“End of the Road,” “Midwest,” Minnesota Tourist Destination” and other labels can be added to describe where Ely lies as a place near the center of North America. Anniversary events can be celebrated on every day in this area to recognize the past and what exists here.
Identify and experience something or someone today and make notes on the calendar or in your journal. That identity becomes a record with a name and/or description that represents more than just being. Last week’s reflection on the annual migration of common nighthawks and the reporting of the 2025 August counts at Hawk Ridge has resulted in a report that occurred recently by Steve Engel and a follow-up of the first five days of 2026 counts at Hawk Ridge.
Everything counted at Hawk Ridge is reported daily beginning August 15 and can be found on the www.hawkcount.org website. Looking for common nighthawks first and following through August 19, an actual hawk (broad-winged hawk), and a dragonfly (green darner) caught my attention.
Common Nighthawks – 15th (3), 16th (49), 17th (82), 18th (60), 19th (42) Green Darners - 15th (3), 16th (31), 17th (35), 18th (196), 19th (379) Broad-winged Hawks - 15th (0), 16th (1), 17th (455), 18th (130), 19th (91) Each species has been given a common name, a scientific name, and has received other labels like insects, dragonflies, birds of prey, bullbats, goatsuckers, etc., based on their nature, impressions, or designated groups.
Any person or name encountered during the past week might have been a friend, neighbor, weather information management for firefighters, candidate for office, member of a local group, family member, etc. Like every organism and component of the world around us, all are identified by names or labels provided to describe them. Each encounter provides a candidate for study by investigating beyond the label.
Thanks to all those who continue to observe, question, report, share, study, discover, and help others understand how the world around us works. Only people working together will determine whether they fit with a vision that enables them to fit with what has developed over millions of years.
Coneflowers support bees and monarchs as they prepare for next year. Mowing the lawn uncovers an American toad that escaped the blades. A mink dashes across the road avoiding cars. A shrew was found on the morning dog walk. Mice begin to appear in the house, and discussions arise about whether the one caught in the bathtub is a life-ordeath situation. Landscaping choices: removing, trimming, repairing, planting? Abundance of chokecherries, mountain ash fruit, maple seeds. Evening presence of midges hatching from local waters.
Find time to paddle some small lakes and streams. Take a walk daily and report back. Planes are flying overhead. Campaigns in full swing with evaluation of candidates behind the claims, labels, records and visions.
