April 7, 2024: Temperature Shock

From 80 degrees to snow - this week's journal was supposed to be all about wildlife in South Carolina, but upon returning home Thursday night the local picture became the story.

Marion Lane on our arrival home from South Carolina.

Once we got north of Concord NH the scene looked like an Alaskan tundra with everything white and trees down beside the road for miles.  

We arrived to find over a foot of heavy snow plastered to everything, branches and trees down everywhere, and about half the people in Meredith without power including most homes around Lake Wicwas.  But that's better than some towns in the Lakes Regions which had 100% of their customers without electricity.  And many of us around the lake are still without power as of 9:00 this morning.

The heavy snow and wind brought trees down into the lake in multiple locations - I expect there will be more to be found as we get on the lake to explore.  This huge white pine and several hardwood trees were some of the casualties. 

There will be a lot of trail maintenance to do over the next few weeks.

Trail crews in Meredith will be busy this spring.

On the bright side, there were some signs of spring including my first loon sighting on Friday.  I also received a report of a pair of loons on the lake, so we're heading in the right direction. 

Enough of winter in April; now down south to South Carolina where we had another fabulous time in the low country with our great host, tour guide, and entertainment director.  We took walks along creeks, through swamps and old plantations, and of course along the Atlantic Ocean. These gave us the opportunity to enjoy wildlife much different from that in New England including dolphins, alligators, and anoles.  The most fascinating of these are the pelicans, truly bizarre birds with some amazing abilities.  Just floating on the water their unique physical attributes are immediately apparent with exception of not being able to see just how large their gular pouch is because it's all folded up under their beak.  

A pretty bird in its special way.

This photo, taken in Alabama and sent to me by a good friend (thank you PL!) shows the gular pouch in its full glory:

Soaring along in formation, often close to the water to take advantage of air pressure off the water, is when they are most elegant.

Flying in close formation over Shem Creek.

Other times they will use the currents and updrafts from the onshore breeze when it hits the dune line to facilitate their flight.  Wherever they are, they are an oxymoron of awkward beauty.

At feeding time they use powerful wings to gain altitude where they are able to see fish under water even with waves and reflections on the surface.  When they identify a school of fish they just fold their wings and let themselves plunge head first down into the sea.  

Target in sight.

Contact

Splash down

If they're on target that pouch swells with water and a number of fish which they swallow whole after letting the salt water drain out.  When the tide changes they know to congregate around the breach between Sullivan Island and the Isle of Palms (that's also where we saw dolphins) and when there's a big school of fish it's quite a spectacle to see.

The other bird I'll mention is the Anhiga, another ungainly bird with a long neck that it uses in a most unusual manner, stretching it out for no apparent reason.

I often see this behavior - is it a threatening position to scare me away?  Twisting its neck into a pretzel is just as interesting, but that makes sense for grooming or situational awareness.

The Anhniga, like a cormorant, will spread its wings out to dry them after diving for fish.

Sunbathing by a lagoon in the early morning light.

Other birds we saw were ones we'll soon find here in New Hampshire including yellow-rumped warblers, palm warblers, and bluebirds already feeding their chicks.

Papa Bluebird.

And Mama Bluebird.  That might be a tick!

Back in New Hampshire, April is always a time of change, and this year, everyone and everything will need to be resilient to make it through to May.

The crocuses didn't succumb to an April snowstorm, and neither will we!

Some other good news:  The forecast is for clear skies for tomorrow's eclipse.  Fingers crossed for this rare astrological experience!  

🌒