozen bluebirds were on the telephone lines by Pat's house.
10/2/00: Last monarch (?) seen on prairie NE of Aitkin.
10/3/00: 7:45 a.m. A ruffed grouse hits the dining hall windows during KP. Spectacular northern lights at 05:00
10/5/00: Cold and wet! Snow in NW Minnesota; LLCC gets a few ice pellets.
10/6/00: Arctic-fed Alberta "clipper" breezes into NW and N plains like a freight train, with a load of cold and some snow. Kevin encounters a large owl and 2 foxes on his early morning commute (5:20 a.m.)
10/7/00: Cold records fall like autumn leaves throughout MT, ND, SD, and WI. MN will get its chance Sunday a.m. Lake effect snow machine grinds out 12+ inches on So. Superior snow belt.
10/8/00: Sunday dawns clear and cold.
10/9/00: Porcupine observed during tree hike.
10/9/00: Silvana, Giuliana, and Pat saw an immature blue goose on the NE shore of the lake.
10/10/00: Monarch butterfly observed flying by the edge of Long Lake near the old raft.
10/12/00: State-wide explosion of Asian beetles (look like lady bugs), including a lot at LLCC.
10/12/00: Northern harriers still hanging out and hovering outside Aitkin.
10/14/00: Mature bald eagle over tree farm east of Long Lake.
10/15/00: Stalled low pressure over Thunder Bay, Ont. creates a rainy, cloudy weekend for LLSEW. Total precip> .71"
10/16/00: Combination of rain and wind strips trees nearly bare. Popples (P. tremuloides) are last holdouts, along with oaks (Ql borealis).
10/17/00: White-footed deer mouse dashes into nest in a dead tree about 16" above the ground. Observed during wilderness meal. Bob E. spots yet another monarch.
10/18/00: Northern harrier seen north of Hwy 210 near Co. Rd. 5
10/19/00: So. Just how warm was it? Mpls sets record at 84 degrees. Records fall at Mpls and St. Paul. Appleton, MN hits 90. It was hotter in Minnesota than Maine, San Diego, Dallas, and Phoenix. Another weather note: heat and high winds--40mph--spawn and feed wildfires in Anoka Co, near Carlos Avery WMA. Nearly 9,000 acres burn. Four houses also consumed by fire. One last weather note: In addition to MSP's record 84 degrees (broke previous record of 81 set in 1953), Redwood Falls and Alexandria also set records of 84.
10/22/00: Exceptional weather continues. It has been six weeks since MSP area has received .25" of rain. Minor drought? Schwaderers spot a male cardinal in bird feeding area. It's the first one seen at LLCC in 25+ years!
10/23/00: It's a foggy start for a Monday; however, clouds give way to beautiful clear blue skies and warm temperatures. Thermometer climbs to 70 degrees at LLCC.
Schwampy and Bob E. spot otter in Long Lake.
A male monarch was flying north of Aitkin.
10/24/00: Another foggy morning--really, really thick. Temperatures never quite break 60 and it stays hazy all day.
Canoers in morning fog--it's an ethereal sight.
10/25/00: Temperatures rise 10 degrees between 17:00 (Tuesday) and 05:00 (Wednesday).
.10" rain in gauge.
2 pileated woodpeckers flying over Long Lake.
1 mature, 1 immature eagle spotted on Co. Rd. 5
10/26/00: On an extremely calm and warm night, two separate packs of wolves were heard--one by the NE side of Long Lake, and one SW of the North Star Lodge.
Canada jays are back in North Aitkin Co. (Washburn Lake State Forest.)
10/28/00: Great horned owl dines on one of Chris' cluckers.
Kids from Roosevelt Middle School find a tree frog during Wilderness Meal.
10/30/00: Nightcrawler on walkway by Energy Center.
11/2/00: Startled a barred owl out of a roost during Thicket.
11/3/00: Snow flurries in Aitkin/Itasca Co. Line area.
A coyote observed near Co. Rd. 5
11/4/00: Minnesota Deer Opener is beautiful--sunny, temps in 50s.
11/5/00: Day starts out clear, changes to wind and rain in the late afternoon.
RLS sees a wood frog moving slowly in front of the Energy Center.
11/6/00: More rain and strong SE wind--0.3" overnight.
11/7/00: Yet more rain! 0.99" in gauge.
Pat has redpolls at her feeder.
Four--count 'em, four--hooded mergansers hanging out on Long Lake.
Schwampy's feeder has 5-6 immature gold finches.
Rain changes to snow; LLCC receives about 1 inch.
11/8/00: So who is president? Florida recount holds up process.
Meanwhile, Doe, buck, and fawn by North Star Lodge.
11/9/00: 6 hooded mergansers; up to 60 geese fly over Long Lake.
8:30 a.m. A pileated woodpecker seen behind North Star Lodge.
11/9-10/00: Seven hooded mergansers on Lake.
11/10/00: Immature bald eagle flying over at tree tops.
11/12/00: Robin in Pat's backyard.; 11/13/00; Blue Heron "lost" south of Aitkin.
11/14/00: Ice covering about 15% of lake.
Up to 11 hooded mergansers fishing feverishly on Long Lake.
11/15/00: Lake Lake 90% frozen as temps dip to 15 degrees. Most mergansers split. (2 remain.)
Flight of whistling swans over orienteering field.
Schwampy's feeder count: 12 blue jays, 30+ a.m. goldfinches, 2 pileated woodpeckers, 1 Northern flicker, assorted chickadees, nuthatches, grosbeaks.
11/16/00: Long Lake now 95% frozen.
Flock of geese fly over Co. Rd. 88 at 05:40--due south!
11/17/00: It's official! Long Lake frozen!
11/18/00: Light dusting of snow; deer tracks across lake.
11/20/00: Grouse and porcupine seen on Scott's lake hike class.
11/21/00: One evening grosbeak at Bob E's feeders in the a.m.
11/26/00: A great horned owl in front of the intern apartment windows in the afternoon.
11/27-12/1: Mosquitos in the Energy Center.
Bald eagle seen in area.
11/28/00: Approximately 4 inches snow.
11/30/00: First below zero temperature.
12/11/00: Coldest day of the season so far, night temps around -5 degrees without windchill.
Sundog visible around Brainerd area.
12/12/00: A snowy owl (!) crossed a field outside Aitkin
A shrike was in a tree near the orienteering field.
12/13/00: Two deer cross from south to north shore of Long Lake about 10:15 a.m.
-17 degrees in Aitkin at 7 a.m.
12/14/00: Ice thickness on Long Lake is 6 inches with an additional 2 inches of snow cover.
12/15/00: Highland Park HS first group of 2000-2001 school year to cross country ski--on lake with 2 inches of snow.
12/24/00: Great gray owl in northern Aitkin Co.
12/26/00: Barred owl at Chris' bird feeder.
12/29/00: Pileated woodpecker at Chris' bird feeder.