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.

February 25, 2024: Recycled Art

Starting with something different this week, we'll take a trip to the Museum of the White Mountains at Plymouth State University.  Their current exhibition is exploring the use of recycled items being reimagined into creative objects of art using everything from trash, to items found in yard sales, to pieces of prior artwork the artist had abandoned.  In one example, an artist has created sculptures from old photographic negatives.  There are many incredibly creative works on display, and having obtained permission to use photos of their work, I'll share some of my favorites with a nature theme.

Serenity  by Linn Stillwell

This beautiful night scene was created from used drier sheets, scraps of the artist's prior drawings and paintings, and is composed on cotton rag paper left over from another painting.  (We'll revisit that moon later in this post.)

Ascent to Freedom  by Linda Greenwood

Here, the artist reused wood, metal, paper, and a small tree branch.

Easy Kind of Feeling  by Devin Donohue

This medium is described as "wool needle felted on blanket," a technique that created intriguing textures.  I don't know how it's done, especially the coloring, but it's beautiful.

One more:

Les Fleurs Mysterieux  by Shela Cunningham

This creative transformation of trash into beauty fascinated me and I spent a long time just trying to identify each of the original items which include yogurt lids, wine bottle collars, old netting, even coffee bags.  You can find more information about all the art on display here. 

Did you notice all the artists are women?  That's part of the theme of the exhibition titled Reimagine which runs through March 23rd.  The museum is located on the PSU campus in downtown Plymouth and admission is free.  It's always a quiet, peaceful place to appreciate New Hampshire's culture, history, and creativity.  

Switching now to the wild nature, there was a lot activity around the lake this week.  First off, the local bobcat came by to visit the birdfeeder one afternoon, but finding nothing there to prey upon, it went on its way down to the lake and along the shoreline where I was able to catch a quick picture before it disappeared into the undergrowth.  

It sure looks nice and warm wearing its thick winter fur coat.

Then out on the lake I was attracted to a pair of tracks passing over the lake on a bee-line to a shore where I often see signs of otter activity.

A couple of otters in a fast dash to the restroom.

Following the tracks, sure enough, I came to a spot on the shore where they had scooted around a bit.

And where they have a latrine; I've seen this previously in that very spot. 

Otter scat

There's no mistaking otter scat.  Black and moist and full of fish scales, there's nothing else like it.  After their visit they continued onto land to cross over to another portion of the lake.

The moon was garnering a lot of attention this week, and perhaps the full moon was increasing animal as well as spacecraft activity.  The moon was so bright shining on the snow covered ground that it seemed like daytime in the middle of the night.  The sky was clear enough to see the moon glowing orange as it set in the morning.

The full Snow Moon sets this morning.

A couple of excursions to the mountains were in order considering the nice winter weather this week. 

Smooth trails and blue skies in the Belknap Range.

I saw not another soul on my hike up the back side of Gunstock Mountain, which made it really fun to broach the curve of the summit and find a bee-hive of activity at the top of the ski area. 

Cresting Gunstock summit from the west flank.

I was perfectly happy to take advantage of the deck and picnic tables at the Panorama Pub to enjoy my lunch with a beautiful view of Lake Winnipesaukee and the Ossipee Mountains.

There's an awful lot of blue in the big lake.

Continuing on to Belknap I saw again not another person, but on the top of Belknap I found the shiny new fire tower just erected this fall.

It provides views back to the west, including toward Lake Wicwas, Leavitt Mountain, and the hills on Chase Rd.  I was also pleased to see moose scat near the summit.  

Moose scat right in the trail.

Ah, late February, early March - my favorite time of winter - when the sun is high and warm and the days are getting longer.  Only 23 days until the vernal equinox!

Late Winter Skiing at Green Woodlands in Dorchester.

While you're up near the mountains for your visit to the museum, I hope you can get out to experience this enjoyable part of New Hampshire's winter season!

February 18, 2024: Arbutus Hill Snowshoe Tour

The Meredith Conservation Commission had a successful snowshoe tour up to Arbutus Hill Pond yesterday when an avid group of winter enthusiasts made the three mile hike to the pond and back to explore the activity that takes place there in winter.

Photo by Marcella MacKenzie.

The fresh snow we had on Friday along with another light dusting Saturday morning not only made it quite pretty, but also created a nice surface to see animal tracks.  Along the way we saw tracks of fox, bobcat, ruffed grouse, deer, weasel, and mouse.

Bobcat print.

Grouse tracks were found in several areas of hemlock forest.

Mouse tracks.  There were also many red and gray squirrel tracks to be found.

The two-by-two track of a weasel, perhaps a mink or an ermine.

We walked on the ice beside the long beaver dam that impounds the pond, and stood within a few yards of the beavers themselves, warm inside their well-constructed lodge.  

We even found an old otter slide on the ice.  It was an enjoyable trip with good company on a perfect winter day.

I mentioned last week that the Great Meredith Rotary fishing derby was held last weekend on all the lakes in New Hampshire, but I didn't get down to the headquarters at Meredith Bay until Sunday afternoon, so here are some of the fish that ended up on the board.

The leaderboard right at final weigh-in last Sunday.

Some good size pickerel.

I like the way they award the grand prize:  The largest fish caught in each species is entered into a drawing for the grand prize, meaning regardless of what species you're fishing for, you have a chance to win. The grand prize winner this year was an 2.5 pound 17" black crappy.  

The Black Crappie board with the grand prize winner.

It was caught by Tom LaBrecque in Cawley Pond in Sanbornton, just a 26 acre pond, but obviously growing some big fish.  The winning angler has been fishing in the derby for some 35 years.

The uncertain ice conditions on the large lakes did in fact send a lot of people to Lake Wicwas, with cars lined up at the boat ramp as well as along Chemung Road near Harris Cove. 

Many anglers out on Wicwas last weekend.

It was a beautifully warm and sunny weekend for all the anglers to enjoy.

Wicwas fishermen enjoying 50 degree weather on Derby weekend.

The ice is plenty safe on Wicwas now - I measured 10-1/2" this week - and the ice has started to groan and moan as stress cracks form in artistic patterns across the lake. 

But the warm weather has foiled the Alton Bay ice runway, which for the second straight year will not open for planes to use due to lack of ice.  It's the first time ever that it hasn't opened two years in a row.

Finally, last week's warm weather did produce a sight for those thinking about spring:

Snowdrops on February 11th.

It's the earliest date I've ever seen the snowdrops emerge.

February 11, 2024: Turkey Invasion

Lake Wicwas had an invasion this week, a turkey invasion.  

It started with a ground invasion of just a few birds walking along the ice, stopping now and then to peck at something, probably pine and hemlock seeds that blew onto the frozen lake.  Sometimes they would break into a fast trot.

I was intrigued by how they engage their tail feathers when they run.  They seem to spread them out, perhaps using them as stabilizers to increase balance as they must be rather top-heavy up on top of those long spindly legs.

Occasionally they would take off and fly a few yards.  

Their flight feathers are beautiful and I was surprised to see how much space there is between feathers when flying, at least at times of landing and take off.

The flock made their way along the shore to an open plateau under a big hemlock tree that probably dispersed a large quantity of seeds.

Reinforcements soon arrived from the opposite flank via a ground route, and the two fleets converged to refuel.

We counted thirteen birds in all.

After filling their tanks, the whole squadron took off and flew a single-file route at low altitude across the cove to the far shoreline.  I guess they didn't want to be exposed in the open for as long as it would take to trot back under cover.  I saw them mid-flight and wasn't able to catch a picture, but they are surprisingly graceful flyers, and they would even glide on fixed wings for two or three seconds at a time.  

In winter, multiple hens and their broods combine, sometimes forming flocks of many dozens of birds.  Before mating season the young males ("jakes") will be evicted and males and females will separate into single-sex flocks.  NH Fish and Game is asking people to report winter sightings of turkey flocks; if you see a flock you can report it here.  It's too bad this flock appeared one day before the Backyard Bird Count - which continues today if you want to participate.

Elsewhere on the lake I found other food sources available for turkeys as well as other birds.  There were red berries

and black berries.

Black chokeberry

Did you notice the exciting aspect of that shrub?

Red buds pushing out!

It was warm again this weekend, so warm that the fishing derby has limited fishing options which will drive more anglers to the smaller lakes such as Wicwas and Waukewan which have safer ice conditions.  As of yesterday I measured 10.5" of ice on Wicwas.

Bob house on Wicwas early in the week, the first of many.

In fact it was so warm yesterday, 57.4 degrees here at the lake, that we had an early taste of mud season.  Still, with two calm and cold nights, ice-in on Lake Winnipesaukee was declared on Friday at 10:30am.  Be safe out there.  

In case you're interested in the weather conditions at the lake, Linda gave me a weather station for Christmas which I put on line, so anytime you want to check the weather at Wicwas you can use this link:  Lake Wicwas Weather Station  You can also review historical data on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis back to the date I installed it.

The beautiful weather this week had lots of people out on the lakes and up in the mountains enjoying the bright sunshine and blue skies.  I trekked the Welch-Dickey loop and it was as pretty as ever.

Heading up Mt. Welch.

Prior warm days had helped create some impressive ice flows on the ledges.

There's a great view of the Kinsman and the Franconia Ranges from the north slope of Welch.  

L to R:  S. and N. Kinsman, the Cannonballs, Cannon, then Liberty, Lincoln, and Lafayette.

These White Mountains are living up to their name this winter!