March 3, 2019: Even the Otters Love March Sun

March is here, the start of meteorological spring, with the equinox just three weeks away.  The midday shadows are getting shorter and the sun feels warm on my face - it's the best time to enjoy winter activities, and the otters are certainly on board!

The happy path of a River Otter

Just once I hope to see these fun-loving creatures out gallivanting around in the winter.  I've seen them playing in the water in summer, but have never caught them sliding through the snow on their bellies, though I see their slides all over the lake, shoreline, and even in the woods near streams and beaver ponds.  Yesterday there must have been a pair out enjoying the sun and a fresh inch or two of snow on top of a firm crust.

Mr. and Mrs. out for a stroll on a warm March day?

The surface allowed for some long slides and some of the clearest prints I've found.

Whoa, full port rudder!

The conditions also made for great skiing on the lake, as well as snowshoeing, sledding, and snowmobiling throughout the Lakes Region.  There is quite a base of snow on the ground around here.

In summer, that navigation buoy floats about 3 feet above the surface of the lake

It all made for perfect conditions for Meredith's winter outing and introduction to the new Page Pond property along Barnard Ridge Road on Saturday.  People brought skis, snowshoes, as well as sleds to take the long ride down the field to the parking area. 

Members of the Meredith Conservation Commission led guided tours on snowshoes and skis around the fields, past historic sites, even over to the mill dam at the outlet of Page Pond. 

A member of the Meredith Historical Society (with back to us) provided a brief history of the property

It wasn't a blue-sky day, but it was warm and calm and the snow conditions were perfect.

Looking south under a gray sky towards Pinnacle Hill, Gunstock, and the Belknap Mountains

On the tours we found tracks of bobcat, fox, mice, ruffed grouse, and even an abandoned bird nest on the margin of the back field. 

A snowball does its best impersonation of an egg

If you missed the event, there's still plenty of time to get out there and explore for yourself;  you should be able to follow the tracks even if we get more snow tonight.  And if there's no track, it's hard to get lost in the snow because you can always follow your own tracks back to your starting point!

With all this snow we should be good for a couple more weeks of great late-winter activity.  But with March upon us, before we know it, the owner of that nest will be back in town, preparing another home for it's new family.

Do I detect a little spring-yellow on this goldfinch?