June 19, 2022: Loon Killed and Breakfast by Airmail

Note:  This journal entry contains some unsettling news and pictures that may be disturbing to some readers.

It's tough out there in the world of nature.  

An osprey returns to the nest with breakfast for the family.

Fish are hunted by creatures large and small, from birds to bears to otters to tiny leeches and even other fish.  But even animals near the top of the food chain must always be vigilant.  If a bald eagle saw this osprey with a fish in its talons it wouldn't hesitate to swoop right in and steal that fish, and the osprey wouldn't even try to fight, it would just go off and catch another.

Osprey in flight.

Nature's harshness isn't just about food however.  Territorial battles can be just as deadly and many animals will fight to defend their turf.  Unfortunately Lake Wicwas was the location of a fatal territorial fight this week; this is the part of the story where it gets difficult.  Early in the week Gordon Loud sent me an email with the ominous subject "Dead Loon" along with a picture that left no doubt about it.

I headed out to try to collect the bird for the Loon Preservation Committee to study to determine the cause of death.  I picked up able-assistant Michael Marion on the way, and Gordan's directions along with the known wind direction led us right to the bird before the scavengers (snapping turtles, racoons, etc.) got to it.  There was great trepidation on my part wondering if it was going to be one of our banded loons; there has been a great deal of loud fighting on the lake this past week.  Of course, the loon could have died from lead poisoning or from being hit by a boat, but as soon as the loon was lifted from the water the cause of death was immediately apparent, and even somewhat relieving:  it was clearly killed by another loon, and it was not a banded bird.

A clear cause of death.

A single stab wound right through the sternum is the way one loon kills another - a four-inch spear accurately placed in the abdomen from below.  That's why we'll see multiple loons swimming around each other constantly dipping their heads under water to make sure an attack isn't coming from below.  I'll guess it's also why when one dives, they all dive.  The LPC will perform a necropsy and test for lead poisoning which could have weakened the bird, but I think we know the immediate cause of death.

There have been at least five loons on the lake lately and a lot of loud arguments have been heard.  The local LPC biologist was out on the lake again (before this attack) and she had sent me this observation:

"There was a heated territory dispute near the center of the lake between the two established pairs and an intruding loon. It lasted for nearly an hour, but in the end, the pairs returned to their respective territories and the intruder left the area."

Since the kill I have seen one pair in the north end of the lake, and Keith and Shayne Duggan have seen the Harris Cove pair still working on a nest on the island in that cove.  Of course we'll never know, but I think the facts point towards the dead loon being a rogue that one of the pairs finally got tired of being harassed by, and decided to take it out once and for all.  Knowing it died by natural causes helps a little but it's still difficult to see such a beatiful creature meet its demise.

As I said, it's a harsh world out there.  But there are reasons to be hopeful:  There are still two pairs on the lake and both continue to show signs they intend to nest.  So on a happier note, let's enjoy the beauty of summer in New Hampshire.

Daisies are having a great year.

Spiderwort or Asiatic dayflower (Commelina communis)

I just recently learned that spiderwort is considered an invasive species in some areas, though I didn't find it on any New Hampshire invasive species list.

Belted Kingfisher on Turtle Island - the first I've seen at Wicwas.

And it was peacefully sharing the tree with a dove.

A mourning dove and a kingfisher share a white pine.

Sheep Laurel (Kalmia angustifolia)

Amidst all this beauty I remain optimistic about our loons' nesting efforts and that we'll have father loons to celebrate later this summer.  Until then, happy Father's Day to all fathers!

June 21, 2020: Summer Flowers are Here

Happy Fathers Day to all the dads out there! 

The summer heat arrived just in time for Father's Day, and the summer flowers are loving it; they're expressing themselves with brilliant colors from all corners of the spectrum.  I will let them speak for themselves.

Orange Hawkweed (Hieracium aurantiacum)

And the yellow variety (Hieracium caespitosum)

Tiger Swallowtail (Papilio glaucus) on Linda's Lobelia (not wild)

Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis)

Daises and Lupines

Oxeye Daisey (Leucanthemum vulgare)

Ohio Spiderwort (Tradescantia ohiensis)

 

Not wild, but pretty

Sheep Laurel (Kalmia angustifolia)

Lupine (Lupinus)

With a customer

Mapleleaf viburnum (Viburnum acerifolium)

I'll mention one concern about the heat:  the loons.  The Bryant Island nest is completely exposed to the sun all day long, and with clear, hot days one after another the loons have had no relief for days on end.  On top of that, with yesterday being the solstice, there's 15 and half hours of sun beating on them each day. The Harris Cove nest has a much better site with a good covering of bushes, but even they must be suffering.   It will be a remarkable parenting effort if either pair can keep their eggs cool enough to be viable.  We'll know in a couple more weeks.  

Until then, dads, granddads, and everyone, know that we are thinking of you even if we can't be with you, and take the time to smell the flowers.

June 24, 2018 - Welcoming Party

Someone recently commented to me that they have seen a lot sheep laurel around the lake this year.

Sheep Laurel (Kalmia angustifolia)

Sheep laurel is a low-growing shrub with a delicate pink blossom that blooms over several weeks depending on light and water conditions;  you most often see it along shore lines and among blueberry bushes.

Sheep laurel is often seen along the shoreline

The flowers measure about a half an inch across

What I didn't know about this plant until Linda saw a post by the Society for the Protection of NH Forests, is that sheep laurel has evolved an unusual defense mechanism to fight off both plants and animals that might like to attack it.  The most unusual trait is called "allelopathic", which means its roots give off chemicals that inhibit the growth of other plants, especially conifers.  [Ref:  New England Wildflower Society]  That seems like a pretty good way to keep away competitors for light and water.  It is also poisonous to livestock including sheep and cattle, thus the source of its common name of "lambkill", and another good survival trait.

Sheep laurel is a particular problem for blueberry fields, as it has stronger rhizomes and sprouts faster than blueberries; it has to be actively managed in commercial blueberry fields.  [Ref:  US Department of Agriculture]

Sheep laurel growing amidst blueberries

Early one morning this week I took a long walk along the lake and through the woods; it was a beautiful, peaceful morning with birds singing all the way, including a rose-breasted gross beak in a thicket beside a field, which I rarely see, and even then far too deep in the branches to get more than a glimpse of it.  I saw no other creatures on the whole long walk.  Until that is, I came right back to my own yard, where I found someone waiting to greet me.

Just lumbering along, looking for breakfast

Mr. Bear was wandering down the road, and I noticed him (I don't really know if it was a him or a her, but there were no cubs) far enough away to watch for a minute.  But as it approached the house I decided it was time for him to skedaddle.  All it took was for me to make a little noise, and it quickly took notice of me - bears have much better ears (and noses) than eyes.

Then just a little motion on my part, and he high-tailed it out of there!

On the retreat

But look at the size of those feet. 

And you certainly wouldn't want to tangle with those claws.

Large claws.  Big ears too.

Bears are omnivores and will wander all day, consuming anything they come across, from berries to bees to carrion.  Which brings me to turtle eggs, which they will also gladly consume.  Has anyone found holes dug in sand or soft soil near the water?  I saw that much of the bare ground on Smith Island was dug up and looking rather like a mine field. 

A reptilian moonscape

Here is the likely culprit, courtesy of the eye and camera of Amy Wilson:

A sunning snapping turtle.  Photo by Amy Wilson

A big mama, but she sure isn't digging any holes to lay eggs on that rock!

Finally, a loon update:  At last report, there are still two nests with an unknown number of eggs being incubated.

June 21, 2015

The sights and sounds of the Lakes Region this week were those of chrome and the thrum of the V-twin as the annual migration of motorbikes passed through the area.

Meredith, and the Harley-Davidson dealer is a key attraction for the herd.

The Laconia motorcycle rally is the third largest in the country, behind Sturgis and Daytona, though it's older than both of them, dating from 1924.  It attracts riders from all parts of the country and a wide variety of mechanical machines.  I had to drive to Center Harbor on Saturday, so I stopped to catch a few sights. 

Back home away from the highways it was much more peaceful;  the gentle brush of a butterfly is somehow a bit more relaxing.  I noted a couple of weeks ago that the summer wildflowers were blooming, and this has drawn the butterflies to their summer homes.

White Admiral (Limenitis arthemis)

This White Admiral butterfly started with the daisies;  I was surprised when it set down on a hemlock tree.

I thought it was just resting for a moment, but then it unfurled its proboscis and started to suck some sort of tree nectar from the where the needles attach to the branches.

Rolling out its proboscis

It sat in one spot and reached here and there with its feeding tube to tap into whatever tiny drops of sustenance it could find.

A few of the wetland flowers around Lake Wicwas are still blooming as well;  these may be visited by bees, but I haven't noticed butterflies on them.

Larger Blue Flag

Sheep Laurel

If you take a trip around the shores of the local lake you are bound to see these two flowers (the Blue Flag grows mostly in marshy areas).

On a run through the Hamlin-Eames-Smyth conservation easement I met up with the Meredith Conservation Commission "Tuesday Trail Crew" maintaining the trails again.  This time they were cutting back the eager young trees - mostly maple and witch hazel - that continually push new branches out into the trail in search of sunlight.  They were also doing bridge maintenance, and addressing any other items in need of attention.

Jim Gregoire and Don MacFarlane of the Meredith Conservation Commission "Tuesday Trail Crew"

We can't thank these great volunteers enough for all they do to protect this valuable resource and make it accessible to all of us.  They are always looking for more volunteers to help out;  you can contact them at Conservation@Meredithnh.org if you would like to help.  Here is just one of the hundreds of creatures you will find if you visit these trails.

Eastern Newt (Red Eft phase)

On Saturday evening if you were outside with a view to the west you were treated to neat coalescence of three astronomical bodies:  Jupiter, Venus, and the moon.

Jupiter is upper-most of the three.  I savored the cosmic display while being serenaded by the tender drone of the V-twin Harley.