August 19, 2012

So where were the spiders? 

Remember David Bowie and Ziggy Stardust?  Late summer is prime time for spiders, so I went to see where they were hiding.  They are everywhere, but when you look for them, they're surprisingly hard to find.  Here are a few I was able to capture.  Of course, Daddy Long Legs are common on trees and the sides of houses.

What's missing on this one?

Also on living on structures is the American House Spider - these however are web-weavers.

Here's another web-weaver, living way up high so I couldn't get a good look.

One of my favorite spiders is the Goldenrod Spider, which can be found on flowers, especially purple and pink ones, where it snatches small insects attracted by the nectar.

This one isn't a spider, but it looks cool and I found it on the same flowers. 

This Stink Bug was also on a pink flower - pink must be big attraction to prey insects.

Usually this time of year there are some giant water spiders on the docks, but the high water this week chased them all away.  Here's one from a couple of years ago.  I love these guys - think how many mosquitoes and other pests they must eat to get this big (it's a good three inches across).

Though not a spider, this caterpillar uses a similar thread to drop itself down from its tree.  This one was just hanging in the middle of a trail as I walked by.

Of course, there are also the predators that pry on the spiders after they fatten up on smaller insects.  This well camouflaged Pickerel Frog was hiding and waiting close by.

I also saw my first Red Eft all summer.  It's been very dry, but all the rain last week finally brought some out in the open.

Notice the little red "British Solider" lichen in the picture.

Moving up the food chain a bit, our newest loon chick continues to grow.  Though still staying close to its parents, it is diving longer and learning how to fish. 

It's still a pretty fuzzy cute little bird though.

And then at the very top of the food chain, look who visited the lake this weekend:

This young bear was at an undisclosed site on the west side of Lake Wicwas; another reminder that even when food is plentiful, bears are opportunistic and will take the easy food whenever it's available!

Lake Wicwas Paddle Regatta

This has now become a favorite tradition at Lake Wicwas:  the Great Paddle Regatta.  And it appears it is also a tradition for it to be a fantastic day - just look at this blue sky and blue water!

This year's regatta was hosted by Chuck and Bev, and it had a great new twist - a scavenger hunt.  Participants were given a sheet with photographs of interesting landmarks around the lake, and people scouted the shoreline to locate each of them.  The photos were accompanies by clever clues and witty comments.  After locating the sites, people re-grouped at Marion Cove (yes, about the farthest away point on the lake, but that was to help work off all the food we were about to consume).  Here the flotilla is rounding the final mark heading down the homestretch.

There was lots of help landing canoes and kayaks at the landing site.

While the master chef was cooking the BBQ and preparing her world-renowned baked beans,

the kids had a blast on the newly renovated bongo, launching each other into the lake.

This one gets the gold medal for highest launch!

Then the master of ceremony presented the awards, after getting the baton passed from last year's hosts.

Of course, first the school teacher had to make sure everyone understood the directions.

Now the awards:

It was a fabulous day;  our utmost thanks go the wonderful hosts for all their preparation and great organization of the event!

August 12, 2012

It was a busy weekend, with Wicwas Day (a great time as always!) and then a triathlon in Boston (I was a spectator, not a particiant - that was Dustin and his friend Matt, who by the way, came in 19th overall out of a field of over 900!).  But I still managed to get in a walk and found a pair of hawks. 

The Broad Winged-Hawks we saw back on May 20th are nesting down the road from our house.  I hear them frequently, and have seen both of them several times in the same area - a clearing at the power lines where they probably have good hunting.  They are constantly calling to one another:  loud, shrill shrieks.  Last weekend, walking back from the Lake Wicwas Association meeting we followed them a long ways down our road as they flew along the road from tree to tree. 

Saturday morning, I found them again, with one of the sitting in the open on a wire. 

Broad-Winged Hawk

By following the sound of the calls I was able to locate its make, perched on a tree branch at the edge of clearing. 

I watched until they flew off, one after the other;  it's surprizing how quicking they alight, and how difficult it is get a picture.

Down closer to the ground, a lot of rain recently has started the mushrooms growing rapidly.  There should be many to see over the month or two.

August 5, 2012

No posting last week, as we were in Colorado for a week of visiting family and touring the Rocky Mountains.  We had a rejuvenating vacation that included tubing the Yampa River, inspiring music at Strings, and magnificent scenery while hiking and biking in the mountains. It's great to have local hosts and tour guides!

Although much of the environment is similar, everything is bigger in the Rockies.  We saw larger versions of woodchuck (yellow-bellied marmots) and deer (prong-horn), and of course, mountains and valleys which dwarf New England.  Unfortunately, the forest fires are bigger also, and we drove through miles of scorched landscape between Fort Collins and Steamboat Springs.  Here's a sample of a lake in Colorado - at about 11,000 feet!  No fires here.  And yes, that's snow still up in the mountains.

Little Causeway Lake, Routt National Forest

Back at Lake Wicwas we were happy to find the find the forest green and lush, as some rain had fallen while we were away.  (Drought is something else the west is having in a big way right now.)  On the kayak, looking to see what new plants are blooming around the lake I found buttonbush, ripe huckleberries, and a couple of white flowers I hadn't identified before.  In this spot on the edge of an island, all four of there were growing together.

With a little research I was able to identify the plant with the rather unusual flower - it is a Turtlehead.  I'd never heard of this plant, but once you know what it's called, it's obvious, and not a name I'll likely forget.

White Turtlehead (Chelone glabra)

Here's an interesting claim about turtlehead:  according to wikipedia, the Abenaki used it as method of birth control (no guarantee made by the author).

The buttonbush name is also pretty descriptive:

Buttonbush (Cephalanthus)

The exciting news is that the newest loon on the lake has survived its most precarious period, having it's two-week birthday just today. 

Two weeks old

Its parents are taking good care of it, keeping a close eye on it, although they do both dive at the same time, leaving it alone and vulnerable on the surface.

The little guy is starting to dive already, and the parents are teaching it to fish.  Here, all three are looking for lunch.

We watched one adult catch a fish and then play with it for a long time until it was tired out, and then let the chick catch it for itself.

The chick is also starting to spread its little wings.

It's hard to believe they will be strong enough for it to fly away in three or four months.  Let's hope for a late ice-in this year since it got such a late start.

There was also a second pair of loons on the lake this weekend, travelling around together, though keeping well away from the breeding pair.

 Their wings are just a bit larger.

There was a large bass tournament on the lake this weekend, with lot of big, high-tech bass boats out competing with the loons for fish.  But I liked this different approach to fishing!

Did you happen notice the sign of fall in the background....?