On This Day in Ken Hoffman’s Journal – Leo Lake, July 15 to July 30, 1981
July 15, 1981 Leo Lake on the Gunflint Trail
A full day working on bathhouse–much cooler with temps in the 40s. Finished sheathing and put shingles on roof. High about 70 degrees. Went swimming and there was a small bird flock there moving around together. Bay-breast, Parula, Nashville warbler, yellow-rump warbler, nuthatches, Boreal chickadees, Black-capped chickadees. Song Sparrows appear to be still feeding their young–as are Juncos. Mallard leading large young ones into the lake from Lydia’s minnow pond. Some nice strawberries along roadside. Swallows more active over the house. Yellow-bellied flycatcher calling occasionally. Swamp Sparrow still sings. Greater Fritillaries in the yard and Geometer moths.
July 16, 1981 Leo Lake on the Gunflint Trail
Partly cloudy. A Solitary Vireo singing a little, and moving around. Went to town–doing laundry and bringing in the truck tire to be fixed. One Least-sandpiper is the only “peep” we could find besides Killdeer and a Spotty. Many Mallard broods of all sizes and ages. Young Brewer’s Blackbird out of nest. Swallows gathering as they do this time of year. Home about noon. Walked to Ollar’s pond where there were many Fragrant Water Lilies, some yellow Bladderworts, Royal Fern with almost ripe spores. Making more chicken soup in the evening and a cheesecake. Thunder showers.
July 17, 1981 Leo Lake on the Gunflint Trail – Ken’s Birthday
Ken writes: Up till 1 am. Finally saw last part of moon eclipse as skies began to clear. Ken is 41. Molly is 34. Warm humid morning. Boreal Chickadee troop moving through the area. Magnolia warbler singing early. Went to check Northern three-toed Woodpecker nest hole and then to the Brule burn.
Molly writes: No activity near Northern three-toed Woodpecker hole. Thunderstorms moving through and rain was sometimes heavy. Picked just a few strawberries for Ken’s Birthday 14939 Gunflint Trail celebration cheese cake, but were forced to head home because of lightning, thunder and rain. Carl Brandt stopped by and the three of us went to Lydia’s where Luana joined us later. We had sponge cake and cheesecake and a good time. Ken does not want to make a “big Deal” about his getting registered. Humid and uncomfortable all afternoon and evening. Small rainbow briefly. doing lettering on Nor’Wester sign. Nighthawks flying about.
July 19, 1981 Leo Lake on the Gunflint Trail
Nice sunny warm day. Putting siding on bathhouse. Young birds and adults–Blackburnian warbler, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Ruby Crowned Kinglets, Tennessee Warbler, Nashville Warbler. Molly finished sign lettering for Carl and is sorting and tagging macrame. In the afternoon, more siding and completed tarpapering of walls. A nice swim. Grackles flocking–15 or more. White lettuce starting, Jewelweed, Large-leaved Aster.
July 22, 1981 Leo Lake on the Gunflint Trail
Another clear cool morning–38 degrees. Small birds no longer have territories. Vireos in yard, Black-and-white warbler, adult, male Bay-breast (still singing.) Young, heavily streaked Yellow-rumps begging. they are hardly recognizable and have no yellow. Young Sapsuckers in alders, Rose-breasted Grosbeak family groups.
Canoed over to Gecas’s where he showed us the lines he wants surveyed. Walking in his woods and on Finn Lake Road, found a few ripe blueberries, young Boreal chickadee. Home by noon, then proceeded to work on shed. Put in a window and did three-corner moldings. Molly put a new roof on the doghouse. Got two buckets of beef bones with much meat from Trail Center. Went to the dump after cleaning bones with Muki and Tootie. About six bears at the dump and maybe 12 people watching. We also had a bear in our compost last night. Another cool night–48 degrees at 10pm.
July 25, 1981 Leo Lake on the Gunflint Trail
Windy and dark with light rain. Yellow-bellied flycatcher singing “chee-wee.” Went to art fair in Grand Marais on a last-minute decision. Nice weather in town. Saw eight Yellowlegs, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Baird’s Sandpiper, Least Sandpiper. Late, saw the same birds except Baird’s Sandpiper in storm runoff pond. Baird’s was with Semipalmated Sandpiper and we could see that the Baird’s was larger with brown on its breast like pectoral. Saw some pretty Brook Lobelias along rocky shore of Lake Superior, behind light plant. Home by 6pm. Then we went to visit Luana. Bear came up into the back of the pickup, checking the compost bucket. Ran away when I hit the truck with a small rock.
July 28, 1981, Leo Lake on the Gunflint Trail
Cool, clear morning. Took care of Lydia’s countertop business and got a letter off to Duluth. She has young Pine Siskins at her feeder, Hummingbirds, and many Purple Finches. Off to Seagull picking blueberries–pretty Jack Pine woods; open understory and much Saganaga granite exposed. Slender Ladies’ Tresses, many old Pink Moccasin flowers, Rattlesnake plantains. Got about four quarts of berries. Few birds, but did see Nighthawk and Boreal Chickadee–heard a Hermit Thrush singing. Home by 4pm. Gave Lydia about a cup of berries, then home making syrup and blueberry muffins. Rain shower, which forced us to get some stuff out of the truck. Molly saw a young Junco being fed under Lydia’s feeder.
July 29, 1981, Leo Lake on the Gunflint Trail
Surveying from about 9 to 2. Heard Black-throated Green Warbler along Finn Road. Canada Warbler also singing. Back home swimming in Poplar Lake. Water is cool, but nice. Eating blueberries.
July 30, 1981, Leo Lake on the Gunflint Trail
Threatening weather, so we stayed home. Working on a summer report and put door on the bathhouse. Writing note of interest on Rusty Blackbird sighting of June, 29. Dark all day but no rain. Our gardens appear to be suffering–mostly from malnutrition. Young Swainson’s Thrush, barely able to fly. Very little bird activity.
Reader’s note: Lydia is Lydia Miller the Hoffman’s neighbor.
On this Day in Ken’s Journal is supported in part by the Minnesota Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund.
