End of Year

Two snowstorms this past week...about a foot total. Nice to have snow...for us, animals and dormant plants. Winds were high yesterday...blowing snow off trees and across the snow covered pond.
Saw prints of deer, squirrel and maybe slides from the otters from pond to brook.

December 8, 2012

When we returned from Jamaica, the ponds were frozen solid and our first Saturday back, snow fell lightly. Now it looks more early November-like. The ground is bare and yellow and the forest and wetlands are cold soggy. Beatitude Pond looks fuller than I remembered.
We thought that pond would never overflow the driveway as it's a few feet down, but now I am not so sure. The beavers reinforced the dam at the edge of the pond well before the summer's end.
Will we get much snow this season? so far it's looking like another warm winter.
A bug was on the outside bedroom window screen yesterday. Not normally a December visitor.
The resident squirrel is huge...like a monster squirrel.

Aftermath Hurricane Sandy

Sandy hit the East Coast on Monday with great power, combined with the Nor'easter. NH escaped significant damage this round, as the eye passed in New Jersey. Storm surge washed away homes, property, sand, cars, boardwalks...along the coast and places I used to ride along are under the sea now or heavily damaged. Still many folks with out electricity, no heat and other resources where other parts of the NY metro area were undamaged and have power now. Lives have been lost.

We were fortunate here...w/o power for just a half an hour...but many people in NH were without power for several days.
Finally people .....politicians, mentioning the forbidden words: CLIMATE CHANGE.

Hurricane Sandy - Mega Storm

In midst of effects from the outer edges of approaching Hurricane Sandy which is due to make landfall later today somewhere between Baltimore and New Jersey. Has combined with a Nor'easter to make a super storm about 900 miles wide.
Here we are expected 40-45 wind gusts and up to 5 inches of rain later on in the day. The wind is howling through the trees now as we speak. Luckily most leaves have fallen of the trees which hopefully will reduce the chance of their falling over! Wishing safe passage through the storm for all our neighbors affected near and far. I think this big storm is just a harbinger of bigger storms to come due to a warmer climate. Photos later as we take them!

September - early October

I have been remiss and haven't posted since late August. September was fairly dry and warm. Local farmers in New Hampshire say that the season is two weeks ahead due to climate change. Late September-present we have experienced a lot of rain and intermittent sun. Beatitude Pond is full again as is the beaver pond. The beavers were busy up until about two weeks ago and then disappeared for a few days. We were worried someone had trapped them, but in the last couple of days we have seen all three of the colony going about their business and getting ready for the winter; whether it be a cold or warm one remains to be seen, but so far the temperatures continue to be above average for the time of year.

Other wildlife sighting this past month and this month:

• the foursome came back- twice...and those otters have really grown!
• many northern flickers in the oak trees in front of the house
• lots of chipping sparrows feeding on seeds in the field out back
• wood ducks making an appearance now again
• small frogs still active
• newts still active
• coyotes yowling on clear nights
• moose prints out by the beaver pond
• earlier in September we met one of the beaver kits...cute and spunky!
• beaver colony has made a lodge against the bank on Beatitude Pond and have added to their existing lodge in the beaver pond.

Flora

• lots of chicken of the woods mushrooms
• good crop of asters this year
• some black eyed susans still flowering as of 10/6/12
• green beans still growing as of 10/6/12
• tomatoes still growing, but not turning red

Summer's winding down

Summer is winding down and so are the creatures by the pond. Squirrels are risking life and limb to get from one side of the road to the other to gather nuts, chipmunks are stuffing their cheeks, birds are more active and the beavers are busier than ever.
Local farmers say many things are two weeks ahead of time, as far as the growing season is concerned.

The mid-west of the country continues to be dry and prone to wildfires. Hurricane season is becoming more active and tropical storm Issac is now approaching the Florida Coast.

Wildlife sighting here on Beatitude Pond:

the two beavers, of course - we think they are building a second home on the property
the heron is a regular, but skittish
many varieties of frogs
what I think was a brown weasel looking for frogs
turtles
cedar wax wings
junkos
many other birds
feathers of an Eagle on the driveway? or some bird with lots of white feathers

Unsettled Period

We've started to go through an unsettled period which means that we are having a bit more rain. This is good for everyone and thing. Vegetation is beginning to look a bit less droopy.
The beavers are enjoying branches we leave for them to encourage them not to cross the road to get more trees (we don't want them to get hit by a car) as they cut down more trees surrounding the ponds. The ducklings are growing up fast!

Major issues with drought and record high temps this July, severely hindering the growth of crops. Extremely alarming.

 Here in New Hampshire we have fared somewhat better. Though our water table is getting low, it's not at dangerous levels, yet. The beavers continue to enjoy both ponds and don't seem to be as skittish around as we snap their photos and start the video. This even we watched as the beavers chowed down on some branches we brought down to the pond. There was a minor tiff over food between the beaver couple, but then they settled down to eating side by side.

Other critters seen in recent weeks: river otters which got into a tangle with the male beaver who charged them and we haven't seen them since. Two visiting herons, one which Lindley saw crash on take off - no harm done, wood ducklings still motoring around foraging for food.

Wildflowers blooming already: golden rod, aster, bone set, black eyed susans. Blackberries already ripening. Raspberries started before July 4th!

Summer in March

March 20th was the first day of spring, but the temperatures broke records even before spring became official. Everything is about three weeks to a month ahead of time. The temperatures were in the 80's during the day. Life has returned to the pond and there is an abundance of poly wogs and vernal pool creatures, including these two breeding newts (see photo above).
On March 21st I heard wood frogs at the Town Hall and two days later, March 23rd, I heard them clacking out in the Beaver Pond. Today, March 24th, the temperatures are more normal for this time of year and we are back to wearing jackets. How will we...how will wildlife adapt to these big fluctuations in temperatures? that remains to be seen.
In the meantime not enough is being done to reduce our carbon footprints on a grander scale.

Warm July

Fourth of July. A double-digit day around the country, but here seasonably warm - in the mid-80's today. Everything seems a bit ahead...daisies have come and gone. Black eyed Susans are blooming. There are raspberries and goldenrod and some other wildflowers I usually associate with later in July or early August.

We have seen the heron a lot...it's loopy flight so easy to recognize.

June Brings out Many Creatures

Now in the middle of June and going through a dry spot after so many rainy days. Both ponds filled up and we now have a canoe which was given to us by our gracious friends the retired Bishop of New Hampshire and his wife. We can explore the channels the beavers have opened up in the grasses of the wetlands and get a closer look at the wildlife.
Wildlife sightings in the last month:
two beavers active throughout the day, but mostly early morning and late afternoon onward
foraging raccoon June 17 and around June 16
grey tree frog - June 18
painted turtle in garden - early June
garter snake - large - June 18 -back of house
small garter snake - June 19 - backyard garden
numerous barn swallows eating insects...starting in June
hoof prints of moose - June 8
trout hacklings - early June, Beaver pond, near driveway
mallard ducklings with mom, early June
wood duck ducklings with mom - mid-June
scat of bobcat, like a big hairball on driveway - sighted around June 16
blue and white admiral butterflies getting nutrients on the driveway - mid-June
.more sightings to numerous to name!

My first swim, June 16 and the water was not a shock. Felt more like July water!

Some bright days. Sudden heat. Brilliant greens.
Wildlife Sightings this week:

 

• the back end of a huge snapping turtle as I disturbed him when I waddled through the shallows of Beatitude Pond
• an enormous green frog. Let me pat his back, but objected to me picking him up and leapt out of reach
• a crayfish, who slipped out of my hand
• a yellow bird, a finch, chirping happily in a maple by the front of Beatitude Pond
• nearly a dozen yellow swallow tail butterflies feeding off the damp driveway, swirling up into a mad haze of wing, black stripes and flashes of yellow when I encouraged them to move away so I could drive across the driveway
• half a dozen or so turkey chicks (what's the proper name?) waddling across the road after mom, as traffic stopped - all two cars of it!

Connect the Dots: Climate Change Awareness Day

I couldn't interest anyone in our town in a conversation or activity about climate change today so after participating in the quarterly trash pick-up with the local conservation commission, I took some photos around the property. I still wonder if the extremely mild and dry winter led our resident beavers to do more building than usual, and chopping down of trees. One of the beavers is quite big, maybe eating too much of that bark!

Today people around the globe are sending in photos of where they have seen climate impacts. We had a very dry early spring, but now the water in the pond is over the top and a waterfall is cascading down the old stone dam again into the brook below. The forest is looking a bit more lush again.

Rain at last! the parched earth is finally getting a drink on Earth Day 2012. Already everything looks a lot greener. This morning I saw several ducks, black against the sky sweep upwards from Beatitude pond, make a wide circle and then descend to the beaver pond.

I have planted some peas, beans, onions and fava beans.

Parched

So little rain. The forest is parched. Leaves dusty. Sticks snap dry. Moss brown. But the beaver pond is providing sustenance and birds are coming to browse and feed in its waters. Fuzzy ferns are popping out of the ground and the usual vibrant green river foliage is now bordering the brook. On close inspection the leaves of these plants don't look quite as green as usual.
Wood ducks, Canada geese, mallard ducks are also frequent visitors.

Urgent Call to Be More Mindful of our Resources

The U.N. has come out with this report on population and the environment - follow the link and take heed!

http://www.nytimes.com/2007/10/25/world/europe/25iht-environ.4.8056185.html

Summer is Spring

Wood frogs - town hall, March 21
Wood frogs - beatitude Pond, March 23
Poly wogs - beatitude Pond, March 23
Newts breeding - beatitude Pond, March 23
All week, temperatures up in the 80's during the day.
Now, Sat., back down to 50's
Fluctuations
Normal? I don't think so!

Spring has arrived early!

One major storm March 1, after a lull between storms of about two months! winter went by in a blink, literally. I feel as if I have awakened from a long sleep to discover spring (today actually felt more summer like) suddenly arrived.
Two mallard duck couples are feeding in the beaver pond. The beaver is back making his rounds, checking his dam, making sure he is the only beaver in the pond etc...

Living things are swimming amongst the last melting bits of ice. I think the frogs will be singing a couple of weeks early this year. The daffodils are starting to come up, too.