by Gail Becher, E & E Committee

Here are Phenological highlights of this past year. Don't forget to send your observations to: Gail Becher, c/o Ten Mile Lake Association, Inc., P.O. Box 412, Hackensack, MN 56452, so they can be included in upcoming calendars. 

October:

2^nd     20 degree nighttime temperature

4^th      5 juvenile loons in Long Bay

8^th      Mid 80's during day, dramatic leaf color change- reds & chartreuses turn to golds and rusts

9^th      Huge flocks of blackbirds stop on migration

10^th    75% to 80% of leaves have fallen and slate juncos return

November:

23^rd    10 inches of fresh snowfall, 1^st accumulation of winter

December:

2^nd     Black ice across the lake from north shore outwards, open still in mid-lake

3^rd      Evening grosbeaks return to feeders

12^th    Total Ice on lake

January:

2^nd     Minus 43 degree morning temperature with minus 63 degree windchills

February:

13th   36 degrees above zero, warm and balmy

15^th    Minus 24 deg., a real change in temperature

17^th    Flocks of ravens feed on deer carcases along 50   Ravens enjoy periods of acrobatic flight

18^th    Willow bark taking on more green color 

March:

22^nd    Robins return, pussytoes in bloom

25^th    First thunderstorm of 2004

26^th    Juncos return, chipmunks out of hibernation

28^th    Four blue herons fly over North shore

31^st    Two loons and three swans fly over North shore

April:

1^st      Red-winged blackbirds return

24^th    Total Ice off lake

26^th    Bluebirds seen along County 50

27th   31 degrees at 5 a.m.

28th   91 degrees at 2 p.m.

May:

4^th      Midge hatch begins

10^th    Hummingbirds return

11^th    Large Flowered-Bellwort and Rue-Anemone in bloom

12^th    Orioles, rose-breasted grosbeaks, and scarlet tanagers coming to feeders

13^th    Trillium in bloom

18^th    Caspian Tern dive fishing in Flower Pot Bay

25^th    American redstarts, Cape May warblers, Blackburnian warblers, yellow warblers, yellow-rumped warblers, blackpoll warblers, ruby crowned kinglets in prolific numbers feeding along north shore shrubs & trees, an amazing sight! 

Phenology is the Study of relationship between climate and periodic biological phenomena.