February 16, 2025: Winter Bluebirds

 It's certainly mid-winter here at the lake, but are bluebirds a sign of spring?

Well, not really.  Seeing an Eastern Bluebird in New Hampshire in winter was unusual prior to 1990, but since then this pretty songbird has been steadily increasing its winter presence in the state.  First it was only in the southern part of the state, but now they have been observed in winter as far north as Coos County.  This chart from NH Audubon bird surveys shows the dramatic increase in winter bluebird observations in New Hampshire.

The reasons for this are not fully understood but probably stem from a combination of warming temperatures and increased human planting of ornamental fruit trees (fruit is an important part of the bluebird's diet).  You can read more about changes in bluebird behavior in this post by Pam Hunt at the NH Audubon website.

We saw winter bluebirds when we lived in Londonderry as far back as 2006; our first sighting in Meredith was three years ago. (A Bluebird invasion, February 2022)  This past week they've been visiting the feeders every day even though we don't have much fruit in them, just a few raisins and cherries in the mix.  But they'll eat other food as well when fruit and insects are scarce.  They like to sit under the feeders and pluck out small morsels that other birds have dropped, especially the suet as they spend a lot of time hanging out right under the suet feeder, and sometimes perch on it to eat.

They are such a pretty bird.

The males have the beautiful bright blue feathers, but I also like the more interesting color pattern on the back of the females.

The morning I took these pictures there were four of them commandeering the feeders until a big Red-bellied Woodpecker flew in and scattered them all away.  

The woodpecker didn't even go the feeders.

So bluebirds aren't a sign of spring these days, but here's something that is:  Sunrise here at the lake is getting close to 7:00, and sunset is now after 5:15pm.  Sunrise is also the best time to enjoy the full moon on a clear morning. 

The aptly-named February Snow Moon sets over Wicwas on another clear and cold morning.

And the February Snow Moon continues to bring us snow, with another 10" accumulating today.  All this snow means the World Championship Sled Dog Derby in Laconia is a go for the upcoming weekend.  It's a great spectator event with races going on all weekend, starting at 10:00am on Friday and continuing through Sunday afternoon.  You can find information on the different races and the best places to watch and park here.  I like to watch the start - the excitement of the start with each team anxious to run is something to experience if you've never seen it.  And with staggered starts, the action goes on and on, and then soon the first teams are returning to the finish line.  

It really is a unique winter experience that few people have an opportunity to witness in person!

February 9, 2025: Winter Conditions at the Lake

It was a hectic week for me so I didn't get out as much as usual, but I did fit in one beautiful ski trip early Friday morning after about 6" of snow overnight.  I was the first one on the trail that morning so I had a perfect blanket of white in front of me the whole way.

Except for the occasional animal track.  Several animals had been out before me, and they often took advantage of the human-produced trail to make their passage easier.  

The animals are smart enough to follow the trails.

With deep snow I couldn't determine who the early morning hunter was, but based on its timing and route it was probably a fox even though it doesn't show the usual straight and orderly track.

The first part of the trip up the south-facing hill was well protected from the wind; the combination of sun and calm made for a peaceful setting.

The occasional wind gust provided a glittering snow shower in the sunlight.

As is often the case, the Lakes Region was right on the boundary between stormy weather to the north and clearing to the south.  From Crockett's Ledge looking south the sky was clearing.  The building northwest wind after the front passed was already whipping up the dry snow from the trees where it collected overnight.

As I gained the ridge near the north-facing White Mountain Ledge I could feel the cold settling in as the wind was now making a direct affront on the ledge. 

The sun dimmed approaching the north end of the ridge.

Reaching the ledge, the usual expansive view of the White Mountains was completely obscured by a fierce squall.

A total white-out to the north.

I had fairly short visit there for obvious reasons.

Travelling from the trailhead up to the ledge is mostly climbing, but that means the way back down is a lot of fun on skis.

And as soon as I got down off the ridge, the sun was back and the sky was once again blue.  

It was a perfect winter day on what is turning out be a real New England winter for a change - we woke up this morning to another eight inches of fresh powder!

And don't forget today is the last day of the Backyard Bird Count if you want to participate.  You don't even have to leave your warm home!

February 2, 2025: Pond Hockey is Back on the Bay

Last weekend it was airplanes on the lake; this weekend it's hockey.  And after being moved to Lake Waukewan the past two years due to lack of ice on the big lake, it's back on Meredith Bay.  26 simultaneous rinks of hockey games means you have be on constant lookout for pucks flying from every direction - it's an exciting event.  We went by twice on Saturday and it was a quite scene with activity taking over the entire downtown area.  We didn't stop to check out the action, so I have no current pictures but these photos from a prior give you the idea.

It's great entertainment for a winter weekend, and it's nice to be able to grab a hot coffee or a snack out on the ice.  The games continue through 1:00 today, so it's not too late to check it out.

Now let's check on creatures even more wild than hockey players.  The fresh snow this week provided good opportunity for tracking; I had a fun time following this bobcat trail through the forest.

Where the snow was thin the bobcat left nice clear footprints.

The delicate round shape of bobcat print - no nails, and a puff where the cat's thick fur brushed the snow.

Tracking can be a challenge though when a two foot tall cat passes easily beneath the branches of thick stands of young hemlock that are nearly impenetrable by a human.  If you follow a bobcat trail long enough you'll almost certainly come to a spot where the hunter stopped for a rest, usually at a prime viewing point with a wide perspective to watch for something to come along and ambush.

A nicely protected, sunny spot for a cat nap,

With a wide view, yet hidden from its prey by a blind of branches and a fallen tree.

This bobcat brought me near one of my favorite porcupine ledges so I took a trip over to see if they've been active.  Porcupine tracks in deep snow are easily distinguishable because their short legs mean the animal just plows its way along through the snow leaving a trench.  Right now it's not very deep, so you can make out individual footfalls in the trench.

A porcupine track leading up into the ledge.

Porcupines prefer a habitat of steep ledges - with lots of caves and crevasses which they use for hideouts and dens - and well populated with Hemlock trees, a reliable food source all year.

Another porcupine trail at the base of the ledge.

There's a spot on the trunk of the tree at the right side of the above photo where all the bark has been stripped off (though this obviously isn't a hemlock).  Mr. Porky probably clung to that trunk and happily gnawed its way around, eating the bark and the cambium underneath.

A tree girdled by a porcupine.

It's easy to follow their path to see where they went for the night - or just a nap.

Down into a small cave in the ledge.

It's always a revelation when you think you are far away from civilization following an animal track, yet you come across this:

Barb wire sprouts from the center of a Red Oak.

It's a reminder that humans had domesticated almost every acre of central New Hampshire in days past.  And the growth of the tree since the barb wire was fastened to it gives you an idea of just how long ago that was.

Cold air, fresh snow, thick ice, sunny days - it all makes for great weather for all types of winter activity.

Fresh snow on a trail waiting for a pair of skis or snowshoes.

If you're looking for a snowshoe trip with a guide to lead the way, sign up for the Meredith Conservation Commission's guided tour of Page Pond Town Forest on February 22nd.  You can find details here.  But next on the winter schedule is the Great Meredith Fishing Derby on February 8th and 9th!

January 26, 2025: Fire & Ice - and Airplanes!

While Los Angeles is burning, the rest of the country is freezing all the way down to Texas and Louisiana where New Orleans saw 10" of snow.  Even central Florida saw temperatures in the 20's yesterday.  In Meredith we had subzero lows for five days in a row with a low temperature of -21.5 degrees on Tuesday.  

Temperature at Lake Wicwas

The cold put a chill on some outdoor activities but we did take a couple of short excursions, including a quick and windy walk in the Thompson Wildlife Sanctuary in Sandwich.  We didn't see any birds, but the mountains were beautiful.

Mt. Chocorua looms over the wetlands at the Thompson Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary

Some animals hide out in protected areas during cold temperatures.  For example, deer will stay in their dense deer yards protected from the wind and radiational cooling by thick hemlock trees.  Others will spend more time in underground dens where the earth stays tens of degrees warmer than the air.  But the poor birds have to go out at first light, the coldest part of the day, to start their search for the calories they burned just to keep warm over night - a small bird can lose ten percent of its body weight on a single cold night.  Small rodents like mice can store food in their dens, but apparently they still head out in frigid weather as evidenced by the many tracks I've seen on my short walks.

Grand Central Station of the mouse world.

Their tiny feet leave clear imprints in the cold dry snow.

Even their light tail makes a mark as it plops on the snow with each hop.

There's been a small flock of six to eight mourning doves here lately, perching in the branches of the oak trees and gleaning seeds from under the bird feeders.  

A pair of mourning doves perches on a cold winter day.

Despite the cold temperatures there are sounds of spring in the air.  Almost every time I'm out on a sunny day (which has been every day) I hear the drumming of woodpeckers resonating through the forest.  They are already staking out their claim on territory and calling in a mate.  Both Hairy and Downy woodpeckers have long courtship periods.  They start courting and nest hunting and construction in January, but won't actually lay eggs until April.  But that drumming in January is always a welcome sign of longer and warmer days ahead.

Gathering its winter calories.

The cold weather did in fact allow the Alton Bay Ice Runway to open this week and we stopped by yesterday to see if there was any action. 

It was a cold morning, but there was a constant stream of planes coming and going.  I counted about 40 planes parked on the ice.

At one point there were five lined up on the taxiway waiting to cross the runway to the parking area. 

Stacked up like Chicago O'Hare in winter.

Other than Alaska, this is only FAA approved ice runway in the country, so it's a big draw for pilots to check off on their bucket list.  Here's a sample of some of the wide array of aircraft taking advantage of this rare  opportunity.  

This was a neat pusher biplane.

Landing gear equipped for snow, ice, or tarmac.

This one must be cold to fly.

Even a helicopter.

They even had ground control to manage all the traffic.

I'll share a couple of videos of the action too:

With this weather, the runway should remain open for the foreseeable future if you want to check it out.

So the big winter ice events of 2025 have begun!  Don't forget to get to Meredith Village for the Pond Hockey event this coming weekend.  It will be back on Meredith Bay with all the fixings:  food trucks, vendors, even a music stage!  And though we are short on snow, what we have received has stayed fresh due so it's pretty and wintery even if skiing is limited and there's been no snowmobiling other than on the lakes.  

But thick ice and even a little snow is good; we'll take whatever winter weather we can get - it's all better than being on fire!