Clik here to view.
Hatchling Turtles
It's time for the turtles. In early September, leathery white turtle eggs a bit smaller than ping-pong balls hatch in shallow nests dug into warm, sandy soil back in late May and early June. For some...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Hawkwatch
September begins the hawkwatch season in New Hampshire and well beyond. At some 200 designated sites across North America, binoculars are scanning northward. Volunteers do the counting for the most...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Woodland Asters
Blooming asters herald the change of seasons. The dry, shady forest floor is carpeted all summer by the lush foliage of myriad woodland asters. Although it is very common, most people don’t even...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Headin' South
September twenty-third, the autumnal equinox. Seasonal changes in daylight affect a lot in a bird's year, including migration. Shifting day-length triggers hormonal responses, and for most bird...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Harbingers of Autumn
The signs of Fall are all around us. Who needs a calendar? Our forests are full of trustworthy guides, singing songs and sending subtle signs. Summer is momentarily withheld just as restless autumn...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Canada Goose 2.0
Those of us of a certain age remember rushing out to the backyard when we heard Canada geese passing high overhead, exotic birds from the Far North. We watched the streaming V of geese and heard their...
View ArticleClik here to view.
How Do Trees Know?
How do trees measure the changing light? Plant chemistry underlies the singular event we most associate with New England: the annual autumn foliage display! Northern trees prepare quietly for their...
View ArticleClik here to view.
"Litter" Bugs
You've probably heard me say that we can learn a lot from nature. This time I'm thinking about gardening. The natural landscape thrives without tending. No need to add fertilizer, compost or mulch; no...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Halloween Death & Decay
Forget about spooky black cats, witches, ghosts and goblins; Think about what happens to your pumpkin. Halloween is indeed well-timed to the season of conspicuous death and decay. Forget about spooky...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Beavers
Following Native American tradition, November's full moon is called the Beaver Moon. Beavers go into overdrive this time of year. Venture forth to beaver territory by moonlight and you'll see them at...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Deer Breeding and Hunting Season
November is breeding and hunting season in New Hampshire. November is breeding season - also called “rut” - for deer. In NH, the white-tail deer population is estimated at 85,000 statewide. Deer now...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Crows of November
Here's a bird song we all recognize, the familiar crowing of, well, crows, a species with many vocalizations. Crows are one of the most intelligent animals in the wild, and a lot of intelligent people...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Learning to Love November
The stark beauty of New Hampshire's November Robert Frost's poem My November Guest begins:My Sorrow, when she's here with me, Thinks these dark days of autumn rainAre beautiful as days can...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Naturally Curious
The natural world quiets down in December, both visually and audibly. Fall's riot of colors is long gone; the birdsong chorus is a distant memory. Not everyone embraces winter, but there is a positive...
View ArticleMoose Plates
I admit to being, at times, a distracted driver, but it's not for the usual reasons. I'm looking for moose, but not the kind wildlife biologists usually look for. I'm looking for a small moose on car...
View Article
