September 9, 2018 - Swimming Squirrels

You may have seen a picture shared by the Society for the Protection of New Hampshire Forests (SPNHF) of a gray squirrel swimming across the Merrimack River.

A gray squirrel out for a swim.  Photo by Ellen Kenny

Bow Lake, photo by Jill Allison

I didn't know squirrels would swim on their accord, but since then people have been posting all kinds of pictures of swimming squirrels, including one swimming around boats in Bow Lake.







Someone even caught one of the little rodents swimming  between two islands right here on Lake Wicwas!  (Thanks for sharing!)

Lake Wicwas, unknown photographer

So now, in addition to running, jumping, chewing, and even flying, we can add swimming to the resume of multi-talented gray squirrel.

Pawtuckaway Lake, photo by Amy Daniels Nardone

Personally, I'm happy swimming in warm water, so as far as I'm concerned this great summer weather can continue as long it wants to - even if it doesn't produce the clear blue skies we appreciate in the fall hiking season.  A quick trip up Mount Major this week certainly didn't provide the clear skies that will be heading our way in the near future.

Looking north over Lake Winnipesaukee to the hazy White Mountains from Mount Major

But it did show early signs of foliage turning.  In addition to blueberry bushes turning red there were quite a few trees on the hills with tinges of yellow in them.

Blueberry turning red on the summit of Mount Major

Morning walks with fresh dew everywhere will often reveal pretty spider webs that would be unnoticed later in the day.

Chemung State Forest

Sometimes in unexpected places.

Way up high in the power lines

And once your eye is drawn to uncommon places, other interesting scenes are revealed.

Spiders aren't the only animals that decorate power lines.


On another morning I heard the tell-tale pounding of a pileated woodpecker working on a tree and was able to track it down.  Here's a link to a video I took of it working on an oak tree near the lake;  no tripod, so I apologize for the shaky video.

Finally, I saw yet another new creature on the lake this week, an extremely rare find that dates back to the Cretaceous period.

Fending off the ferocious Lake Wicwas T. Rex

One never knows what will appear on a New Hampshire lake.