November 2, 2014

It has been a week for the birds, including the weather.  October is the wettest month of the year in New Hampshire, and this year it sure followed the trend.  I did manage to get out for a kayak on one nice day;  this time of year I treat every trip on the lake like it might be my last for the year (at least on liquid water).

I saw quite a few ducks stopping for a rest on their migration trip, including four ducks that kept flying off ahead of my path around the lake.

Other birds on the lake this week included various ducks, including three pairs of Ring-neck Ducks on one rainy day, and a Pileated Woodpecker flitting from tree to tree along the shore.  The Canada Geese are still here as well - the first to arrive, and one of the last leave. 

Canada Geese

If they knew hunting season for Canada Geese in our region lasted until December 23rd, they might leave sooner!

There are a few random splotches of color around, mostly from the huckleberries on the shoreline and an occasional maple.

The last of the Color

The water level was very low, making the trip interesting, as terrain usually submerged was revealed above the water line.  Evidence of a lake changing slowly over time became evident;  rocks that used to part of the shore have been deposited into the lake as erosion washed away the soil that held them in place.  Over the decades the lake has become a bit larger in area, though shallower as a result. 

The Shoreline Revealed

I could also see the thousands of cavities that are used by a myriad of animals for homes and hiding places. 

All those little holes between rocks and tree roots, hidden under the water, provide coverage for mink, muskrat, snakes, and other aquatic animals. 

The bird feeder went out this week, hoping that the bears have gone off to find their winter resting sites.  Within an hour the desired visitors had found it, starting with chick-a-dees and both Hairy and Downy Woodpeckers.  Soon thereafter a large flock of Tufted Titmice came by, and they were not being very charitable;  there was lots of aerial dogfighting going on, and chasing each other away from their new-found food supply.

Tufted Titmouse

All the creatures are preparing for the coming winter, whether by securing food sources, finding a spot to hibernate, or heading to warmer climates (including many homo sapiens!).  Signs of the impending change is evident almost everywhere I look, including the evening sky, which is displaying the hues of the coming season.

Looking West from Meredith Center Road