October was originally the eighth month on the Roman Calendar. It is still “October” but for as long as we can remember it is the tenth month, but still “Octo” for eight. Everything experienced has relevance through time and place.
Autumn encompasses the Northland of Minnesota as September passes and October arrives. Many people believe that this is the best place to be for October activities. The foundation of landscapes and inhabitants provides a strong heritage and base while almost everything observed is transitioning.
Take a moment and think of your well-known place. You know that place through an ongoing, recent, a seasonal or special event basis. The place has historic, present, and future elements with continue to fluctuate or change in various ways.
Anything qualifies as thought-worthy. A person, an object, the weather, a view, a restoration, an ownership, an organization, a trail, a tree, a job, rules, interests, etc. The focus of attention of changes also changes.
Since this column last week, National Public Lands Day occurred with a morning effort to change the condition of the Sandy Point Public Access to Shagawa Lake provided by the MN DNR Trails and Waterways Division. Volunteers spent the morning bagging and removing litter, cutting invasive species, trimming trees, and mowing some of the forested edge to the parking area. This was followed by burning the cut brush.
During the week of making some changes, attention is drawn to other changes occurring. Sandy Point has a history in the community. It was, at one time, owned locally and provided beach access and recreation to the Ely Community. Now “the point” is privately owned with the public access on adjoining public land. The lake on the west side of the point has relatively shallow water and plant growth supporting submerged aquatic plants with yellow perch and larger fish that feed on them.
Over the past week, winds have stirred up the lake, attracting fishing by a large group of common mergansers, a small flock of Canada Geese, occasionally one hooded merganser, and boat after boat of anglers working the area. Ring-billed gulls continually combed the water surface to snatch food while in flight.
The parking lot also had a flow of walkers, boats coming in and out, dog-walkers, viewers of the lake scene and drive-throughs.
Checks were made of boats leaving to prevent transport of invasive aquatic species.
The forested edge of the parking area was a bigger project that imagined and will require additional attention as buckthorn, bush honeysuckle, and other undesirable species should be removed to allow change with more advantages for native plants.
Hopefully, public users will appreciate the value of this location and refrain from littering or leaving trash while continuing to assist in cleanups and assistance in maintenance.
Weeks like this demonstrate the activity of community members in fall projects on private properties throughout the area.
October begs for people to be out improving structures and grounds before winter arrives, while temperatures are comfortable and after the biting insects of summer. Upcoming at Sandy Point Public Access will be another event by the Ely Field Naturalists on Saturday, October 11. They will be back on the point for the annual Big Sit Bird Count.
They expect as usual; community members will come and go from dawn to dusk.
They will be counting and reporting birds throughout the day, demonstrating approaches to feeding birds in the upcoming months, and preparing plans for the Christmas Bird Counts that will occur throughout the region over the Christmas- New Year holidays.
The Big Sit may require dressing for cooler weather and warm beverages, but it will be worth a day outdoors at Sandy Point.
Learn more upcoming outdoor programs, that will change and crop up season to season.
