New Hampshire Nature Notes
by Eric Orff

Brake for Bears, Wooly Bears that is!

Friday 09/20/2013

Well the march of the wooly bear caterpillar started over a week ago. Yes you can easily spot them and drive around them on our country roads. It seems like these bright orange and black critters really stick out as they cross the road and can be driven around with ease. And why not get off your phone and LOOK at the road and wonderful scenery this time of year. There is so much to see with brilliant leaves already sprinkled along every route you take by car or walking.

Now the width of the orange of the wooly bears is supposed to predict the length of the upcoming winter. The wider the orange portion the shorter the winter. Looks like another mild winter from my 30 mph survey of the ones I have been dodging. I'll keep my lawn mower handy this winter and leave my snow blower tucked back in under my deck. Well maybe not.

Turkeys, turkeys every where it seems. I read that the latest Fish and Game estimate of our turkey population is about 50 thousand. Now that is some success from a release of 25 turkeys in 1975. Yes tureky are doing well though there is also word of a new disease that is has shown up in NH recently that may very well reduce those numbers.

What a stretch of perfect weather we have been having the last couple of weeks. Nearly cloudless deep blue sky every day to enjoy the shift into fall. Well there was that blast of 90 degrees two weeks ago.

Things will quickly change now as the sun seems to sink more towards the southern horizon each day. In just three weeks we will be in full color and a month from now practically all the leaves will be gone. One heck of a ride the next few weeks. Lots to see and enjoy along the way. But you need to be watching out the window paying attention every minute. And yes watch for those bears while your at it.