Six photos each from walks to eight nearby spots (all in New Hampshire) between the end of March and the middle of April, during the global Covid-19 pandemic. I’m keeping a distance from any people I see and carrying a mask in my pocket in case I find myself too near others. #getoutdoors !
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Northern Rail Trail, Andover NH, 28 March
trees reflected in Blackwater RiverBritish soldiers lichenabout a third of the several miles of trail today were snowy or icyno snow or ice on this part of the trailstaghorn sumac seedheadHorseshoe Pond
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Lyme Hill – Upper Valley Land Trust, Lyme NH, 4 April
I went here specifically looking for emerging hepatica. And found it! and more.
roaring Grant Brookwoman far off, walking the field part of the trailmoss, ferns, rocks – a fun trailmoss close, like flowersa luminous old fungus
Hepatica leaves:
Bonus audio (volume up): birds and a few wood frogs (Lithobates sylvaticus) (and a car on Route 10 at the end)
soft light on mosses and fallen pine needlesmosses two wayshobblebush (Viburnum lantanoides) budmoss closeflowing stream with sun overlaysome of the trail was still icy, some soggy, most of it pretty walkable
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Low Plains – Ester Currier Wildlife Management Area, 8 April
one of two bird blinds on the pondmoss on a logelderberry budstrailing arbutus (Epigaea repens) foliagepond reflectionwide and darkest part of trail
Bonus video (volume up): wood frogs singing up a storm.
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Clark Lookout, New London, NH, 10 April
fruiting lichen bodiesmore fruiting lichen bodiescairn at observation areamosses, grassesfoggy view of Lake Sunapeerooty trail
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Fells Estate & Gardens, Newbury NH, 11 & 12 April
white marsh marigold (Caltha palustris ‘Alba’)narrow trail near lakepasque flower (Pulsatilla vulgaris) bud (and sedum)maybe striped squill (Scilla mischtschenkoana)one of the honeybees that lives in the hives, out and collecting pollen on a chilly dayalpine garden landscape
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Knights Hill Nature Park, New London, NH, 15 April
pond grassessunlight in a mossy clearingsmooth white rock with rusty streaksbrook crossingrattlesnake plantain up and at ’emlandscape of purple-red field with red pines
One more bonus video, brook flowing over rocks:
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Thanks for visiting these beautiful and fairly isolated spots with me — and for continuing to keep your physical distance.
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Featured image: sneaking another photo from the alpine garden at The Fells, 11 April 2020.
Such a beautiful state we live in! I love New Hampshire’s rail trails. 😊
I’ve never been to New Hampshire but your photos and descriptions have brought it to me. Thanks!
Those are gorgeous photos! Thank you! I love virtual nature walks — no ticks.
No ticks IRL so far. Too bad I can’t take you on a virtual cruise.
Snow and ice; goodness. I was just sniveling about how late my summer vegetables are this year.