Chad Kaddatz from Little Falls Middle School
Long Lake Conservation Center near Palisade
This report is brought to you by Nora, Sophia and the explorers from Astronomy Camp.
“Hello this is Nora and Sophia from Astronomy Camp at Long Lake Conservation Center Aug. 2-5. The high temperature was 77 degrees and the low was 52.
“Most of the camp was either cloudy or hazy with smoke from the Canadian wildfires. Fortunately, we had clear skies for one night and part of one day. We got to use the Minnesota Astronomical Society’s giant telescopes to see lots of amazing extraterrestrial objects, including the Dumbbell Nebula, Alcor and Mizar - stars in the Big Dipper - and the Cigar Galaxy. It was fun to count the craters on the moon. With the naked we saw the galactic core of the Milky Way, the Andromeda Galaxy and two shooting stars.
“In the daytime, we used a solar telescope to see sunspots and solar prominences. The sun is very active right now.
“Terrestrial sightings included a Blue Jay, and two adult turkeys with a snake in the woods. It scared the heck out of us! There are lots of deer about, including a few fawns that still have their spots. In the lake, we saw a muskrat, two loons, but not loonlets, otters and a baby sunfish.
“Seeing baby sunfish is happy news. After two winter kills, the DNR stocked the lake with sunfish last summer. The stocking worked!
“We also saw ghostpipe and ate lots of ripe raspberries.
“It was a great week at camp and we want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside, LOOK UP and… LIVE CONNECTED!!
This report is brought to you by Olaedo, Terri and the students from Migizi Communications in Minneapolis.
“Hi, this is Terry and Oleado from Migizi in Minneapolis reporting from Long Lake Conservation Center for August 4-7. The weather was a muggy high of 85 degrees and a low of 62.
“We saw many blooming plants during our trip including; tansy, yarrow, black-eyed susan, pearly everlasting, goldenrod, bee balm, common milkweed and pitcher plants. Bumble bees and monarchs were enjoying the flowers and so was a crab spider. We also found ghost pipes, jack-o-lantern mushrooms, chicken of the woods and false jelly coral.
“On or near the lake we saw; dragonfly nymphs, damselflies, adult dragonflies, leeches, beavers, turtles, loons, otters and lily pads in bloom. In the skies there were hawks, Turkey Vultures, and a Solitary Sandpiper. A robin was seen feeding her chicks. We scared up 3 grouse on our hike to 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 Madeline, Kenan and the adventurers from Queer Camp.
“Hello this is Madeline and Kenen from Queer Camp where we got 'weird in the woods' at Long Lake Conservation Center August 7-10.
“The high temperature was 87 degrees and the low was 55. During our retreat, we made new friends, played lots of camp games and explored nature.
“In the bog, we saw sundew, pitcher plants, labrador tea, leather leaf, a variety of sphagnum and a Ghost Pipe. Deep in the bog, Charlie Mitchell found a wood frog.
“There’s lots to eat in the forest right now, including chicken of the woods, chaga, cranberries, raspberries and blackberries. Aster is now flowering. On the lake, we saw an otter.
“It was a great week at camp and we want to remind everyone to unplug, get outside and LIVE CONNECTED!!”
Zeyda from Grand Rapids
North Central Research and Outreach Center
Sugar Lake Lodge near Grand Rapids
What have you seen out there? Let us know: email us at comments@kaxe.org or text us at 218-326-1234.
That does it for this week! For more phenology, subscribe to our Season Watch Newsletter or visit the Season Watch Facebook page.
Funding for this project was provided by the Minnesota Environment and Natural Resources Trust Fund as recommended by the Legislative-Citizen Commission on Minnesota Resources (LCCMR).
