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Phenology with local naturalist Larry Weber every Friday morning at 8:20 on Northland Morning.

Backyard Almanac: A Tenth of an Inch Off the Record

A winter forest flanking an icy road
Emily Toycen [Via Unsplash]

It's been a snowy month, and eyes have been on the record for December snowfall. As of Larry Weber’s last check-in with the numbers, the Northland area is currently one tenth of an inch short of the record; the record snowfall for December is 44 inches – currently, we’re at 43.9 inches.

Limbs have been falling from the trees due to the heavy snow and collecting ice. Some mailable trees are bending over with their tops touching the ground.

The birds are still active during the day. During the cold snap, Weber noticed that birds were frequently at his feeder, but when the weather turned warmer “Very few kinds of birds showed up," says Weber. "What the birds are telling us is ‘We don’t need your handouts.’” Bald Eagles, ravens and crows are still out and about and thriving despite some less-than-optimal conditions.

Non-flying animals were quite the opposite. During the cold days, mammals hunkered down and didn’t return to their usual activity until the weather turned warm again.

Luke Moravec is the host for Northland Morning on The North 103.3. He’s also a local actor, musician and writer. He loves puzzles, riddles and fun mysteries.
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