St. Peter saw another half inch of rain fall over this past weekend, but somehow yesterday’s severe storms missed most of south-central Minnesota. Several tornadoes did however touch down just over an hour east of St. Peter near Northfield, and both hail and high winds were observed in the Twin Cities. As temperatures yesterday in St. Peter exceeded 90 degrees Fahrenheit and humidity levels approached 85 percent, the heat index (a combination of temperature and humidity that determines what the temperature actually feels like) was over 100 degrees Fahrenheit. The next ten day’s forecast predicts temperatures remaining in the high 80’s and low 90’s, and similarly high humidity levels, meaning that there will be a chance of severe weather on most days next week, especially after Tuesday.
On these oppressively warm summer days, it’s much more comfortable (and safer) to limit outdoor activities to the morning and evening hours. And you don’t have to take my word for it; just observe what the local wildlife is doing around midday during these hot spells. Most birds which we often characterize as diurnal (active during the day), such as our familiar blue jays, chickadees, robins, and cardinals, are better defined as crepuscular (active at sunrise/sunset) during the summer. That’s why you’ll most likely hear birds singing boldly in the early morning and evening, but if you listen around noon you’re lucky to hear even a crow. As warm-blooded animals, birds, as well as humans and other mammals, lose a lot of energy when physically active in high temperatures. To conserve energy, then, it is best to be active when daily temperatures are at their lowest. In fact, the vast majority of animals on this planet can be characterized as crepuscular, as most find it advantageous to avoid the two extremes of the day (midnight and midday).
Here are some highlights from this week in the Arb:
– Meadowsweet or Queen of the Prairie in full bloom in Evelyn Young Gardens behind Interpretive Center 7/15
– Monarch butterfly nectaring on blooming ‘Black Knight’ Butterfly Bush in Bird and Butterfly Garden behind Interpretive Center 7/14
– Hoary Vervain blooming throughout Uhler Prairie 7/13
Hoary Vervain blooming in Uhler Prairie, 7/13/10.
– Female Ruby-throated Hummingbird visiting hummingbird feeder in front of Interpretive Center 7/12
– Brown Thrasher singing from shrubs southeast of Borgeson Cabin 7/12