On this Day in Ken’s Journal – August 3rd through August 16th, 1982
Ken and Molly Hoffman were surveyors and naturalists who lived on the Gunflint Trail in the early 1980s. In these journal entries from August 3rd through August 16th, 1982, Ken documents day-to-day life in the north woods. Journal entries are read by Yafa Napadensky, Chel Anderson, Ellen Hawkins, Bob Shannon, Leah Thomas and Barb LaVigne.
August 3, 1982 Leo Lake on the Gunflint Trail
Cold in the morning with drizzle—72 degrees by the afternoon and continued to be humid. Hummingbirds active. Home all day working on surveys and drawings. Mowed the lawn. Lots of Chipping Sparrows along the roadsides. The County put gravel in our famous “bump.” Cleaning chicken bones in the evening.
August 5, 1982 Leo Lake on the Gunflint Trail
Went to town, mostly on business and visiting. Looked for ¼ and section corner in section 13-14. Cool with the sun mostly obscured by high fog. No shorebirds, with an east wind. Town very busy with Fisherman’s Picnic opening day. Small bird troop on Grand Marais point—Chestnut-sided Warblers, Myrtles, Yellow Warbler, Cedar Waxwings. Did laundry, went to Forest Service and courthouse.
August 7, 1982 Leo Lake on the Gunflint Trail
Partly sunny and humid—very luxuriant growth this year—like a rain forest. Some warblers, but we are not looking real close. Canada, adult and young Chestnut-sided, Waterthrush, Solitary Vireo, Parula, Red-eyed Vireo, Magnolia Warbler, Golden Kinglets. Picking blueberries near Larch Creek. Pretty good picking—we got six quarts. Rained heavily as we were leaving. Visiting Lydia in the afternoon. Did not rain here [at Leo]. Making blueberry muffins. Working on nest cards in the evening. Yellow-jackets got me at Seagull Lake.
August 8, 1982 Leo Lake on the Gunflint Trail
A squally day with northwest winds and showers. Th warbler migration appears to be underway. Magnolia, Bay-breasted, Tennessee, etc. Off to Magnetic Rock area picking blueberries in between and during rain showers. Most of the burn area was picked over, but we got about seven quarts on the ridge south of the burn. Much bird peeping. Kingbirds still there making noises—perhaps teaching young? Back home, making syrup (six quarts and 1 pint). Visiting Lydia. Brought her a pint of fresh berries. Eating the last of our peas—pulled vines.
August 10, 1982 Leo Lake on the Gunflint Trail
Went to town birding and surveying in Croftville. Many shorebirds around in the morning, with light northwest winds. Mostly Semipalmated Sandpipers and Least Sandpipers, but we correctly identified a lone Baird’s Sandpiper before seeing it in company with the Semipalmated. Also saw two Lesser Yellowlegs, a few Killdeers and one Spotted Sandpiper with down on it—it’s moulting. Saw Yellow Warblers. A Merlin was also hanging around, no doubt attracted by all the shorebirds. House Wrens scolding a cat in Croftville. Met and talked with J. Toftey and his son Rick. Blacktop crew passed us today, in the evening.
August 11, 1982 Leo Lake on the Gunflint Trail
37 degrees this morning—a few ice crystals on the dog house roof, but no damage to the plants that we can see this morning. Heading up the Trail to Loon Lake, via Novaczyk, to deliver survey. At Loon Lake we were looking for the northwest corner of section two, but no luck. In the process we got to climb via a trail to the Gunflint Cliffs. Really spectacular view! Back via Border Route trail to west end of Loon Lake. Saw a Red-backed Salamander, Black-throated green being chased by a begging and long-tailed young. Young Hermit Thrushes on their own, but together. Then to Seagull area picking berries. Went to Saganaga where we saw a Merlin eating a small
bird. Picked about three quarts of berries. Home by 4:30pm. Nice now that we can leave the dogs outside all day. Went to canoe races at Nor’wester in the evening.
August 14, 1982 Leo Lake on the Gunflint Trail
Large warbler flocks in the area. Blackburnians, Ovenbird, Parula, Black-and-white warbler, Chestnut-sided (young trying to beg from a faded adult), Waterthrush singing, Solitary Vireo singing. Hummers are very active. Broad Wing hawk screaming overhead (for benefit of its young)? An easy day visiting and gardening—doing yard work. More warblers drifting through—Magnolia, Blackburnians—young but full grown. Chipping Sparrow begging and being fed by an adult. Tennessee warbler, Black-backed-three-toed woodpecker in bog, (clicking). Lydia’s company arrived in the afternoon. We are still eating green beans.
August 15, 1982 Leo Lake on the Gunflint Trail
Birding with a California birder–B. Chelson, along Lima Road near Stickle Creek. Boreal Chickadee and Gray Jay, but no Spruce Grouse or Black-backed-three-toed woodpecker. Very quiet there—Golden-crowned Kinglets and Olive-sided Flycatcher. At home there was a warbler flock: Black-and-white, Least Flycatcher (sang a little), Tennessee Warbler, Canada Warbler, Nashville, Parula, Magnolia, Black-throated-green Warbler, Chestnut-sided, Ovenbird, Redstart. White-throated Sparrows with medium-tailed young. A Junco family. Later on Leo Road we heard Black-and-white warbler, Tennessee, Nashville, Magnolia, Black-throated-green Warbler, Blackburnian, Chestnut-sided, Wilson’s Warbler. Seeing new Comma butterflies.
August 16, 1982 Leo Lake on the Gunflint Trail
More warblers drifting around. Surveying in Croftville this morning after birding in Grand Marais. A flock of Baird’s Sandpipers—eight or more—were on the rocks. It’s unusual for us to see this many at once here. Maybe five or more Least Sandpipers. Only one Semipalmated, Spotted, Killdeer. Great Blue Herons by the powerplant. Home by 2:30. Visiting Lydia and her company. Then to Flour Lake to visit friends from Duluth. A warm day—80 degrees, with a beautiful, clear, cool evening. We watered the gardens. Heard “who’oo” in the bog at 9pm. Long-eared owl? Barred owl?
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.
