April 26, 2020: Spring Marches Forward

The pressure is building - inside all those buds that is.  The trees sense the abundant sun shining upon them, strong and now providing 15 hours of energy every day.  Their buds are swelling up but the cool temperatures are preventing them from making the final commitment to open.

A hobblebush viburnum bud building up pressure before it bursts open and flies.

Trees are smart enough to know that April in New Hampshire can throw a surprise or two into the mix.  This week it was just a smattering of light snow, and it may not be last.

Many New Englanders remember a snowfall on May 9th in 1977 that left over 10" of snow in Massachusetts, causing a lot of damage to trees which already had leaves on their branches.  Deciduous trees, having evolved in a way that avoids heavy snow loading, can't handle that much weight on their branches, so they hold off as long as they can.  But with pressure building, those buds will burst out quickly when we get a few days of warm temperatures. 

Black Cherry is ready.

American Beech a bit farther behind.

Oaks are the most patient, the last to bloom in spring and the last to lose their leaves in the fall.

Red maples have less patience than most - or maybe they're higher risk takers - but they have already put out their flowers.

Red Maple are already blooming.

Red Maple Blossom

You probably heard that the White Mountain National Forest has closed the parking areas at essentially all the popular trailheads, though the forest and trails are still open if you can get to the trails without needing to park.  I have been avoiding popular areas for weeks now anyway; this week we took a trip up through Rumney, Dorchester, Hebron, and Wentworth where we had lunch at the Wentworth Falls and Covered Bridge at a small, empty park. 

Wentworth Covered Bridge where you can find the remnants of old mills.

There are plenty of areas to go in New Hampshire and still not see a single other person.

There were a few days this week when the wind let up enough to enjoy a paddle, but I have still seen only one pair of loons plus the rogue we call "Solo".  Assuming it's the same bird, Solo has been on the lake since 2015.  I did see a cormorant, an occasional visitor to the lake that can be confused with a loon from a distance.

Double-crested cormorant

I also saw few wood ducks, a pair of common mergansers that may have decided this is a nice place to spend the summer raising a family, and several pairs of mallards.

The Mallards

Some birds like the Canada geese will be nesting soon; most others will wait a bit longer to be sure snow won't fall on their eggs.  But just a couple of warm days will bring the wildflower season into full bloom which will add another much appreciated element to our brightening days.  Until then, we'll enjoy the wonders that every new day gives us.

Immersed in the soothing rush of the falls, thoughts flow as freely as the water in the Baker River.