The Fourth of July has come and gone.
Now it is almost August.
We have seen more of a presence of our wildlife this spring/ summer.
Bobcat tracks, baby snowshoe hare, lots of deer tracks and even holes where the woodcock have been probing the mud for worms and other insects.
Last year Linda and I started working with two of our neighbors to form a consortium with our combined lands (thank you, Ingemi and Hall families). Having done so, we applied for a WHIP (Wildlife Habitat Improvement Program) grant.
With help from our county forester (Dave Falkenham) we did actually secure a grant!
What makes this so exciting is that we have shown that one does not need to own a lot of land...that individual land owners can band together and get it done.
As a result of the grant, we have our first woodcutting done in the past month. There was a total of 3 acres +/- cleared plus a logging road.
The cutting created "holes" in the woods so that new growth can take place over the years. The new growth is called "early successional habitat" and is a real boon to the woodcock, ruffed grouse, turkeys plus many more species that rely on it .
Next comes the seeding part...which I hope to do over the next few weeks.
As a nod to our second childhood, Linda and I have joined a senior softball league. The ages range from 10 to 82.
Back in "the day" we both played. Linda for the Navy and myself as a civilian and then Navy.
So far we haven't suffered any serious injuries. A few bruises, pulled quads and hamstrings, a dislocated thumb or two. Just your everyday stuff.
Linda is playing catcher and I am playing first base.
Typically we play two 5 inning games a night, twice a week.
Last week I was spraying some weed killer to create a clear area to plant more wildflowers. I looked down when I saw some movement and saw a baby snowshoe hare! Linda went out later and found four of them huddled around the same bush in tall grass.
By the next morning they had moved on to less busy areas on the property.
Earlier this week we had a doe visit the yard while one of our dogs (Tyler) was in the dog yard.
The doe was very inquisitive and approached the fenced in dog yard. Tyler, who is blind, was totally oblivious of what was going on. After we brought him in the deer stayed and grazed on clover for another 10 minutes or so before leaving.
We like a lot of the country are in the midst of an unusually hot period.
The past two days it was 95 and 98. So far today (22 July), the high has been 99.2! The only good thing is that the humidity is at 33% right now (eat your heart out, Floridians).
I just looked, and the high today was 100.4 at 1615!
Linda continues to daily report weather to COCORAHS (http://www.cocorahs.org/) and to the NWS in Gray Me..
It seems as though each passing year we get just a wee bit more busy. I thought it was supposed to go the other way??
Before we know it, fall will be here along with the leaf peepers.
And now, a few pictures...
A luna moth on the back deck...
Big toys for big boys. Some of the equipment used to do the cutting...
Now, these would get you out of deep doo-doo
The beginnings of the logging road...
"Popple" waiting to be chipped...
Logging road refined...
One area of "clear-cut"...
The "chipper" has arrived...
This machine grapples the trees and feeds them to the chipper...
Now the trailer is in place...
And now, the dance begins...
The "grappler" has given the chipper operator some trees which in turn are fed into the chipper by the operator. Note the chips being shot into the trailer...
Logging road and some clearing...
Another clear-cut. These make way for "early successional habitat" which is so vital for many wildlife species...
Canadian Soldier moss so named for the red caps...
These holes in the mud were created by American Woodcock looking for worms... http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/American_Woodcock/lifehistory
Fourth of July parade in Woodsville, NH...
I LOVE the band. I don't think there is anyone under 70 y/o in it.
Executive Councilor (Lt Governor) Ray Burton a beloved politician and Bath resident. He has held the position for almost 30 years
Our visiting deer. Tyler was in the yard the whole time.
The brown patch in the middle of the picture is the baby snowshoe hare.
See, I told you it was hot. The clouds even got a sunburn...
That's all for now. Take care and I'll be "seeing" you in the fall.
PS...It has taken three days to get these pictures up on the blog. I would have to select the picture and wait almost ten minutes for each one to load. If anyone is ever tempted to try satellite internet, specifically HughesNet, DON"T!
The speed is only marginally better than dial-up and the customer noservice is awful. You always get "Peggy" on the phone.
Additionally, if you do too many downloads, they cut back your sownload speed for a while.
WildBlue isn't any better.
No comments:
Post a Comment