Wild Things on Tuesdays

We've got a host of wild things this Tuesday to listen to on 91.7 KAXE including John Latimer, Harry Hutchins, Bill Berg and  Marty Jacobson.  John gets Phenology reports from schools including Roosevelt Elementary in Virginia and Hill City Elementary.  Harry talks gray jays for A Talk on the Wild Side at 7:45 and Bill Berg is in to talk wildlife winter survival at 8:10.  Marty Jacobson sits in for Bobbi Kleffman on All Things Equine to talk about horse safety with kids.

What WILD THINGS are you seeing out there?  Send us an email or comment here!  Here's a recent phenology note we received from Aitkin:

While I was in the basement Sat. morning putting duct tape on my gloves before going out to cut some wood,  there came a scream from the kitchen where my wife had been baking “ there’s a bat in here”  she was no longer in the kitchen !! But there was indeed a bat in the kitchen and it was soon caught and placed outside where it froze.

 We have a story and a half home with full basement, fairly warm and cozy for us, but about once a year we have a bat appear that unnerves the Mrs. They must come from the attic but why this time of year?

Baby It's Cool Outside: John Latimer's Guide to How to Be Cool When Talking About Winter Weather

John is a stickler when it comes to how we say how cold it is.  He gets especially worked up when we lose our cool when saying how cold it is.  So, here's the guide to keeping your cool when talking about cold.:

30 to 20 degrees above zero is cool;

20 to 10 degrees above zero is pretty cool;

10 above to zero is kinda cold;

zero to 10 below is cold;

10 to 20 below is very cold;

20 to 30 below is bitterly cold;

and 30 below or colder is damned cold.       

Video: Frost on the Banks of the Mississippi

John Latimer, Phenologist for Northern Community Radio, takes us to the banks of the Mississippi River next to the KAXE Studios in downtown Grand Rapids, MN and talks about the different types of frost that can form on these cold mornings when you're near open water.

Check out more MN nature news, pix, and vids on the Phenology Page at http://www.kaxe.org

The Minnesota Phenology Network: Phenology at Your Fingertips

The Minnesota Phenology Network Facebook site is up and going. John Latimer and some of the KAXE Phenology Show regulars are already posting observations, pictures, asking questions and starting discussions. The network is not for "experts", but for everyone who is curious about our wild world here in northern Minnesota. Your observations and questions will help create data for those who study the biology of our region.

How To Make a Willow Whistle

At the end of the KBXE Phenology Walk and Birding Expedition in Clearbrook with John Latimer, John displayed to the group how to make a willow whistle. The secret? A sharp knife and pocket full of band aids. Follow along step by step as as John shows the cuts and twists involved:



John Latimer hosts The Phenology Show, which has been on 91.7 KAXE for over 25 Years. Northern Community Radio, which has been operating KAXE for over 34 years, is building a new community radio station to serve Bagley, Bemidji, Blackduck, Birch, Buzzle, and beyond. Read more about KBXE here: http://kbxe.blogspot.com/ or http://www.kbxe.org.

Join John Latimer for a Phenology Walk/Birding Expedition

by Doug MacRostie

"I need an angle to write a blog about the Phenology walk coming up," I said to Heidi Holtan while sipping my soda and spinning around in my chair. "How about your love of donuts?" she asked. I paused..., she said, "Oh wait, that's MY love of donuts." And such was my dilemma.

It is true there will be donuts and even tea and coffee and sugar and cream (powder) at 8:30am this Saturday at the Gathering Place in Clearbrook (the old school gym), and I really enjoy donuts - but that's not why I'm excited. I don't have any idea what to expect on the Phenology Walk/Birding Expedition starting at 9, especially not in rice paddies. But, I guess that's what's fun about nature walks, you never know what you'll find! And when someone as passionate and knowledgeable as John Latimer is leading the way (don't tell him I said that!) tiny little plants or critters that I normally don't notice suddenly become specimens of some exotic creature. A butterfly floating by isn't a fleeting moment, it's an opportunity to observe, identify and appreciate.

With the crazy weather we've been having this Spring (and the last year) it's hard to predict what we may find. There could be thousands of migrating birds... or not. But there definitely will be coffee and tea, there will be good company, and it's looking like great weather to get outside and explore around Clearbrook and see what we find. And just like the fun of not-knowing-what-comes next of a nature walk, we've got the mixed-tastiness of a potluck at Noon back at the Gathering Place! Booya!

All are welcome at the Phenology Walk/Birding Expedition with John Latimer this Sat., the 24th at the Gathering Place in Clearbrook (221 3rd Ave SW - here's a Google Map), meeting at 8:30am for coffee and rolls, walks starting at 9 and a potluck at Noon. If you're on Facebook, the event is listed here. As you can see in the picture to the right, John is so good at this, students from all over MN send him hand-drawn portraits! BE THERE!

This event was orchestrated by the KBXE Publicity Committee, a group of local volunteers working to raise awareness of 90.5 KBXE, a new, local station being built by Northern Community Radio, who have been operating 91.7 KAXE for 34 years in Grand Rapids, Hibbing, Virginia and the Iron Range, also heard at 89.9 in Brainerd and 105.3 in Bemidji. Get more information at KBXE.org

Phenology Notes: Black-Backed Woodpecker and Morning Cloak Butterfly

Entries from John Latimer's Phenology Notes:

April 12th, 2009: In the black spruce swamp west of the house a black-backed woodpecker was busy flaking bark from the trees. His motions were economical and extremely facile. Supporting himself with his tail he leaned to the left and struck the bark with one or two well placed blows. Quickly shifting to the right he struck a blow and the whole piece of bark flaked off. A quick inspection for insects followed and the whole sequence was repeated. There were no wasted motions. It was like watching a well choreographed dance. The male black-backed and the male northern three-toed are the only woodpeckers of the northern boreal forest that have no red on their heads. Both sport a medium sized yellow cap.

May 5th, 1998: The spring azure and mourning cloak butterflies are out and flitting around today. The spring azure is a lovely small blue butterfly. Butterflies employ several strategies to get through our winter. Some like the mourning cloak over-winter as adults hiding in cracks and cavities, while others like the monarchs migrate. The spring azures are the first butterfly to emerge from a chrysalis in the spring. They spent the winter wrapped in silk awaiting transformation to the butterfly stage. Though they live for only a week or so as adults they add immeasurably to the beauty of the north woods. First juneberries are seen in flower, while on the forest floor the wood anemones are starting to bloom.

Pussy Willows in March with John Latimer [Video]

Did you know there are 18 different species of willow shrubs in MN? Did you know a pussy willow is male OR female? Did you know they come in a variety of colors? Did you know you can make willow whistles? Here's the latest in our continuing series Phenology Videos with John Latimer, this time on Pussy Willow:



Check out more about John Latimer and The Phenology Show at www.kaxe.org.

Winter Bird Calls with John and Harry

John Latimer talked with Harry Hutchins about winter bird calls in our area during A Talk on the Wild Side. You can click here to listen to the entire conversation, or we have it broken into pieces below if you want to hear a certain bird. We also suggest if you're interested in either of the owls you listen to both pieces - the conversation sort of bleeds together from one to the other. If you'd like to download the bird calls and try playing them in your yard as Harry suggest, simply "right click" on the file you want and "Save link as," then choose where to save the file and click "save." You can get more nature and phenology news at The Phenology Page on KAXE.org.

Pine Grosbeak
John and Harry Discussion

Pine Grosbeak Call



Crossbill
John and Harry Discussion

Crossbill Call




Waxwing
John and Harry Discussion

Waxwing Call




Great Horned Owl
John and Harry Discussion

Great Horned Owl Call




Barred Owl
John and Harry Discussion

Barred Owl Call




Full Conversation - if you would like to hear all of this as one full piece.

Bloom & Doom: A Flurry of Phenology

The Phenology Show w John Latimer is almost 26 years old, covering the nature of our area. Or, as John says, "the rhythmic biological nature of events as they relate to climate." Phenology is a great example of the high quality, local program produced at KAXE.

This week on Phenology Plus we heard about the crashing Moose population in north-western MN with an unbelievable population decline: 20 years ago there were over 4000 Moose, today the number is estimated to be 84! Very sad news about such a majestic creature. Wildlife biologists aren't sure why this is happening and the research is ongoing; you can help by reporting any Moose sightings to the DNR by clicking here. Mark Johnson is a the Executive Director of the Minnesota Deer Hunter's Association and he talked with us about what he learned, click here to listen to that conversation.

A related issue is diseases that are carried by a rising Deer population that are deadly for Moose. The increased Deer population also has an effect on White Pine stands. Click here to listen to our converstaion with retired Forester Keith Matson; we asked if you can have Deer and White Pine too?

You can also use the following links to listen to John Latimer's Phenology Report & Phenology Talkbacks, and John and Harry Hutchins talking about the wild life they've observed during this late summer/early fall during A Talk on the Wild Side.

You can listen to previous episodes, get real time Phenology updates from John Latimer, check out nature videos and pictures and more at The Phenology Page at www.KAXE.org.

Thomas Friedman and Swans

Harry Hutchins, co-host for "A Talk on the Wild Side" on KAXE's Morning Show (Tuesdays 7:40am) mentioned a book that he is reading and will talk about with John Latimer on next week's show. The book is Thomas Friedman's "Hot Flat and Crowded".

Harry said, " When I read "The World is Flat" by Thomas Friedman I thought there's a lot more to this than just worrying about when the internet came around and how all the economies are all the same...and how we can all rise up to some great level...sure enough he came up with "Hot, Flat and Crowded". I'd highly suggest it for people who are looking at global climate change or looking at effects on biodiversity."


Have you read it? Let us know what YOU thought of it.... Check out Thomas Friedman's website - he's doing a really interesting thing, he's asking for input on updates on his book!

John and Harry also said that they'll have a conversation/listening session next week about the differences between the songs of the trumpeter and tundra swans. Won't be long before the tundra swans are here!

Help Support Phenology!

KAXE's Phenologist John Latimer and DNR Forest Ecologist John Almendinger talked with Welby Smith, the author of "Trees and Shrubs of Minnesota".

Welby Smith is the foremost botanist of Minnesota and endangered species expert. Here's some information about the book:

With more than two hundred tree, shrub, and woody vine species in Minnesota, anyone with an interest in the outdoors has likely encountered an unfamiliar plant and wondered about its name, origin, characteristics, and habitat. In this new identification resource, the state's foremost botanist and endangered species expert Welby R. Smith provides authoritative, accessible, and up-to-date information on the state's native and naturalized woody plant species. This fully illustrated resource features: - Easy identification: more than one thousand color photographs of fruit, flowers, bark, and leaves for every species, as well as more than one hundred illustrations by botanical artist Vera Ming Wong - Distribution maps: more than five hundred maps, including state and North American range maps - Interesting background: descriptions of each species' habitat, natural history, and ecology, which provide context to the entries - Comprehensive coverage: includes all native and naturalized trees, shrubs, and woody vines in Minnesota from Abies balsamea" to Zanthozylum americanum." Written for everyone from scientists and environmentalists to teachers and people interested in horticulture and gardening, Trees and Shrubs of Minnesota" will engage and educate anyone with a curiosity about the natural world. Welby R. Smith is a botanist for the Division of Ecological Resources at the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. He is the author of Orchids of Minnesota" (Minnesota, 1993).

All this year, this 25th year of Phenology, we are celebrating by creating a fund that ensure that Phenology will continue into the future. Continue on the airwaves of 91.7KAXE and in the classrooms of Northern Minnesota. What is phenology?

As John Latimer says at the beginning of every show, "Phenology is the rhythmic biological nature of events as they relate to climate".

If you listen to Phenology once or twice or every week, you realize that you start to witness the world around you in a different way. Instead of saying "oh that's a pretty little bird" you might say, "Hey, that's the chickadee I heard about - the one that has that fee-bee call." And suddenly you know more about trees and lakes and bogs and the world outside our windows.

You can support the efforts of John Latimer - as he goes to the classrooms of the kids of Northern Minnesota - classrooms of children who have learned to notice and name the birds and critters and vegetation of where they live. Your contribution will also help support the raingarden at KAXE as well as the martin bird houses.

If you pledge your support at $250 for the year we'll get you a wonderful Phenology t-shirt, a hand lens to examine the outdoors more closely AND Welby Smith's amazing reference book "Trees and Shrubs of Minnesota". Thanks to the University of Minnesota Press for their generous contributions.

How can you support Phenology in its 25th year? Call us at 218-326-1234 or email comments@kaxe.org. THANKS SO MUCH!!!

Harry's Christmas Present

John and Harry got great phenological Christmas presents this year... in fact, they sounded like little boys getting train sets they were so excited!

John loved his "Life Histories of Northern American Woodpeckers" by Arthur Cleveland Bent and Harry's favorite gift from his son was "Trees and Shrubs on Minnesota" by Welby R. Smith.

25 Years of Phenology on KAXE

Phenology Past and Present

This month, KAXE is kicking off a year-long celebration of 25 years of John Latimer's Phenology Show. In October, 1983, John began doing a weekly review of his journal of nature notes he collected during his daily rural mail deliveries.

Since then, the program has expanded way beyond John's mail route and the studios of KAXE. Thousands of listeners and students from all over northern Minnesota have joined John to create a network of eyes and ears tracking the small and large changes as the seasons pass. We've talked with many people about their experiences and knowledge of the great variety of wildlife and the nature of where we live.

An Uncertain Future

Teachers, people who fish and hunt, foresters and other wildlife professionals are noticing that the number of young people interested in outdoor activities and the natural world is going down. John's programs in the schools are one way to pass on that interest and curiosity in our natural world.

Over the next year, our goal is to raise 25 thousand dollars. Most of that money will be used to support John's outreach work. We hope you will join us Tuesday evening, September 16th, from 5:30 to 7 o'clock, at KAXE's studios for a reception/fundraiser to kick off the 25th Anniversary Celebration of Phenology on KAXE.

What are your thoughts on the future of our natural heritage?