Friday, May 25, 2012

Manchester NH Middle school students snare mysterious reptile


MANCHESTER, N.H. - Two Manchester middle school students got the catch of a lifetime at Steven's Pond on Friday.

They fished a reptile resembling a small alligator out of the pond.

Seventh-graders Eric Vaughan Jr. and Jesse Philbin love to fish, and they caught the big one Friday.

"I saw it today and we ended up getting it," Vaughan said.

It's not clear exactly what the reptile is yet, but police said it could be a Cayman.

"It was just a mean-looking creature," Philbin said.

For two weeks, the Manchester middle-schoolers have been wading into Steven's Pond looking for what residents referred to as an alligator.

They had been looking around Friday afternoon and baited a hook determined to reel in the reptile.

"He took it and the hook got hooked in his mouth, and we dragged him over, and we got him in the net," Vaughan said. "It's bigger than any fish I've ever caught."

The teens said the reptile put up a big fight.

Source: http://www.wmur.com/news/nh-news/Middle-school-students-snare-mysterious-reptile/-/9857858/14229604/-/x1cgra/-/index.html#ixzz1vwbgr28A

Mohawk Trail State Forest Reopen after Tropical Storm Irene

Photo Credit: Dave Peatfield
CHARLEMONT, Mass. — A popular state forest is back open after getting battered by Tropical Storm Irene.

The Mohawk Trail State Forest was closed for months after the storm, but campers are finally back on the grounds.

The Loftus family is enjoying a family camping trip at the Mohawk Trail State Forest.

“It’s really nice, my first time here, but it’s really cool to be on the river with the mountains in the backround,” says Sarah.






Photo Credit: Dave Peatfield
It wasn’t so peaceful here last August when Tropical Storm Irene hit.

Massive rain caused big flooding problems here, washing away some campsites and even part Route 2 leading to the state forest was washed away.

Brendan Loftus says they were here soon after that.


“We just went for a cruise, not specifically to see the damage kind of a fall foliage. We couldn’t get over how bad the damage was,” says Brendan.

Photo Credit: Dave Peatfield
A lot of Franklin County took a beating by the storm, especially here.

These camp sites weren’t open for the fall season because the damage here at the state forest was so bad, they couldn’t open until after the new year.

After months of clean up and repairs, it’s business, or camping, as usual.

” We did some hiking this morning and now we’re going kayaking have you noticed any damage along the way? Not really its been pretty good,” says Kate Loftus.


Photo Credit: Dave Peatfield
“It’s amazing how much they’ve accomplished in that amount of time. The way they rebuilt a lot of the area, like the rocks to channel the river and prevent future damage.”

Now the only worry here is having enough wood for the camp fire to keep the mosquitoes away.

Not only is the Mohawk tTrail State Forest open in time for Memorial Day, the campground is booked solid for the weekend.
Photo Credit: Dave Peatfield

2 car accident on 495S turns highway into a parking lot for over an hour in Haverhill



A two-vehicle crash with serious personal injury occurred on Interstate 495 South, just south of exit 52 in Haverhill, around 8:05 tonight, according to state police.

Both sides of the highway were closed for well over an hour for the landing of a medical helicopter and investigation.

The cars involved were a snarled mess and appears the occupants of one vehicle needed to be removed with the Jaws of Life.

The vehicles involved are a 1999 Pontiac Grand Am and a 2006 Hyundai Elantra. Reports were that a female alone hit the second car with a male driver and small child. All were sent / flown to Lawrence General Hospital.

My family and I had the misfortune of sitting in traffic less than a thousand yards from the crash site while the state police investigated the scene.

Traffic was reported to be backed up to 95S.

12 year old falls 30 ft off rock face on Mt Major


ALTON, N.H. - Rescuers from a number of Lakes Region communities rescued a 12-year-old and his 46-year-old uncle who were injured on Mt. Major this afternoon.

According to Fish and Game officers at the scene, the 12-year-old fell an unknown distance around 4 p.m. When his uncle rushed to help him, he fell 30 feet off a rock face. His fall was stopped by a tree, authorities said.

A registered nurse in the family who was hiking with them provided first aid. The family used a cellphone to call 911 and rescuers were able to track their GPS location through the phone.

Emergency crews reached them in about 3 1/2 hours.

They both had to be carried off the mountain and were taken to a nearby hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening.

New Hampshire Fish and Game provided assistance along with crews from Alton, Gilford, Gilmanton and New Durham.



Read more: http://www.wmur.com/news/nh-news/Boy-uncle-rescued-on-Mt-Major/-/9857858/14219484/-/2m9u7sz/-/index.html#ixzz1vwBpyDvR

BREAKING: Celtics #39; Avery Bradley to undergo shoulder surgery Friday, is done for playoffs.


- ow.ly/b7z1e

Wednesday, May 23, 2012

BE AWARE OF ENDANGERED PIPING PLOVERS ON NEW HAMPSHIRE BEACHES

Six plover pairs nesting at Hampton and Seabrook

CONCORD, N.H. -- Be aware of endangered birds on the beaches this holiday weekend and beyond as the New Hampshire Fish and Game Department reports there are six pairs of piping plovers nesting along the sandy shores of Hampton and Seabrook. Piping plovers are endangered in New Hampshire and threatened nationally. Their breeding habitat is fenced with yellow roping to indicate the birds' presence to beach-goers and to allow the mating pairs space to nest and raise their young.

"Our goal is to protect these rare birds during their breeding season and manage the beaches for both people and wildlife," said Brendan Clifford a biologist with the Fish and Game's Nongame and Endangered Wildlife Program who oversees the piping plover protection effort.

"The sooner the birds nest, the sooner the chicks will hatch and grow big enough to be able to fly. Once the chicks are about 30 days old, they can fly and escape from danger and we can take down the fences that protect their breeding habitat and open up the whole beach for recreational use," explained Clifford.

Within just a few hours of hatching, piping plover chicks are able to walk and feed on their own. The first month is the most crucial time, because they are very small and hard to see and extremely vulnerable to natural predators such as gulls, crows, foxes and domestic animals including cats and dogs. People are possibly the biggest threat of all, however.

"Sadly, there have been incidences over the past few years where people have deliberately vandalized fencing meant to protect the birds and even stolen eggs right out of the nest," Clifford said. While Fish and Game cannot monitor the birds 24 hours a day, they do rely on a number of volunteers to keep watch over the birds and activities taking place on the beaches.

N.H. Fish and Game is working closely again this year with beach managers to coordinate beach raking and plover protection. Beach maintenance may occur, as long as it is coordinated in advance with N.H. Fish and Game and does not pose a threat to the piping plovers.

Since protection efforts began in 1997, a total of 89 piping plover chicks have fledged from New Hampshire's seacoast. New Hampshire's efforts are part of a region-wide protection program; overall, the Atlantic coast population of piping plovers continues to hold steady.

Protection of this endangered species is a cooperative effort of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, N.H. Fish and Game Department, N.H. Division of Parks and Recreation, the Town of Seabrook, the Town of Hampton, volunteers, local residents and beach visitors.

Beachgoers can make a big difference in whether or not piping plover chicks survive to fledgling age:


* WATCH WHERE YOU STEPA plover chick's defense mechanism is to freeze when people get close, which makes it difficult to see. The chicks are about the size of a cottonball and light colored, so they blend in with the sand.


* LEASH YOUR DOG - Free-running dogs can accidentally step on and crush eggs and chase after the chicks and adult plovers. Hampton Beach State Park and the Town of Seabrook both have restrictions regarding dogs on beaches during the summer. People should check before bringing their dog on any public beach.


* FILL IN HOLES - Holes in the sand are traps for the tiny chicks that can't fly. Filling in any holes on the beach helps the chicks move about and find the food they need to grow strong and be able to fly.


* VOLUNTEER! - Volunteers will be needed to help with monitoring once the plover chicks begin to hatch around Memorial Day. Anyone interested in volunteering can contact the N.H. Fish and Game Department Piping Plover Monitor at 603-419-9728.

For more information on piping plovers in New Hampshire, visit http://www.wildnh.com/Wildlife/Nongame/projects/plover_project.html.

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Police Caution Residents on Bear Sightings, N Salem NH


Salem Patch

Dave has shared the following article from Salem Patch:
21971b068592b5388bf68ef549b86e83Police Caution Residents on Bear Sightings
Patten: Bear sightings on the rise in North Salem....
By Jake O'Donnell
I thought you might be interested in this article from the Salem Patch.

Maybe I will get my Bear pictures sooner rather than later!

Residents have been reporting the sightings in recent days and noted they have been happening specifically in the Coventry Road neighborhood.



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Couple of Outdoor Activity suggestions (Target.com) adv


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Garmin GPSMAP62 2.6 In. Waterproof Handheld Navigator - Silver/Yellow


Help prevent getting lost

Keep a strong sense of direction with this waterproof handheld navigator from Garmin. This GPS device is very useful while fishing, hunting and camping. For added convenience, the device can easily accommodate an SD memory card.
  • Mobile GPS Features: High-Sensitivity GPS Receiver, Built-In Worldwide Base Maps, Download Capability, Sun/Moon Information, MicrcoSD Card Slot, Hunt/Fish Calendar
  • Mapping Features: Worldwide Basemap, Routes, Updatable
  • Used For: Camping, Marine, Sportsman, Fishing, Hiking, Hunting
  • Points of Interest: 2
  • Number of Waypoints: 2000
  • Display Features: TFT Display, Color Display
  • Display Size: 2.6 "
  • Screen Resolution: 160 x 240
  • Built-In Memory Storage Capacity: 1GB
  • Media Type Compatibility: MicroSD Card
  • Wired Connectivity: USB
  • Battery Life: Up to 20 Hours
  • Includes: Instruction Manual, Wrist Strap, USB Cable
  • Not Included: Batteries
  • Protective Qualities: Waterproof
  • Dimensions: 6.3 " H x 2.4 " W x 1.4 " D
  • Weight: 0.6 Lb.
  • Warranty Description: 1 Year Limited Manufacturer Warranty