Bird and lake reports reflect nonstop action across Minnesota's natural world

The last 10 days have been filled with nonstop interesting outdoor observations.

From ice-outs for both Upper and Lower Red lakes on May 10, to Caribou Lake located just inland from Lutsen in Cook County losing its ice cover on the Minnesota fishing opener. From heavy rains, plus storm damage, to finally sunny, breezy weather enabling farm fields to dry for a late planting of corn, soybeans, spring wheat, potatoes and other crops. Without fanfare, the first migrating monarch butterflies have been arriving, too

Many southern Minnesota backyard birders have reported indigo buntings, orchard orioles, rose-breasted grosbeaks and scarlet tanagers. Ruby-throated hummingbirds have returned to far northern counties. Over the years in the Itasca State Park area, observers have noted that hummers usually arrive on or close to May 12 and the last ones leave Sept. 12.

Keith Radel of Faribault has 175 sites for bluebird nesting boxes along a 55-miles "trail" in Rice County. Dozens of nests contain eggs, and the first eastern bluebird clutch hatched May 10. These young will be leaving the nest, aka fledging, soon. Also, Keith noted that it's egg-laying time for tree swallows and some black-capped chickadees pairs are busy feeding nestlings.

Russ Rippberger, who has 43 wood duck nesting boxes on a half-acre lot along Bass Creek in Brooklyn Park, reported that most houses are occupied and many have full egg clutches. The first young should jump by Wednesday. He has seen mallard hens with ducklings for more than a week.

It's time to enjoy the superb fragrances and visual beauty of crabapple, apple and lilac flowers and to hunt for the Minnesota state mushroom, the common moral. Asparagus is up tall enough to harvest, and gardeners have been pulling rhubarb.

Whitetail fawns are arriving. Rutting season for whitetails centers on the month of November. After a gestation period of 196 to 213 days, most fawns are born from mid-May and into early June. The doe lies down when she is about to give birth. Her body strains and movements aid in her labor. In a normal birth, the forefeet of the fawn appear first and quickly followed by the head. The birthing time requires from 10 to 60 minutes. A doe giving birth the first time will usually have one fawn. From then on twins are common.

Mothers vigorously lick their newborn young with their rough tongues. This washing process may imprint the doe with the particular odor of her own young, enabling her to distinguish them from other fawns. A fawn, except for the nursing time, is inactive for the first three or four days of its life. During this time the fawn is protected by being odorless, or nearly so, and its spotted coat allows the fawn to blend into its surroundings. The doe returns to nurse the fawn about 10 times in a 24-hour period. Then she is off to eat a variety of plant materials.

Jim Gilbert has taught and worked as a naturalist for more than 50 years.