Please share your observations, nature tales and insights! Send them to me (cmitchell@kaxe.org), John Latimer (jlatimer@kaxe.org), or text us at 218-326-1234.
Charlie near Stillwater
“During our canoe excursions this week, my wife and I discovered that the floods have wrought some impressive changes to the river. In our area, the St. Croix River runs from a third to a half-mile wide. The main channel is just a tenth of a mile wide here, so most of the river’s area is comprised of islands and backwaters.
“Many small channels weave through the island and backwaters. Hayley and I have our favorites, which we travel frequently. One of them is a fast, S-shaped stream that leads to a gorgeous backwater, filled with all sorts of critters. When we headed that way this weekend, we discovered that a whole portion of land had sunk under and washed away; the S-shape is now just a thin squiggle.
“The currents running through the area have completely changed. Where once it ran fast, sometimes going in the opposite direction of the main channel, the area is now a slow-moving pool. It’s disconcerting but also interesting to see geology happening on a small scale right in front of me.
“The floodwaters have nearly eliminated the shallow areas that arrowheads, cattails, and lily pads grew last year. I’ve been wondering what happens to all the small fishes, frogs, dragonflies, and other critters that are usually found in those habitats.
“The last thing I wanted to mention is the flood of fledglings that have emerged over the last week. We now have active families of Rose-breasted Grosbeaks, chickadees, Hairy, Downy, and Red-bellied Woodpeckers, and cardinals visiting our feeders! We also have multiple families of House Wrens building nests nearby.
“That’s all for me! This has been Charlie Mitchell, going hither and thither on the St. Croix River.”
Season Watch Facebook feature
On the Season Watch Facebook page, people have observed young orioles feeding at fruit and jelly feeders, fuzzy cygnets swimming with their parents, and a beautiful crab spider sitting on a lady-slipper.
Some of Charlie’s favorites included Don Gunderson’s photos of a grey fox and an incredible set of close-up images of colorful fungi near Bemidji, taken by the aptly named Josh Sporre.
Carol from Eveleth: Plants and pollinators at the Sax-Zim Bog
Wanda: Robin nest survival
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).
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Larissa Donovan/KAXEThe Red Lake Department of Natural Resources invited students from Blackduck, Kelliher, Ponemah and Red Lake for the Water Festival at Concordia Language Villages on Oct. 10, 2024. -
Contributed/Holly RoseEric Maturi earned the Trail Builders Award for his service in the Arrowhead Chapter, a Grand Rapids, MN, organization responsible for maintaining the trail in the area.
