On This Day in Ken’s Journal – October 1st through 15th, 1981
Ken and Molly Hoffman were local surveyors and naturalists known for their knowledge of wild birds and plants. Ken recorded their daily observations in his journals from 1981 to 2011, quietly documenting thirty-years of naturalist history on the North Shore.
In these entries from October 1 to 15, 1981, Ken and Molly lived in the Poplar Lake area on the Gunflint Trail, where they often visited with neighbors Lydia Miller, Carl and Luana Brandt of Nor’Wester Lodge and other friends.
The journals are read by friends and neighbors. Pictured is Peter Igoe.
On this day in Ken’s Journal October 1 – 15, 1981
October 1st, 1981 Leo Lake on the Gunflint Trail
31 degrees with light snow and 4 inches on the ground. Alders and willows in sheltered areas are bent over more than they were at any time last winter. Bigger trees—not so bad. Willow by the door is bent over and rubbing against the house when the wind blows. Put feeder on the ground with some oats. Also broke off sunflower head and set it on the ground by the feeder. Two Chickadees found it right away. White-throated Sparrow in yard—how will they make it? Many birds won’t. Raven, Robin, Nashville Warbler adult foraging in the willows. Snow stopping around noon—five and a half inches. Walked to the end of the Leo Road—saw a few Palm Warblers, Yellow-rumps, Ruby-crowned and Golden Kinglets. Around the yard a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker (young) and Robins. Still doing some “house work,” Got Aladdin lamp down, made a shelf for it. Got plugs down. Junco eating oats. Went to Lydia’s in the evening for a pleasant and interesting slide show.
October 2nd, 1981 Leo Lake on the Gunflint Trail
Very cold and clear—21 degrees. Beautiful, starry morning. Went to town for sun shot and shopping. Many birds in the Harbor area: Coot, Snow Goose, Widgeon, first Tree Sparrow, White-breasted Nuthatch, Lincoln’s Sparrow, Harris Sparrow, Merlin, Fox Sparrow, Swamp Sparrow, many Brown Creepers, Goldfinches, Flicker, Black-backed-three-toed Woodpecker, Yellow-rump, Palm Warbler, Ring-neck ducks, Larks, Pipits, Longspurs. Back home saw Woodcock and Yellow-bellied Sapsucker. Snow did not melt much.
October 3rd, 1981
Partly cloudy—32 degrees. Woodcock, Hermit Thrush, Ruby and Golden Kinglets, Juncos, White-crowned Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Longspur on roadside, Rusty Blackbird in fall plumage in the bog, Snow Geese flying over, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker hanging around. Clearing “bent” alders between the house and outhouse. Also, some stubs from the bog. Went to dump where we saw two Herring Gulls—one adult and one immature, plus Ravens. Butterflies in the yard—Mourning Cloak and Comptons. Trees about 60% bare. Snow melted off of south roof, but not the north side. Drained bathhouse tank for the year.
October 4th, 1981 Leo Lake on the Gunflint Trail
A warm morning—snow was dripping all night from the north roof. Cloudy with light drizzle. Snow is all but done, except for a few patches. White-crowned Sparrow, Crow, Loon calling early, many Woodcocks just before dawn as I was walking the dogs. Ruby Kinglet. Rainy all day. Visited Lydia.
October 5th, 1981
Cloudy and warm, Woodcock “peenting” in pre-dawn. Made a last-minute decision to go to Duluth. Nailed back door open so Muki could use the entry. A wonder bird day in town as it was warm and not windy. Merlin, many Sparrows (Tree, Harris, Song, Savannah, Lincoln’s, Swamp, Fox, White-throated, White-crowned), Sapsucker in Duluth. Pipits and Longspurs, Nashville Warbler, Palm Warbler, Yellow-rump. Visited with Kim and Salo—went shopping for some clothes and surveying equipment. Raining much of the afternoon.
October 6th, 1981 Leo Lake on the Gunflint Trail
Strong, northwest winds in Duluth this morning, along with some dark clouds. Mostly clear on the way up the Shore, however. Many birds moving. Sharp-shins, Red-tails, Osprey (in Lake County), Robins, saw about three or four large crow flocks of 100-200 birds each. One group was settled in Mountain Ash trees. Pectoral Sandpiper in town. Our woods in the Harbor had Yellow-rumps, Kinglets and Chickadees. Merlin at Taconite Harbor with two Red-Winged Hawks. Gulls have thinned out in the Harbor area. At Marina we saw Widgeon (two), Coots, Green-Winged Teal (two), three Snow Geese near the Standard Station. Raining on the way up the trail but clearing at night. Short visit from S & H Johnson. A call from B. Grecco. Clear and cool evening with almost ½ a moon. 37 degrees. Snipe in town.
October 7th, 1981
26 degrees and clear. Loon calling. White-crowned Sparrows. Went to Devil Track to finish survey. Birding in town, but not much to see—Yellow-rump, Snow Geese (four), Longspurs, Pipits, Brown Creeper. Comptons and Mourning Cloak butterflies. Chickadees actively moving southwesterly along the lake as they have been lately. Five Green-Winged Teal and Coot. Back home changing oil in the car (5-30w). A nice day to sit in the sun. Eastern and Least Chipmunks in the yard lately.
October 8th, 1981
29 degrees. Partly cloudy. Blue Jays packing away rain-soaked dog food. Least Chipmunk will climb trees and does so quite often. Woodcock feeding west of the house—could be seen from the kitchen window. Robin. Saw and heard a Winter Wren east of the house with his distinctive double “kip-kip.” Loon calling. Gray Jays vocal. Dug compost into garden—got about six wheelbarrow loads. Straightened up behind the shed. We then started painting the house after lunch and finished everything (brown) by 4 pm. Had to borrow a short extension ladder from Lydia (their first ladder). Grecos stopped briefly. Cloudy and cool all day with temps in the 40s. Tree Sparrows.
October 9th, 1981
Went to town with Lydia’s car this morning. Strong east wind—only a few birds around. Male Gadwall, Coot with Mallard flock in the marina. One Pipit near Coast Guard. Possible Goshawk flapping and gliding on the way home. Painting trim and door to finish the house. Black-backed-three-toed woodpecker, Crow.
October 11, 1981 Leo Lake on the Gunflint Trail
Another gray day. Woodcocks again “peenting” early. Also heard two Winter Wrens trying to sing their spring song. Just after breakfast saw a Red Fox come through the yard hunting. A gorgeous “fine-tuned” animal. Robin. Ruby Kinglet (one). Filled wood box for the first time. Got a call from Don L. to go ahead with survey in section 1. We went there looking for the various corners that we will need to do it. Black-backed-three-toed Woodpecker (or was it a Northern?). Golden Kinglet. Visited with Beatties in the morning. He has 56 ducks feeding there (mostly Black Ducks), but also a few Mallards.
October 12th, 1981
A dark morning but becoming sunny by mid-morning. Woodcock, Winter Wren, Robin, Loon, Kingfisher (at Ollar’s). Surveying about six hours in section 1 (64North-2West). Walking in the afternoon to Ollar’s and Meyers. Southwest breeze. Tamaracks still nice and gold. Most trees are bare. A pretty, moonlit night. “Our” fox visited Lydia today but was chased by a stray cat! Still reading “Oliver Twist.” Mourning Cloak butterfly.
October 14th, 1981 Leo Lake on the Gunflint Trail
Another warm, dark morning. Drizzle. Off to town shopping and birding. Raining lightly all the way in. A pretty good birding day considering the time of year. Surf Scoter in the harbor. Merlin checking the Point, as I was. Saw a lone Semipalmated Plover on the rock beach standing on one foot. It did not move for several minutes. Perhaps it had also seen the Merlin. Chickadees moving around. Snow Geese still in Bear Tree Park. On the Croftville road saw immature Bald Eagle soaring—could see the white in wing linings. A partial albino Robin looked odd—uniformly splotched with tufts of white feathers on front and back. Yellow-rump and White-crowned Sparrows also after Mountain Ash berries. Tree Sparrows along the road. Rusty Blackbird in the tourist park with Starlings. Purple Finch, Canada Goose. Goldeneye Duck, Mergansers (Red-breasted and Common), Coot many Herring Gulls, Pipits (three), Longspur (one). Back home—Palm Warbler in the yard. Clearing in the afternoon and becoming quite nice. Molly bought some Pacs and slippers.
October 15th, 1981
Surveying in section 1. Rough-Legged Hawk along power line clearing near logged area—first of the year. Becoming a nice day. Ruby Kinglet, Brown Creeper, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Black-backed-three-toed Woodpecker. Cut out closing quarter-mile and looked south for quarter corner. Back home straightening shed and odd jobs. Renn delivered our three cords of Ash after dark. Good people.
Reader’s note: Lydia is Lydia Miller, the Hoffman’s neighbor. Jim Renn delivered firewood.
On this Day in Ken’s Journal is supported in part by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
