Site Discussions

Worked for the Maine Forest Service in the 70’s and was on Bigalow in 73.(the highest mountain in Maine with a fire tower)  Spotted the last forest fire from that tower before it closed and trained last three watchmen that followed me.

My son in law and I watched a small swarm of bees in our front yard as they collected the sweet water from some soft drink cans that were lying in the yard. It’s the 8th of March 2015 and we have seen them throughout the winter on oddly warm days. We decided to see if we could find the hive and after several hours of watching and following their flight path we found what we were looking for about 30 feet up in a large red oak that a storm had broken the top out of. We really love the outdoors and enjoy reading your articles.

This one early morning I awoke to the cooing of a single Morning Dove. It’s rather a sad sound. I got up and he was sitting on my balcony rail all alone. Hence, the sad song. But….it was very comforting to have him sitting there even though he soon flew off. I shared a few minutes with this interesting little bird.

Recent papers suggest Vermont is largely composed of the Dashwoods terrane (small land mass) which separated from the Laurentia (proto N America) and then was pushed back during the Taconic orogeny (mountain buliding episode). Next terrane to smash into the coast was called Ganderia, which had earlier split apart from Amazonia (later to become part of South America) and formed much of New Hampshire during the Salinic orogeny.  Much sea floor and Island chains, (including Bronson Hills), was scooped up during these events.  Next terrane to collide was Avalonia which had split from what would become Africa, this formed SE New Hampshire. Next came Meguma and finally Africa proper during the Allegheny orogeny; these had more effect to the South of VT and NH.  Details are still debated but it is obviously much more complicated than just a collision between African, Europe and N America.

Really enjoyed your article. I have five game cams in our woodlot of about 100 acres. Usually keep them on the ATV trails for easy access and not surprising, much of the wildlife use the trails in deference to having to go through brush.  I have some huge boulders on the property, so I am going to keep your suggestions in mind for game cam placements.

I have a red fox and also get fishers visiting periodically. And of course, deer, coyotes, racoons and wild turkeys.  It is amazing what is going on in the woodland when I am not around.

Have not checked cams in six weeks because of snow depth, and inability to access trails as ATV cannot get through snow this deep.  Hopefully some pleasant surprises when I finally make it up there. Have used a number of game cams, and have decided Moultrie is one of the more reliable ones.  Have a Bushnell which I like, but only a year old and got a new 150 degree,panoramic cam last fall. I like the pics, but too early to really assess.

Bob Wood

I have a large possum living in my shed overhang who seems to have frostbite on tail -  lacking some fur on his back . He is also eating my bird seed; I see his tracks each day.

I have a compost pile , even during Winter. He has been there also. My family had seen one last year, not sure it’s the same one.

I would suggest a wildlife camera to anyone that enjoys learning about their environment. The wildlife camera takes color during the daytime and with infrared, black and white in the dark, and most of the shots are in the dark.

I use the two minute video selection and, that way, I am able to see the way that animals move without humans present, since all my previous views of animals were either them standing still looking at me or of their hindquarters running away from me.

Except for bobcat and bear, I have excellent video of all the animals you mention and more. Just inside the forest on the sunny side of a two acre meadow and at one end of a beaver dam are where some of my best shots are framed. It’s amazing how busy our woods are at night!

I’m really looking for evidence of that rumored Fisher. But a Mountain Lion would do! :)

Sophie, getting a bobcat on random placement is pretty darn lucky! Yes, I too have found that deer and raccoon, as well as coyotes and blue jays, are quite curious about the camera. I have many out of focus closeups of these creatures.

I did a series of species inventories at my local park and having a trail camera gave me proof of what I knew was around the wooded parcel. Some of the deer and raccoons seemed curious about the night flash which made for a few interesting images. One random camera placement also produced an image of a Bobcat using the area. It is also fun to see who wanders through the backyard to clean up the bird food that falls from the feeders.

A fun toy!

It’s impossible to give good advice, Diane, without seeing the trees in person. They’re going to have all kinds of funky tension on them, and what you’re describing is a dangerous situation for a tree feller.

We have a tree that the wind storm brought half way down. It has fallen onto another tree and both trees are bent over badly from heavy snow. We have cut down trees our whole life but not sure about these. Now you know my husband won’t ask…but I have no problem getting some sound advice. This site seems to me to be professional and trust worthy. Anyone with the best answer? Would appreciate any suggestions besides paying someone else…ain’t gonna happen!

We just bought an 1866 farm house in western Maine and seem to have something living beneath the floor or the ell/summer kitchen. We are only there on weekends, but consistently It stirs every night just after the sun goes down for a few minutes and then becomes quiet again. From the sound of it, its a bit bigger than most of the critters mentioned in this article! Still it has made a home for the winter there and I’m curious as to what it is. Our dogs go nuts every evening for just a few minutes and then everyone settles down. It has also stirred when the dogs are not there as well. Given how incredibly cold its been this winter, whoever is it sure got a nice cozy spot to hibernate!

Let’s not forget that higher albedo may slow warming but it does not remove CO2 from the atmosphere. High atmospheric CO2 has its own negative effects such as ocean acidification.

Here, here. Thank you!

Things are seldom clearly black and white, and unbiased coverege of emotional issues separates true journalists from propagandists. 

We have the same name, and I’m also a teacher. So I get LOTS of undeserved compliments about your essays! Just thought you’d like to know that many people like your work…..

When I was studying to become a UVM Extension Master Gardener, I’m almost certain that I read something about plants thriving on CO2. I may have even recently read on line something about plants now thriving where they hadn’t been, providing food for hungry people. All because of climate change causing additional CO2 where there had not been enough. Mainstream media probably missed that one.

Amen.

Hello,

I am in need of some wisdom/expertise. I live on the west coast of canada, I primarily split fir but I am going to start going to the beaches and buck up washed up lumber and then split them. This is to sell and because I enjoy it. I am tired of using crap tools and I want to get either a gransfors large splitting axe or gransfors splitting maul. I can’t decide which one to get. The rounds I will be splitting will primarily be between 25-35 inches. Let me know what you suggest. Thank you.

I am so happy you have chosen to co-exist with your old friends now new roommates. I would have been disappointed, given that section of your “Keepers…” books that I have on my bookcase if you did otherwise! Put up some owl boxes and let them do the work for you! Thanks for the article, I enjoyed reading it as much as I’ve enjoyed all your books!