December 2
Lake Snow?
Winter has already come to Wolf Ridge in the form of snowstorms. We currently have a snow depth of 12 inches up on the ridge. This may sound strange to our nearby neighbors who live nearer Lake Superior who have a current snow depth of zero inches.
Why such a difference? This time of the year, Lake Superior is warmer than the cold air outside and when these two forces collide, they create storms and snow! The warm water vapor floating off Lake Superior is often carried over the shore, keeping that area warm, and is dropped as it rises higher when it goes inland and runs into the colder air, giving greater snowfalls to those areas like Wolf Ridge. This is a phenomenon known as lake-enhanced snow. This is different from the more recognizable lake-effect snow which only hits this region when northeast winds come through and have the needed 65 miles of open water to pick up moisture and drop on the shore.
- David Stieler |
Snow at Wolf Ridge wetland
- photo © David Stieler
Snow at Lake Superior
- photo © Carrie Anderson
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November 21
Wolf Lake Freezes!
It was only a matter of time before Wolf Lake would freeze for the winter… but when exactly? The naturalists tried their hand at seeing the future and guessing what day the lake would have ice covering the whole lake. I erred on the side of warm weather wishful thinking and set my date for mid December. The winner was (drumroll please) Matt Skogen with the date of November 21st!
- Liz Doane |
- Photo © Liz Doane
|
November 16
Warm, Snowy Blanket
Often in November, the soil temperature will fall to under 32 degrees, and snow will easily accumulate on top of this cold surface. This week, however, we have a unique circumstance where there is up to 8 inches of snow on the ground, thanks to a delightful weekend storm, but the soil temperature is still well above freezing, and in some points 44 degrees! This is great news for various small mammals, who are now spending most of their time in between these two layers, soaking up heat from the ground while using the snow above as an insulator. Enjoy the heated blanket while it lasts, boys!
- Andy Petran |
 |
November 9
Bald Eagles
Bald Eagles are arriving at Wolf Ridge! The month of November is prime time for eagle sighting along the Superior Uplands. Bald Eagles primarily consume fish, so as lakes and rivers across their northern range freeze over in early November, the time comes to head south in search of open water. The cliffs and ridges of the North Shore create updrafts and thermals that thousands of raptors utilize every year as part of the Mississippi Flyway. Look up during midday when the sun in highest, you may see several over the span of a few minutes.
- Brian Minor |
- Photo © Jim Williams
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November 4
Hungry Mink
The American Mink (Neovison vison) are making their way up to the ridge in search of food. Squirrels and chipmunks foraging for dropped seeds under the bird feeders are numerous and easy prey for a mink. I spotted one running behind the west dorm and naturalist David Butcher saw one in Thistle’s cage. Thistle (our North American Porcupine) is of course well protected with quills, so the mink will have to look elsewhere for food!
- Dave Pete |
- Photo © Tiit Maran
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October 19
Late Bloomer
This Goldenrod stubbornly sends forth a last rod of flowers in spite of its dead leaves. On average Goldenrod Sp (encompassing multiple species) last blooms on October 20th at Wolf Ridge.
- photo and observation by Melody McKnight |
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October 14
What do ants do in the winter?
There are over 100 different ant species that live in the state of Minnesota, each of which must find some way to survive the freezing weather of winter. So what exactly happens to the ants after the weather starts to get cold?
As it turns out, many species are in the same area that they were during the warmer months; only once it gets cold they go as deep as they can in the anthills and hibernate. The snow and dirt that cover the anthills provide insulation that keeps the temperature inside the anthill right around freezing all winter. Occasionally, you may see some ants during a warm winter day. Ants can come out of hibernation when the temperature is above freezing and may be seen taking advantage of warm spells in the winter to forage for more food. For the rest of the winter, the ants are hibernating together in their anthills below the snow.
-
Erin Cushner |
-photo © Prairie Tracks
A dormant ant hill by the Forest Ecology Building
-photo © Erin Cushner
|
October 7
Oak Leaves Hang On
This fall, many leaves changed color and fell off of their trees. Why didn’t the oak leaves fall off ?
There is a Northern Pin Oak in front of the Science Center with many brown leaves on it. Those leaves will probably fall off in the spring. Oak leaves turn brown after the first frost. The leaves will stick out the winter on the tree and fall down next spring. The nutrients from the fallen leaves in the spring will be taken up by the parent plant at the beginning of the growing season.
-Ivy Berg |
Northern Pin Oak
Photo © Ivy Berg
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September 27
Lobster Feast!
The guys up at the ridge were recently found riding the tail end of an awesome fungal bloom. Their prize? 35 lbs of Lobster mushrooms! The lobster, Hypomyces lactifolium, is a choice edible that is actually composed of a symbiotic relationship between a Russula mushroom and the orange Ascomycetes fungus that sometimes grows on it. This relationship, is great for mushroom lovers owing to the fact that the parasitized "Lobster" ends up being much tastier than the Russula alone.
Recent September rains brought out the lobsters into their short but sweet growing season which lasts only a few weeks. They decompose quickly and are gone from the forest until next year. (Of course, don't eat ANY wild mushrooms without consulting an expert!)
-Christopher Schuler |
Bountiful Harvest!
Photo © Wolf Ridge ELC
Lobster Mushroom
Photo © Wolf Ridge ELC
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September 19
One Last Snack Before Bed
In the last few months American black bears (Ursus americanus) have been busy packing on the pounds before winter hibernation. These bears started preparing for hibernation in late summer by eating extra food to fatten up for winter. These fat reserves will sustain the bear during its dormant season that lasts as long as seven months! Black bears will be heading to their hibernation sites soon, so keep your eyes open and you just might see one of the last black bears wandering around the forest.
-Matt Skogen |
Photo: September 1988. Minnesota.
via www.bear.org
|
September 14
Flaming Tree-tops
It's time to head for the hills! The maples on the ridges above Lake Superior are creating a chemical called anthocyanin, giving them the eye-popping oranges, reds, and purples of fall. Research shows that cool fall nights and sunny days make
brighter reds in maples. What will this year bring?
Check out our fall colors page for more info!
- Carrie Anderson |
- photo © Carrie Anderson
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August 17
Paver-Mania!
Cherokee Park is here this week, not only taking part in the normal Wolf Ridge activities like Voyageur Life, Rock Climbing, Wetlands, Team Games, etc., but they are also giving our trails staff a HUGE helping hand by updating our ridge-top paths from gravel to brick pavers. They've also been out in the woods gathering the raspberry leaves we'll use all winter to make tea in Ojibwe and Voyageur classes. Thanks Cherokee Park!!!
- Carrie Anderson |
photos by Wolf Ridge
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July 23
Not Just a Big Raspberry
Thimbleberry, a species of Rubus, is native to western and northern North America, and can be found all over the Ridge this time of year. However, like many phenology events this year, this sweet and tart favorite fruit of late summer has come early to the Ridge. Like other raspberries it is not a true berry, but instead an aggregate fruit of numerous druplets around a central core. If you’re coming to Wolf Ridge, keep your eyes out for this bright red, delicious fruit while you walk the trails!
- Joel Vos |
photo credit: wikipedia.com
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July 5
Okay To Pull!
The first pretty purple flowers of the Canada Thistle bloomed at Wolf Ridge on July 5. This plant is an invasive species that you should pull out of the ground before they out compete native species. While NE Minnesota has some native species of thistle they are not as aggressive as Canada Thistle. Try to pull before flowering occurs or clip flowers after blooming.
- Peter Harris |
- photo © Peter Harris
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May 31
The March of the Toads
The past week has been full of toad sightings on the trails as these amphibians make their way to and from the nearby lakes and wetlands. Unlike their frog relatives, who spend most of their lives in the water, toads live most of the time on land, only making their way toward water to breed. Toads start making their way towards the water during humid conditions and warm evenings, mate and lay their eggs in the water, then eventually make their way back to land a few weeks later. Once the baby toads hatch and develop, they too will make their way inland, starting the whole cycle over again. Keep your eyes open for these warty hoppers, and watch your feet on the trails!
- David Butcher |
- photo © Greg Lipps
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May 27
Tiger Spotting!
It has been an unusual spring and many tigers have been spotted fluttering around Wolf Ridge. The Canadian Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly is a large beautiful insect that can been seen from spring through fall. They assist with pollinating plants by feeding on the nectar. Males congregate at moist soil to gather nutrients (salts), a strange event called “mud-puddling.” Keep your eyes open for butterflies gliding through the air or basking in the mud near you!
- Ben Eckhoff |
- photo © Ben Eckhoff
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May 20
Bloomin' Berry Bushes
Trying to decide what kind of fruit tree is blooming right now? Here are some helpful hints...
Juneberry, also called serviceberry, are the first of the fruit trees to bloom at Wolf Ridge in May. You have noticed them blooming along the ridge and driveway. The flowers are white and the petals are longer than wide. The leaves are rounded and toothed.
Pin Cherry will start to bloom shortly after the Juneberry. Pin Cherry flowers are white and are arranged like a bouquet or a pin cushion. The leaves are longer and more narrow than a Juneberry. The flowers have a slight aroma if you are able to catch a whiff amongst the bees and butterflies pollinating.
Chokecherry, which just started blooming this week, will be the last to bloom after both the Juneberry and Pin Cherry. Again displaying white flowers, these are densely bunched together forming a cylindrical shape. The leaves are rounded with a point at the end and are finely toothed.
Happy identifying!!!
- Jenni Poliseno |
Fruit Shrubs Blooming
in Spring
Juneberry
Pin Cherry
Chokecherry
|
May 16
Spring is Springing!
It has been an exciting week for phenology! Lots of wildflowers are beginning to bloom and birds are returning after a long winter in Central and South America. The Black-Throated Green Warbler is one that we have been hearing quite a bit this past week. It has a very distinct song: zee-zee-zee-zu-ZEE" and it has a black bib and bright yellow face. It is right on time according to our phenology tracking. The warm weather speeds up the blooming of wildflowers, but birds rely more on the length of day. Keep your ears open for other returning birds!
-Kimbra Kosak |
- photo © Marie Reed
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May 11
What's the Rucus?!
The wetlands around Wolf Ridge are full of sound! The first frogs we heard were the Spring Peepers (Psedacris crucifer) with their "peeep! peeep!" call. These small green to gray frogs overwintered beneath bark or dried leaves. Now you can hear them singing in almost any wet place especially at dawn and dusk.
- Kaitlin Erpestad |
- photo © Rod Kuehn
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May 6
Flowering Underwear?
The Dutchmen have their pants hung up to dry along the Wolf Ridge driveway! Dicentra cucullaria or Dutchman's Breeches are one of the neatest looking spring ephemerals (short-blooming spring flowers) that are blooming right now. Look for all of the spring ephemerals that are trying to complete their entire life cycle before the trees above them have leafed out and blocked all of the sun. They bloom early in the spring, go to seed, and then quickly die back to live the remainder of the year in its underground roots or bulbs.
~ Laura Prasek |
- photo from
ridingphrius.blogspot.com/
|
| May 5
The Bloom of Marsh Marigolds
Take a walk near a stream at Wolf Ridge and you’ll likely see some Marsh Marigolds (Caltha palustris). This is one wildflower that loves squishy, moist soil found near swampy areas. A bright yellow flower with 5 distinct petals can be seen breaking out of small round blossoms. Their leaves grow out of mounds and resemble lily pads common in Minnesota lakes. Enjoy these and all the wildflowers found in your area!
- John Smith |
- photo © Jack Greenlee
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April 27
Garter Snakes Become Active
As the air temperature and ground temperature continue to get warmer, expect to see these slithery predators warming themselves in the sun. These snakes emerge to take advantage of their favorite prey, earthworms, although they are also known to eat minnows and even newly metamorphosed toads and frogs. These snakes can move very quickly, so keep a sharp eye for these reptiles!
- David Butcher |
photo from www.
mynaturephotos.com
/snakes.htm
|
March 25
Beaked Hazelnut Flowering
One of the first flowers is out! The beaked hazelnut shrub has separate male (staminate) and female (pistillate) flowers. The male flowers are arranged spirally in a yellowish catkin that hangs from twigs; the female flowers emerge from the tips of twigs and appear as terminal buds. They are a dark, showy red color. This flowering happens before the leaves emerge. It is fun to take a pair of binoculars, turn them around and use one eyepiece as a microscope to view this intricate red design. Try it out!
- Rhea Mehrkens |
photo © Rod Kuehn
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March 11
Eastern Chipmunks wake up!
Cute, small mammals with white bellies, reddish brown fur above, and 1 white stripe bordered by 2 black stripes on the back have been seen at bird feeders since March 11. Yes, Eastern Chipmunks (Tamias striatus) are out of hibernation stimulated by warm air temperatures. They chatter cheerfully by rapidly repeating chip-chip-chip and a lower-pitched, slower chuck-chuck-chuck. Male and female chipmunks start to date and 1 litter per year of 3-5 young will be born in May. Welcome back, but be aware of long-tailed weasel, hawks, foxes, bobcat, and even house cats.
- Joanna 朱艳
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- Photo © Joanna 朱艳
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March 9
First Overnight Temps Above 32°F
Today marks the first day of the year where the minimum air temperature overnight did not go below freezing. This, coupled with the 0.02 inches of rain overnight, turned the solid top layer of crusty snow into mush! Now, beware as you walk through the woods, as you will “posthole” or punch through the snowpack much more than before. Keep an eye out for more spring happenings, as they might be occurring sooner rather than later due to this warm weather!
-Stephanie Erlandson |
- drawing © Tim Pearson
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March 2
Snow Melt Around Trees
Air temperatures have increased over the past few weeks causing snow to melt around the base of trees. The snow dips down around the trunk in an artistic circle forming a bowl like structure. This beautiful shape occurs because trees, dark in color, absorb more energy from sunlight than the surrounding white snow. They also absorb the sunlight reflected off the snow’s white surface. The tree radiates this heat into it’s roots and the surrounding snow, causing the snow to retreat. Keep an eye out as these bowl shapes become bigger and bigger!
-Karrin Pearson |
-photo © Karrin Pearson
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February 19
Blue Jays and Water Pumps
I was walking along the road on the Ridge and overheard a bird call that sounded different than anything else I have been hearing for months. As I scanned the area for birds, I noticed a group of Blue Jays flying from tree to tree and chatting with each other. Different from their traditional “jay-jay” call, Blue Jays also have quiet, almost subliminal calls that they use among themselves in proximity. One of the most distinctive calls of this type is often referred to as the "rusty pump" owing to its squeaky resemblance to the sound of an old hand-operated water pump. This call was unique to the other bird sounds that day, and like some other songs late this winter is coming a little early. Blue Jays are not migratory, but follow their food source east and west throughout the year and will communicate via this unique “water pump” call when they are flocked together. Keep your ears open for this unique call!
- Joel Vos |
- photo © Dan Sudia
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February 10
Owl Calling Time!
It’s time for the owls to begin calling to each other in courtship! A few of the naturalists went out the other evening to listen for their calls. They also projected calls through a megaphone to see if any owls would call back. Nesting season for the great horned owls and barred owls (Who cooks for you?) is in early February, while the northern saw-whet owl and the boreal owl (pictured here) will begin courting later on in the month. If you are outside in the evening after dusk, keep your ears open for hooting!
- Andrea Doerr |
Boreal owl
Aegolius funereus
photo © Jim Brandenberg
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February 10
Chick-a-dee "Fee-Bee" Songs
The Black Capped Chickadees have begun to sing their “Fee-Bee” song, a sure sign that spring is on its way . . . eventually. Chickadees flock together during the winter, and this behavior is what allows students at Wolf Ridge to be visited by so many birds at Chickadee Landing! Come spring, however, these flocks will break up and the birds will defend separate territories through the warmer months. Only the dominant pair in the flock gets to stay in the winter territory, and the “Fee-Bee” calls of the males help to define territories and attract mates. Research suggests that individuals have distinct calls and that the flock can identify each bird by sound. It’s too soon for this spring singing behavior to be consistent among our Chickadees, but it’s not too early to get a little practice!
- Meg Dickoff |
- photo © Rod Kuehn
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January 28
Pine Grosbeak
On a beautiful, warm, blue-sky January day I heard a bright bird song. The “tee-tee-tew” song sounded so unlike the usual winter bird songs we hear up on the Ridge that I immediately stopped and began searching the tree tops. I finally located a pine grosbeak, a brilliant bird who looks as if he has been dipped in raspberry ice cream! Like chickadees, pine grosbeaks gather into groups (a group of grosbeaks is called a 'gross') for the winter. A gross has moved south into the area around Wolf Ridge again this winter in search of food. It's nice to see them back again! Keep your eyes peeled for this brilliant, red-pink bird and the brown females.
- Kaitlin Erpestad |
- artwork by Louis
Agassiz Fuertes
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January 19
Pussy Willows
Each Spring, the buds of the pussy willow (Salix discolor) break open to unleash a fluffy whitish catkin. Thanks to a couple unusually warm weeks around Minnesota, these catkins are bursting out earlier than past years. The fluffy buds are not everywhere yet, but this photo shows a couple of the catkins that were fooled by the weather. Look around you and keep watch for Winter phenology.
- John Smith |
- photo © John Smith
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