October 1998

     Happenings in and around Linnaeus Arboretum

Listed below are a few observations from a year ago made in the Twin Cities and surrounding areas, including the Linnaeus Arboretum/Nicollet County area (and out of the area where indicated). Many of these observations have also been recorded in the Minnesota Weatherguide/Environment Calendar, published in conjunction with the Freshwater Foundation and WCCO Radio/Television, to which Gilbert has contributed since 1977. These events can be used to anticipate upcoming seasonal happenings and will help to compare this year with last.
 
 

1 - Many farmers in southern Minnesota are combining soybeans. Virginia creeper and sumacs showing colorful reds. Yellow-rumped warblers and American robins are feeding on red cedar berries. Flocks of redhead ducks and Canada geese seen on St. Croix River just north of Grantsburg, Wis.; water level is low.

2 - Slate-colored juncos return to Waconia area feeding station. Some American toads still above ground. House sparrows dust-bathing. Eastern phoebes and white-throated sparrows eating wild grapes. Fall colors peaking in Brainerd and Aitkin areas.

3 - Common cattails shedding seeds on carriers. Three-year-old red pine needles are golden-brown and falling. Fireside, Haralson and Connell Red apples being harvested. Surface water temperature of Lake Minnetonka is 65 degrees F. Moose in northern Minn. are in their rutting season, which occurs from midSept. to mid-Oct.

4 - Cedar waxwings feed on blue berries from red cedar trees. Green ash trees showing much golden-yellow and at fall color peak. Statewide, the soybean harvest is complete on an estimated 68 percent of the acreage, compared to the 5-year average of 24 percent.

5 - Thousands of Franklin's gulls spend their nights on Lake Waconia. Kentucky coffee trees at fall color peak; foliage mostly golden-brown. Woodchuck seen carrying mouthfuls of dried leaves into underground den; hibernation begins soon.

6 - On this gray, overcast day the Amur maples seem to be illuminated from within, like nature's stained glass. Migrant flocks of American robins moving through Brooklyn Park and Grygla. Eighty varieties of chrysanthemums blooming in Minnesota Landscape Arboretum.

7 - Wild grape has sunny-yellow foliage. Southern Minn. farmers busy combining corn. Hundreds of Franklin's gulls were following behind a plow in Waldorf area. Flock of common grackles, about one-fourth mile long, traveling near Waseca. Fall colors great in Grygla area.

8 - Big native sugar maples showing much golden-yellow, red and burnt-orange. Garden is still yielding tomatoes, chard and lettuce. Large numbers of white-throated sparrows have returned to Chisago City area; they love the birdbaths, as do the juncos and warblers. Fall color peak from Brainerd to Taylors Falls, and in Prairie Farm, Wis.

9 - Winged euonymus shrubs have rose-red foliage. Miscanthus grass has silver-white plumes. A dozen turkey vultures seen migrating over Ramsey. Mississippi River at Hastings only flowing at one-third normal rate.

10 - Late monarch butterfly seen. Golden-yellows on eastern cottonwoods and American elms. Both golden-crowned and ruby-crowned kinglets seen in same tree in Coon Rapids Dam area. Late snowy tree crickets heard calling in St. Peter. Last day a late-in-season ruby-throated hummingbird was seen in Kiester.

11 - Overall peak for fall colors in Twin Cities area and Faribault. Big leaf fall. Cedar waxwings and American robins feeding on wild grapes. Black bears in northern Minnesota usually head for their winter dens between Sept. 24 and Oct. 24.

12 - White-tailed deer now have their gray-brown winter coats. Very late sighting of a couple of monarch butterflies over the Minnesota Zoo area. Ninety percent of deciduous tree leaves are down in Grygla area.

13 - It is the time of the illuminated woods. Red oaks are showing deep reds, sugar maples range from yellows to reds, basswoods and American elms have golden-yellow foliage. Gray squirrels are making leafy nests. First tundra swans return to Alma, Wis., area.

14 - Eastern chipmunks continue to gather seeds in their cheek pouches to take into their underground burrows. Many staghorn sumacs still showing foliage in red tones.

15 - Some gardeners are still picking ripe raspberries and strawberries. Brussels sprouts, broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower, and leaf lettuce continue to grow in the cool weather. Silver maple and wild grape foliage showing sunny yellow.

16 - Beavers are busy cutting trees to store for winter food, which consists of bark from aspens, alders, birches, maples, willows, plus other vegetation. Massive leaf drop. Honeygold and Regent apples being picked.

17 - American toads must cover their bodies with soil, digging down over one foot to stay below the frost level. Snowy tree crickets singing on this warm evening.

18 - Clusters of brownish scale-like leaves from arborvitae trees are falling; this is natural. Short-tailed weasels are turning from brown to white. Tamarack trees very colorful in Park Rapids area with their smoky-gold foliage.

19 - Rafts of American coots seen on many lakes. Chrysanthemums continue blooming nicely and adding color to garden areas; many varieties can withstand some frost and a temperature as low as 28 degrees F.

20- Both common and narrow-leaved cattails are shedding seeds on carriers. First flock of snow buntings returns to Grygla area.

21 - Blue jays, chickadees, and juncos were some of the birds bathing in birdbath. Painted turtle sunning on a log in a pond at Victoria. Flock of about 40 tundra swans near Alma, Wis. In Cloquet area, tamaracks have golden-yellow needles.

22 - Peak of fall color for native tamaracks; smoky-gold. Common witch-hazel shrubs blooming, loaded with small yellow flowers. Honey bees visit New England aster and chrysanthemum flowers.

23 - Sulphur and cabbage butterflies active. YellowJackets come to our picnics. Bittersweet vines have lost their leaves but have very attractive clusters of bright orange fruit. Sugar maples in Northfield continue to show colorful foliage.

24 - Late sighting of bumble bee foraging on purple coneflower. Some eastern chipmunks still above ground and actively gathering food to store. American goldfinches are in their somber winter dress, looking mostly brownish.

25 - Some sugar maples still holding colorful foliage. Leopard frogs on the move. Ginkgo trees in St. Peter have golden-yellow foliage. Statewide, 95 percent of soybeans and sugarbeets have been harvested.

26 - Migrating American robins are eating crabapple fruit. Deciduous forests quite bare. At the Linnaeus Arboretum in St. Peter, tamarack trees at overall fall color peak; smoky-gold color.

27 - Rain brought out earthworms on sidewalks and streets in numbers. Boston ivy vines showing beautiful fall colors, mostly tones of red, and some yellow.

28 - Lombardy poplars showing much golden-yellow foliage. Silver maples are sunny-yellow. Marshes look mostly brown from a distance because cattail plants are now mostly brown.

29 - Lawns nice and green, and being mowed. Pin oaks colorful with bright reds and rich browns. The surface water temperature of Portage Lake at Park Rapids is 48 degrees F.

30 - Snapdragons, petunias, geraniums, and more annuals still blooming in gardens; no killing frost yet. Tree sparrows arrived. In rural Carver County, alfalfa fields are lush green.

31 - Nice pockets of fall color. Gardeners continue picking tomatoes. House finches are feeding on green ash seeds. Moths come to outside lights.