Chipmunk. A chipmunk (Tamias striatus) foraging near the shore of the Mill Pond finds me in his way. He examines the situation, then goes around behind me and continues foraging under a hemlock tree. Summer, Mine Falls Park. 58 seconds, 40 Megabytes.

Beaver. A beaver (Castor canadensis) swims out toward the middle of the Mill Pond. There's nothing to give scale to this video, but the beaver's head is nearly the size of a muskrat's whole body. Notice the way it swims, with its tail completely underwater, unlike the way the muskrat uses its tail for propulsion by wriggling it on the surface of the water. Spring, Mine Falls Park. 25 seconds, 17 Megabytes. Downloaded 34 Times.

Stumpy-Tailed Squirrel. A gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) with a stump tail makes his way along the north shore of the Mill Pond. He could easily be mistaken for a small rabbit as he scampers through the thicket. I had only seen this squirrel once, about a month before, and I have not seen him since. Winter, Mine Falls Park. 38 seconds, 27 Megabytes. Downloaded 26 Times.

Squirrels On Ice. A gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) scampers across the frozen western bay of the Mill Pond, a distance of about 100 feet. This bay is an impassable barrier most of the year, yet this squirrel's territory apparently expands to include both the south (near) and north (far) shores of the pond in winter. Winter, Mine Falls Park. 30 seconds, 21 Megabytes. Downloaded 29 Times.

Stumpy-Tailed Squirrel. A gray squirrel (Sciurus carolinensis) with a stump tail scurries up a tree. I've known a few gray squirrels like this over the years, and I actually witnessed the loss of the tail once. The skin and fur comes off rather easily, leaving the attacking predator with nothing while the squirrel gets away with a naked, ratlike tail. The original tail soon dies, and the one that grows back is short and lacking in bone and muscle. This one is the shortest tail I've ever seen on a gray squirrel. He looks like a big gray hamster. I only saw him one other time, even though I go to this exact location pretty often. Winter, Mine Falls Park. 20 seconds, 13 Megabytes. Downloaded 30 Times.

Red Squirrel on Frankenstein Cliff. A red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) scampers across the clifftop, pausing a couple of times to look around. I don't suppose he's admiring the scenery. I'm not 100% certain, but I think their winter pelage, seen here, is a more vibrant red than their red-brown summer fur. Fall, Frankenstein Cliff, Crawford Notch State Park. 39 seconds, 27 Megabytes. Downloaded 33 Times.

Yearling Moose. A small moose (Alces alces), perhaps a yearling, moves away slowly after I got out of my car to take a video. When a bit of noisy traffic passes, he takes off at a trot. Spring, White Mountain National Forest. 33 seconds, 23 Megabytes. Downloaded 33 Times.

Moose. A somewhat small moose (Alces alces), perhaps a two-year-old, grazing beside the road. Whatever she's eating, it's lip-smacking good. The bedraggled look of her coat is due to the spring moult. She will look better after she loses her thick winter pelage. Spring, White Mountain National Forest. 52 seconds, 36 Megabytes. Downloaded 35 Times.

Bulltinkle. I was taking a movie of a moose (Alces alces), when the moose suddenly decided to urinate. Now, I was initially disinclined to post a movie of a moose peeing, until the title occurred to me. Then I just had to do it! (It's a cow moose, but, ...) Spring, White Mountain National Forest. 30 seconds, 21 Megabytes. Downloaded 44 Times.

Chipmunk Hiding. A chipmunk (Tamias striatus) hiding under the leaf litter chirps in alarm. I'm guessing his cheek pouches were full of something, as the chirps are reduced in pitch. It sounds rather like the one that I once mistook for a wild turkey, but not exactly. (Read the story, "The Thanksgiving Chipmunk.") About halfway through the video, you hear the alarm twitter of another chipmunk. Summer, Mine Falls Park. 53 seconds, 29 Megabytes. Downloaded 46 Times.

Muskrat Gathering Food. A muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) swims past me bringing a mouthful of aquatic plants home to his burrow. Summer, Mine Falls Park. 37 seconds, 20 Megabytes. Downloaded 28 Times.

Fido the Squirrel. A red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) gnaws on a bone that some camper left behind. Early summer, Dry River Campground, Crawford Notch State Park. 59 seconds, 32 Megabytes. Downloaded 44 Times.

Muskrat Outbound. A muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) swims out to the middle of the western arm of the Mill Pond, then dives to forage on the bottom. As he swims, you can plainly see that he is using his tail for propulsion, which beavers never do. Spring, Mine Falls Park. 38 seconds, 20 Megabytes. Downloaded 35 Times.

Muskrat Coming Home. A muskrat (Ondatra zibethicus) returns from foraging and disappears into his burrow, which opens underwater near a thicket. This is one of three muskrat dens in the Mill Pond of which I know the exact location. Spring, Mine Falls Park. 35 seconds, 18 Megabytes. Downloaded 35 Times.

Chipmunk chirping. A chipmunk (Tamias striatus) chirps as I hike past. Late spring, Mine Falls Park. 26 seconds, 13.5 Megabytes. Downloaded 46 Times. Downloaded 70 Times.

Squirrel eating a mushroom. A red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) nibbles on a mushroom. Spring, Arethusa Falls Trail, Crawford Notch State Park. 21 seconds, 11 Megabytes. Downloaded 52 Times.

Bear on Arethusa Falls Trail. A black bear (Ursus americanus) disappears into the forest along the Arethusa Falls Trail. You can see the bear for bearly a second (I crack myself up) before he disappears. Spring, Crawford Notch. 10 seconds, 6.75 Megabytes. Downloaded 149 Times.

A chipmunk (Tamias striatus) chirps at me while I try to take a video of a woodpecker. (Maybe I'm the only one who thinks this is funny. Just after I prepared this video for posting, I went out to go ice skating with my granddaughter and her friend. The skating rink was closed [hockey game], so we decided to go see a movie: Alvin and the Chipmunks!) Spring, Crawford Notch. 20 seconds, 11.75 Megabytes. Downloaded 62 Times.

Moose. A cow moose (Alces alces) makes her way up a wooded hillside along the road in the pale light of dawn. Spring, White Mountain National Forest. 52 seconds, 28 Megabytes. Downloaded 68 Times.

Angry Red Squirrel. A red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) rushes up a tree and scolds me. Both red squirrels and gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis), the two species with which I am most familiar, make similar sounds, a couple of octaves higher in the red squirrel. They make a machine-gun chatter when they are startled. When the startlement wears off but they are still angry, they make this surprisingly complex chirping and growling that sounds like more than one animal. Early spring, Crawford Notch. 1 minute, 3 seconds, 33 Megabytes. Downloaded 40 Times.

Angry Red Squirrel II. A red squirrel (Tamiasciurus hudsonicus) scolds me from up in a tree. Same day, different squirrel. Early spring, Crawford Notch. 29 seconds, 15 Megabytes. Downloaded 41 Times.

Mink on the Move. I had just sat down on my favorite rock when this mink (Mustela vison) came up behind me. I barely had time to get my camera on him. And he quickly ran behind me and I lost him. Fall, Mine Falls Park. 15 seconds, 8 Megabytes. Downloaded 85 Times.

Ruby-Throated Hummingbird. A ruby-throated hummingbird (Archilochus colubris) flits among the branches overhanging the Mill Pond. A few fleeting glimpses, poorly lit, is about all we ever get to see of hummingbirds in this part of the world. If my experience is any indicator, I probably won't see another hummingbird here for three or four more years. Late spring, Mine Falls Park. 35 seconds, 24.5 Megabytes.

Grackle Obstacle Course. A common grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) hops along a couple of fallen logs before flying into the bushes beside the Oxbow Pond. He looks like he's about to fly from a bend in the log, then decides it's not close enough, and hops to the next log where he can get a little closer to the bushes. Does it really matter that he has to fly an extra six feet? Late spring, Mine Falls Park. 29 seconds, 20 Megabytes.

Red-Winged Blackbird Preening. A red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) grooms his feathers in the top of a maple sapling. He had just plunged into the brook, but I didn't catch that on video, then flew to this sapling to complete his bath. As he preens, he practices his call a few times. Late spring, Bouchard Bridge, Beaver Brook Association, Hollis, NH. 33 seconds, 23 Megabytes.

Three Baltimore Orioles. Three Baltimore orioles (Icterus galbula) converge briefly in a clearing beside the Mill Pond. These birds have been uncommon in Mine Falls Park, but I think I'm seeing more than usual this year. Three together is a very unusual event. Late spring, Mine Falls Park. 47 seconds, 33 Megabytes.

Tufted Titmouse Feeding. A tufted titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) tears into something delicious. I think it was a moth pupa, but I'm not quite certain. Late spring, Mine Falls Park. 26 seconds, 18 Megabytes.

White-Breasted Nuthatch. A white-breasted nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) looking for insects in a beech tree. Late spring, Mine Falls Park. 17 seconds, 11 Megabytes.

Wake-Up Call. It's five o'clock in the morning and I'm on vacation, but this bird decides I ought to get out of the tent and enjoy my vacation properly. Not sure what kind of bird it is. It sounds a bit like a chipping sparrow, but it's loud! Late spring, Dry River Campground, Crawford Notch State Park. 27 seconds, 18 Megabytes.

Red-Winged Blackbird. A red-winged blackbird (Agelaius phoeniceus) lands on a reed and calls, then flies across the Oxbow Pond and disappears among the trees below me. His bright red "epaulets" show clearly when he flies. Late spring, Mine Falls Park. 30 seconds, 20 Megabytes.

Pileated Woodpecker on the Ground. A pileated woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) forages for bugs in a fallen log. At one point, a common grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) flies by, giving the woodpecker a bit of a start. Late spring, Mine Falls Park. 47 seconds, 33 Megabytes.

Pileated Woodpecker on the Ground. A pileated woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) forages for bugs in a fallen log. A common grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) hops along some nearby logs and seems completely uninterested in the woodpecker's activities. Notice the twisting motion of the woodpecker's head and neck. Scientists have studied the structure of a woodpecker's beak and skull to understand why they don't suffer brain concussions. Now, why don't they break their necks? Late spring, Mine Falls Park. 34 seconds, 24 Megabytes.

Pileated Woodpecker on a Log. A pileated woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) hops along a fallen log. This was on the opposite side of the Mill Pond from the one I had seen earlier foraging in a rotten log. Not sure whether it was the same bird or not. Late spring, Mine Falls Park. 21 seconds, 13 Megabytes.

Pileated Woodpecker Inspecting a Tree. A pileated woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) makes a thorough examination of a small dead tree, taking a few exporatory pecks and choosing his spot carefully. Late spring, Mine Falls Park. 45 seconds, 31.5 Megabytes.

Pileated Woodpecker: Big Hole in a Small Tree. A pileated woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus), having selected where to peck, digs deep into a small tree to retrieve a grub. See the chips fly! Late spring, Mine Falls Park. 32 seconds, 21.5 Megabytes.

Pileated Woodpecker on a Small Tree. A pileated woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) knocks off a large slab of dead bark, then laps up the bugs. Late spring, Mine Falls Park. 1 minute, 5 seconds, 45.5 Megabytes.

Grounded Titmouse. A tufted titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) feeding on the ground. The bird is practically digging a burrow in the leaf litter on the bank of the canal, then it works its way toward me, coming quite close, turning over leaves and generally poking around. Very unusual, in that titmice are rarely seen feeding on the ground, and they are usually very shy. Spring, Mine Falls Park. 46 seconds, 32 Megabytes.

Robin Gets a Worm. A very determined female robin (Turdus migratorius) works her way around all sides of a worm before finally getting it out. This is an excerpt, but the entire struggle lasted more than a minute. Spring, Mine Falls Park. 34 seconds, 24 Megabytes. Downloaded 20 Times.

Baltimore Oriole. A Baltimore oriole (Icterus galbula) calls to his mate, who is sitting on a nest just down the hill. Spring, Mine Falls Park. 29 seconds, 18.5 Megabytes.

Bored Canada Goose. A Canada goose (Branta canadensis canadensis) yawns while hanging out on the Mill Pond. I've only seen a goose on the pond that one day, and I suspected that this was the male of a mated pair, standing by while the female incubated a nest somewhere along the shore. He seems rather bored with the wait. Spring, Mine Falls Park. 34 seconds, 23 Megabytes.

Bored Canada Goose. A Canada goose (Branta canadensis canadensis) stretches his wings while hanging out on the Mill Pond. I've only seen a goose on the pond that one day, and I suspected that this was the male of a mated pair, standing by while the female incubated a nest somewhere along the shore. He seems rather bored with the wait. Spring, Mine Falls Park. 28 seconds, 18 Megabytes.

Turkey Vulture. A turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) circles above me. In this video, you can clearly see the silvery underside of the vulture's primary flight feathers, rather striking in this otherwise nearly black bird. Early spring, Wapack Trail, Pack Monadnock. 29 seconds, 18.5 Megabytes.

Turkey Vulture. A turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) glides past majestic Mount Monadnock. Early spring, Wapack Trail, Pack Monadnock. 25 seconds, 16 Megabytes.

Osprey Fishing. An osprey (Pandion haliaetus carolinensis) catches a good-sized bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus). I'm not sure what is the most remarkable thing about this video. I had never before seen a) a grackle (Quiscalus quiscula) harassing an osprey; b) any raptor continue hunting while being harassed. Yet here it is! When the osprey begins his dive, it looks like he's simply evading the grackle, but instead, he plunges into the water and comes up with a fish. Late spring, Mine Falls Park. 43 seconds, 29 Megabytes.

Osprey Fishing. An osprey (Pandion haliaetus carolinensis) plunges into the pond and comes up empty, then circles back for another strike. Late spring, Mine Falls Park. 25 seconds, 16.5 Megabytes. Downloaded 31 Times.

Black-Capped Chickadee. A black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) hops around on a stump beside the frozen Mill Pond. Winter, Mine Falls Park. 20 seconds, 13 Megabytes.

Black-Capped Chickadee. A black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) flits among the branches of a hemlock. Winter, Mine Falls Park. 26 seconds, 17 Megabytes.

Black-Capped Chickadee. A black-capped chickadee (Poecile atricapillus) flits among the branches of a hemlock. Winter, Mine Falls Park. 30 seconds, 20.5 Megabytes.

Red-Tailed Hawk Soaring. A red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) soars high above the Mill Pond on a crystal winter day. Winter, Mine Falls Park. 37 seconds, 25 Megabytes. Downloaded 22 Times.

Downy Woodpecker. A downy woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) fluffs out his "trousers" while feeding on a cold fall day. These unusually long and fluffy belly feathers are what gives the species its name. Fall, Frankenstein Cliff Trail, Crawford Notch State Park. 50 seconds, 35 Megabytes.

Song Sparrows. This is kind of weird. I heard the call of a chipping sparrow (Spizella passerina), and I took a video in somewhat poor lighting conditions (too much backlight), thinking these were two chipping sparrows. When I looked at the video, I saw that these are clearly song sparrows (Melospiza melodia). There must be a chipping sparrow out of sight somewhere, or else song sparrows sometimes make this "sewing machine" call instead of their usual "Madge, Madge, Madge, put on your tea kettle-ettle-ettle." Spring, Mine Falls Park. 30 seconds, 20 Megabytes. Downloaded 24 Times.

Cormorant Takeoff. A double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) makes a long, laborious take-off run, then circles the Mill Pond before gaining enough airspeed and altitude to clear the pines on the shore. Spring, Mine Falls Park. 35 seconds, 24 Megabytes.

Great Blue Heron Landing. A great blue heron (Ardea herodias) flies low across the Mill Pond then lands at the mouth of a long, narrow bay. He drags his feet in the water as he approaches touchdown. Fall, Mine Falls Park. 18 seconds, 9.6 Megabytes.

Great Blue Heron Landing Part 2. A great blue heron (Ardea herodias) flies low across the mouth of a long, narrow bay of the Mill Pond, then lands on a half-sunken snag. Fall, Mine Falls Park. 26 seconds, 14 Megabytes.

Duck Tipping. A pair of mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) upend themselves repeatedly while feeding. Sometimes they take turns, sometimes they tip together. Kind of comical. Fall, Mine Falls Park. 38 seconds, 20 Megabytes. Downloaded 29 Times.

Crow in the Wind. A crow (Corvus brachyrhynchos) flies into a stiff headwind, then lands in the top of a pine. After holding onto the treetop for a couple of minutes, he calls to his buddies, then flies off to join them. Fall, Mine Falls Park. 42 seconds, 22 Megabytes. Downloaded 25 Times.

Treetop Heron. A great blue heron (Ardea herodias) scans the pond from the top of a thirty-foot pine tree, then flies off. Spring, Mine Falls Park. 27 seconds, 14 Megabytes. Downloaded 29 Times.

Downy Woodpecker. A downy woodpecker (Picoides pubescens) makes his way rapidly up a lichen-covered oak, picking an insect off the surface now and then, but never pecking into the bark. Spring, Mine Falls Park. 59 seconds, 31 Megabytes. Downloaded 20 Times.

Turkey Vulture. An immature turkey vulture (Cathartes aura) soars below me, over the broad valley between the Monadnocks. This young bird has a gray head, unlike the red head of the adult. Spring, Pack Monadnock. 29 seconds, 16 Megabytes. Downloaded 23 Times.

American Kestrel. An American Kestrel (Falco sparverius) hovers over the meadow, swoops toward an insect and misses, repeats the process, then lands in a small sapling. Spring, White Mountain National Forest. 47 seconds, 27 Megabytes. Downloaded 27 Times.

Hammer In The Morning 2. A hairy woodpecker (Picoides villosus) perched as motionless as if he were part of the tree for nearly three minutes, then hammered loudly. Suddenly animated, he went into a freenzy, hopping around on the tree trunk and calling in his squeaky little voice, then flew away. Spring, Crawford Notch State Park. 30 seconds, 16 Megabytes.

Great Blue Heron Stretching. A great blue heron (Ardea herodias) stretches and shakes his feathers as if in preparation to fly. This is the heron that appeared to be injured, so he never did fly in the entire time I watched him. (I did see him flying a week later.) Summer, Mine Falls Park. 26 seconds, 13.5 Megabytes.

Cooper's Hawk. A Cooper's hawk (Accipiter cooperii) circles above the Mill Pond then disappears behind the trees on the opposite side. It's unusual to see them flying out in the open above the treetops like this. Their short, rounded wings and long, wedge-shaped tails make them superbly maneuverable among the branches, where they hunt songbirds, and they are most often seen down among the trees. Summer, Mine Falls Park. 32 seconds, 17 Megabytes. Downloaded 38 Times.

Kingbird Catching Dragonfly. An eastern kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) perches on a branch sticking up from a submerged log. He makes one false start, then makes a long charge and catches a dragonfly. Summer, Mine Falls Park. 35 seconds, 18 Megabytes.

Kingbirds on a Stick. A pair of eastern kingbirds (Tyrannus tyrannus) survey the Mill Pond from a branch sticking up from a submerged log, then dash off to catch dragonflies. Summer, Mine Falls Park. 27 seconds, 14 Megabytes. Downloaded 22 Times.

Titmouse Olympics. A tufted titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) does a little impromptu gymnastic routine as he tries to perch on a twig that can't quite hold him. Summer, Mine Falls Park. 22 seconds, 11 Megabytes. Downloaded 28 Times.

Brown Creeper. A brown creeper (Certhia americana) sings his musical mating call while searching for bugs behind the loose bark. Spring, Arethusa Falls Trail, Crawford Notch State Park. 29 seconds, 15.5 Megabytes. Downloaded 37 Times.

Osprey Circling. An osprey (Pandion haliaetus carolinensis) circles above the western arm of the Mill Pond. The accompaniment is the territorial call of a tufted titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor), but you can hear the osprey call in the second half of this clip. The titmouse was completely unconcerned at the sight of this hawk-like bird, as were a muskrat and a pair of mallards feeding nearby. It's surprising that these creatures, which would hunker down in silence at the sight of a red-tailed hawk, know that an osprey is not going to attack them. I didn't realize it at the time - in fact I was puzzled by the osprey's calling - but there was another osprey circling at about twice the altitude of this one. I'm sure it was a pair looking for a new territory. I had never seen ospreys in Mine Falls Park until this year, and I'm hoping that they will set up housekeeping in the area. Spring, Mine Falls Park. 1 minute, 10 seconds, 36 Megabytes. Downloaded 40 Times.

Pair of Ospreys. Two ospreys (Pandion haliaetus carolinensis) circle above the western arm of the Mill Pond, perhaps looking for a nest site. I would recommend that tall flat-topped white pine that stands at the eastern end of this little bay, but the ospreys did not seek my opinion. Spring, Mine Falls Park. 36 seconds, 19 Megabytes. Downloaded 40 Times.

Osprey Over Mill Pond. An osprey (Pandion haliaetus carolinensis) flies low over the main body of the Mill Pond, still largely covered with ice. Spring, Mine Falls Park. 28 seconds, 16 Megabytes. Downloaded 42 Times.

Red-Bellied Woodpecker and White-Breasted Nuthatch. A white-breasted nuthatch (Sitta carolinensis) was foraging in a tall oak tree (and, uncharacteristically, creeping up the tree, though he turned head-down to feed), when a red-bellied woodpecker (Melanerpes carolinus) chased him off, taking over the tree. Spring, Mine Falls Park. 50 seconds, 26 Megabytes.

Kingbird hunting dragonflies. An eastern kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus) flutters above the Mill Pond chasing dragonflies. Late spring, Mine Falls Park. 20 seconds, 11 Megabytes. Downloaded 29 Times.

Cormorant preening. A double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) preens his feathers while standing on a stump in the middle of the pond. Late spring, Mine Falls Park. 1 minute, 31 Megabytes. Downloaded 33 Times.

Cormorant swimming. A double-crested cormorant (Phalacrocorax auritus) swims through a swarm of dragonflies out to the middle of the pond, then dives underwater. You can hear a pileated woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) call just before the cormorant dives. Late spring, Mine Falls Park. 1 minute, 10 seconds, 36 Megabytes. Downloaded 40 Times.

Mute swan preening. A mute swan (Cygnus olor) cleans and arranges his feathers. Late spring, Mine Falls Park. 1 minute, 4 seconds, 33 Megabytes. Downloaded 37 Times.

Mute swans aren't mute! A mute swan (Cygnus olor) calls for his companions, who had just flown away a few minutes earlier. These swans are not literally "mute," but they call very rarely and very softly. Late spring, Mine Falls Park. 22 seconds, 12.5 Megabytes. Downloaded 51 Times.

A tufted titmouse (Baeolophus bicolor) sings quietly and hops from branch to branch among the opening buds. Spring, Mine Falls Park. 35 seconds, 19 Megabytes. Downloaded 45 Times.

Woodpecker Making Nest Hole. A hairy woodpecker (Picoides villosus) excavating a nest cavity. See the chips fly! But you can't hear anything (contrast that with the "Hammer In The Morning" video) until a group of hikers come along and ask me what's up. Spring, Crawford Notch. 43 seconds, 23 Megabytes. Downloaded 41 Times.

Swan Dive. A mute swan (Cygnus olor) feeding just slightly out of its depth has to upend itself completely to reach the first aquatic plants of spring. This is right about the same place where I often see mallards diving underwater to reach the last plants in late fall. The swan doesn't have to dive, of course. I might say that an adult swan can't dive underwater, but a few years ago I would have said that an adult mallard can't dive, either! Early spring, Mine Falls Park. 42 seconds, 23 Megabytes. Downloaded 73 Times.

A song sparrow (Melospiza melodia) hopping in the branches of a blackgum overhanging the Mill Pond. Early spring, Mine Falls Park. 20 seconds, 12 Megabytes. Downloaded 66 Times.

Duck Moulting. A young male mallard (Anas platyrhynchos) changing from eclipse plumage to full adult male breeding colors. Looks like an itchy process as he preens vigorously. The gray streaks on his temples make him look rather distinguished, don't you think? Spring, Mine Falls Park. 30 seconds, 17 Megabytes. Downloaded 44 Times.

Belted Kingfisher Fishing. A belted kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) catches a small fish and flies into a tree to swallow it. I didn't get the plunge and catch on video, but you can see the bird rise from the water and swallow his catch. And you can hear the odd machine-gun call of the kingfisher even when he has the fish in his mouth, and even while he's swallowing the fish. Spring, Mine Falls Park. 42 seconds, 22 Megabytes. Downloaded 33 Times.

Belted Kingfisher Flying. A belted kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon) swoops from a tree and plunges into the pond, then flies away empty-billed. Spring, Mine Falls Park. 32 seconds, 17 Megabytes. Downloaded 40 Times.

Pileated Woodpecker. A pileated woodpecker (Dryocopus pileatus) foraging on a tree. Notice the long, narrow, flexible neck. I'm not sure whether this is unique to this species, or if the bird's large size simply makes the neck appear to be thinner than that of other woodpeckers. This is the largest woodpecker known to exist, until there is unequivocal proof that the ivory-billed woodpecker (Campephilus principalis) is not extinct. Spring, Mine Falls Park. 36 seconds, 19 Megabytes. Downloaded 33 Times.

Red-Tailed Hawk. A red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) sits in a tree beside the highway, unperturbed by the road noise. Occasionally she looks down so intently that I was sure she was about to pounce on something, but she never did. (I'm pretty sure it was a female. It was quite large, but the vivid colors are more typical of the smaller male.) Winter, Route 101, Milford, New Hampshire. 56 seconds, 30 Megabytes. Downloaded 60 Times.

Red-Tailed Hawk Flying. A red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis) sits in a bare oak tree beside the highway, then flies to another tree farther down the road. Winter, Route 101, Milford, New Hampshire. 29 seconds, 16 Megabytes. Downloaded 41 Times.

Ground Pecker. A hairy woodpecker (Picoides villosus) apparently feeding on the ground. There are ground-feeding woodpeckers, but this is not one of them! Turns out he was pecking at a rotten fallen stick. (After the bird left, I took some close-up pictures of the stick, which are included at the end of the video.) Winter, Pack Monadnock. 1 minute, 5 seconds, 43 Megabytes. Downloaded 67 Times.

Robert D. Mallard Re-Ducks. More diving mallards. A pair of mallards feed by diving underwater in late fall. Sometimes they share the food that one has brought up, and sometimes they each dive separately. I now have many minutes of video of this unusual behavior, in case anyone is interested in serious study. I did a little research on the Web regarding this subject, and it appears to be almost mythical. It's real, folks! Mallards do indeed dive underwater for food, and you can see it on video right here. (Also, farther down this page, another video of another diving mallard in winter.) Read more about it in my story, Robert D. Mallard, Fall, Mine Falls Park. 51 seconds, 26.5 Megabytes. Downloaded 56 Times.

Great blue heron catches small fish. A great blue heron catches and eats a small fish. This bird has an injured wing, which shows in part of the video, and I think he may have been unable to fly. I was less than 15 feet away during this sequence, and the heron was completely unconcerned by my presence. Summer, Mine Falls Park. 53 seconds, 25 Megabytes. Downloaded 55 Times.

Great blue heron out of his depth. A great blue heron leaps into deep water, catches a large fish, then swims back to his perch. This is a rather large video file, but it documents some fascinating behavior. A heron swimming! This is the same heron I had seen a week earlier with an injured wing. He's flying now. Summer, Mine Falls Park. 1 minute, 20 seconds, 45 Megabytes. Downloaded 54 Times.

Great blue heron stalking. A great blue heron hunts in the shallows of the Mill Pond. Spring, Mine Falls Park. 30 seconds, 17 Megabytes. Downloaded 33 Times.

Great blue heron flying. A great blue heron takes flight over the Mill Pond. Spring, Mine Falls Park. 30 seconds, 16.5 Megabytes. Downloaded 31 Times.

Robert D. Mallard. Some sources will tell you that adult mallards do not dive underwater. Not so! (Title inspired by Dr. Robert D. Ballard, famed underwater explorer.) Late winter, Mine Falls Park. 24 seconds, 12.2 Megabytes. Downloaded 65 Times.

The first robin of spring emerges from hibernation, bursting forth from his den under the snow and flying into a nearby tree. (Well, okay, maybe he was getting a drink or hunting for aquatic invertebrates, but it sure looks like he's emerging from a den under the snow.) Late winter, Crawford Notch. 20 seconds, 11 Megabytes. Downloaded 159 Times.

Dragonfly. A dragonfly (suborder Epiprocta) flits around in front of my favorite sitting rock in Mine Falls Park. Summer, Mine Falls Park. 16 seconds, 10 Megabytes.

Water Spider Walking.. A water spider (family Cybaeidae) sits at the end of a clump of grass, apparently eyeing a water strider (Gerris sp.), when it suddenly wheels around and walks toward land. In the process, it startles another water strider. There's a background story. I had been watching the water spider for some minutes, when an unleashed dog came along, trampled the grass right where the spider had been, splashed around for a moment, then left. I assumed the spider was gone, perhaps killed. But within seconds, there he was at the end of the now-trampled grass. I suppose he was still just getting his bearings, and not actually stalking the water striders. Summer, Mine Falls Park. 24 seconds, 16 Megabytes.

Damselflies Mating.. A pair of damselflies (Suborder Zygoptera) laying eggs in Beaver Brook. The male clamps the female's neck like this for some time after mating, to prevent other males from mating with her while she lays her eggs. Notice that his entire body is cantilevered out in front of her when she lands. Not all laying damselflies have a male hitchhiker like this. I'm not sure whether the male eventually lets her go, or maybe different species have different mating and laying habits. Late spring, Bouchard Bridge, Beaver Brook Association, Hollis, NH. 37 seconds, 25 Megabytes.

Bumblebee Dries Out.. A bumblebee (Bombus sp.) climbs out of the pond and dries her wings. The bee had been drifting, nearly drowned, for several minutes, before she managed to get hold of this small blackgum. Notice the standing waves and interference patterns on the water as she uses her wings for propulsion. Notice the droplets flying as she flaps her wings to dry them. The bee was apparently unable to fly for quite some time, but she took off while I was changing discs. Late spring, Mine Falls Park. 38 seconds, 26 Megabytes.

Dragonfly On Deck.. An irridescent orange dragonfly (suborder Epiprocta) briefly joins me on an observation deck above the Oxbow Pond. Late spring, Mine Falls Park. 25 seconds, 17 Megabytes.

Damselfly Laying.. A damselfly (Suborder Zygoptera) lays her eggs, one at a time, in the mat of spirogyra on the Mill Pond. She lands on a leaf or stalk of grass embedded in the spirogyra, lays an egg, then flies to another good landing spot. After she laid the second egg and straightened her abdomen, she stayed there motionless for well over a minute before flying off. Late spring, Mine Falls Park. 37 seconds, 25 Megabytes.

Caddisfly Larva.. A caddisfly larva (order Trichoptera) crawls across the bottom of the Beaver Pond. While I was shooting this video, I was concentrating on the fast-moving individual, whose concealing case includes a number of long, buoyant stalks. Upon reviewing the video, I see that there are many more of these larvae in view, including at least two slow-moving individuals in the close-up view, and the mud is riddled with their tracks. Caddisflies are similar to moths, but they do not have powdery scales on their wings, and their larvae are generally aquatic. Spring, Beaver Brook Trail, Beaver Brook Association, Hollis, NH. 54 seconds, 38 Megabytes.

Whirligigs and Water Striders.. Myriad aquatic bugs swarm around the Beaver Pond. On the surface are whirligig beetles (family Gyrinidae) and a large water strider (Gerris sp.). On the bottom, you can see red-spotted newts (Notophthalmus viridescens viridescens) and the tracks of caddisfly (order Trichoptera) larvae. Maybe you'll even see a twitching pile of leaves and sticks which conceals one of these larvae. Spring, Beaver Brook Trail, Beaver Brook Association, Hollis, NH. 33 seconds, 23 Megabytes. Downloaded 20 Times.

Bumblebee Nest. The comings and goings at a bumblebee nest over a ten-minute period one sunny fall afternoon are compressed into a minute. Note the surprising differences in size of the bees coming and going. Fall, Mine Falls Park. 1 minute, 3 seconds, 33 Megabytes. Downloaded 31 Times.

Bee on Calico Aster. A bee (family Apidae, possibly Nomada sp.) half hovers, half hangs, while feeding on a calico aster (Aster lateriflorus). (No, the picture to the left is not a calico aster, but a stiff aster {A. linariifolius}. I just used one of the best pictures I have of these Nomada bees as a link to the video. This is a different species of bee, but I suspect it's the same genus.) Fall, Mine Falls Park. 27 seconds, 14 Megabytes. Downloaded 27 Times.

Wasp on Calico Aster. A wasp (family Vespidae) on a calico aster (Aster lateriflorus). (No, the picture to the left is not a mid-fall calico aster, but a mid-summer showy goldenrod {Solidago speciosa}. I just used one of the best wasp pictures I have as a link to the video. And it's a different species of wasp, too.) Fall, Mine Falls Park. 30 seconds, 16 Megabytes. Downloaded 21 Times.

Water Spider Eating a Bug. A water spider (family Cybaeidae) eating a bug of some sort, possibly a water strider (Gerris sp.). The surface he's standing on is actually water with a dense growth of tiny duckweed (Lemna minor) floating on it. Summer, Mine Falls Park. 44 seconds, 30 Megabytes. Downloaded 34 Times.

Water Strider Feeding Frenzy. Water striders (Gerris sp.) feast on a fallen damselfly. The first to approach, surprisingly, is a mating pair. I assume only the female actually fed on the damselfly, as the male's head would be lifted up too high. This pair, and the next water strider, approach very cautiously, leaping clear of the water as the dying damselfly struggles. By the end of the sequence, as many as eight water striders - three mating pairs and two single ones - are tearing into the unfortunate damselfly. Among the last to approach, a single male tries to cut in with a mating pair, but is soundly rebuffed. Through it all, several smaller water striders seem to be interested but afraid to get too close to the scuffling adults. Summer, Mine Falls Park. 1 minute, 48 seconds, 56 Megabytes. Downloaded 20 Times.

Water Strider. A water strider (Gerris sp.) skimming above the pink granite bottom of the Saco River. Early summer, Crawford Notch State Park. 38 seconds, 21 Megabytes. Downloaded 37 Times.

Disappearing moth. A moth flutters on the surface of the Mill Pond for a moment before joining a fish for lunch. Late spring, Mine Falls Park. 19 seconds, 10 Megabytes. Downloaded 33 Times.

A queen bumblebee (Bombus sp.) gathering nectar from a maleberry bush (Lyonia ligustrina) on a rainy spring morning. (No, the picture to the left is not a mid-spring maleberry bush, but a late-summer pickerelweed {Pontederia cordata}. I just used one of the best bumblebee pictures I have as a link to the video.) Spring, Mine Falls Park. 39 seconds, 20 Megabytes. Downloaded 69 Times.

Butterfly In Snow. A question mark butterfly (Polygonia interrogationis) near the Crawford Connector trail head. Although the calendar says late April, the snow on the ground says this butterfly emerged from hibernation a bit early. Spring, White Mountain National Forest. 36 seconds, 20 Megabytes. Downloaded 46 Times.

Snow Fly At Christmas. A "snow fly" or winter crane fly of the family Trichoceridae sits on the snow, then takes flight. Read more about my "discovery" of these unusual insects in Snow Flies. Christmas Day, Mine Falls Park. 26 seconds, 13 Megabytes. Downloaded 37 Times.

Snow Fly Walking. A "snow fly" or winter crane fly of the family Trichoceridae walking on the snow. (Oh, the hazards the amateur nature videographer must face! While I'm concentrating on documenting the behavior of this unusual creature, my wife is thinking I should pick up some milk and bread on my way home.) Winter, Mine Falls Park. 36 seconds, 18.5 Megabytes. Downloaded 49 Times.

Snow Fly Flying. A "snow fly" or winter crane fly of the family Trichoceridae takes off from the snow and lands on a boulder, then takes off again and lands on the snow. Winter, Mine Falls Park. 52 seconds, 27 Megabytes. Downloaded 70 Times.

Snow Fly Courtship. A group of about half a dozen winter crane flies of the family Trichoceridae engage in a display reminiscent of the courtship displays of unrelated fireflies, or the territorial displays of equally unrelated dragonflies. Winter, Mine Falls Park. 43 seconds, 22.5 Megabytes. Downloaded 40 Times.

Snow Fly Takeoff. A winter crane fly of the family Trichoceridae takes off from the snow and lands on a twig. Winter, Pack Monadnock. 38 seconds, 19.8 Megabytes. Downloaded 45 Times.

Snow Fly On Twig. A close-up view of a winter crane fly of the family Trichoceridae crawling along the underside of a twig while I hold my hand behind it for scale and clarity. Winter, Pack Monadnock. 35 seconds, 19 Megabytes. Downloaded 65 Times.

Dragonflies with that? A dragonfly lays her eggs, and a bluegill sunfish gets his lunch. Summer, Mine Falls Park. 21 seconds, 11 Megabytes. Downloaded 48 Times.

Bullfrog Croaking.. A bullfrog (Rana catesbeiana) bellows near the shore of the Mill Pond. Notice how his body rises to the surface as he puffs himself up with air in preparation. Notice how his eardrums bulge each time he forces a gulp of air down to his lungs. As he calls, see the ripples and the very dense interference patterns in the surface of the water. Early summer, Mine Falls Park. 57 seconds, 40 Megabytes.

Striped Minnows.. A school of a dozen or so striped minnows hanging out in the Beaver Pond. I don't know why, but they occasionally go into a very brief frenzy, where many of them splash at the surface of the pond all at once, and then it's over in a quarter of a second. I'm also not certain of the species or classification of these fish, but I've always called them striped minnows. Late spring, Beaver Brook Trail, Beaver Brook Association, Hollis, NH. 38 seconds, 26 Megabytes.

Bass fry?. A large school of tiny fish is unperturbed by the approach of two very large largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). I'm guessing the bass are the parents of these fry. Late spring, Mine Falls Park. 48 seconds, 34 Megabytes.

Toad croaking.. An American toad (Bufo americanus americanus) sings his mating song. The background noise is the water spilling over the dam right beside me at the southern corner of Saco Lake. Notice the ripples on the water as the toad croaks. Late spring, Saco Lake, Crawford Notch State Park. 28 seconds, 19.5 Megabytes.

Toadly-Wink.. An American toad (Bufo americanus americanus) winks slyly at the ladies before commencing his song. Late spring, Saco Lake, Crawford Notch State Park. 10 seconds, 6.4 Megabytes.

Bluegills Mating.. A pair of bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus) prepare to spawn. The male repeatedly turns on his side and tries to stimulate the female to lay her eggs, all the while herding her back over his prepared nest in the gravel. This herding action can sometimes be quite aggressive. The process continued, without any progress as far as I could tell, for more than fifteen minutes. Spring, Mine Falls Park. 37 seconds, 25 Megabytes.

Newts Mating.. A pair of red-spotted newts (Notophthalmus viridescens viridescens) preparing to spawn. The male holds the female by wrapping most of his body around her head and neck until she is subdued, then begins to move into a parallel position. Eggs are laid, one by one, on vegetation, and there was no vegetation anywhere near this couple. I couldn't stick around to see how they performed that part of the process. Even this preliminary wrestling lasted more than ten minutes. Spring, Beaver Brook Trail, Beaver Brook Association, Hollis, NH. 1 minute, 6 seconds, 46 Megabytes.

Red-Spotted Newt Feeding.. A red-spotted newt (Notophthalmus viridescens viridescens) grabs some small prey from the mud on the bottom of the Beaver Pond. Spring, Beaver Brook Trail, Beaver Brook Association, Hollis, NH. 34 seconds, 24 Megabytes.

Fly In Fish.. A fly floats on the still surface of the Mill Pond for many minutes before finally being eaten. The fish, oddly, took at least half a dozen strikes before swallowing the fly. Spring, Mine Falls Park. 22 seconds, 15 Megabytes. Downloaded 20 Times.

Snapping Turtle.. A snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) leaves his basking spot on a sunken tree and disappears into the murky Nashua Canal, flushing a bluegill sunfish (Lepomis macrochirus) out of his hiding place. Spring, Mine Falls Park. 25 seconds, 18 Megabytes. Downloaded 20 Times.

Snapping Turtle.. A snapping turtle (Chelydra serpentina) swims - rather quickly, for a snapper - along the Nashua Canal. Spring, Mine Falls Park. 23 seconds, 14.5 Megabytes. Downloaded 20 Times.

Largemouth Bass.. Two good-sized largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides) lurk near a fallen tree in the Nashua Canal. Spring, Mine Falls Park. 40 seconds, 27 Megabytes.

Red-Backed Salamander.. A red-backed salamander (Plethodon cinereus) runs to hide as I move the camera closer. This one has a much shorter tail than the others you can see on this Web site. Red-backed salamanders and their close relatives, like many lizards, can detach their tails to distract predators. This one is in the process of regrowing his tail. And as often happens with this species, he stops running away when his head is hidden. Spring, Beaver Brook Trail, Beaver Brook Association, Hollis, NH. 39 seconds, 27 Megabytes.

Red-Spotted Newt.. A red-spotted newt (Notophthalmus viridescens viridescens) swims in the shallows of the Beaver Pond. A few large individuals like this one, perhaps seven inches long, appear in mid-spring. Later in the year, the pond is swarming with smaller newts, about five inches long, which I take to be the year's crop of new adults. They spend their "adolescence" as land-dwelling salamanders called red efts. Spring, Beaver Brook Trail, Beaver Brook Association, Hollis, NH. 24 seconds, 17 Megabytes.

Red-Backed Salamander. A red-backed salamander (Plethodon cinereus) runs to hide as I move the camera closer. Typically for this species, he stops running when his head is well hidden. Spring, Greeley Park. 19 seconds, 10 Megabytes.

Three's a Crowd, Part I. A painted turtle (Chrysemys picta picta) looks for a good place to bask, without much success. The events of this video, and the three that follow, all took place within a six-minute period one afternoon in early spring. Basking turtles often jostle for position like this, so there's nothing unusual about it. It just strikes me odd that we humans don't take notice. So, sit back and notice for once! "Our Hero" is recognizable by the unusually bright orange-red tinges in the margin of his shell. Spring, Mine Falls Park. 42 seconds, 22 Megabytes. Downloaded 30 Times.

Three's a Crowd, Part II. A painted turtle (Chrysemys picta picta) looks for a good place to bask, without much success. In the second part of our series, "Our Hero" begins to climb up at a better spot - higher, drier, and unoccupied - but then decides that's not where he wants to bask. Spring, Mine Falls Park. 40 seconds, 20 Megabytes. Downloaded 30 Times.

Three's a Crowd, Part III. A painted turtle (Chrysemys picta picta) looks for a good place to bask, without much success. "Our Hero," having given up on the high, dry, unoccupied part of the log, manages to climb back up on the place he likes, almost evicts one of the other turtles, then falls back into the canal. Spring, Mine Falls Park. 51 seconds, 27 Megabytes. Downloaded 30 Times.

Three's a Crowd, Part IV. A painted turtle (Chrysemys picta picta) looks for a good place to bask, and finally succeeds. "Our Hero" finally gets his place in the sun, so to speak. He heads toward the far end of the log, and grows frantic as he is joined by another turtle without a basking spot. The two in the water, literally climbing on top of one another to get the best spot, knock another turtle off the log in their frenzy, then take his place. Spring, Mine Falls Park. 1 minute, 20 seconds, 42 Megabytes. Downloaded 32 Times.

Large Snapping Turtle (Chelydra serpentina). This is not "The Monster," but it is a typical adult-size snapping turtle, maybe a little larger than typical for Mine Falls Park. I would estimate the carapace length at maybe 13 or 14 inches. Add about 11 or 12 inches for the outstretched neck and head, another ten or so for the tail, and this turtle approaches a yard long, overall. He was swimming in the easternmost of the three distributaries that flow from from the Mill Pond to the Nashua River (which is the slowest and murkiest of the three). When the turtle passed behind some trees and I moved to get a clear view, he saw me and disappeared into the opaque water. Spring, Mine Falls Park. 54 seconds, 28 Megabytes. Downloaded 56 Times.

Dragonflies with that? A dragonfly lays her eggs, and a bluegill sunfish gets his lunch. Summer, Mine Falls Park. 21 seconds, 11 Megabytes.