Clam Lake Update; The warm weather has slowed the rut activity down for the Elk in Clam Lake, the bulls were hanging around with their young buddies, and a lot of cows were roaming around on their own. Normally, at this time the herd bulls gather the cows into harems and defend his group with a lot of gusto, this activity will increase as the weather cools. Photos taken 9/12

September Flowers

Sneezeweed

Beggartick

Maximillian Sunflower

False Aster

New England Aster

Heath Aster

Daylight was fading, when Mary got these images of Big Head rubbing off his velvet on 9/2

Winter's Coming

This 2 year old whitetail buck had just lost his velvet from his antlers. There are still a few red spots on the antlers where the blood has not dried brown yet. Also his red summer hair is gone and his winter brown fur is starting to grow.
The other bucks I saw this morning still had their velvet. Many of the deer are in the middle of shedding their redder summer coats.

 Sept 1  This guy paused for a grape leaf while scraping off his velvet in the vines and near by bushes.

Oak Apple Gall

While hiking along the trail that goes around Snelling Lake I found these small round balls on the trail under the oak trees. Very interesting life cycle of the wasp that causes these galls to form. In the early summer they are green with spots. The ones I found were red and juicy inside with a little larve in it. In the fall they will dry out and get brown and papery and there will be a little hole in them where the larve has crawled out. Krista identified them and provided this link http://flnps.org/native-plants/oak-apple-galls or you can go to http://www.fcps.edu/islandcreekes/ecology/oak_apple_gall_wasp.htm for more information. Doug Schurr

Fort Snelling buildings

Patti Deters sent: Here's an interesting article/video on the Fort Snelling buildings. http://www.minnpost.com/politics-policy/2013/08/historic-buildings-fort-snelling-s-upper-post-finally-getting-restored

Even More Flowers Blooming at Ft Snelling St Park

Common Burdock and Friend

American Lotus

White Water Lily

Prairie Ironweed

Obedient Plant AKA False Dragonhead

Water Plantain

Boneset

False Sunflower AKA Smooth Oxeye

Butter-and-Eggs

Smartweed

Bur Cucumber

Wild Cucumber

   

 Sunflower ?