It's the heat of the summer and the natural world is popping!
Roots and Wings Forest School in New York Mills
Long Lake Conservation Center in Palisade
This report brought to you by the 4-H campers Reagan and Irene.
Josh from Belwin in Afton
Hi, this is Josh calling in from Belwin (Conservancy) in Afton, Minnesota. The students are gone for the summer, but I return once a week with my two boys to check on our bluebird trail.
We have 44 houses and it's so fun to see what's blooming next to those bird houses. So the bluebirds themselves are now well into their second brood for the summer.
They're the only ones that nest in those boxes that have two broods in the summer. Every once in a while we're lucky and get a third brood. The other birds that nest in there, including the chickadees and the tree swallows and sometimes even a Phoebe, they only have one brood as far as I'm aware.
And as far as the flowers blooming, we had our first big bluestem blooming on Tuesday, July 21st. And we also saw our very first goldenrods blooming, including a gray goldenrod up in our dry prairie, and then the Canada goldenrod down by the deep pool. There are so many different kinds of goldenrods, I get confused and always need to cheat and use iNaturalist. So hopefully iNaturalist algorithm and my foggy memory are correct on those identifications for goldenrod.
Marit and Micah take a nature walk with John in Grand Rapids
Marit spotted the illusive old guy during her phenology walk!
Chad Kaddatz from Little Falls
What have you seen out there? Let us know: email us at comments@kaxe.org or text us at 218-326-1234.
For more phenology, subscribe to our Season Watch Newsletter and podcast or visit the Season Watch Facebook page.
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Contributed/Daniel DewaldCisco and other cold water fish died by the thousands in the large, shallow lake as water temperatures soared to an average of 77 degrees in late July and early August 2026. -
Contributed/Adobe Stock via Minnesota News ConnectionPublic health experts said states can better prepare for future illness outbreaks by keeping a sharp eye on climate change. -
Contributed/Deborah Rose / Minnesota Department of Natural ResourcesThirty-three communities received nearly $5 million in funding, including Virginia, Hill City and other Northern Minnesota cities. A new DNR grant closes Sept. 14, 2026. -
Contributed/Lorie ShaullThe Minnesota Department of Natural Resources reminds harvesters ahead of the Aug. 15, 2026, season opener that rice must be ripe for legal harvest. -
Contributed/Minnesota Department of Natural ResourcesThe Department of Natural Resources reported forest tent caterpillars have damaged the leaves of 60,000 acres of foliage around Aitkin County in 2026. -
Lorie Shaull/KAXEBoundary Waters entry points near Big Moose Lake and Big Lake are also scheduled to reopen on Aug. 13, 2026.
