Site Discussions

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!

Now I know what I’m looking at…other than a beautiful sloping field bordered by two lovely maple trees…as I eat my Kimball’s Special in Jaffrey all summer! Thanks!

Wonderful tale of observation, truth & resilience. So much resonated. Thank you
Juliet

I bought my land from a neighboring farmer with whom I later served on our town’s board of selectmen.  I wish I had asked him more about his early days trying to make a living on a rocky piece of land in pre-skiing Vermont.  The stories I did hear were wonderful.

I was friends with Peter back in the 70’s in Maine and the 80’s in Naples Florida. It’s refreshing to hear his story and would love to see him again someday.

I have a woodpecker that looks like a sapsucker or hairy woodpecker drilling sap from my butternut trees everyday and it started about 1-2 weeks ago and now is only 2/17. Isn’t that early?

Great description of the Reserve. I had NO idea that Maine still had 5,000 intact acres of uncut old-growth forest! This unique place is now on my list of “go to” places to visit and fish. I’m particularly intrigued by the blue-backed trout, a species I have never caught or encountered elsewhere in Maine.

Enjoyed the observation of how the Downy and Hairy woodpeckers coexist. We have both at our feeders, and noticed that the Hairy won’t share the suet, with one exception: they will eat side by side peacefully with the Carolina wrens. Perhaps they think Carolina’s are as cute as we do.

Wow, what a great article.

What a beautiful piece. Thank you for your close attention and your ability to articulate it so poetically.  I, too, love the word ptyxix/ptyxis, which I immediately looked up.  Your explanation is the best. I have been one of those hikers.  It seems to me that drawing the leaf buds will be the best way for me to really see them.

Yesterday in a wildlife management area in Montville, Maine my friend and I were snowshoeing in foot deep snow.  We came across a weird track that curved and twisted all over the woods.  It’s overall pattern was wavelike going forward with 2 troughs, one on either side, and a 4-5” swept depression in the middle.  Must have been something with a fat belly scraping the ground and a waddling gait.  I thought porcupine.  After awhile we came across a dead porcupine, face down large and, fat, with some light yellow snow near it.  There was no apparent injury and no blood at all.
The body was cold but still soft, especially the belly. 
What is the story here?  Any thoughts?  It was a well nourished animal.

This was such an interesting article simply because living in New England we tend to take White Pines for granted.  They have always been here and we hardly acknowledge them.  We have a grove behind our house which is home to lots if creatures.  Ivhave watched the cones form year after year and wondered about gestation and so on. My husband and I love them.  So happy to know more about them!

Thank you for the fascinating article!  My hat is off to the rehabilitators!

A hairy woodpecker joined us for lunch today - we all enjoyed the sunshine and good food - the woodpecker suet and sunflower seeds, us grilled sandwiches.

What a great story and very inspiring way to get community involved and excited about nature and our planet.

I’m inspired by Sebastian Moreno’s path to birding and opening to nature in urban locations and his work in introducing BIPOC people to the wonders of our natural inhabitants.  Thank you for this article.

I worked in Groveton 1986-1989 as a process engineer.  James River owned No. 3, 4, and 6 Paper machine. Jim owned the the Medium machine No. 5? that made the medium board.  I spent a lot time in Stock prep and many hours running trials and under the creping blade of the Yankee dryer that made tissue paper. I recognize some of the names in the story above.  I met the young lad (a Backtender) who had the tattoo of a moose on top of Chevy car.  I story I was told he shot it or agitated it and it chased him through Groveton downtown and someone took a picture when it got up on the car which made the National Geographic Magazine.  I believe T. Morrill is still living in the area if you want to get some more info about the mill.  It was by chance I came across this article while looking for something else.

BOBCAT Spotted in Bethpage, Ny.
Was walking minding his business. Area had many rabbits. I assume he was hunting.