Mist on the lakeDawn began calm and beautiful with mist floating up from the surface of Woods Lake and evaporating at a height of about 50 feet.
JuneberriesAlong Trygg Road here, I noticed that juneberries are developing nicely after the frost and was surprised to see Northern Pin Oak acorns forming.
Gull flying overheadScott came over for breakfast and to put a new prop on the pontoon boat to be ready for the Black Bear Field Courses that start July 5. (2 openings in the July 19 course and one each in the August 19 and 26 courses.)
Coming in for a landingOn the dock and driveway, dozens of newly emerged Chalk-fronted Corporal Dragonflies rested. It’s their big annual emergence the last couple days. Past emergences have been between May 24 and June 24.
Chalk-fronted Corporal DragonflyBack at WRI, a gull flew over looking graceful and striking against the blue sky as he or she checked the Spam spot. Then he or she circled and came straight in for its reward for being a good spotter of a tiny piece of Spam from high in the sky.
Northern Pin Oak AcornsThen I got in front of the computer and looked up our snapping turtle records for posters in two exhibits—one under the banner of “How Safe are Ely’s Woods and Waters?” and another for the knee-wall in front of the big Habitat Exhibit. Fourteen snapping turtles laid their eggs here between June 1 and June 28 in 1989-2015, taking 2-3 hours to dig their nests and lay 21, 30, 34, and 39 eggs in the four nests we counted. In two of those nests, the total of 69 eggs averaged 12.9 grams each (all returned to hatch). A big snapper with a 14.0-inch carapace was 31 inches from the tip of its stretched out nose to the tip of its tail. We found no evidence of bears digging up nests; foxes and raccoons are the main culprits.
As we prepared to obtain some lower quality bear food, we are again very appreciative for the bears’ favorite hazelnuts you are sending. Much appreciated.
Thank you for all you do.
Lynn Rogers, Biologist, Wildlife Research Institute and North American Bear Center
All photos taken today unless otherwise noted.