Season Watch Newsletter: 4/28/2023

It's gonna be May, my friends! As we close in on the end of the month, spring has finally arrived across the state. This week sees trees flowering and birds returning. Also, I had my first sighting of a car with a kayak on the roof — warm weather must be on its way.

FEATURE: Conservation Minnesota

Conservation Minnesota is seeking volunteers to aid in a variety of environmental initiatives throughout the state. Rashelle Brown, the community stewardship facilitator in Bemidji and Americorps member, joined Heidi Holtan and John Latimer to talk about her efforts to connect people to causes they care about.


Listen in!

Visit our Season Watch Facebook page!

STUDENT AND LISTENER CONTRIBUTIONS

Despite another chilly and gray week, spring has resolutely made its way north! Generally, you don't think of cute kids' nature reports as containing a lot of roadkill. However the Prairie Creek students are always ready to remind us, "It's not gross, it's science!" Our students in Baxter taught me a similar lesson by inspiring me to finally face my fear of spiders. What a week — enjoy all nine reports!


Hear their voices!

JOHN LATIMER'S WEEKLY REPORT

Buds continue to develop and flower under John's watchful eye. The hazel shrubs finally flowered along with the male flowers on the quaking aspen! The male flowers on his silver maple broke bud, dumped pollen, and expired within a short, three-day span. You can also learn about the different phenology of quaking and bigtooth aspens, ruffed grouse, and how to spot the Canada fly honeysuckle.


Listen to John's report!

Support Season Watch here!

Can't make the workshops? Send me an email, and we'll set up a Zoom meeting!

  • 5/21/23: Phenology in the Classroom and on the Radio. Gathering Partners Conference, Chaska MN. Register here.
  • 5/28/23: Studying Phenology using Nature's Notebook. Hosted by the Lakes Chapter of Minnesota Master Naturalists. Meeting at 1 PM, Hartley Nature Center, Duluth. More info.

SARAH'S RECOMMENDATION

The dawn chorus has begun in Central Minnesota, with birds singing unceasingly from pre-dawn until 9 AM. While I welcome the birds, they've bruised my biologist ego for many years - bird song ID has never come easily for me.


Luckily for me, I found Larkwire, an app that helps you identify birds by ear! It groups birds by call type (rattling, clear, simple, complex, etc.) and gives you a flashcard-like quiz. It will remember which ones you struggle with and give you those more often. There are options a variety of skill levels, and the core courses are free - enjoy! It's available as an app for iPhones and iPads or through a web browser on any device.


Give it a try!

Boreal chorus frog (Pseudacris maculata). Anishinaabemowin: mitigowomakakiins.


The chorus frog can be identified by its white lip and dark stripe running from the nostril through the eye. Wood frogs share these features, but are larger and have ridges (dorsolateral folds) running from the shoulder to the hip.


Chorus frogs sound like someone running their finger down the teeth of a comb! They are often heard in large groups, hence the name chorus frog.

Bonus fact: Real maple syrup is fluorescent under UV light, allowing consumer protection agencies to detect fake syrup masquerading as the Real Deal. Unsurprisingly, this technology was developed by our good buddies in Canada.

It's such a relief to see a leaf!

Northern Community Radio

KAXE/KBXE

FOLLOW US

Facebook  Twitter  Instagram

Did someone forward this email to you? You can subscribe here.

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). The Trust Fund is a permanent fund constitutionally established by the citizens of Minnesota to assist in the protection, conservation, preservation, and enhancement of the state’s air, water, land, fish, wildlife, and other natural resources.