November 12, 2017 - A Visit from Jack

We finally had our first visit from Jack Frost this week.

Ice formations on a window facing the water

Fractal geometry on display

The first hard freeze of the season occurred November 9th, when the temperature dropped to 24 degrees, covering everything with hoarfrost.

Red or brown, nature is an equal-opportunity employer

Hoarfrost ("hoar" coming from the old English word for "old", presumably because it makes its host look old and gray) forms when humid air comes in contact with an object whose temperature is below the freezing point, thus changing from a vapor to a solid without passing through the liquid phase.  It most often occurs in calm air and is common in the Lakes Region this time of year as warm lakes provide the needed moisture before they freeze over.

Hoarfrost on goldenrod

Water vapor molecules first nucleate directly on an object and then grow, sometimes into long crystalline formations.

These ice crystals grew all night, fed by moisture from the lake

It was late for the first frost, so I looked up the average first-frost date - data for Plymouth was the closest I could find - and the average date there is October 1st.  (This means 50% of the time a frost occurs before that date.  Scientists track multiple frost definitions, the one I'm quoting is for a temperature of 28 degrees; the 32 degree definition occurs about two weeks earlier.)  Meredith is south of Plymouth and moderated by lakes, but even down in Concord the average date is October 3rd, so any way we look at it, we were well over a month later than average.

When Jack did finally arrive, he made his presence known, bringing with him strong squalls on Friday with a touch of snow.

He even caught the birds by surprise as they paddled around the lake trying to find a protected spot in which to hide.

There are ducks hidden in there somewhere

With temperatures well below freezing (it was 18 degrees on Saturday morning) and the strong wind churning up the lakes, I expect water temperatures in New Hampshire lakes have dropped dramatically.

Windswept water froze onto overhanging branches

Jack even painted the first skim of ice on the lake in protected coves and marshes.

More fractal patterns on the surface of the lake

After a long hiatus, I did see one deer this week - just a glimpse, no photo....  I also saw signs of a buck in the neighborhood: bark worn off an aspen tree where the deer rubbed its antlers on the trunk.

Deer rub in the Hamlin Conservation Area

Bucks do this to mark their territory, their antlers placing a scent on the tree, telling both male and female deer that he owns this area.  Its presence here shows the value of clearings like this to wildlife in an area where much of the terrain is mature forest.  You can easily find this rub if you want to see it:  it is right beside the yellow trail in the clearing where the trail splits in two to head up to Crockett's Ledge.  You can see the trail sign at the fork in this picture for reference.

This deer rub is easy to find

Maybe the hunters will have some snow for tracking this year;  it seems like Jack may have decided to stick around now for the season.

Answer to the location of the Meredith Rose from two weeks ago:  It is located on Main Street beside the Meredith Historical Society, across Highland Street from Town Hall.

October 29, 2017 - Some Much Needed Rain

After a very dry stretch New Hampshire received some much needed rain this week - about five inches here in Meredith.  Lake Wicwas immediately rose six inches, and would have been higher if the town hadn't been managing the dam so well.  They had drawn the lake level down a couple of inches before the rain, and they had also pulled out another massive collection of debris stuffed in the dam by the beavers.

Debris stuffed in the dam by beavers and removed by our dedicated town employees

There were four town employees working to clear the mess out to make sure the lake could drain when the rain fell.

The streams filled right up and water in the canal from Lake Waukewan to Winnipesaukee was charging down the falls on Friday.

The Waukewan canal flows out from under the Mill Falls Inn in Meredith

When I was downtown I noticed this sign and rosebush for the first time.

Esther Wyatt is co-author of the book "Way Out There" by Esther and Harold Wyatt

Do any of you who spend time in Meredith know where this is?  I'll reveal the location in a future post if no one identifies it.

The first of the large, diving migratory ducks arrived just yesterday, a Hooded Merganser, emerging out of the fog on the second-coldest morning this season.

A Hooded Merganser - one of my favorites

There should be many more visiting the lakes right through November.

Prior to this week's rain re-filling the rivers there had been lots of action in the birdbath due to all the puddles and small streams running dry.

A chick-a-dee awaits it turn

Tufted titmice taking advantage of clean water before the recent rain fall

Head dunk!

Please!  May I have some privacy?

I also found one deposit of fisher scat on a trail, identifiable by the size, the hair in it, and its twisted shape.

Fisher scat

There is still a nice display of foliage to be seen in the Lakes Region, a few late maples, but mostly oaks now.  I took a run on the Magenta Trail up to Arbutus Hill in the Hamlin-Eames-Symth Conservation Area and was pleased to find nice views of the White Mountains with plenty of color in the foreground.

View from Arbutus Hill in the Smyth Conservation Easement

If you haven't been up there it is definitely worth the four mile round-trip hike, especially this time of year.  On the way home I took this picture of Lake Wicwas right off of Chemung Rd.

An important conserved wetland 

It's great to know that most of the shoreline seen from here will remain in this pristine state due to the great generosity of local land owners, which is especially important in times of high water when wetlands like this provide important water storage.  A few weeks ago there were people out picking wild cranberries in this marsh.

Picking cranberries this fall

These ancient plants will be here for a long time thanks to people's conservation of the land and water.

Can you believe it's almost November and we still haven't had a hard frost?

Linda's flowers are still blooming

Even the tomato plant is still growing, though it's not going to ripen any more fruit

Finally, be warned that the southern-most bridge on the Blue Loop in the Hamlin Conservation Area is out of service, as one of the main support beams has broken.

Damaged bridge on the Four Ponds Loop Trail

The Conservation Commission will repair or replace it as soon as possible, but after five inches of rain, and a nor'easter on the way, be prepared for a rock-hop to cross the stream if you use that trail.