March 30, 2025: The Spring Sprung Backwards

Spring sprung back to winter this week.

Oops - winter's back.

Snow fell on the snowdrops, but it was a nice soft snow with a beautiful warm day following that gave us another opportunity to get out on the skis and snowshoes.

Note that long line of animal tracks.

While skiing I followed a set of tracks almost the whole time, tracks that took me a while to decipher.  They were too small for a bobcat, and too undisciplined for a fox.  There wasn't any tail drag which ruled out porcupine, plus they covered far greater territory than a porcupine would travel.  A process of elimination brought me to a member of the weasel family.  Another sign is the 2-2 track pattern characteristic of the weasel family as seen at the bottom of the photo above, though it's not very clear due to the soft snow.  Being too far away from water to be a mink, and too small to be a fisher, I concluded it was either a Long-tailed Weasel or an Ermine, both of which call New Hampshire home.  Rezendes' tracking book reports that the two animals' tracks are similar in size, but the long-tailed weasel is more erratic. 

An erratic, winding trail is characteristic of the Long-tailed Weasel.

Rezendes describes the animal as "distracted by everything in its environment", so my best guess is a long-tailed weasel.  

The snow also provided proof that our otters were out, enjoying the snow as much as I was.

An otter slide on a downhill section of trail.

You can easily determine the direction of travel on land:  they hop uphill and slide downhill.  They'd been on land, on the ice, and they even seem to revel in splashing around in the slush.

It's amazing to me that they can keep warm.

Did I mention bears last week?  Yes, they are out.  A pretty big one has been using a long stretch of the Arbutus Hill (White) Trail up in Hamlin/Eames.  

That's a big bear print.

It found some reason to meander around here a bit.

I also came across coyote tracks and lots of turkey tracks.

A turkey walked long sections of the trail too.

Arbutus Hill Pond is still almost entirely ice-covered.

So, Spring has taken a little set back; even more snow and ice fell yesterday.  But if one can get past the travel difficulties and power outages, we can be grateful for winter's beauty.

And yes, there are signs of spring if you look for them!

Hobblebush Viburnum pushing out new leaves and flower buds.

One late picture taken at 8:00 this morning (Sunday):

March 23, 2025: Now We're Springing Along

Ah yes - Snowdrops are blooming - spring is coming along.  Snowdrops aren't a native plant, but they're always the first to bloom, even before the crocuses.   

Snowdrops in March.

A true native sign of spring is lichen greening up, which in spring, unlike its dry, gray, cardboard-stiff status in summer, is now plump and verdant with moisture provided by winter snow melting off its granite home.

Rock Tripe Lichen.  

It actually looks somewhat edible this time of year.

This week we had more warm, beautiful days as well as some rainy ones, and what are usually small streams, sometimes even dry streambeds in summer, are now gushing with snowmelt.

And as a result, the lakes are flooding.  

A flooded shoreline along Lake Wicwas.

Hiking trails are filled with with huge puddles.

Frost still in the ground keeps low spots from draining.

With all the runoff along the shoreline I decided not to venture out to measure the ice thickness, but I'll bet it's still a good foot thick away from shore.  I may not trust it, but the animals do, so we know it's thick enough to support the weight of a bobcat.

A bobcat makes its way across the lake one morning.

And finds a way to get off the ice without getting its feet wet.

Cold ice on a warm day condenses some interesting fog banks as the moist air spreads across the lake.

We did take in the birdfeeders this week after they were emptied out, but I sprinkled a few seeds on the railing to give the birds a little more food while the rest of the snow melts.  It provided an opportunity to watch the birds in action.  

In this first video, a couple of White-breasted Nuthatches sort through the seeds to find one worthy of eating or taking away to hide somewhere.

In the next video, one bird works away on a hard-shelled safflower seed, then finds a few small seeds to gulp right down while it searches for another large seed worthy of hacking open.  You can see how much effort it takes to extract that little bit of high-energy fat from the shell.

At first I thought they were eating seeds that had fallen into cracks, but I soon realized they are smart enough stuff thier seed down in the crevice to hold it in place while they crack it open.  In this last video it hacks away at a safflower seed, then finds a few smaller ones to gobble up whole, before selecting a couple more safflower seeds to work on, finally taking one more large seed off to hide away in a tree bark crevice to save for later.

Look at those talons:

I guess that's how they can climb straight up and down tree trunks!

I also heard my first Red-winged Blackbird this week.  Snow, ice, flowers, sun, migrating birds - they're all part of spring in New Hampshire!

March 16, 2025: It's Not Spring Yet

We enjoyed some beautiful late-winter weather this week, with sunny days and temperatures into the mid-sixties.  I took a walk on one of those days to see if I could find some early signs of spring - I was not very successful.  The best I could find were the sounds of birds singing their spring songs:  chickadees, titmice, and woodpeckers rapping on dead trees.  It wasn't too surprising, considering there's still a foot on snowpack on the ground and 18 inches of ice in the lake.  It's not looking like an early ice-out this year.  Here was a Tufted Titmouse hidden somewhere in the treetops, singing his "peter-peter-peter" song to secure his territory.

Later in the week I saw my first chipmunk running around on the snow, and soon there were lots of them out and about.  Now that the squirrels have done their thing, it appears it's the chipmunks' turn to be claiming mates and territory, as they chased each other around the forest.

No videos - these guys are a lot faster than the squirrels!

We're winding down the bird feeding season, letting the feeders be emptied out before the bears awaken, hungry and in search of food. 

 Only another week or two of observing them up close and personal.

On a hike up Mt. Liberty in Franconia Notch I was able to compare the trees that try to eke out a living in New Hampshire's harsh environment at the relatively low elevation of 4,000 - 5,000 feet.  Here's what the trees look like at the 4,500 foot summit of Liberty.  

Even below the summit in a protected area they find it hard to survive.

Growing a little taller in a protected swale at 4,300'.

Compare those to the towering Lodgepole Pines we saw last week at 9,000 feet in Rabbits Ears Pass.

Yes, there's still lots of snow and ice in the mountains, as well as here in Meredith.

A small stream crossing the Liberty Springs Trail.

The vernal equinox arrives in just four day, but there are still 18 inches of winter's ice safeguarding Lake Wicwas.

Short of a drastic heatwave, there won't be an early ice-out this year.

March 9, 2025: Tall Timbers at Ten Thousand

The past week was spent at altitude in the beautiful surroundings of Steamboat Springs, Colorado:  7000' in the city, 10,568' at the top of the ski area.  

Looking west over the Yampa Valley from the top of Mr. Werner in Steamboat Springs.

We've been to Steamboat Springs many times, but it's still strange to see such tall trees growing at 10,000 feet elevation.  

Snowshoeing at 9400' elevation in Rabbit Ears Pass we were surrounded by towering Lodgepole Pines.

Trees peter out in New Hampshire around 4000', and by 5000' there's nothing but scrub.  But in the Rocky Mountains trees grow robustly at well over 10,000'.  Part of the difference is due to the lower latitude - even Steamboat Springs, located in northwest Colorado at a latitude of 40.48 degrees, is more than 200 miles south of Meredith at a latitude of 43.66.  But other factors including better soil conditions and less severe winds in Colorado are probably even more of a contributor to the difference.

At the city elevation of just under 7000' many species of trees grow at elevations where no tree can survive in New England.

Aspen (above) and Cottonwood (below) along the Yampa River.

The Yampa River is also the life source for many animals, especially in winter. 

The Yampa River, fed by springs in the Flat Top Mountains and plenty of snowmelt.

There are lots of mammal tracks leading down to the river, as well as various birds gathering along its course to secure food, including osprey, magpies, and ducks.

A pair of Mallards that decided to spend the winter in the Yampa River.

A Black-billed Magpie perched over the river.

We returned home early Saturday morning to a cold and blustery New Hampshire day, but that didn't stop the mink from making its daily rounds.

A mink passes along the Wicwas Shoreline Saturday morning.

Mink live as far west as Colorado, primarily along the rivers, as riparian habitat is their preferred territory.  One's not likely to see them at high elevation though, even if the trees can thrive there.

Clouds form over Storm Peak.

Thanks VP for another great visit to the 'boat!

March 2, 2025: It's Getting Squirrely Out There

The winter mating season for gray squirrels has begun, and they put on quite a show as their mating ritual plays out.  

As a female approaches her one day of fertility, all the males compete for the opportunity to mate. Several males will follow her, attracted by her scent. As her time gets closer, the pursuit intensifies, and the males fight with each other to establish dominance, the strongest one leading the pack, demonstrating the best genes for the female to mate with.  But it doesn't always work out for him.  Sometimes the leader will get so distracted or tired fighting off a challenger, that another will sneak in and make his move.  A female may mate with several males during the 24 hours she is in estrous. 

Squirrels mate twice a year; the winter mating season being much more visible with the bare trees and the whole gang attracted to the food supply at the squirrel and bird feeders. It can provide some fun entertainment on a late winter morning.  (My apologies for the poorly focused video.)

Here's a link with more information on gray squirrels: 

https://www.wildlifeonline.me.uk/animals/article/squirrel-breeding-biology-courtship-mating-chase

A couple of other notes from the lake:  The Mourning Doves are also pairing up for mating; this dove was preening itself and showing off its plumage for its mate, much like a turkey might do.

And the Bluebirds continue to frequent the yard, giving us much appreciated flashes of color during this time of mostly white and gray.

We are also treated to many spring bird calls now on  these warm late-winter days, most notably Chickadees and Tufted Titmice.  

Spring bird calls and mating squirrels:  more sure signs that spring is on its way, even with 22 inches of ice still on Lake Wicwas.

February 23, 2025: Tracking Page Pond

The Meredith Conservation Commission sponsored a guided snowshoe tour of the Page Pond Town Forest yesterday that toured the entire Page Pond Loop trail in search of animal signs.  

Gathering at the Quarry Road Trailhead at the start of the trip.

Fresh snow and perfect weather greeted an intrepid group of 14 snowshoers - including people approaching 80 years old - that navigated the entire 3.2 mile trip with aplomb! 

Along the way we discovered signs of at least 14 different animals including deer, coyote, fox, porcupine, beaver, weasel (or maybe ermine), mink, red and gray squirrel, mouse, pileated woodpecker, white-breasted nuthatch, tufted titmouse, and chickadee.  A few we were hoping to see but didn't were otter, bobcat, and turkey - maybe we'll find them next time.  One of the more interesting tracks was that of a porcupine in the fresh, light snow.  In these conditions, rather than a deep channel plowed through the snow, we saw the wobbly track, footprints, and grooved furrow where its quilled tail dragged through the snow.

A porcupine waddled its way on top of the snow, dragging its prickly tail behind.

Another unmistakable sign was left by a pileated woodpecker that had very recently excavated a hole in a white pine as it probed deep into the trunk to feed on a nest of carpenter ants living inside the tree.

Large wood chips hacked out of a white pine tree by a pileated woodpecker.

Someone asked if that would kill the tree.  The woodpecker hole itself probably won't, but if ants continue to gnaw their way through the heartwood, and woodpeckers cut holes to get them, eventually the trunk will weaken enough that a strong wind will blow it over, the tree breaking at the weakest point at one the holes.

Several old holes and one new one - this woodpecker remembers where to find food in winter.

The group walked along the beaver dam that holds back the large pond which contains at least two beaver lodges.

A couple of beaver lodges out in the pond.

Earlier in the week Linda and I were on the same trail and saw the tracks and slides of mink near the dam at the beaver pond.

A long mink slide - narrower than the otter slides I've shared before.

This was the first time I've seen a mink slide.  It looks just like an otter slide but narrower - about three inches wide rather than the six inch slide an otter makes.  These were melted out by Saturday so we didn't see a slide, but we did see the tracks of what was probably a mink, as they were near water, but they may also have been those of an ermine.  Though much less common in the Lakes Region, ermine are a weasel of similar size to a mink.  Here are some mink tracks, identified confidently as they were part of the slide path, and ermine aren't known to be playful sliders like mink and otter.

Mink tracks.

Some obvious animal signs were the dozens of squirrel tracks all along our route, as well as myriad bits of pine cones, acorns, and hemlock branches that were being nibbled on by the red and gray squirrels.

Signs that a squirrel excavated, shelled, and ate a stash of acorns.

It was the perfect day to out in the woods in February - many thanks to everyone who enthusiastically participated and asked such great questions!  I hope you will join us again.

A perfect New Hampshire winter day.

Keep an eye out for future guided offerings by the Conservation Commission.