Early spring in Ely MN & the BWCA - 50's & mud season

With 50 degree temperatures lately, the lake ice is in transition, with shades of dark & light grey as the ice crystallizes from the top down. We went ice fishing on Gunflint Lake up the Gunflint Trail this past weekend. There was about 3-4' of ice, but the kids could just use their boots to kick up a nice pile of ice crystals. There was lots of sunshine during the day, which made for great weather on the ice, but on land it means that our 'mud season' has begun.

We do keep in mind that winter could be back in a blink of an eye before May. Two years ago we had a snowstorm mid April that brought with it 24" of snow in a 24 hour period and then our ice out on Farm Lake was pushed to just 3 days before fishing opener - May 7th! We will keep you updated on the 2010 Farm Lake ice out date which could be a record early ice out.

Echo's Ice Out Contest taking entries for 2010 - Ely MN

The ever-popular Ely Echo Shagawa Lake Ice Out Contest for 2010 has begun in Ely MN.

In 2009, April 28 was Shagawa Lake Ice Out Day, and the first entry received that was closest to ice out at 1:50 p.m. was Pat Ferderber of Ely. He beat out the other 48 people who chose the same day.

Competition is always fierce as family members and friends vie for the day, hour and the minute that the ice is finally gone from Shagawa Lake as determined by the venerable judges at Grand Ely Lodge.

The $100 prize from Grand Ely Lodge is based on when one could take a boat from the docks at Grand Ely Lodge and cross the lake, chunks of ice not withstanding.

Each entry MUST have a complete name, address and phone number as well as the date and time of day. Incomplete entries are thrown out.

What is at stake? Why, $100 in guest bucks from Grand Ely Lodge. Only one entry per person, no more than three entries per household application. All entries must be received by March 27 unless ice is out by then. In case of a tie the earliest entry wins.

You can enter via the internet by sending your best guess, name and mailing address with the email subject labeled "Ice out." Send to: thepub@elyecho.com.

Looking for a hint on the date? It's anybody's guess. In 2008 it was May 8, 2007 it was April 25 and in 2006 it was April 16.

In 2008 the area received 2-3" of snow on May 11 in time for fishing opener.

Article by Anne Swenson - The Ely Echo, Ely MN

(the photo above is Farm Lake - Ely MN : April 25, 2009)

First Signs of Spring in Ely Minnesota & the BWCAW

Although it is still only mid February, our first signs of spring are already happening in northern Minnesota and the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness. Not only are the days getting longer, but during the day we have been hearing the distinctive hammering of the Pileated woodpecker beginning to make their nests for spring breeding.

Measuring 16-19 inches long with a red crest and black bill. You'll find these birds in mature forest with large trees. In our area their favorite tree is the Aspen tree.


The male Pileated has a red patch at the base of the bill whereas the female has a black patch at the base of the bill.

The territory of these birds can be 150-200 acres. Signs of their presence can be detected by looking for 3-6 inch holes in trees.

The nest cavity is excavated in dead wood 15-70 feet above ground. The entrance hole is about 3 1/2 inches in diameter. The depth of the cavity is between 10-24 inches deep.

Pileated Woodpeckers mate for life. A pair stays together throughout the whole year. They are territorial and tend to stay in their established territory for long periods of time. During breeding season, the Pileated Woodpecker fiercely defends its territory. However, during the winter, it can tolerate a few “floaters” – birds who just pass by.


The female will lay 3-5 white eggs which will be incubated for 15-16 days by both the male and female birds. Both male and female will also feed the nestlings. After 24 - 28 days the young will leave the nest.

The adults and young will stay together until fall. During this time the adult birds will continue to feed them and teach them how to find their own food. Around September, the family will break up and the young will find territories of their own.


Common predators include: Black snakes, Coopers Hawk, Northern Goshawk, Red-tailed Hawk, Great Horned Owl, Squirrels.

While not a rare bird, they can be quite shy and wary. Listen for a low-pitched drumming that trails off in speed and volume at the end. Follow the sound, and you just may find one.

Interesting Pileated Woodpecker Facts:

• The Pileated Woodpecker is the largest Woodpecker in North America.
• The roost of a Pileated Woodpecker usually has multiple entrance holes.
• The sound that a Pileated Woodpecker makes when boring a hole in a tree is so loud that it can be heard over long distances.
• Pileated Woodpeckers make very large holes in dead trees that sometimes the holes can cause a small tree to break in half!
• Pileated Woodpeckers have been observed to move their eggs which have fallen off the nest to another site. This is a rare habit with other birds.