New Hampshire Nature Notes
by Eric Orff

Brrrr. Is it ever going to warm up and stay warm? Today in the 50s again with pretty steady rain. This just can't be good for the young newly hatched birds. Past NH Fish and Game studies on ruffed grouse in the 1950's and 60's showed that a cold rainy June had a real dampening affect on grouse populations. I can't help but think that the turkey polts just hatching out are going to be impacted by this cold rain too.

 

The good news is all the trees and grass seems to be exploding with growth. Plenty of water and our local small brooks have been kept awash so far this year. Thinking that's good for our Native Brook trout.

 

On my walks out to get the paper in the morning I have noticed a decline in bird calls and song. My little House wren stills is bubbling away and a robins has moved in to my lilacs with plenty of song. I had one nesting there three years now. Haven't spotted this year's nest yet though. But spring sounds are winding down. The bull frogs should start croaking this week. And whip-poor wills should be calling as well. Just more subtle sounds to pitch an ear towards.

 

The maple trees around my house and around central NH have been shedding seeds this past week. The slightest breeze sends them helicoptering down out of the trees. No doubt mice and chipmunks are happily feeding on them. All these fruits from our forests are important food for our wildlife. While we may think fall and acorns, the fact is, these tree seeds are important all year long. And the White pine tree pollen has been something else this week. Everything has been covered in a fine yellow dusting of pollen. It looked like yellow fog sweeping across the road as I drove down I-93 two days ago from Concord. So todays rain will be a good clean up of this yellow coating.

 

Other than turkeys my wildlife sightings have been pretty sparse. Well I did see a raccoon the other night in my yard and the next day a young woodchuck spent some time nibbling the grasses on my lawn. I really enjoy watching it for probably 20 minutes. How he sampled this and that rejecting this blade of grass and eating the next. I'm glad he was not down sampling my garden. No problem here except maybe a few flowers at risk.