Phenology and Nature Notes

Phenology and Nature Notes by Discovery Center Staff

2/2/12- Several reports of woodpeckers drumming in the forest- it is their mating season and the drumming activity increases this time of year -L

1/31/12- A member reported that the grey squirrels are mating -L

1/27/12- On the free Friday adventure to the River trail, 32 Trumpeter Swans and one Common Goldeneye -L

1/21/12- Brrr- Coldest temps of the year so far- yesterday got down to -26 degrees F and a high of 2 degrees F, this morning was -22. -L

1/17/12- No birds at our feeder this afternoon. Why? A shrike was lurking around! -L

1/16/12- While hiking at Van Vliet, found sign of two very active otters. Slides, tracks and holes into a small bog lake. -L

1/12/12- Our Nibbles speaker, Mark Naniot from Wild Instincts rehab got a call to pick up two bear cubs from a den disturbed by a logging operation. They were five days old. Mama bears are giving birth to their cubs right now, middle January. When born, they weigh less than a pound, are blind, hairless and totally helpless. -L

1/11/12- We've had a stretch of some pretty unseasonably warm weather this week- 1/9- 41 degrees F and 1/10-44 degrees F. Today is a high of 38 degrees F. Snow and colder temps are due later this week. -L

1/4/12- Bird Club member Ed Marshall reported a Northern shrike hanging around his bird feeders in Lac du Flambeau. -L

1/2/12- Had about 10 evening grosbeaks at my feeder today- both males and females, they were kind enough to let the chickadees get some seed as well -L

Sorry for the quality of the photo, took it through the screen- three males and one female at the bottom.

1/1/12- Winter finally came in the form of about 12 inches of beautiful snow last night and into today. -L

12/26/11- 41 degrees today, lost a lot of snow, we have never seen it so bare out there -L

12/17/11- Had another fabulous 'snowshoe' hike today (not much snow out, about 2 inches on top of 3 inches of frozen slush) saw tracks of a bobcat (looked a lot smaller than the one the day before, and was on the opposite side of the property), fisher, ermine, deer, squirrels, OTTER SLIDE (the highlight!) and fox. Fabulous day when the sun came out. -L

12/16/11- After 2 windy, rainy cold days the critters are on the move! Our Friday adventure trail hike on Northern Cruise trail brought about many tracks to observe: Bobcat, fisher, coyote, ermine, cottontail rabbit, mouse, ruffed grouse, red and gray squirrel, and crow. -L

(Image: Bobcat track)

12/15/11- Unseasonably warm weather followed by today's winter blast of snow made for an active day at the bird feeders. - Z

12/14/11- makwa bimikawe (bear-he leaves tracks)- at Winter Camp in Lac du Flambeau- not surprising with our continued warm weather- it rained most of the day today. -L

12/12/11- Smelled a skunk on my way into work today- not surprising these winter-sleepers (not true hibernators, but "torpor" critters) are out and about- it has been unseasonably warm the past couple of days. Highs for the next three days in the mid 30's! -L

12/11/11- High of 44 degrees F today...all of our fabulous snow is disappearing...thought this was supposed to be winter! -L

12/6/11- A new marten on trail camera 3 miles north of Mercer, October 30th, 2011-z

12/6/11- Although our trails are not yet groomed, we had our first skier today! On Saturday we received about 5 inches of snow. Near Presque Isle they had 8! Winter is finally here :) -L

12/2/11- Reports of a snowy owl irruption in WI- over 100 snowy owls have been seen- they fly down from the tundra in Canada in search of food- the last time WI saw this type of occurance was in 2006 -L

12/2/11- Coldest morning yet- Zach reported -7 F at 7 AM this morning -L

11/29/11- Katie saw her first white deer just south of Greer's Pier crossing Hwy 51 (check our Facebook page to see a picture!) -L

11/18/11 - Trumpeter Swans on the Manitowish River this morning- 2 adults and 3 cygnets -L

11/18/11 - Statehouse Lake as a very thin cover of ice this morning-and froze over for winter -L

10/7/11 - Monarch butterflies still flying around at the Center! -L