We enjoyed some beautiful late-winter weather this week, with sunny days and temperatures into the mid-sixties. I took a walk on one of those days to see if I could find some early signs of spring - I was not very successful. The best I could find were the sounds of birds singing their spring songs: chickadees, titmice, and woodpeckers rapping on dead trees. It wasn't too surprising, considering there's still a foot on snowpack on the ground and 18 inches of ice in the lake. It's not looking like an early ice-out this year. Here was a Tufted Titmouse hidden somewhere in the treetops, singing his "peter-peter-peter" song to secure his territory.
Later in the week I saw my first chipmunk running around on the snow, and soon there were lots of them out and about. Now that the squirrels have done their thing, it appears it's the chipmunks' turn to be claiming mates and territory, as they chased each other around the forest.
We're winding down the bird feeding season, letting the feeders be emptied out before the bears awaken, hungry and in search of food.
On a hike up Mt. Liberty in Franconia Notch I was able to compare the trees that try to eke out a living in New Hampshire's harsh environment at the relatively low elevation of 4,000 - 5,000 feet. Here's what the trees look like at the 4,500 foot summit of Liberty.
Even below the summit in a protected area they find it hard to survive.
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| Growing a little taller in a protected swale at 4,300'. |
Compare those to the towering Lodgepole Pines we saw last week at 9,000 feet in Rabbits Ears Pass.
Yes, there's still lots of snow and ice in the mountains, as well as here in Meredith.
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| A small stream crossing the Liberty Springs Trail. |
The vernal equinox arrives in just four day, but there are still 18 inches of winter's ice safeguarding Lake Wicwas.
Short of a drastic heatwave, there won't be an early ice-out this year.
Thanks for the updates !
ReplyDeleteAlways interesting!
ReplyDeleteNice work doing a tree comparison hike.
ReplyDelete