August 16, 2020: In Search of the Elusive Purple Bladderwort

During a changing of the guard at the Wicwas boat ramp, the incoming Lake Host told me of his sighting of purple bladderwort on the lake.  A few weeks ago I wrote about the carnivorous Greater Bladderwort with its delicate yellow flower and its high-speed carnivorous abilities, but I had never seen a purple one.  He told me where he found it, so yesterday I went in search of it, though it took me quite a while as I had a series of distractions along the way.  But after paddling along the section of marshy shore where directed, and just as I thought I had missed it because I was heading back out towards open water, I looked down and there it was.

Purple Bladderwort (Utricularia purpurea)

A large patch of purple bladderwort was there to greet me.  

One interesting bit of research on these aquatic plants indicates that this species of bladderwort may be adapting away from carnivorous to a more mutualistic diet with algae and zooplanton taking up residence in its bladders.  [Ref:  Richards, J.H. (2001), Bladder fundtion in Utricularia purpurea (Lentibulariaceae): Is carnivory important?, American Journal of Botany, 88(1): 170-176] 

So maybe it's now omnivorous rather than strictly carnivorous, but at any rate, it's a pretty flower.  

If you want to see it, paddle gently into the northwest part of the large area of lily pads just north of where the Hamlin conservation area ends - the above picture will help guide you.  Thank you RB for the guidance!  

One of the many distractions along my quest was the large group of loons that has been on the lake for days now.

An asylum of seven loons (note the line of geese in the far distance).

Many people have reported sightings of this asylum, which numbered as many as eight one day as they sailed in formation past our house.

It's not uncommon at this time of year for loons that don't have chicks to travel together, visiting different lakes.  Perhaps they're looking for possible new homes, or just doing some summer sight-seeing.

Another distraction was this osprey which was doing its morning preening high in a tree on a small island in the north end of the lake.

Those talons will come into play in a few minutes.

A couple of Great Blue Heron also slowed me down, one also enjoying the bladderwort while fishing, the other creeping along the shoreline, probably in search of frogs.

Later the same day my brother took this video of possibly the same bird walking through the forest at my parents cottage.  I do marvel at their leg mechanics.  Thanks for sharing Glen!

Yet another distraction was a herd of four deer that went bounding through the forest as I paddled by - an impressive sight on a quiet morning.  Later, as I drifted quietly, I saw two of them go dashing by me again.  They were both young fawns, chasing each other back and forth through the woods, having a grand time, running, making high leaps over trees and bushes.  For a moment one of them stopped to munch on some leaves just long enough for me to take one quick picture before its sibling (or friend) came dashing by, and the two were off again.  

My final, though actually the first distraction, was simply the sunrise.

This post has already gone on too long, but I must share one more nature moment.  Last night we were out enjoying the sunset, as were many others, and we saw at least two osprey out looking for their dinner.  We watched one make an unsuccessful dive into the water, then circle back around for a second try, also apparently unsuccessful, because it then came back for yet a third attempt, and this time, a hit.  

Circling around for pass number three.

Grappling hooks deployed.

Contact!

Got it.

And we're off.

A quick shake to reduce ballast.

And, dinner time!

Sorry for the long post, but that was too much fun not to share.  All in all, another captivating day on the New Hampshire lakes.

August 2, 2015 - A Curious Fawn

On June 14 I noted that someone had seen a fawn on the edges of Lake Wicwas, and I have been hoping to find it ever since.  This morning, I would have to say, it found me.

I was walking up a trail about 100 feet from the lake when I saw a brown form through the trees just around a bend in the trail.  I froze, and to my surprise, after a quick pause, a young deer began walking right towards me.

It was clearly cautious, and uncertain as to what it was looking at, but it had not yet been habituated to turn and run at the sight of large foreign object.  (When it was a new born, it did know to lie perfectly motionless when it detected another animal.)  Instead, it walked slowly towards me until it was perhaps 40 feet away,

and then walked off the trail to take a detour around me, as it I was blocking its path.

Just prior to seeing the fawn I had heard a sound in the woods that I thought was a deer, but I couldn't see it - it was walking off deeper into the woods, so I continued on my way.  I expect that was the doe, and the fawn knew its mother was behind me and wanted to get to the safety of mother.  I have no doubt that mom was close by in the woods watching the whole scene unfold, and I wouldn't want to be in junior's hooves when it gets back to mom.  I expect Bambi will get a good scolding when they reunite.

Just as Bambi was right next to me, she (I have no idea whether it's a girl or a boy) decided she didn't want to go by after all, turned around, and headed back up the path in the direction from which she came.

She took several good long looks back over her shoulder at me before finally walking off in the woods.  I continued on my way, knowing that mom and fawn would soon be together.

This video clip shows just how unconcerned she was.

The fawn at this point is six to seven weeks old and its spots are still clearly visible, but they are starting to fade. All told, the encounter lasted for six minutes - six minutes of total stress for mother deer I'm sure!


Many of the young animals around Lake Wicwas are starting to venture out farther from their parents, learning to forage or hunt for themselves, and like all adolescents, they are proficient at giving their parents gray hair.  If you were at the Lake Wicwas Association annual meeting this past Saturday, you heard Marge Thorpe recount a story about the loon chicks diving under the water when the parents were down fishing.  When the parents came up and saw their chicks gone, they gave the most awful sound Marge had ever heard a loon produce.  When the chicks popped back up on the surface, mom, though relieved, went and gave them quite the scolding - while dad just shook his head.

But soon, all the Wicwas parents - loons, deer, scarlet tangers, osprey - they will all watch their young grow up quickly and learn to fly off and fend for themselves.

If you missed the annual Lake Wicwas Association meeting, the presentation "The Loons of Wicwas" can be seen by clicking here, and the minutes of the meeting will be posted on the LWA website in a few days.  Until then, keep your eye out for Bambi !

June 14, 2015

Early summer is a time of new life around Lake Wicwas.  Many of our local inhabitants are either already raising their young or preparing for their imminent arrival - I just learned that someone on the lake saw a tiny, spindly-legged fawn, probably only a day or two old.  I hope I'll get to see it too (this picture is from two years ago). 

Fawn, June 19, 2013

The loons have selected a nesting site for the year - you won't be able to miss it if you are out on the lake as it's on an island right in the middle of the lake and the Loon Preservation Committee has marked it clearly with signs and a buoy line. 

Like any house, it's all about location, and there's always a tradeoff.  This site far from the main land is well protected from predators, but is more susceptible to boat wakes and human activity.  The lake level has been quite stable this spring, which is good news for loon nesting - if we are careful with our lake activities we should have new loon chicks in late June or early July.

Other water fowl have an earlier schedule.  I have seen both duck chicks and Canada Goose chicks on the lake.  The later are already quite good size.

Canada Goose chicks are growing rapidly

Look at those tiny wings!

Have you ever seen bare green stalks sticking up out of the water?  Pickerel-weed that have had their arrowheads removed?  Well, here's evidence of one of the culprits.

Pruning the lake foliage

Smaller birds are also actively caring for their young.  I have seen the chick-a-dees plucking nice juicy green worms off the leaves and bringing them into the bird house, and the phoebes are doing the same with insects. 

Phoebee

I heard loud raucous baby birds high up in a tree on one walk, and within seconds mother or father downy woodpecker was right there above me making a tremendous racket to distract me and draw me away from the nest. 

I looked for a moment to see if I could find the nest, but it was high up in the trees, well hidden, and mom or dad was so upset I went quickly on my way.

I also continue to see lots of beaver activity all around the lake, including two recently enlarged lodges. 

Expanded beaver lodge near Chemung Rd

Beaver birth their kits this time of year, so they have been preparing for a larger family.  Up to a dozen beaver may live in one lodge, though when a family approaches this size they usually build a second home.   Beavers have tight-knit families, with offspring less than two years old helping the parents feed the new kits as well as maintain the lodge, though soon after that age they are sent off to live on their own.  I've never seen a tiny beaver, so perhaps they stay in the the lodge until they are rather large.  Being so active I've had great opportunities to see them up close this spring.

Bringing in another branch for the lodge

The population of Lake Wicwas is on the upswing - let's hope a new loon will be added to the neighborhood!

June 16, 2013

Success!  This week I was able to catch the fawn that Linda saw last week (at least we assume it's the same one) and its mother.  They came by in mid-morning, and the fawn has grown dramatically in just one week.

White Tail Fawn

White Tail Deer - Doe

We also had several more visits by the gray and red fox, though all these visits were in the night.  I got one picture of the red fox that shows that its winter coat is just about gone, exposing its black feet.

Red Fox in Summer Clothing

At the other end of the animal spectrum are the dragon flies which hatched out a few weeks ago and are highly abundant at this point.  Coming across a sunny spot there will be dozens of them that alight and buzz around you as you pass by.  One of the more prevalent species is this model with white on the center of its abdomen and clear wings.

Unidentified Dragon Fly

The best I can determine is that it looks like a Scarce Chaser (Libellula fulva).  But I can only find evidence of this dragon fly living in Europe, so I doubt that's correct - I'll have to keep searching.

An interesting bug I did identify is one of those animals that has a very descriptive name:  It's a Six Spotted Green Tiger Beetle:

Six Spotted Green Tiger Beetle (Cicindela sexguttata)

These are beautiful metallic green and really sparkle in the sun.  They like sunny locations and consume various insects including caterpillars.  I hope they like Gypsy Moth caterpillars, as there are quite a few of them around this year.  Perhaps you've seen them:

Gypsy Moth Caterpillar

They are quite pretty even if they are destructive.

We took my father (and mother!) up to Sugar Hill today to see the mountains and the Lupine - it was a pretty day, and we made it back to Lake Wicwas for a BBQ well before the rain started.

Looking Northeast from the Inspiration Walk at Sugar Hill

Lupine at Sugar Hill

Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there!