April 16, 2023: Ice out and Spring In

Everything happened so quickly this week that there's way too much to discuss, so this entry will pretty much be a recording of events for the journal followed by a few notes about the mergansers which have been so plentiful and entertaining.  

Many of the spring birds arrived - here's what I observed for the first time this year:

• Northern Flicker
• Pine Warbler
• Blue-headed Vireo
• Swamp Sparrow
• Hermit Thrush
• Golden-crowned Kinglet
• Wood Duck
• Common Loon
• American Robin

Robins of course are here year 'round, living off fruit in the winter, but I rarely see them in the cold months.  Now that it's spring, they're here and hopping all over the ground listening for insects and worms in the soft soil.

Tuning in on lunch down underground.

The Pine Warblers are usually the first of warbler family to arrive and they have a loud distinctive call so you know when they're here.  Much more subtle and absolutely beautiful - perhaps the most eloquent of all the bird songs - is the Hermit Thrush.  Their song in the early morning is one of the most satisfying sounds of summer.  Another distinctive song is that of the wood frog which I heard for the first time this week, dozens of male wood frogs singing their hearts out looking for a mate.  Scientists say males congregate in a single vernal pool so they have a better chance of attracting females to their pool due to the loud sound.  Then each frog has to perform solo to gain the favor of an arriving female.  [Ref:  Discover Magazine]

The first report of a loon on Wicwas was on April 9th, and the following day a pair was observed.  I went for a paddle on Thursday but I wasn't able to find them.  So far there have only been reports of one pair on the lake.

There were also eagles on the lake this week;  I went looking for what was causing a traumatic call from the loons, and there was the eagle soaring overhead.

This was an immature bald eagle.  I also saw a mature eagle which landed in one of the pine trees where eagles roosted over the deer kill this winter.

Could it be looking for a nesting site?  

The loons' arrival on Sunday preceded ice-out on Wicwas by three days; ice-out was called on Wednesday April 12, right in line with the average ice-out day.  Ice-out came quickly with the warm and windy weather.  (We hit 86 degrees this week.)  

On Tuesday there was still a lot of ice in the lake.

Intrepid fisher people on Tuesday, April 11.

By Wednesday it was essentially gone, with only remnants blown onto the boat ramp by the strong northwest wind.

Ice-out was declared on Wednesday, April 12

Even with an average ice-out date, the late ice-in date of December 25th meant a lower than usual ice-coverage period of 108 days, quite a bit short of the 123 day average.

Now a few comments on the mergansers.  There have been multiple groups of them on the lake, numbering perhaps two dozen in total.  

Common mergansers socializing.

They've been interacting quite actively, though their intent isn't always clear.  When there are three or four males and one female I assume the drakes (males) are vying for the affection of the hen. 

Four drakes, one hen.

Other times a male is chasing away another male which also makes sense.  But sometimes a female is chasing away another female - does that mean she has selected a mate and doesn't want another girl to move in on her chosen one? 

When they've had enough action they'll climb up on the ice to preen and rest.  

The Lakes Region is right on the edge of common mergansers' breeding zone, so most of these are migrants on their way to their primary breeding area in Canada.  Too bad, because they are such pretty birds.

And it's fun to watch them dive, as they put their heads down and flip up their tails.

When one group of them was close I captured a bit of their antics, which you can watch here:

80 degrees with flowers blooming and warblers singing doesn't mean that winter sports are over.  There's still skiing to be had on Mount Washington!

The scene in Mount Washington's Tuckerman Ravine on Friday, April 14th.

It's the time of many seasons all-at-once here in New Hampshire.

 

July 3, 2022: High Altitude Wildflowers

A beautiful stretch of fine weather graced a visit north of the notches this week.  Though it was cool at night the days were bright and clear with a rare cloud-free four days in a row at the summit of Mount Washington.

Looking north down Great Gulf with Mts. Jefferson, Adams, and Madison towering above.

On a hike in the northern Presidentials I spent a fair amount of time relishing the unique wildflowers growing in that harsh alpine ecosystem, and then even more time with the field guide trying to identify them.  Some, such as Diapensia I should have known.

Diapensia (Diapensia lapponica) at 5600' on Mt. Washington.

This alpine plant grows only a few inches high and was just starting to boom.  

Another alpine flower I saw was the mountain avens.  

Mountain avens (Geum peckii) at 5400' on Mt. Clay.  (Accompanied by bunchberry.)

This plant is found only in the White Mountains in New Hampshire and on a single tiny island off the cost of Nova Scotia, Brier Island.    Although the leaves remain close to the ground, the flowers are on stems a couple of inches high which allows them to track the sun as it traverses the summer sky.  There are eight other species of avens in North America but this is the only one that grows above the tree line.  [Ref:  US Forest Service]

Next is the Labrador tea, a member of the rhododendron family.

Labrador tea (Rhododendron tomentosum) at 5100' on Mt. Clay.

This low-growing shrub is found in many areas above and below tree line in the white mountains, and as its name suggests, it has been used by native Americans for centuries to make tea as well as medicines to treat a number of ailments.  [Ref:  Adirondacks Forever Wild]  According to Adirondacks Forever Wild:

Native Americans made extensive use of Labrador Tea to treat a wide variety of ailments, including asthma, rheumatism, burns, and diseases of the liver and kidney. For instance, the Algonquin reportedly used an infusion of the plant for headaches and colds. The Chippewa used a powder containing powdered root to apply to burns and ulcers. The Cree used an infusion of the flowers for insect sting pain and rheumatism; they used a poultice of leaves to apply to wounds. The Oweekeno used an infusion of leaves as a remedy for a sore throat.

There were also many bluets lining the path along the Gulfside Trail.

Bluets on the left and the much larger false hellebore on the right side of the Gulfside Trail.

Another excursion in the Mount Washington area took us along the Presidential Rail trail to Cherry Pond where we found, believe it or not, loons!   And this pair of loons is well ahead of our Wicwas pairs, already having a chick hatched which is old enough to have molted at least once, replacing its dark brown baby feathers with lighter-colored plumage.

The loon pair on Cherry Pond in Jefferson.

They apparently have only one chick so it's getting all the food the parents collect, fueling its rapid growth.

  

Back on Wicwas there's not much to report on our loons as they patiently wait for their eggs to hatch, sharing duty on the nest.  I did see the male of the northern nest off-duty at one point, and he kindly exposed his leg band to prove his identity.

"Yes, it's me."

I had to spend more time with the field books looking up plants I saw in the marshes around the lake, one of which I recognized as having the characteristics of a carnivorous plant;  I need to read more about this one for a future journal entry.  

Round-leaved Sundew (Drosera rotundifolia) -  a carnivorous plant worthy of further study.

While we were away I set my trail camera along the road to see who visited while we were gone and there were a couple of large creatures that passed by.

Papa bear in full daylight.  (Especially for you, Stephanie!)

And mama deer cruising the road at night.

Based on the appearance of this doe I wouldn't be surprised if there were a fawn following along behind her.  She had better keep a close eye out for last week's bobcat!

It's also turtle season - keep a watch out for mother turtles crossing the road to find a sandy spot to bury her eggs.

Mrs. Painted Turtle laying her eggs.

Loon chicks, fawns, turtle eggs - early summer is a time of birth.  I'll end with one more look at the Rock Pile on the birth of a new day.

Mount Washington greets a new day on July first.

Happy Fourth of July - I hope you enjoy a warm and safe weekend!