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Backyard Almanac
Backyard Almanac: Nature’s Weekly Rhythms with Larry WeberEvery Friday morning at 8:20am, Backyard Almanac brings you the latest observations on the changing seasons, wildlife activity, and natural phenomena of Northern Minnesota. Hosted by Luke Moravec and featuring naturalist Larry Weber, this segment explores the rhythms of nature—from migrating birds to blooming wildflowers, shifting weather patterns to the quiet transformations happening all around us.Backyard Almanac – Fridays at 8:20am – Only on The North 103.3FM.

Backyard Almanac: Seemingly out of the ordinary, but an average December after all.

Common Redpoll, photographed in Northern Minnesota in January 2018
Jean Barrell [via Flickr]
Common Redpoll, photographed in Northern Minnesota in January 2018

Even though the temps today in the Northland are around 40°F, Larry Weber observes that the temperatures for the month of December have averaged in the normal range. The latest annual sunrises are occurring this week at 7:34 a.m. Perihelion – when the planet’s elliptical orbit brings it closest to the sun – is coming up on January 2nd. The other day, unfortunately, Larry did not have his camera on hand when he spotted a solar pillar (also called a sun pillar), a phenomenon where ice crystals in the atmosphere reflect the sun’s light in a vertical column. The annual Christmas Bird Count is happening in the Duluth area, and Carlton County’s bird count is starting soon. Larry reports that the Duluth count has reported over 4,000 sightings alone of redpolls!

Chris Harwood is the former Production Director/Program Director of The North 103.3, and the host of Soul Village. He is also a musician, a music historian, an audio engineer, and an avid record collector.