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Dave Mance III
We boiled for the last time this season last Saturday - a raw, cold day. It froze hard that night, but Sunday rose up into the 60s. It felt like the end of sugaring season and the first day of Spring, Spring. We had a good run that day on account of the freeze, and a decent run on Monday at the Hall bush, where the ground was still frozen...
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Elise Tillinghast
A deer died by the river near my home. The crows found it, as did other scavengers - a bald eagle, and two big brown raptors that were hard to identify. Both had white flecking on their heads, wings and bodies, but the markings didn't match up, bird to bird. They looked unkempt and more than a little disreputable...
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Kristen Fountain
All of a sudden, sap season is here and winter's on its way out. Chances are though, a few more snow or ice squalls are still to come. The next time you find yourself driving behind a big plow truck, take a look at what's coming out of the spreader. What is used makes a difference for wildlife, especially as the snow melts...
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We'll try to make this the last WITWIT photo of the season with snow in it. At least the white background makes things clearer! Can you identify the sources of this scat (from left to right)?
Every other week we run a photo of something unusual found in the woods. Guess what it is and you'll be eligible to win one of our Season's Main Events Day Calendars. A prize winner will be drawn at random from all the correct entries. The correct answer, and the winner's name, will appear in our next e-newsletter.
This week's contest deadline is 8:00 AM, Wednesday, April 29, 2015.
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Congratulations to our winner Serena Sanborn of Hinckley, ME! Serena receives a Season's Main Events Day Calendar.
What explains this pattern that forester Beth Daut spotted in the snow?
NW Answer:
No, it isn't the latest tread pattern from Vibram. This view includes a tell-tale pine cone. "It took me a few to figure out what was going on...so many squirrels!" explains Beth Daut.
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Our cup runneth over. Actually, our inbox spilleth over. Either way, we have a lot of interesting news stories that cross our desks. Here were some of our favorites:
NATURE
New reports look at how climate change public opinion varies by region (even state and county), and global tree loss by country (spoiler alert: things are not good in Mauritania). Do drones hold the answer to deforestation? They might be able to help plant 1 billion trees a year. Just what we don't need: A new tick disease that may be worse than lyme. California dreamin' turns into a drought nightmare. An eagle's nest once buried in snow now shows signs of life, while moose hunting may be endangered in New Hampshire. Brook trout take note: yellow perch may be an Adirondack native, too. In other animal news, meet a shark-battling bobcat, a tree-protecting beaver, and a squirrel born to be an action hero.
INDUSTRY
Vermont farm and forest businesses get help showing their goods, while the state's maple producers get energy efficiency assistance. Forests finally join farms: locally harvested wood makes its debut at the Boston Public Market. New England's coastal marshes are threatened by nutrient pollution. Recent cold winters have residential wood (and pellet) stove sales surging, and more and more schools are moving to high-tech wood heat. Two New England states were among those to receive Forest Service wood energy and wood products grants. What is going on in Washington? Grand theft cabin and a river re-routed. Hey, wine is stored in barrels, so it was just a matter of time before the introduction of wood beer bottles.
STORIES YOU'VE SHARED
If you're free tomorrow, consider attending the 2015 Northeast Natural History Conference in Springfield, Massachusetts. Researchers, natural resource managers, students, and naturalists will present current information on the varied aspects of applied field biology (freshwater, marine, and terrestrial) and natural history for the Northeastern United States and adjacent Canada. Susan Morse, founder of Keeping Track and Northern Woodlands columnist, will be presenting the plenary session: "From the Arctic to the Everglades: Skills for Every Naturalist's Toolbox." For details, click here.
Vermont Coverts is presenting a "Woodlands for Wildlife Cooperator Training" program, May 15-17, at Northwoods Stewardship Center in East Charleston, Vermont. The three-day workshop is designed for woodland owners who want to learn how a healthy forest can enhance wildlife habitat, recreational opportunities, and timber quality. To learn more and for a sample agenda, click here; class size is limited to 20 participants so don't delay.
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