January 24, 2016

Winter is finally settling in on the Lake, though it is not a particularly snowy one so far - unlike our neighbors to the south who really don't want those two feet of snow that fell over the past couple of days.  We received a few inches of snow early in the week which was followed by five days of strong northwest winds which blew the snow around for days.

The snow was deep in those places where the trees caught the wind and dropped the snow down into the forest. 

Streams still running fast from the recent rain cleared out any snow that landed with their grasp.

There was enough snow left behind for some skiing on Lake Wicwas but the conditions varied from windblown crust to soft powder to bare ice. 

Variable conditions cover the surface of a wintry Wicwas

The texture and patterns that the team of wind and snow create are different with every storm, and vary around the lake depending on the contours of the shore.

Diverse snow patterns etched on the lake by the north wind

The first bob-house of the season also appeared on the lake this week.

Ice fishing season has arrived on Wicwas

Most winters we have a visit from one of our more interesting local residents, and it is always a treat.

Flying Squirrel

The flying squirrels may be around all year, but I only see them in the winter, and always at night.  They arrive an hour or two after sunset, clinging to bird feeders with their tiny feet, usually on the coldest nights.

These little guys are very bold - we let them dine for a while, but after we tire of watching them spew copious amounts of seed on the ground, we shoo them away.  And unlike the red or gray squirrels, you have to walk right up to them before they will abandon the feeder - I'm sure it's because they know they can jump off at the last second and glide away to safety.  Their aim is uncanny, always landing right on the trunk of a large tree which they scurry up, disappearing into the darkness. 

This one showed off his best acrobatic tricks, climbing up to the highest point to get the optimum trajectory before finally disembarking from the feed trough.  

Nature does provide plenty of winter entertainment for those of us easily amused.

The Lake Wicwas Flying Circus

January 17, 2015

Lake Wicwas experienced another typical New England week with just about every kind of weather coming at us over the course of a few days.  First, over an inch of rain fell which raised the lake level up a good eight inches.  Then cold weather followed quickly, crowning the already-smooth lake surface with a sleek glassy cap.

As the water flowed into the lake it raised the level and pushed the ice up, cracking the ice a few feet out from the shore because the ice at the edge of the lake is firmly attached to the shoreline.

A rising lake level pushed up the ice

So we had more good skating on the lake before the next weather event.

Smooth skating, but still sticking to the coves

The next weather event:  a quick snow storm.  And as usually happens after a winter storm in New England, it was followed by a torrent of cold air from the northwest;  this particular blast sent us winds as high as 40 miles per hour.  It was wild on the lake, looking rather like the arctic, and the wind over the smooth ice blew the lake clear again in many places (click below for video).

The rain had also raised the streams which froze over quickly as the mercury dropped, but when the water drained off into the lake, their ice-crust fell back into the streams, showing just how quickly small streams can rise and fall.

Streams rose quickly with frozen ground rejecting the rain, and then receded just as fast

Rushing brooks and cold temperatures always conspire to make glistening winter sights. 

Splashing and freezing water forms crystal stalactites

Arriving with the snow were goldfinches, even more than the last storm - at one point I counted 28.  They filled up the feeder slots, some aggressively guarding their post, others patiently waiting their turn on the taxi way. 

On the blustery day they were often blown off course on their approach and had to circle around to attempt a second landing. 

Blown off course by the Polar Express

"Goldfinch 2 - You're off the glidepath - circle around and try again"

The fact that birds can fly at all in those conditions is an amazing feat, a testament to nature's ability to learn and adapt.  The best algorithms put together by the brightest minds, running on the fastest computers can't manage an autonomous landing in anything near these conditions, yet these small wild animals do it a hundred times a day without even thinking about what they are doing. 

The birds aren't quite as adept at eating as they are at flying - or maybe they are.  All the seeds they drop on the ground are perhaps intentional, as they dig through the seed looking for the choicest morsel in the feeder.  The nuthatches are the most notorious at this, but the squirrels appreciate it.  After the storm I counted six red squirrels on the ground at one time.

Rain, snow, cold, warm, wind, clouds, sun - just another wondrous winter-week in New Hampshire's Lakes Region.

January 10, 2015 - Ice In

Winter has progressed enough to have finally frozen Lake Wicwas, even if today looks rather April-like as a foggy 45 degree sky rains down upon us.  Cold weather earlier in the week locked up the middle of the lake when the wind let up on January 6th.

January 5th:  Still lots of open water

January 6th:  Frozen over after a cold, calm night

This was the latest ice-in I have seen, the previous record set in the winter of 2012-13 when the lake froze on January 4, 2013 - the only other time it occurred after New Year's.  I saw ice fishermen on Lake Waukewan which is least partially frozen;  I wonder if they will have to use Waukewan for the Pond Hockey Classic this year as they did in 2012 when Meredith Bay didn't freeze in time.  The Bay is still wide open at this point.

The new ice wasn't safe to go on, but the old ice around the edges was six inches thick with a good surface for skating, so I had my first excursion onto the lake in two months.

I wasn't the only, or the first creature to venture onto the ice.  I saw several tracks on the ice, some made when the surface was still soft, including these fox or coyote tracks that went right across the thin new ice.

Canine tracks heading to and over the new black ice

An otter had been out belly-sliding on the slushy lake surface across one of the coves.

Otter love to push themselves along the ice, sliding along like a seal

After the surface froze hard, a tiny layer of snow was extracted from a cold night and spread the perfect surface to record the passage of this mink along the shore line.

Mink tracks in a trace of snow

Our mink must be doing well these days, as these are on the large end of the scale for mink prints, which range from 1-1/4" to 2" long (Rezendes, Tracking and the Art of Seeing, pg. 118)  They are undoubtedly from a mink based on the behavior, poking all along the shore line, exploring all the crevices in the bank and jumping up on the shore on occasion looking for an inattentive squirrel.

So, evidence of canines and weasels on the prowl for food, and of course, the hunted:  lots of rodents.  Even the chipmunks have been out enjoying the warm winter, though I don't think this one will last long based on its lack of respect for potential threats.

A fearless chipmunk won't grow old among the region's many adept hunters

Large areas of the forest are littered with a blanket of hemlock cone shells dropped by the red squirrels which are plentiful this winter.

Including this pretty sight one morning.

Lots of squirrels up in those trees

Rain today, cold weather tomorrow - when will mother nature make up her mind?  Without a drastic change in the weather pattern, skiing and snow shoeing will remain elusive.  Perhaps skating will be the main event now that the lake is finally frozen.  I'll spare you the sad sight of today, ending with a more pleasing memory from this past week:  a summer-like sunset.

January 4, 2016 - Ice Update

Just a quick update on the ice - the lake didn't freeze over today, so this winter will be the latest ice-in I have recorded.

January 4, 2016 - open water on Lake Wicwas

January 3, 2016

Happy New Year, and welcome 2016!  The last week of 2015 finally brought a bit of winter weather with just enough cold air to deliver a modest storm, easing us into winter in a gentle manner. 

First snow of the season

One of the most stunning moments of a New England winter storm is when the sun breaks out the following morning, illuminating the landscape with dazzling light.  Just at sunrise some scattered breaks in the clouds let a few rays though the cover.

And soon mother nature had unfurled enough of the sky to reveal the spectacle that is New Hampshire in winter.

It was a nice dense snow, heavy enough to bear a ski trip on fairly even terrain without hitting bottom, though only for a day or two as warm temperatures thinned it out quickly. There wasn't a lot of opportunity to discover who's out traveling around the lake, as  a crust soon formed on the top so the animals don't leave footprints.  But I saw deer prints, a few fox prints, and these weasel prints the morning of the storm.

 
 

The crust was partly due to a thin layer of freezing rain which fell after the snow;  light enough to not cause any problems with power lines, but just enough to cast a crystal layer on the world.

This winter will at least tie the record for the latest ice-in date I have seen on Lake Wicwas.  As of today there is still open water on the lake. 

Open water on Lake Wicwas on January 3rd

Ice-in usually happens sometime in the first three weeks of December;  I have only seen it wait until January once, and that was the winter of 2012-2013 where it froze over on January 4th. I think there's a good chance it will freeze up tonight or tomorrow, but with winds forecast for the next couple of days we'll have to wait and see - it may be the latest ever.

One of our lake friends did observe that aliens had tried to land on the still-soft surface, but then thought better of the decision (thanks NC!).

Alien Landing Site?

With cold temps and snow we decided it was safe to bring out the bird feeders and within hours the first visitors had arrived:  gold finches, in droves. 

Goldfinch in winter plumage

This makes my feet cold

They were soon followed by the chick-a-dees, nuthatches, juncos, and woodpeckers.  The birds have clearly abandoned their summer homes even if they're staying north for the winter.

Last summer's nest abandoned for the winter

It took a while, but the glory of winter is finally here in New Hampshire.

Warm morning light seeps through the winter clouds