December 18, 2011

It's starting to look a little like winter around lake Wicwas.  A light dusting of snow fell early Saturday, just frosting what little ice there is around the edges of the lake.   By noon the sun was out, shining on the fresh snow and blue water.

The dropping lake level also left some interesting ice crystals that grew from various branches touching the water.

Saturday night was quite cold, down to about 13 degrees, which encouraged the ice to grow farther out from shore, at least in the coves.  During the day the edge continued to creep outwards, and we watched the pattern form:  smooth ice when it was calm, interrupted by rings of roughness when the wind blew water up onto the ice and froze.

The main body of the lake remains ice-free, but with another cold night, it should start to freeze over.  If it stays cold this week as forecast, the whole lake will likely freeze in the next couple of days - and maybe this time it will last.  It will be the latest ice-in since 2006;  that's the year that winter came so late that loons in Lake Winnepsaukee had molted their flight feathers by the time the ice came, and they had to be rescued.  We haven't seen our young loon for a couple of weeks now, so we're guessing it has flown off to the ocean for the winter.

We also noticed that the beavers were busy on their lodge again this week.  They have pulled mud up from the bottom of the lake and packed it in all around the new framework they built in the prior few weeks.  They then threw a few more branches up on top for good measure.  Here are pictures comparing last week with this week.

December 9, 2011

December 18, 2011

December 11, 2011

Winter creeps ever closer towards New Hampshire and Lake Wicwas.  There have been one or two glimpses of snow in the area, and an occasional skim of ice along the shores of the lake, but it is looking like we'll have a late ice-in for the start of the 2011-2012 winter.  People up north are trying to make up for what nature is lacking, and the product of snow guns can be seen forming a white arc on Mount Tecumseh from the north-facing hills around the lake.

Snow Making at Waterville Valley Ski Area

Back closer to home, the full Cold Moon could be seen setting late in the morning behind a thin ribbon of ice.

Cold Full Moon

It is quite strange to see the full moon hanging so high in the sky late in the evening - well above the trees, much higher than the sun rises at its zenith.  The full moon has a trajectory opposite of the sun, so near the solstice, when the sun is low, the moon rises high in counterbalance.

I mentioned in November that the November full moon was known as the Trading Moon.  It is also called the Beaver Moon, and this year, that certainly is fitting.  Since last week, the beaver have been back to the same area, clearing more and more of the trees.  But if you want your trees back you know where to find them - they have used them to construct a second story on their lodge for an in-law apartment!

Fresh Timber on the Beaver Loddge

The heavy rain this week has brought the lake back up near flood level again, at almost a foot above normal level even with the dam allowing a very large flow.  I saw one pair of common mergansers near the south end of the lake, and still more pairs of ducks.

Hunting season ended this week, and some of the local deer have eluded the hunter's sights, as we found fresh hoof prints after the heavy rains.  We also found evidence of an animal strategically marking its territory in a highly visible - and olfactory - location. It is most likely a fox, as this is their characteristic mark, and it's on a trail where I often see fox, but it's large enough that it could have been a coyote.

December 4, 2011

Winter is approaching slowly at Lake Wicwas, after a couple of false starts with early snow storms.  Two cold nights in a row brought a bit of ice to the edges of some protected coves, but that is about all.

Ice around the edges of Lake Wicwas

The ducks continue to come and go, traveling in groups of several pairs, though we did not see the remaining loon this week.

Three pairs of Mallards

The beavers, however, are very much visible, or at least their handy-work is.  We found  a low section of the shore line where they had taken well over a dozen trees in the last two weeks.  The area is getting thinned out.

They have worn themselves quite a pathway where they come out of the water, and then drag their harvest back down to the lake.  This entire shore used to be thick with two to three foot high shrubs.

Beaver Path to their Bounty

They were mostly taking the birch, with some as large as four inches in diameter.  This one they cut down, but left the tree. 

Birch tree cut, but not taken away

They leave behind wood chips of surprising size;  the grooves left where their two incisors cut into the tree are visible in the chunks of wood.  The strength of their jaws and teeth must be tremendous.

Another update on Child's Park:  Sturdy wood benches have been installed, and the base of playground is being delivered and spread around the equipment.

Child's Park

The fruit of the winterberry contrasting against the drab backdrop of December is a bright reminder of the season that is upon us.  They raise the caloric intake of the birds that feed on them, as well as the spirits of those who see them. 

Winterberry

November 27, 2011

Bald Eagle

A fantastic sighting of a Bald Eagle was caught this week at Lake Wicwas!   A resident of Chemung road took this picture and gave this account: 

Taken on a walk 11/26/11 on Chemung road, just past where snow machines cross Chemung road on the south side of the road. Someone threw a turkey breast down over the 'edge-of-road' bank. Crows were picking at it which drew attention and he looked up to see this LARGE bald eagle watching....  The eagle left and we waited and we spotted a turkey vulture in a tree in the swamp.

It's fantastic to have so many nature watchers around the lake!  Thanks for sharing.  (If the photographer gives permission, I'll credit you with the photo - leave a comment or send me an email at lakewicwas@aol.com.)

November 20, 2011

Yesterday morning around 8:00 I was treated to an amazing experience:  A family of four River Otters taking a tour of Lake Wicwas.  I first noticed some ripples emanating from the shore, but they were larger and more numerous than the ducks usually make along the shoreline.  Looking for the source though, I saw nothing.  Then a head poked up out of the lake about 25 yards from the shore, and I assumed it was a beaver even though they don't usually dive, but rather swim on the surface.  But suddenly three other heads appeared, started romping around with the first, and it was clear they were otters.

River Otters

The four of them then proceeded to swim across the cove, diving for a stretch, then surfacing again to play.  They would raise their heads high above the water to look around, and then lunge at one another, diving up and down with their backs arched as they dove, and their long, tapered tails following along behind.

Otters seem to be the polar opposite of beavers.  Beavers are very focused on their work, always swimming purposely in a straight line, knowing exactly where they intend to go.  Otters on the other hand are very playful, spending a lot time just seeming to enjoy themselves.  Maybe it's the difference between being an herbivore where one must store up a whole winter's worth of food when it's available, versus being a carnivore, where fish are available year 'round.  Otters are extrememly capable fishers, leaving them lots of time to play.

I was too mesmerized watching through binoculars to pick up the camera until they were almost around the point.  One of them started to run up on terre firma, but then came back down and they all disappeared around the corner into the next cove to continue their morning escapades.

Otters often have four offspring, so it's possible they were siblings - I don't know if parents stay with their mom this long into the season or not.  It was another of those wonderful nature moments we are so fortunate to be able to experience in this unique habitat. 

We also had the first sighting of northern birds migrating south through New Hampshire, with a pair of hooded mergansers stopping by Lake Wicwas for a rest and a food stop.

Hooded Merganser

Other than that one pair or mergansers, we saw two pairs of mallards.  Also, the forest birds were more visible, with chick-a-dees, nut hatches and woodpeckers more active than in recent weeks.

We again found more fresh beaver cuts near the lake, including one witch hazel tree which was cut so recently that its sap was still flowing.  Closer inspection revealed a swarm of small flying insects feasting on the readily-available source of high-sugar content fluid.  I have no idea what species of insect it is, but they appear to be vegetarians, which is good by me!

Insects Feeding on Fresh Beaver Stump

This afternoon we checked on the status of the work at Child's Park, and found the building fully enclosed, the water fountains installed, and the playground being constructed! 

 The playground is really neat, with good sturdy structures representing key landmarks of Meredith Center:  The Meredith Center Fire Station and the Meredith Center Store.  The kids will love it!

Child's Park's New Playground

November 13, 2011

We were away last week, enjoying some lovely southern hospitality in South Carolina.  The mountains and the lakes in the western part of the state create an environment much different from the low country one usually envisions when thinking of South Carolina;  It looks a lot like New Hampshire. 

Lake Jocassee, South Carolina

The trees still had beautiful color, but it's starting to reach the end even there.  

Lake Keowee, South Carolina

Back in New Hampshire, we found November had arrived at Lake Wicwas, but at least the snow was gone!  All but the resolute oak trees have disbursed their leaves, and many of those oaks will hang onto them right into spring.

Many of those leaves are gathering at the edges of the lake, while others have already sunk to the bottom, preparing another layer of organic material for the animals that live in and on the mud at the bottom of Lake Wicwas.

I didn't see any deer around this week, though I heard a few single reports from rifles, as deer hunting season is in full swing now.  There are still lots of water fowl on the lake;  there was another constant stream of ducks swimming by the shore, including this group of mallards.

They spent a long time dabbling in the leaves at the bottom of the lake, with sometimes four or five DA's pointing skyward at the same time.

And our newest loon is still hanging around.  It is now diving like an adult, staying underwater for long periods of time and surfacing sometimes 75 or 100 yards from where it dove.  It continues to grow larger, so I guess its parents taught it well.  It now has a bright white chest, but still gray plumage elsewhere.

Lake Wicwas' Maturing Loon

The native Americans called the November moon the "Trading Moon" - seeing the moon set behind bare branches for the first time in seven months is another sign that winter is rapidly approaching.

Trading Moon

October 30, 2011

Thursday night's snow was just a prelude to what Lake Wicwas and the rest of the northeast received on Saturday night.  A strong nor'easter coming up the coast dumped from 10 to 20 inches of October snow on New Hampshire, with amounts of around 15 inches in the lakes region.  The amount collecting varied greatly over a very short distance depending on the surface temperature of the ground.  On our road it ranged from 1" of wet snow where the ground was still warm, to 12" of dry snow where it was more open and cold. 

It was a very disorienting sight, with deep snow covering yellow leaves around open water, and the flowers still blooming.

The storm set records just about everywhere, and allowed my first-ever skiing in the month of October.  I was able to complete my favorite short loop with no problem at all.  (Although I did have to use my special cyan wax that works on leaves!)

Skiing in October!

On my circuit I found fresh animal tracks everywhere - a sign that the wildlife is still very active and working to build up their winter stores.  There were deer tracks all over the fields and the woods, fox tracks in the denser woods, and even some otter tracks near the water.  The new snow also provided an unusual background for the bright maple leaves that continued to fall on top of the fresh blanket.

The only animals I actually saw were ducks on the lake, including a group of eight, which I think are ringed neck ducks.

On our walk up to see what's new at Child's Park, we saw an interesting phenomenon on the front yard of the Meredith Center Fire Station:  dark leaves soaking up the heat of sun and melting their way down to find their proper resting place on the ground.

Meredith Center Fire Station

At the part itself, the new building is now completely sided and the electricity and plumbing are coming along.

Child's Parl

The best news of the day, however, is that we, unlike about half of the people in the state of New Hampshire, didn't lose our power.  High scores to the Electric Coop!

October 30, 2011