New Hampshire Nature Notes
by Eric Orff

How quickly the snow is disappearing in central New Hampshire this week. What little snow I had just vanished in two days from my yard and the hay field across the road. Yes life is awakening across the state.

 

This will accelorate  over the next six to eight weeks. I saw on the Weather Channel site that a bit over a week ago the radar on Key West Florida could see in the night sky a flock of birds over the Gulf of Mexico several miles wide by ninety miles long headed north. Other early migrants are almost here. Ducks and geese will be dotting nearly every pond and puddle within a week or so. 

 

New Hampshire is going to be filling up with wildlife very quickly now. Yes lots of returning migrants but many of our resident wildlife species will be giving birth over the next six weeks. Lots of fish and frogs lay their eggs as the ice melts away. In fact wood frogs will lay their eggs on some puddles still partly covered with ice .Raccoons, fisher, beaver and many others will be producing young in April. Watch out as you driver at night from now on. Especially rainy nights as our frogs and salamanders will be on the move. Get that gallon of milk on the way home avoid driving when it is raining after dark.