July 1999
Happenings in and around Linnaeus Arboretum
Listed below are a few observations from a year ago in the Linnaeus Arboretum area, and out of the area when indicated. These events can be used to anticipate upcoming July happenings and will help to compare this year with last.
1 - In Carver County, much of the field corn is up 3 to 4 feet, and soybeans 6 to 10 inches. Jackman clematis and trumpet creeper vines now blooming. Many cattails (female flower parts) now brown and perfect for cutting to dry for fall arrangements. Gray catbirds, common yellowthroats, house wrens and American robins singing this morning.
2 - Lawns nice and green. Common elderberry shrubs and hills-of-snow hydrangea have showy clusters of white flowers. In Walker area, ruby-throated hummingbirds, Baltimore orioles, red-headed woodpeckers and yellow-bellied sapsuckers come to sugar water feeders.
3 - Blue jay parent brings fledglings to feeding station. Young barn swallows line up on wires. In the Walker area, native basswood trees are first blooming, purple martins are feeding their nestlings, and the surface water temperature of Leech Lake is 70 degrees F, the cut-off for safe swimming.
4 - First cicada heard buzzing. Fireflies light up our 4th of July. Statewide, the average height of field corn increased 8 inches from a week ago to reach 37 inches, which is 1 inch above the 5-year average.
5 - Swamp milkweed blooming nicely. Gardeners dig first new potatoes and are trying to beat the birds to the ripe raspberries. Last ruby-throated hummingbird coming to feeder 30 minutes after sunset.
6 - Many least sandpipers in wet cornfield - early migrants from the North. American robin adults feeding juveniles out of nest from second brood. A wild turkey female and 9 young visit a feeding station in Apple Valley. Butterfly-weed and purple coneflowers blooming in Winona.
7 - Native basswood trees along Lake Waconia shore at full bloom and very fragrant. Common sunflowers begin blooming along highways; flowers face east. Red-winged blackbirds and common grackles are in large flocks; they are done nesting.
8 - Hollyhocks blooming. Some Canada thistle has gone to seed, and American goldfinches are there feeding. House sparrows take dust baths. Tartarian honeysuckle has shiny bright red fruit.
9 - In Waconia area, first field corn is tasseling. Monarch butterfly laying eggs on common milkweed. On Uhler Prairie at Gustavus in St. Peter, gray-headed coneflower, big blue stem grass, Culver's-root and wild bergamot have just begun blooming.
10 - Surface temperature of Lake Waconia is 76 degrees F. Monarch butterflies are nectaring on purple coneflowers. American goldfinches feed on nodding thistle seedheads. Garden phlox begins flowering. Peak of harvest for second alfalfa crop in many parts of southern Minnesota.
11 - Ruby-throated hummingbird foraging on Hosta flowers. Tree swallow pairs busy feeding young nestlings. Statewide, 5 percent of the field corn is tasseling, compared to 11 percent for the 5-year average; soybeans are blooming on 24 percent of the soybean acreage versus 27 percent for for 5-year average.
12 - First Canada goose flying after June molt. Deer flies are bothersome. A few butternut tree leaflets are turning yellow; this is the first tree species to show autumn color each year and reminds us that one season slides into another.
13 - First field corn silking today. First locally grown sweet corn available. Purple loosestrife blooming now in wetlands. Cicadas still buzzing until one-half hour after sunset.
14 - Blue vervain has begun blooming in wetlands. The yellow-green fruit in clusters on European mountain ash trees is showing first tinges of orange. Curled dock now has big clusters of rich-brown colored seeds.
15 - Juvenile raccoons out and about. Woodland sunflower first blooming. The surface water temperature of Lake Waconia is up to a warm 80 degrees F.
16 - First bull thistle in bloom. Gloriosa daisies at bloom peak. The surface water temperature of Lake Minnetonka is up to a warm 79 degrees F.
17 - First Carolina grasshopper on the wing. Arrowhead blooms in cattail marsh. This evening, first snowy tree crickets heard chirping.
18 - Joe-Pye weed first blooming. Small flocks of Canada geese are flying; the adults have been flightless since about mid-June when they molted their wing feathers. Many fireflies lighting up the night. An estimated 29 percent of the state's field corn crop is tasseling, compared to 33 percent for the 5-year average.
19 - Bumble bees visiting Hosta flowers and purple coneflowers. The early morning bird chorus has dropped off considerably; not as many males singing on territories. Staghorn sumac shrubs loaded with big clusters of red fruit.
20 - First ripe garden tomatoes. Daylilies very showy in gardens. Showy blooming roadside plants along the North Shore of Lake Superior include fireweed, evening primrose, pearly everlasting and lupines.
21 - Second generation of eastern tiger swallowtail butterflies out and about. Blooming purple loosestrife very showy in wet ditches and other wetlands. First katydid heard. The surface temperature of Portage Lake, located near Park Rapids reached a warm 83 degrees F.
22 - Garden phlox at bloom peak. Sulphur butterflies numerous. Between the Twin Cities and St. Peter, lawns continue to be nice and green. House wrens continue singing during the hot part of the day.
23 - Surface temperature of Lake Waconia is 83 degrees F. Boneset blooms in wetlands. Heard cicadas buzzing in Waconia until 30 minutes after sunset.
24 - Both Lake Waconia and Lake Minnetonka reached a surface water temperature of 85 degrees F. That's very warm! Canada goldenrod first blooming. The surface water temperature of Green Lakeat Spicer is 82 degrees F and Lake Sylvia near Annandale is also 82 degrees F. Portage Lake at Park Rapids hit a high of 86 degrees F.
25 - First ripe Northland crabapples. Cone-headed grasshoppers first calling. Birds have no sweat glands so on hot days they get rid of excess body heat by panting with their bills open. First bull thistle shedding seeds on carriers.
26 - Fields of oats are ripe and golden-brown. Many tiny American toads out and about. Annual cicada called until 32 minutes past sunset. At Royalton, fields of sunflowers are blooming, and all flowerheads facing east. At Lake George, in Hubbard County, the surface water temperature is 79 degrees F, ripe wild choke cherries and raspberries can be found in the forests, and harebell and pearly everlasting bloom nicely.
27 - Rose-breasted grosbeaks are enjoying safflower seeds at feeders. In Randall area, tansy is a very prolific and showy blooming roadside plant. At Stony Point, Leech Lake, purple martins continue to feed their young nestlings.
28 - First second-generation banded purple butterfly seen. Second broods of barn swallow young are hatching. Eastern kingbird young fledged from a nest in Plato area. At Park Rapids, wild red raspberries are ripe, wild cucumber vines bloom nicely, and monarch butterflies are quite numerous.
29 - Brown thrashers, eastern kingbirds and Baltimore orioles are among birds at birdbaths. At Wolf Ridge Environmental Learning Center near Finland, blueberry and Juneberry picking is excellent, and fireweed and orange hawkweed bloom nicely.
30 - Grackles, American robins and blue jays seen panting today. Another brood of eastern bluebird young about ready to fledge. Surface temperature of Leech Lake is 77 degrees F, and Wolf Lake near Finland is 75 degrees F. At Stockholm, Wisconsin, a house finch is seen feeding young nestlings in old decorative grape vine wreath.
31 - Surface temperature of Lake Minnetonka is 82 degrees F. Snowy tree crickets fill the evening air with their enchanting sleighbell-like calls. Oats being harvested in Randall area. In Nelson, Wisconsin, area alfalfa butterflies are in abundance over alfalfa field.