New Hampshire Nature Notes
by Eric Orff

Red maples in full bloom and a green tinge to the forest.

Tuesday 05/03/2005

I was awakened last Thursday morning, very early, by a dream that I was late getting to a grouse/turkey survey route. So I jumped out of bed and made it to my last survey line just-in-time to run it. This route takes me through a gated road that bisects Bear Brook State Park. This time of year the Fish and Game work, sunrise and sunset surveys for nesting waterfowl, grouse, turkeys and woodcock just kind of takes over your life. I am constantly wondering when the temperatures, weather and wind will be right to get them all done in the small spring season window they must be done in. So I even frequently dream about work.

I did hear some turkeys on the route as usual and a growing breeze was threatening to interfere with my listening for drumming grouse and gobbling turkeys. And folks ask me "Why don't you turkey hunt?". In fact I do each spring, but just for the sounds of turkeys. I don't need an excuse to be out in the woods to immerse myself in the sounds and smells of spring. I'm already there..working. Way to cool. I love this job, this life.

My wife and I did shoot down to Washington DC Friday morning to spend a couple of days with our son, Adam. In the few months he has worked, and patrolled the embassies there, as a Secret Service officer, he has mastered the city well. So he was our tour guide for a couple of days. The flowers and shrubs, azaleas and rhododendrons, were at peak bloom as we coursed the avenues through the embassy areas. I even walked down to the White House Friday afternoon to take a picture of the National Duck, the mallard nesting in front of the Treasury Building.

Back here in NH the cold rains of spring have continued shutting out my planned attempt at doing a woodcock survey Monday at sunset. But the woods are turning green. The aspens are sprouting leaves as is the forest understory. For the shrubs and plants of the forest floor this is the make it or break it time each spring. They must flower and sprout leaves to gather enough sunlight before the trees sprout leaves and shade them. So the forest floor is carpeted in gorgeous hues of greens this time of year. The peepers were at full chorus as I listened from my deck last evening. No toads were mixed in as it is just too cool for them. This is the time of year that we must keep pinching ourselves. Is this real or am I dreaming? Reality and dreams are so intertwined each wonderful spring.