New Hampshire Nature Notes
by Eric Orff

Back to spring this week.

Tuesday 05/10/2005

Spring has been "on hold" the last two weeks with the cold rainy period. Although the spring peepers have continued in full chorus, the toads shut right off. As did most other things, including most of the birds. This is "warbler week" in NH. The mornings will be filled with warbler songs and calls as they swarm into the forest canopy. The next few weeks will be birder heaven. There is no better time of the year to be outside in the early morning. Certainly a big bonus for the turkey hunters.

Wildlife it seems is everywhere right now. Calls from folks in town have alerted me to moose nearby and just yesterday a family of bears was seen grazing in an alfalfa field nearby as well. A mother and three cubs! Turkeys are practically around every corner it seems.

Within a few days the hillsides will be transformed into gorgeous pallets of pastel greens of uncountable shades. To me it truly is a spectacular as the fall colors. I love to get out on one of the local lakes to fish and scan the hills the next couple of weeks. There will be almost a complete transformation of what the landscape looks like in the next few days to two weeks. A spike in temperatures and sunlight will change our view in just one day. There is no better time to spend some time outdoors and be very vigilant than right now.