by Anna Morris QUECHEE — Among the very earliest signs of spring are the strange caterwauls of the barred owls that haunt our woods: “Who cooks for you? Who cooks for you all?” Their hooted conversations, thrown back and forth through forests all over New England, signal the territory disputes,[Read More…]
The Outside Story
The Unsung Music of Birds
by Kenrick Vezina LOWELL, Mass. — With spring creeping closer, our year-round avian residents such as cardinals and titmice are already raising their voices. But there’s more than one way to make music, and birds have evolved means for using everything at their disposal to fill our forests with whistles,[Read More…]
Return of the Ospreys
by Meghan McCarthy McPhaul FRANCONIA, N.H. – On my commute to the Northern Woodlands offices in Lyme, N.H., I pass a long-established osprey nest, perched atop a very tall electric tower next to Route 302. This location offers the ospreys a view of their surroundings and provides me with a[Read More…]
Winter Survival Means Keeping the Heat
by Doug Facey BURLINGTON – To survive the cold of winter, some animals take advantage of protected habitats, such as wooded areas or under a blanket of insulating snow. Ruffed grouse, for example, fly into piles of loose snow and create roosting cavities to rest in when not foraging. Mice[Read More…]
Musical Fish in New England? Meet the Burbot
by Doug Facey BURLINGTON – In the midst of winter, the ice-covered lakes of New England seem quiet. It may, however, be a bit noisy below the ice. Winter into early spring is the spawning season for burbot, when males produce sounds to attract mates. Burbot (Lota lota), also called[Read More…]
Winter Wonders: Icicles, Snow Doughnuts, and Hair Ice
by Susan Shea BROOKFIELD – A few winters ago, I snowshoed along a trail that led below a series of cliffs with rows of huge, hanging icicles. These icicles were up to 40 feet long, with colors ranging from blue-green to yellowish-brown. In some spots, the icicles extended from clifftop[Read More…]
Pigeons in Love
by Anna Morris QUECHEE — Humans often ascribe traits that we admire to other animals. We treasure a dog’s loyalty, revere an eagle’s power, and applaud a dolphin’s intellect. We hold these creatures in high esteem, whether they are spotted rarely in the wild or are daily lounging at our[Read More…]
Water Boatmen: Foraging Beneath the Ice
by Declan McCabe BURLINGTON – If you get a chance this winter, take a peek through the icy window of a pond surface. You may see water boatmen (order Hemiptera: Family Corixidae) clinging to the pond floor. Long oar-like hind legs propel these insects, inspiring their common name. Shorter, scoop-like[Read More…]
How Deer Contribute to the Spread of Invasives
by Jen Weimer DURHAM, N.H. — A winter walk in the forest reveals a flurry of wildlife activity that often goes unnoticed during other times of the year. Often among the many tracks in the snow are the nearly heart-shaped prints of deer. The white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) is common[Read More…]
Hibernation: Winter Survival by Chilling Out
by Douglas Facey BURLINGTON – Mammals and birds are endotherms, which means they generate their own body heat through relatively high metabolic rates. That high metabolism requires energy, which these animals garner from food. We typically think of endotherms as warm-blooded; however, some of them are not warm all of[Read More…]
There’s More to Fur Than Meets the Eye
by Susie Spikol HANCOCK, N.H. – A flash of orange streaks across the meadow – a red fox, like a starburst in the snow. Its fur shimmers in the early morning light, and I, bundled in my winter layers and still shivering cold, envy the fox’s luxurious coat. At its[Read More…]