January 12, 2025: Shannon Brook In Winter

Remembering that we had 50 degrees and an inch of rain just before this cold spell made me think the rivers would be flowing well enough to create some good ice formations, so I took a trip over to Shannon Brook which drains the Ossipee Mountains at Castle in the Clouds.  I wasn't disappointed - Shannon Brook was flowing well and had sculpted some impressive ice formations.  

Shannon Brook in the Ossipee Mountains.

Where the river flowed over gentle terrain the ice had completely hidden the rushing water below. 

Openings in the ice showed where multiple layers had frozen; first at one level, then as the stream dropped, it froze again a couple of inches below the prior layer.

Note how over time, the edges of the top layer have softened
relative to the lower layer of the cake.

The largest of the waterfalls was completely hidden by thick ice with only glimpses of water through some gaps.

One can hike the Brook Walk from either the top or the bottom of the trail, but I like to start at the top, saving the tallest waterfall, the "Fall of Song", for last. 

The Fall of Song.

The Fall of Song is too tall to capture in one photo; here's a video from top to bottom:

After walking the Brook Trail I took a hike up the Turtleback Mountain Trail to the Faraway Mountain Trail and was dismayed that even at that elevation there was no snow on the mountain.  I did come across an artistically rendered frozen puddle beside the Turtleback Mountain Trail though.

With no snow on the ground there hasn't been any tracking of animals to see who's been roaming over the lake.  But we have had frequent visits from the Red-bellied Woodpecker, including a pair at one point, the first time I've seen two Red-bellieds together.

A Red-bellied Woodpecker extracts a chunk of suet from the feeder.

The lack of snow did allow a long stretch of some fabulous skating on the lake.

Then yesterday we received an inch of snow, which wasn't enough to ski on but it will be enough to hunt for animal tracks, and it did make the world look like winter again.  People out enjoying their winter activities this weekend will feel right at home.

An ice fisherman plies his trade during the snowstorm.

It looks like the cold weather will hang around long enough that we'll be able hold the big winter events on Meredith Bay this year.  Pond Hockey is first, coming up in just three weeks!

December 22, 2024: Winter Solstice '24

The first day of winter sure came in with a bang, bringing the coldest temperatures of the year, with last night dropping down to 4 degrees Fahrenheit.  But we sure have been on the New Hampshire weather roller coaster, as it was 51 degrees on Tuesday.  All combined, the lake still hasn't frozen over.  But before the warm up we got in some good skating on the coves.

This time of year, before snow covers the lake, there are always interesting phenomena to see, such as these black holes with spider veins, perhaps caused by melt water seeking out low spots in the ice to drain down into the lake.

After the warm-up, melt water on the surface of the ice turned parts of the lake into a mirror.

Too bad we didn't get a flash freeze before more snow fell on what would have been an impeccable skating surface.

⛸

During the warm spell the bears came back out for one last forage for food - I hope.

A nice Black Bear pawprint in soft snow.

But with the cold back, the birdfeeders are once again out and open for business, and they're getting a lot of action now!

I still struggle with Downy versus Hairy, but I think this is a Hairy Woodpecker based on the large beak and lack of spots on the tail feathers

I found something unexpected on top of the snow one day:

Might this be a baby snapper shell?

What animal came up with this small turtle to snack on?  Probabably a mink or an otter.  

I had an incredibly fortunate encounter on the trails this week, and as a result, we're all treated to a rare opportunity to experience Lake Wicwas from a new perspective.  I was on a winter run on Wednesday in the Hamlin Town Forest, and as I approached Crockett's Ledge heading south from the White Mountain Ledge, I heard the unmistakable buzz of a drone.  (Insert jokes about New Jersey here ;-) 

As I came onto the open ledge I found operator Bruce Bouley, his drone hovering overhead.  I stopped to talk and I learned that it's his brother that has a house on Loon Point Road, and he's quite familiar with the area.  I asked if he would send me some pictures, and he told me he would post a video on his YouTube channel.  Yesterday I found the video which you can watch below.  It's really neat - you can see exactly the size and location of the open water on Wednesday, as well as narrow channels of water in the ice and many large ice patterns.  See how many of the houses, islands, coves, and wetlands you can recognize!  

Thank you Bruce for that fantastic opportunity to experience Wicwas and its surroundings from above!  

Later in the week there was still open water.  I didn't get out early this morning to see if the lake finished freezing over, but it probably didn't even with the cold temperature last night due to the strong northwest wind that was blowing across the open area (that's why it's often the last place to freeze).  But I'm guessing once the winds die down it will be the end of a liquid Wicwas.  I just hope the loon that's been observed multiple times over the past two weeks gets the hint and heads out in time.  But someone is watching it, and he's been in touch with the Loon Preservation Center, so they're prepared for a rescue if necessary.  I hope to be able to provide an update on both topics next week.

Until then, with the shortest day of the year now behind us, may the warmth of the intensifying sun's rays shine upon you!

Merry Christmas!

December 15, 2024: A Whole New World

It was last December when I first noticed that beavers were constructing a new dam on the stream that flows out of the Hamlin Town Forest on the west side of Lake Wicwas (A Pond is Born, December 31, 2023).  At that point the beavers had already raised the water level by more than a foot.

Dec 2023:  Note the height of the rocks at the end of the stone wall entering the pond from the right.

Over the course of the past year I stopped by regularly to observe the changes the beavers were making to the area.  Come April, not much had changed other than a repair to the area that was overflowing on the left side of the dam in December.

The repair had brought the water level back up a few inches.

By June the beavers had made significant improvements to the dam, raising it and extending to the left enough to raise the water another six inches, which enlarged the pond significantly.

Note the stone wall now - only the last two stones are visible.

My next observation was in August:

August

Not much had changed other than lots of plant growth.  It was a fairly dry summer, so without much rain the water level wasn't at the top of their dam so they had little interest in raising it.

The last two rocks indicate a water level similar to June.

In October, with leaves off the trees, more of the pond was visible and I could see how large it had become.  

As the pond expanded, it flooded the roots of nearby trees resulting in their demise as shown buy the brown needles on the White Pines:

The trees on what is now an island died in less than a year.

When you see tall dead trees in the middle of a wet meadow you can be pretty confident the area was once a beaver pond - and may well be again in the future.

We remained very dry through November so the dam didn't need much attention, which gave the beavers time to work on gathering food and fortifying their lodge for winter. 

They built their lodge against a large boulder that is now an island.

And they cut down and brought out to their lodge enough trees for their entire winter food supply.  

That collection of branches in the water by the lodge is their winter pantry.

Where did all the building materials and foodstuff come from?

Here's the answer.

Larger trees were also felled and all the branches taken off and stuck in the mud beside the lodge.

There's not much left on the southwest side of the pond.

A year and a half ago this pond was just a wet meadow with a stream running through it.

My most recent visit was this past Thursday, after we received 2.7" of rain.  

Now the water level has risen and breached the top of the dam.

They've probably already been out to repair it - I'll know at my next visit.  One more detail:  Did you notice the tree right in the center of the dam on all the previous pictures?  Well, it won't be there much longer as they've started to take it down.  I'm not sure why they didn't finish.

Those last two rocks at the end of the stone wall have just about disappeared now.  Beavers in New Hampshire need four feet of water at their lodge to ensure their under-water entry hole won't freeze; they need to go in and out all winter for food, and maybe some dam and lodge repair.  I can only assume the beavers have created a pond large and deep enough to get them safely through the winter.  The pod cast "Something Wild" recently did a story titled "What's it Like Inside a Beaver Lodge?"  It's definitely worth a listen!

When beavers create a pond they give birth to an entire new world for dozens of plants and animals - probably more like hundreds.  Some of the obvious ones are the ducks, frogs, turtles, and another similar creatures we see, but also many other less visible animals that are associated with wetlands such as dragonflies, salamanders, and a multitude of other aquatic and semi-aquatic plants and animals.  It's truly a gift to so many species.

If you get out to the Hamlin Forest this winter be sure to check out this beaver pond as well as several others in that forest - there's always something interesting to see!

One last note:  The ice in some coves on Wicwas is 4" thick, enough for skating if you're careful, and the surface is fabulous.  If you go out, be sure to take the proper precautions and equipment, and check the ice thickness regularly.  

My friends the otter triplets were out enjoying it too - before it froze!

Yes, that's open water out there - be safe!

March 3, 2024: While the Cat's Away

The squirrels will play. 

Our bobcat should have come by this week when the squirrels were here in abundance.  Focused on food and chasing each other away from their claimed food source, they might have been preoccupied enough to not notice a feline creeping up on them through the undergrowth.  

There seems to be a pecking order amongst gray squirrels.  The baddest dude gets to own the squirrel house where it can feast to its heart's content, protected from the elements.  

The king of the castle chases away anyone who attempts to breach the parapet.  

Meanwhile, the next biggest bully commandeers the hanging corn cob.

This number two in the chain of command thwarts all other lower-rung interlopers as well.

"Off you rascal!"

Lesser-ranked squirrels are left to scavenge from the dropped seeds under the feeders, which the white-breasted nuthatches ensure are plentiful, so no one actually goes hungry.

Even here, if one gets too close to the drop zone it gets chased away.

One new and interesting bird came briefly to the feeder this week:  a crossbill.  I didn't get a good look at it before it flew off to perch on a nearby tree, and from the backlit photos I can't tell which crossbill it is, but most likely it's a Red Crossbill.  

An expert ornithologist friend (thank you RB!) weighed in with some excellent guidance, but without a side view of its wings, it can't be positively identifed.  According the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, crossbills have evolved that peculiarly shaped bill to facilitate opening tightly closed cones: 

 "The Red Crossbill places the tips of its slightly open bill under a cone scale and bites down. The crossed tips of the bill push the scale up, exposing the seed inside." 

 Because of the crossed tips, biting down widens the gap between the tips.

Driving to the Page Pond Town Forest on Barnard Ridge Road, I saw that the pileated woodpeckers have been busy.

This woodpecker appears to be eating well.

You can't miss this tree if you approach the parking lot from the south.

The signs of frost season are everywhere now, including posted roads, tapped sugar maples, and frost-heaved ground such as on this trail at Page Pond.

Frost has heaved the ground up around this stone.

We are only three days into meteorological spring, but with so little cold this winter I expect the frost to come out early, as well as perhaps the ice in the lake.  Warm weather and rain this week may have done in the skiing, but it did create some great ice for skating.  I was able to make a complete circuit of the lake except for where the current flows down to the outlet.  There are still 11 inches of ice on the lake but there are many openings near shorelines with southern exposure or where water flows in, so be careful.  

On my skate I found Dean Cascadden on the lake sailing with his kitewing skate sail.

Dean with his Kitewing

He let me try it, and it's pretty neat.  It looks like a new toy will be on my wish list for next winter!

If we really get the warm stretch forecast for next week, those squirrels may be forced to find their own food as the feeders might need to come in for the season to avoid attracting bears.  It used to be the bears slept until April, but spring is coming early these days.  

Open water in February.