March 31, 2013

Those of us who are fortunate enough to spend at least some of our time in the New Hampshire Lakes Region, and Lake Wicwas in particular, know what a magical domain this is.  This has no doubt been recognized, consciously and unconsciously, for thousands of years.  Certainly the native Americans appreciated the beauty and bounty of the region, but even before them, other creatures found a welcoming home here.  Even those that couldn't survive the cold winter months traveled many miles each spring and fall to spend the summer here.  We still have a lot in common with that ancient time.

When the local weather gets out synch with the global weather and astronomical timing however, animals may arrive a bit before the lake is really ready for them, and this is one of those years.  There is a tiny bit of open water at the inlet from Dolloff Brook, and there we saw a Great Blue Heron poking in the mud looking for nourishment (not seen in this picture).

Inlet from Dolloff Brook

There is also a small - but slowly expanding - river of open water near the dam, and that has become the assembly point for the growing flock of Canada Geese. 

The Geese Have Arrived

 

They do sometimes march out across the ice like an army searching for a more hospitable homeland.

They are typically the first arriving water birds, often dropping in when there is still some ice left on the lake, but this year they must be wondering what's going on.  I measured 15 inches of ice in our cove, and a skier we met on the lake reported that a fisherman told him he found the ice to be between 15 and 30 inches thick.  Where I took my measurement, the top seven inches is soft ice, but there's still a good eight inches of hard, clear ice below.  Those geese are going to have cold feet for quite a while!

Cold Feet

We also saw a large light-colored owl, but that may be a winter resident.  A definite winter resident came and visited us this week:

Red Fox

A flash of red caught my attention as this fox took a run at one of the many squirrels in the yard.  It missed its target, so went and prowled in the snow looking for mice.  It circled back and investigated all the squirrel holes in the snow under and around the bird feeders.

It then rested a bit, scratched its chin, and then headed down the the lake, trotting along the shoreline looking for another unsuspecting squirrel to bring home to its family. 

It's striking when I think about the breadth of life - up and down the food chain - that one benefits by proving a few seeds intended for the birds:  from mice and voles to fox, coyotes, owls and hawks.

The weather is making for a productive maple sugar season this year, in contrast to last year's 80 degree March tempertures.  The sap is flowing, and both of Lake Wicwas' sugar shacks are boiling.

Sugar Shack Boiling on Chemung Road

Cooking on Route 104

It's great to see Meredith residents preserving the traditional methods of farming maple syrup.  Today, large manufacturers use reverse-osmosis equipment to separate the sugar from the sap.  Analysis has shown that some of the flavor compounds are affected by this process.  They are also using vacuum equipment to suck greater amounts of sap out of the trees, though they claim it doesn't harm the trees. 

One of the local houses said this will be the last week of collecting, and then they'll just be evaporating for a while, so it's nearing the end.  So be sure to stop in a get a quart of the authentic product, so you'll be ready to pour some Lake Wicwas Maple Syrup on those Lake Wicwas Blueberry Pancakes come July!  It will get here!

Happy Easter!

September 23, 2012

The autumnal equinox has passed, which means we, the residents of the northern hemisphere, have passed the sun back to our friends down under.  For the next three months our days will get shorter and cooler as the sun sinks lower in the sky.  But this week was still warm enough for many people to be out enjoying Lake Wicwas.  And not only people.  On a late afternoon paddle I saw many turtles sunning themselves on logs as they soak up the last of the summer sunshine.  There were four of them lined up perfectly on this sunning spot, but two of them were camera shy and slipped under the water before they could captured by the paparazzi.

Other animals I saw on the trip included heron, a hawk, and lots of geese.  I did not see the osprey or the loons, but I did hear the latter.  I also heard a barred owl hooting early one morning before dawn. The same morning there were two deer in the yard.

I came across this large mound of weeds and aquatic foliage on the shore of the lake.  I'm not sure what creature is building it, or what the purpose is.  My best guess is either a muskrat or a beaver, perhaps starting a new lodge?  I'll have to keep an eye on it and see what happens.

I did not see a lot of other activity this week, but here's a sampling of some of the more interesting mushrooms I've seen over the past couple of weeks.

A New Crop

Emerging from the Forest Floor

Destroying Angel

Indian Pipe

Emerging Fly Amanita

Fully Open, 7 inches Across

 

 

Lunch for Chipmunks

With just a touch of fall color starting in the lakes region, the brightest foliage is found in the red maples that grow in the low wetlands and marshes around the lake.  The blueberries are also starting to turn.

Every day now they're turning a bit more....

April 22, 2012

Even without rain the water level started to rise this week as soon as a board was replaced in the dam, showing there is still water flowing into Lake Wicwas.  It should continue to come up with rain today and more forecast for tomorrow.  Before the rain started, we were treated to some beautiful June weather in April - the temperature reached 91 degrees this past Monday.  It was rather disorienting yesterday, looking out over the lake with sun shinning, leaves starting to come out on the trees - and Linda taking a quick swim after working in the yard - and thinking that last year, on the same day, there was still ice on the lake.  Last year on April 17 there was a foot of ice in some places, and I was standing on it drilling a hole!  This is what the lake looked like last year on April 22.

April 22, 2011

The world around the lake continues to come alive with the early trees pushing out the first leaves, and the first blooms appearing on the shadbush. 

Red Maple

Downy Serviceberry (Shadbush)

The small wildflowers are becoming more numerous, with violets joining the arbutus. 

Trailing Arbutus

Common Blue Violet

Squirrels are enjoying the fresh fruit on the larger hardwoods.  They scamper high up in the trees, leap boldly from one to another, and climb far out onto the skinny, springy, branches to munch on the swelling buds before they burst into leaf.

Of course, with spring come insects, and the black flies have also made their presence known. 
Ants are also out and crawling around, and although the birds are feasting on the new food source, they are not too proud to take a free hand out from the bird feeders too. 

Downy Woodpecker

One of the treats of warm weather is having the windows open which allows so much more of nature to enter one's life.  For the first time in quite a while we heard a barred owl hooting in the afternoon.  And last night, two of them woke us up calling to each other.  And the ever satisfying treat of hearing the loons call in the middle of the night has returned.  We also heard loud rustling in the dry leaves in the woods one afternoon.  Searching for the source revealed a turkey looking for food amongst the leaves - something we wouldn't have known in cooler weather with the world locked outside.

With the rain this week, I expect there will be even more spring activity in the coming days.