June 27, 2011

This marks the one year anniversary of the Lake Wicwas Blog - the first entry was on June 27, 2010.  During these twelve months Lake Wicwas has experienced another year of wonder and beauty, with events such as the birth of four new fawns (July 24, 2010), visits from bald eagles (October 24, 2010), and ermine (November 11, 2010), in addition to the usual loon, fox, otter, merganser, pileated woodpecker, and on and on.  We had fabulous ice skating right after ice-in on December 10, a great snow fall, and a late ice-out on April 22.  There was minor flooding in the fall (October 30), and temperatures over the year ranged from -13.4 degrees on January 24, to 98.4 degrees on July 6.  How many regions on earth can claim a temperature variation of greater than 110 degrees?

This week was a time for low, slithering creatures.  I probably would have walked right by this garter snake if didn't have its head lying on bright green moss - the rest of its body is very well camouflaged.  It is pretty long, as it tail extends all the way to the left of the picture.  It remained still as I approached, though it was checking me out with its tongue.

Garter Snake

Snakes smell by sticking out their tongue, which captures molucules in the air, then brings them in and places it tongue against its olfactory nerves on the roof of its mouth.



  



I also found a couple of red-backed salamanders hiding under some rocks,  and another painted turtle was laying eggs right in our driveway.

Eastern Red-backed Salamander

Painted Turtle

June 19, 2011

Loon Patrol

The loons are still on their nest, taking good care of their eggs, with one mate regularly out on patrol.  They seem fairly comfortable with boats passing by in the distance, but get very agitated when they approach too closely.  We have heard lots of loud complaining at various times of day.  There is now a flock of at least four comorants on the lake, but according to loon expert Ralph Kirshner, cormorants aren't usually a problem for loons. 

Cormorants

I saw my first sign of deer this week.  I didn't actually see it, but heard it snorting and stomping as it walked deeper into the woods.  The deer have been noticeably absent compared to year when they were so prevalent, with two families and four new fawns.  The fireflies also came out one warm evening this week, with their sparkles of light adding a touch of brightness to the summer night sky.

Red Maple

Other trees are putting out new growth now - in addition to the hemlock of last week - the maples are forming new leaves, which as in the spring, disclose their true color before they start to photosynthesize.

Sheep Laurel

There are several shrubs blooming around the shores of Lake Wicwas at the moment, one of prettiest is the Sheep Laurel.










And down low on the ground I found this bright yellow fungus - complete with a slug coming to dine on it.

Fungus and Slug

There were also some beautiful cloud formations as the sun set behind the rising cloud banks.

June 12, 2011

It's the time of year for new creatures to be hatching around Lake Wicwas.  The first out were the canada geese;  these goslings were seen back on May 30. 

Canada Geese Family

On Thursday I saw this mother painted turtle laying her eggs in the dirt about 150 yards from the lake.

Painted Turtle Laying Eggs

The loons are making progress, as they are still on their nest - I hope they're keeping their eggs warm during this unusual cold snap.  They won't hatch for a couple of more weeks yet.  After a few warm days, the latest cold snap came in with a bang on Thursday afternoon as a cold front passed through.  In two hours the temperature dropped 23 degrees - from 89 degrees at 2:00 to 66 degrees at 4:00 as recorded at the Laconia Airport. 

Bald Eagle

On Friday there was a bald eagle soaring over the lake.  These pictures aren't very clear, but they are good enough to clearly see it's an eagle, with the white head and tail.  It was being chased by a small bird, which drove the eagle higher and higher above the lake.  It's interesting how the mighty eagle can be driven away by a much less powerful creature - kind of reminds me of Syria right about now. 

 

Wood Tic Waiting for a Ride

After a long stretch without seeing any tics, they have made a comeback this past week.  If you've ever wondered how they are so good at latching onto to you as you walk in the woods, this will show you how they do it.  They have evolved over the years to know to hang out on the tips of grasses with their legs outstretched, ready for anyone who's goes by and offers them a ride.

 

Yarrow

A few new wildflowers have bloomed this week, including the creeping buttercup, and yarrow, this one with an insect enjoying the sugars in the blossom..

Creeping Buttercup

New White Pine Cones

The evergreens are also putting out new growth, with the white pines growing new green pine cones like bananas, and the hemlock pushing out new, pale green tips past their prior year, dark green needles.

Hemlock New Growth

June 5, 2011

Things were a little cool around Lake Wicwas this week, and I’m convinced the lake cooled back down since the warm temperatures over Memorial Day weekend.  The air temperature was in the low forties several mornings, with mist coming off the water.  The cooler weather is prolonging the flowers, with lady slippers still blooming, and the bunchberries looking very healthy and fresh.

Bunchberry

Cinnamon Fern

I also noticed these ferns - Cinnamon Ferns - that have spires shooting up from the middle of them.  I had not seen this type of flower before.

The most exciting news is that the loons have taken up a nest!  This picture is a little blurry because I took it a long ways off, and then blew it up quite a bit.  But you can clearly the see the loon sitting comfortably on its nest, as shown by it sitting with its head up high.  When a loon on a nest is concerned, it ducks its head down low against the water, probably trying to less conspicuous, as well as preparing to dive into the water if needed. 

Loon Nest

The water level has stabilized nicely, with an additional board put back in the dam.  In fact the water rose a couple of inches, and is right at full level.  One can see how a loon nest is so sensitive to water level and waves, being so close to the water line.  Loons can barely walk on land, so they  always make their nest right at the shore's edge.  So it will be important to be careful with boat wakes to keep the waves out of the nest!  About all we can do to help a successful nesting is keep away, boat carefully, and hope for the best.

May 30, 2011

The unofficial start of the Lake Wicwas summer vacation season began with a bang on Memorial Day weekend, with some fabulous summer weather.  The thermometer read 90.0 degrees on Saturday.  There were lots of boats out on the lake, and people were swimming in the cool, but not frigid water.  The resident Lake Wicwas windsurfer was out already, enjoying the warm breezy weather!

The white pines have started to dump their load of pollen into the lake.  It's not as bad as some years, but there's still a moderate layer of yellow-green on the surface of the lake, and a ring of yellow showing the high water mark of a few days ago.  The water has dropped at least six inches in the past four days, and it's still going down, as the dam is set perhaps five inches below full level. 

Yesterday in one of the marshes I came across the largest snapping turtle I've ever seen - it's head alone was as big as - well, maybe you'd rather not know....  It was swimming just below the surface and didn't seem bothered by me until I bonked it with my paddle.  I'm pretty good with the creatures in the lake, but this gal was a little creepy. 




I saw a pair of loons poking around looking for a nesting site on Friday, and since then I've only seen a single loon.  Maybe they've found a spot to nest.  Let's hope so - it's been several years since they've had a successful nesting.











The newest house on Lake Wicwas is taking shape quite nicely now - it's going to be a beautiful house that really is matched well with the lot.  It's great to see how well both of the new houses this year blend in with their surroundings.

 

Bunchberry

 
The lady slippers are blooming now, another of the most spectacular flowers in New Hampshire.  The forest is also covered with bunch berry blossoms, a prelude to their red  berries later in the summer.

Lady Slipper

May 22, 2011

The spring wildflower season is in full bloom around Lake Wicwas, and due to a week of cold, wet weather, they are having a long season. 

Fringed Polygala

Eastern Starflower

Rhodora

Some of the flowers you can see right now around the lake include Wild Strawberry, Goldthread, Violets, Trillium, Mayflower, Eastern Starflower, and one of the prettiest little flowers, Fringed Polygala.






















 


This summer's blueberry crop has started, with the low-bush blueberries in blossom.  I discovered a new shrub along the shore of Lake Wicwas, something I haven't seen before, but believe it to be a Rhodora.  It's similar to an azaela, or a rhodoendrum.

Blueberry

One of my favorite woodland creatures, the Eastern Newt, has emerged from its hibernation; I caught this little guy just crawling out from the leaves last week, and by yesterday, there were dozens around the forest.

 

Eastern Newt

I haven't seen a lot of loon activity on the lake this spring (although, I haven't been out on the lake a lot either).  There were a couple of loons out yesterday, acting up a bit, but it wasn't clear whether it was mating behavior or aggressive behavior.  The less interesting birds are more evident.  The geese have taken up on the field as usual, making plenty of noise as they argue with each other.  And there's at least one cormorant back on the lake, taking up its usual perch in the dead pine trees.

Cormorant

 We haven't seen the sun here for more than an hour this whole past week.  All the rain has brought the lake back up to 10 inches above full level.  In addition to the bass boats, there were several pleasure boats on the lake this weekend, in spite of the less than desirable weather.  We all keep hoping nice weather will arrive some day.

May 14, 2011

Lake Wicwas enjoyed one fantastic summer-like day this week before the weather turned back to cool and damp.  I expect I have enjoyed my last tranquil walk in the woods, being able to walk slowly without the constant buzz of mosquitoes all around.  The black flies are out, and the mosquitoes will follow shortly.  It is one aspect of summer I could do without!

Clouds Lift over the Hills behind Lake Wicwas

One warm day was enough to encourage the trees to push out their leaves – even the oaks now have tiny leaves on their branches, and the hills are painted a pale-green as photosynthesis begins.

Pale Green Leaves Emerging

Birch Tree Flower

The tree pollen is very high right now, and is reported to be at record levels this year.  All trees have some sort of flower which produces pollen; this is the flower of a birch tree, getting ready to release its crop to us allergy sufferers.












I think the Trillium is the most fabulous flower in New Hampshire, and there is a wonderful display of Painted Trillium right now on the Blue Trail in the Hamlin Conservation area.  My feelings for trillium are likely based on my first experience with this flower.  I came across it the first time on a group hiking trip in western NH.  I saw a single Purple Trillium; I didn’t know what it was, but I knew it was something special.  You can imagine my distress when the leader of the trip leaned over and plucked it off its stem, saying, “we’ll look it up later”.  Ever since then I think I’ve felt a need to protect them (and felt a lot less respect for one particular trip leader).  I have never seen a purple trillium again.

Painted Trillium

The Hobblebush Viburnum is also blooming, joining the brightness of the Shadbush.  This plant has an intriguing blossom, with a circle of large white flowers surrounding dozens of tiny blooms.  Hobblebush can be seen along the Blue Trail as well as many other places around Lake Wicwas.

Hobblebush Viburnum

Pin Cherry

Another white, blossoming tree is the Pin Cherry, which can be found along Chemung Rd at the edges of the swamps.  In a few months this will be an important source of food for many birds.







Speaking of birds, one can tell the insects are back by the Phoebes flitting out of the trees to catch an insect, and returning to its perch to wait for its next victim.  The Swallows are also back, dive-bombing the insects just above the surface of the lake.  Red-winged Blackbirds have been frequenting the bird feeders rather than spending time out in the marshes.

Red-winged Blackbird

(Note that I added some additional information from my sightings on the May 8th entry.)