October 30, 2010

With another four inches of rain in the past week, Lake Wicwas is now higher than it was two weeks ago.  At the dam the water is four inches above the highest (12 inch) mark, a good 16 inches above full lake level.  All the low areas around the lake are flooded; the outlet is overflowing to its secondary paths.  It looks like spring, although it is still far from flooding Meredith Center Road, which is has done in the worst spring floods.

The few docks that are still in the lake are pretty much under water.

One of these docks lost one of its plastic floating devices, which I found in a marsh on the east side of the lake, and told the owner where to find it.  I had fun again exploring portions of the lake where one usually can't go, even in a kayak.  I flushed out a pair mallards and saw one loon on the lake.  Plus the two dozen geese....



The deer also reappeared this week, I saw them in the woods, as well as along the road eating acorns.  Although with deer season starting today (muzzle-loaders only - rifles starts Nov 10th) this may be last I see of them for a while.  We also found another sign of the fisher cat: a large scat, full of thick hair.  Much of the hair was still attached to the hide of the animal that gave up its life to this weasel.  It was a thick, sturdy hide that was not digested, evidence of a fairly large animal - perhaps a gray squirrel or a rabbit.

Fisher Cat Scat

Fur and Hide

 Walking near the lake we found the largest maple leaves (excluding the striped, or goosefoot maple) I've ever seen - this one is almost seven inches across, with a typical leave beside it.

And foliage season is just about over in the lakes region.  There are still some nice burnt orange colors on the oaks, and a few yellows, but the end is near (Can you see the people on Crocket's Ledge?)