January 12, 2025: Shannon Brook In Winter

Remembering that we had 50 degrees and an inch of rain just before this cold spell made me think the rivers would be flowing well enough to create some good ice formations, so I took a trip over to Shannon Brook which drains the Ossipee Mountains at Castle in the Clouds.  I wasn't disappointed - Shannon Brook was flowing well and had sculpted some impressive ice formations.  

Shannon Brook in the Ossipee Mountains.

Where the river flowed over gentle terrain the ice had completely hidden the rushing water below. 

Openings in the ice showed where multiple layers had frozen; first at one level, then as the stream dropped, it froze again a couple of inches below the prior layer.

Note how over time, the edges of the top layer have softened
relative to the lower layer of the cake.

The largest of the waterfalls was completely hidden by thick ice with only glimpses of water through some gaps.

One can hike the Brook Walk from either the top or the bottom of the trail, but I like to start at the top, saving the tallest waterfall, the "Fall of Song", for last. 

The Fall of Song.

The Fall of Song is too tall to capture in one photo; here's a video from top to bottom:

After walking the Brook Trail I took a hike up the Turtleback Mountain Trail to the Faraway Mountain Trail and was dismayed that even at that elevation there was no snow on the mountain.  I did come across an artistically rendered frozen puddle beside the Turtleback Mountain Trail though.

With no snow on the ground there hasn't been any tracking of animals to see who's been roaming over the lake.  But we have had frequent visits from the Red-bellied Woodpecker, including a pair at one point, the first time I've seen two Red-bellieds together.

A Red-bellied Woodpecker extracts a chunk of suet from the feeder.

The lack of snow did allow a long stretch of some fabulous skating on the lake.

Then yesterday we received an inch of snow, which wasn't enough to ski on but it will be enough to hunt for animal tracks, and it did make the world look like winter again.  People out enjoying their winter activities this weekend will feel right at home.

An ice fisherman plies his trade during the snowstorm.

It looks like the cold weather will hang around long enough that we'll be able hold the big winter events on Meredith Bay this year.  Pond Hockey is first, coming up in just three weeks!

February 4, 2024: Pond Hockey '24

This weekend Meredith is hosting the 15th New England Pond Hockey Classic Tournament.

Great weather and big crowds for Pond Hockey.

The event was held on Lake Waukewan due to insufficient ice on Meredith Bay in Winnipesaukee.  Moving the tournament to Waukewan means there aren't all the on-ice features such as food trucks, open fires, and the Labatt's Beer Tent because Waukewan is the town's drinking water supply.  But it's a beautiful venue with the White Mountains looming over the 26 rinks to the north and the east.

The Ossipee Range watches over Lake Waukewan.

There was still plenty of activity on the ice though, including a large village set up by the players.

Saturday was about the best weather the athletes could ask:  Bright sunny skies, light winds, and temperatures cold enough for firm ice but not brutally cold like last year.  There was plenty of good hockey action to watch.

Between games the players and the support teams all kick in to clear the rinks of ice shavings in preparation for the next round of games.  

No Zambonis, but plenty of shovels and power brooms to clear the ice between games.

It's a fun way to spend a couple of hours, and it's not too late to see the action as the games continue today (Sunday) until 1:15pm.  

The weather also cooperated earlier in the week with a nice snowfall coming Sunday night to set up some more great skiing for the week.  Monday morning I headed out to the trails on those same Ossipee Mountains, trails maintained by the Lakes Region Conservation Trust at Castle in the Clouds.  I was early enough to be setting first tracks through a pristine snow-caked forest.

The Faraway Mountain Trail.

It was overcast all day which created some really satiny sights from the Bridle Path viewpoint overlooking Lake Winnipesaukee and the Belknap Mountains.

Stream crossings were tricky as water levels are still high and it hasn't been cold enough to form ice bridges over them.

Shannon Brook drains the east flank of Ossipee Mountains.

Temperatures remained cold until Friday so the snow hung, frozen onto the trees for several days.

Near the summit of Ragged Mountain in Danbury.

Even on Friday when the sun finally came out and the temperature rose into the 40's the snow was still nice enough to take a ski from Lake Wicwas through the Chemung State Forest over to Lake Winnisquam.

Looking south down Lake Winnisquam from Chemung State Forest.

There wasn't a lot of animal activity to see this week, just some otter slides on the lake, some bobcat tracks, and lots more bird activity with a good snow pack now on the ground.  I did catch the bobcat a couple of weeks ago on my trail camera going up the driveway at 7 pm and back down at 4 am.  Or, maybe it was the other way around....

4:03am

7:09pm

Either way, the birds and the squirrels - which are out in force now - better keep an eye open!

Next weekend:  The big Meredith Rotary Ice Fishing Derby!

August 8, 2021: Arrows in the Lake

All the lake levels sure are high right now, up at levels more typical of April than August with recent readings in Lake Wicwas a good foot above full lake level.   This high level in midsummer can pose a problem with erosion from boat waves, so be aware of your wake when boating; many docks around the lake are just about under water.

On the other hand, the high water allows kayak access to parts of the lake that aren't usually accessible in mid summer.   If you explore any of the shallow marshy areas in the next week or two look for a pretty white flower with large arrow-shaped leaves near the water's edge.

Broadleaf Arrowhead (Sagittaria latifolia)

This is called broadleaf arrowhead due to the shape of its leaves, but is also known as Indian potato as it has edible tubers that can grow over three feet long.   These long roots enable the plant to survive in areas of widely variable water levels.  In addition to the native Americans digging up and consuming the tubers, the entire plants are eaten by beavers and muskrats.  

Large arrow-shaped leaves give this aquatic plant its common name.

Right now the arrowheads - as well as every other other plant in the Lakes Region - doesn't need deep roots to find water.  Due to the robust flow in the rivers I went looking for a waterfall hike on Tuesday and chose the Brook Trail along Shannon Brook at Castle in the Clouds, as this one mile trail passes by seven cascades of various shapes and sizes.  

The last of the seven cascades on the Brook Trail.

The water was flowing like the spring freshets.

Shannon Brook in spring-like glory.

The Lake Wicwas Association held their annual meeting yesterday at the Wicwas Grange and it was well attended after missing last year's in-person meeting.  Social time with coffee and snacks was held outdoors under sunny skies after which we enjoyed an informative presentation by Emma Erler from the UNH Extension Service about waterfront landscaping and how it can benefit water quality in our lakes.  Good water flow management is especially important for heavy rain events such as we've had this summer and which are expected to become ever more frequent.  I'll share a link to the presentation when it's available.  

We're fortunate the heavy rains came after loon nesting season.  Our two loon chicks began an important development step this week, starting to molt their light brown feathers for some adolescent attire.

Coco and Jimmy are starting their second molt.

One chick - I expect it's Coco - is further along in this process than the other.  At first I thought Jimmy was holding a wing up in the air, but later decided it was just a clump of feathers in the process of being shed.

The chicks are also displaying bright white chest feathers, especially when they reach up out of the water to stretch their wings.  

They're such a handsome family.  

Next time we see them the chicks may be wearing their complete teenager outfits.  Until then, Jimmy waves good bye.

That foot's almost as big as Jimmy's body!

I'll finish the week with a couple of the many summer sunsets we experienced this week. 

A summer evening on the lake.

 It was great to see so many of you yesterday!

October 13, 2019: The Colorful Season

It's a time of change around the Lakes Region in so many ways, and color is one of the most obvious.

Between the beginning of October and the end of November the world transforms from a sea of green, through a kaleidoscope of  brilliant colors, and ends up in a mellow state of gray and brown.  And then it won't be long before the scene turns into glistening hues of blue and white.

It's the best time of the year to be outside enjoying everything nature has to offer, with cool temperatures, dry trails, no bugs, and beautiful scenery.  We took a short hike up in the Ossipee Mountains at Castle in the Clouds and the colors were quite nice.

Looking across Shannon Pond at Turtleback Mountain

The Belknap Mountains in the haze beyond Lake Winnipesaukee

It's a good time to look down as you walk because the berries of many shrubs are ripening now and they add different colors to the palette, such as the white baneberry plant with its white and black berries on bright red stems.

White baneberry (Actaea pachypoda), also known as "Dolls eyes", grows beneath a dense forest canopy.

All parts of this plant are poisonous, though one source [Natural Medicinal Herbs] does say it has multiple medicinal uses including "as a stimulant to revive and rally patients at the point of death."  Maybe I'll keep a few berries in  my pocket just in case....

On other walks this week I came across two very large hornet nests.

Bald-faced hornet nest.

One, pointed out by a fellow trail worker (thank you JS!) at the Page Pond Community Forest, had been knocked down on the ground and was devoid of insects which allowed a look at close range.

I walked right by this nest, thinking it was just a rock on the ground.

I was fascinated by the intricate design and construction of the nest, especially the subtle color variations.

This nest was most likely built by bald-faced hornets.  Bald-faced hornets are technically wasps, and they make nests by chewing wood into a pulp with their saliva and forming it into the nest.  I would guess the color variations are due to different types of wood they used as the starting material.

One color you don't want to see is black, at least when it comes from smoke.

Smoke from a barn fire on Chase Road.

We saw this column of black smoke late Wednesday afternoon;  it was reportedly from a barn fire on Chase Rd.  It was quickly extinguished by Meredith fire department with assistance from neighboring stations.  I don't know how extensive the damage was, and I hope there were no human or animal injuries.



If you've been in the forest lately you already know it's a banner year for acorns.

An copious crop of acorns is underfoot this fall.

They are abundant and large this year, and when you're in a garage with a metal roof, focused on your work, and a big one slams onto the roof, it just about gives you a heart attack.  Where are those baneberry berries?

I think the red and orange colors from the maples are at a peak in the Lakes Region right now, with the yellows of beech and oak still in the early stages.  And there are more and more ducks arriving to enjoy the scene, adding their own unique color schemes color to the picture.

A flock of wood ducks paddles among the maples.

Enjoy it now before it all segues into those browns and grays of November.