Site Discussions

We have lived in our house for 10 years. This year (in April) we noticed a very large nest about half way up a tall pine tree. It appears to be about three feet across, and made out of sticks. We don’t have any large body of water in the immediate area. We do feed birds, but the biggest one we’ve seen is an occasional crow. We do live out of town, in a semi-rural setting. What type of bird would build such a large nest? Someone suggested it may be a squirrel’s nest, but it is not made of leaves.

I’ve lived here over 20 years and for a good part of that time have wondered about the young beeches keeping their leaves all winter. Today I noticed the leaves have shriveled markedly overnight, and are starting to fall. It looks like the new leaves are about to come out.

This article answered most of my questions, thanks.

I’m curious if the old leaves, though ‘dead’, could be directly supplying nutrients back to the budding branch, before falling off.

The change in the old leaves overnight was remarkable. I’ll start observing these things more closely each year to see if it happens this way every year. I’m also going to try to keep track of whether the leaf retention is due to the age of the tree or the height of the leaf, as higher branches are subject to more wind.

Thanks for covering this emerging market opportunity for forestland owners. Readers looking for more information about selling carbon and the potential for aggregation may find these resources helpful: Selling Forest Carbon (http://www.northernforest.org/publications.html) and our Forest Carbon Resource Page (http://www.northernforest.org/default/es_resources.html). General information, including more about the Carbon & Ecosystem Services Network, are available at http://www.northernforest.org/ecosystem_services.html.

Trying to manage invasives on 75 acres. I would prefer to use fire but we need an act of congress to do that in these parts unfortunately.

As a Nature Conservancy supporter since 1984, I have watched the inclusion of working landscapes over the past 15 or 20 years with a wary eye.  “Is TNC selling out?” was my question at first.  But as I’ve watched, I’ve seen it more as taking advantage of opportunities to protect key aspects of the environment while maintaining the traditional human uses. 
  I grown to appreciate how difficult it is to maintain a balance between consumption/comfort and minimizing environmental impacts in my own life.  I glad THC and other groups I support are trying to work out that balance as well. 
I hope I can get up to the St John and see it for myself.

Thanks for this important article about an important subject.  Hope it gets wide distribution.

Hi Candace,

Yes, I peeled the bark away on the freeze scar. In its natural state the hole appeared to be recessed into the tree, the dead bark raised out and around it. This was an extreme example.

So interesting and informative for the non-sugar/sap maker.  Thanks.  One question:  on the photo of the freeze scar surrounding the taphole did the bark naturally come off or was it removed deliberately to show the damage?  I’m inclined to think it was removed on purpose.

Just curious, I was hiking in the woods one day and came across an ash tree with all its leaves still on it. The only thing strange about it was that the leaves were pure white. Is there an explanation for this or is it a phenomena, I have a picture of it. Kinda of gave me the creeps everything around it was dead. It was the end of March btw so those leaves have been there for quite some time and ive never seen leaves turn white. Any answers?

In 2004 I saw a Catamount cross the road in Charlotte, VT. The Cat was approx. 6 feet long from nose to tail. My father also had a sighting in Middlebury. It is difficult to say if these big cats are truly indigenous or released by individuals who cage or have these animals as “pets”. The negative impact to tourism would be sever if indeed big cats do exist in VT. And this is why I think many folks try to debunk claims.

Interesting article! Especially to those of us who live in the Mount Holly area.

Would you recommend heartwood or sap wood for making a bow. Ideally, I would use Yew, but this is hard to come by so, failing that, ash seems to be the next best alternative. Also, if you have any suggestions as to what to look for when selecting wood knots, grain etc. that would be much appreciated.
many thanks

“Setting their metabolisms to ‘simmer,‘“Lilliputian furnaces,” great stuff!  Here’s an okay video of one doing its thing.  As you can see, it’s all business.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m0thwbvEifU

Can we petition David Attenborough and his team to come in with their swanky infrared cameras and find the answer to their winter night survival?

Is there a process of “pinning” a tree and using string so it can be determined if the tree is shifting which would determine need for removal?

I am very interested in planting a Butternut tree. Where can I find a more mature tree,so I will get nuts sooner?  Also can I plant a Butternut with a Heartnut for pollination, or do you have to plant 2 of same variety for proper pollination? And if so, can they be planted within a half mile within each other?

As a Tyngsborough native, and growing up on the very banks of the Merrimack River, to boot, I can say I thoroughly enjoy my hyperactive winter birds. Even as we sit so still, confined inside and fighting our seasonal depression while huddled over a hot mug of coffee or earl grey, there is some delight to watching the beaty snow critters flit all hither tither in the harsh elements. It serves as a reminder that while we may have all but stopped in our tracks, these bite sized little beings haven’t paused to feel one bit bad for themselves. And why should we? Warm in our fleece and our heated houses, whining about our wet socks and thrown out backs from hours of pushing snow, flipping through the paper and contemplating a long weekend in Myrtle Beach, we witness the passing of winter through our side view mirror. Winter’s little king, on the other hand, plows full steam ahead without a windshield and with nothing more than the feathers on its tiny wings to keep it buggering on.
Little bird, I don’t know whether to curse you or to thank you, for reminding us all that even in the face of extreme elements, the impetus to forage and persevere is ever present.

Marcel,

While all three species mentioned in the article could be found in your area, your greatest chance of finding a luminescent species would be with the common bitter oyster (P. stipticus).  I have had success finding this little mushroom in August and September most often on fallen branches and logs of Birch species.  It is best to consult a field guide for you specific area.  And remember, as far as bioluminescence goes, the fresher the specimen the better, so check often.

Frank Kaczmarek

“Their twigs and bugs grow opposite one another” In the second paragraph is a mistype - I think instead of “bugs” you meant to put “buds”.  Thank you for the information - great article!

Reference the loss of a portion of the butt log to the disease. Recently a wood turner in my town showed me a rather large vase shaped item that he had turned from what he called “Ambrosia Maple” that was harvested by a logger south of Damariscotta.

To those of you who have seen lumber sawn from the butt of tapped maple trees, you may recall how Dr. Shigo’s CODIT (Compartmentalization of Decay in Trees ) is evident in how the sugar maple will restrict the spread of organisms from the tap holes (which are in fact ‘wounds’) not only to the left and right of the wound, but also above and below the tap hole. This restriction by the CODIT principle may be what is keeping the result of the wound from traveling.

Back to the Ambrosia maple. The ‘streaks’ left by the ambrosia beetle make the wood valuable to the wood turners especially if the wounding shows completely around the tree.

If you have a tree that succumbs to either the sap streak or the ambrosia beetle(Google it for more info plus great pictures of a cookie with the beetle stains in it ), Google Maine Wood Turners Association to see if a wood turner lives near you.
They will pay for usable sections or you might arrange a trade for a bowl.

Regards, Pete Lammert 207 691-2900

It is strange that frog calls are in the human range of hearing. I wonder if they’re are other frequencies we can’t hear that they do. I wonder if what we hear is what they hear. I have also wondered for many years how frog calls adapted especially for sympatric species, where the potential for overlap in frequency and decibel ranges exist.