New Hampshire Nature Notes
by Eric Orff

A newt for Thanksgiving Day

Tuesday 11/28/2006

The woods are so Un-November like this fall. From its fragrance of warm soil and sweet trees to seeing a red spotted newt adult while on a walk last weekend. By now the pungent odor of decaying leaves and crisp dry air should be filling my head. Not so this year. From the soft warm mushy soil to the moisture filled air the woods are more September-like. The stillness of November woods is the same, it's just that the sounds, that are there, are not November-sharp.

I spent Thanksgiving morning hunting in the southeast corner of NH not far from my nephew Kevin's house in Mass., where our family of 22 gathered later that day. It is fun to explore new hunting areas and I was there as I purchased a special WMU-M antlerless deer permit which would allow me more of a chance to take a deer if I saw one. I've seen seven so far this year, all within 40 yards but have not been quick, or accurate enough, to bring home the bacon/venison.

This tract has a mix of oaks including some white oaks that produced acorns this year. Deer prefer them over the bitter red oak acorns which are also in abundance there. And the deer have practically plowed the place up farrowing out the nuts. It is driving me nuts. The deer sign is awesome. I just can't seem to see one. Hunting like this puts you on the edge the whole time. I don't know the area yet so don't know where the deer bed or where they will escape to if jumped. I'm hoping to get back for another afternoon or two there.

Over the weekend my son-in-law and I took my grand daughter Katie for what turned out to be an hour plus long walk/hike. It was on this walk into the Broken Grounds in Concord that we happened upon an adult red spotted newt out for a walk too I guess. It just seems so weird to see an amphibian out with me in the woods in late November.

But today sure is looking more like November with the Suncook River reflecting the grayness of the overcast sky. Temperature were in the 50s yesterday, have dropped into the 40s today, but are expected to be up near 60 degrees by Thursday. The earth has been slow to cool this fall.

We are less than four weeks away from the shortest day of the year. I can't help but think the earth will warm quickly once the sun heads back north. I'm thinking I really should be out checking my wood duck nesting boxes in a canoe real soon rather than waiting for what is surely to be unsafe ice this winter.