Site Discussions

Just found a great early logging calendar put out by Brown Co. Wish I could find a way to share it here!

Thanks for the story Lee. My son and I just built two companion nest boxes out of rough cut hemlock to put up in the swampy outskirts of our yard. Two questions: 1) Is there a time of Spring I should put these out to encourage bluebirds taking to it over tree swallows (or other undesired nesters)? and 2) How did you prevent the squirrels from taking all the raisins at your feeding tray? As soon as I put out any food that’s NOT in a squirrel-proof feeder, the critters have a feast on it long before most of the yardbirds even discover it’s there!

Hi Lee, very nice article. I have been helping Bluebirds for over 40 years, providing nest boxes, and creating “Bluebird Trails”.  I have found that a club in Michigan, has some wonderful information on Bluebirds. Their website is michiganbluebirds.org. They have some great bluebird box designs, and I have found that the most successful design is the Gilwood Slot Box. The bluebirds love it, and the House Spartows don’t.  Thanks for a great article, take care. Gib

Has anyone tried the Makita double-battery electric chain saw?
I believe the top of line version is half the price of the Stihl, and at WW lumber, it came with an extra set of batteries?

I can only thank you again for the wonderful and informative weekly postings!
Knowledge enhances appreciation…

Good to know they are better than before. Some tips I’ve learned regarding modern batteries… try to keep them close to 50% charge when storing for long periods. Also, never ever let them drop to 0% for any amount of time, it will do permanent damage to the battery.

Seeing this years later, but what great info. And glad to see people are going out of their way to replant what should be in nature. We have some local lore about the previous pine industry here in Louisiana, and from that angle it is very interesting to see your details here about the northeast. We have a few private acres here and there, and let most of it grow wild. All it takes are people that give a hoot to bring back some forests and natural habitat.

There is hope for the ash. The USDA and others are working with several species of Asian wasps that are parasitic on the emerald ash borer.  See “The Journeys of Trees” by Zach St.George (2020, W.W. Norton).

You are no “ordinary Joe”, but a man after my heart.  I have preached your philosophy for years.  BTU value is nearly equal in all species if weighed by the dry pound.  Various woods have their own special characteristics in harvesting, splitting, drying, and burning. Know the wood and use it according to your needs.  I’ve always been fond of aspen.  It splits easily and I regularly use it in my sauna for a hot, quick heat up and have sold a few others on its value.  Keep preaching to others, I’m already in the choir.

I was just looking at other peoples ideas on a chopping block. Saw this article. Thank you. I have a second block to stand on my main block for when I am generating kindling. It save me having to stoop. This then becomes my main block when the main block has done its job. Hope the tip helps those with a bad back. The log burner is our only form of heat. We have a typical Lath/lime plaster cottage with thatched roof. I’ll be 70 this summer. Once again thanks for all your comments and tips.

Such an appropriately and beautifully done combination of great natural history reporting and the anthropomorphic. I have two girls in that same space and I could totally relate. and I’m also an ecologist and appreciated the detail and the conservation issues. Thanks for being someone who makes important information accessible.

Marvelous article, thank you Peter Pfeiffer.  I’m going to order your book.  Your story is an inspiration.  I live on the edge of Irving land in northern Maine and industrial forest management is a whole different world.  I hope I can do as well by my land as you have by yours.

Excellent and beautifully written article. Here in CT the Department of Energy and Environmental Protection has been undertaking a process of live trapping females and attaching a collar with GPS tracking device. The collar automatically drops off within a year and is retrieved. The data is helping wildlife biologists understand more about where the females go during mating and young rearing season. Thanks again for an interesting article

Thank you, Ms. Spikol.  A most excellent article, and fascinating in-depth behavioral notes and breeding habits.  We get so excited when we see relevant tracks around the Lakes Region, and our family share notes about the tracks, out below our back steps, along the water’s edge.  I think a Trail camera is in our future for more evidence to share.  Thx Tom

Very poetic article.

Touching and informative to read.

I live on the edge of a large National Forest in Addison Co. Vermont.

There is an arm of South Mountain that is called Bob Cat Ridge.

And a restaurant in Town named The Bob Cat.

from Lincoln Vermont,

D.Mortier

We really enjoyed this article. It has been years since I have seen a Wood Turtle in the wild. I have spent hours looking and hoping. We were lucky enough to witness a mass Map Turtle nesting last June in the Champlain Islands. I have video of communal nesting. Watching the female dig with such determination and skill was an amazing experience I will never forget.

I’m afraid I have to agree with Bill up above. These birds are bullies to other small birds. One or two of them will crowd out a feeder and threaten other birds who show up by puffing up their chests and lunging at them. They will eat until everything is gone. So they are not welcome. all I have to do is open my front door and off they fly. The smaller birds (chickadees, titmice, finches, wrens, etc.) immediately fly back to the feeder. So I suppose that, other than Bill, no one else has noticed this?

I give Pete’s book Hard Chance 5 stars!  It’s well-written and informing, and he has a wry sense of humor.  It deserves a place on your bookshelf.

This was informative. Thank you for sharing cattails with me.

Fred,

A sapsucker would be surprising, but hairy woodpeckers are present year-round in the Northeast, and we have been seeing them frequently in our woods in Vermont. My guess is that you have a hairy woodpecker that has found a rich source of insects or other prey in that butternut!