Wednesday, November 22, 2023

Six Months at a Fallen Pine

More than a century ago portions of the Big Woods were farmland. But then, just about 100 years before this is being written, those farms were abandoned; some were planted to various species of conifers while others reverted to woodland. As in much of the northeast, white pine was the pioneer tree species to begin growing in some of the old fields.

The elongating tip of white pines growing in the open of old fields is frequently killed by feeding larvae of white pine weevils. When that happens one or more side branches begin growing upward, the result is a multi-stemmed tree –


A single fork of one of those large multi-stemmed white pines snapped off in a windstorm last winter – the sound it made as it fell to the ground must have been impressive. It’s that fallen pine and the critters that use it which are featured in this video –


The camera’s been removed for the duration of the fall hunting seasons but will be back in mid-winter.

3 comments:

  1. I love it when nature reclaims land.
    We had a big tree fall like this. I heard it, but didn't see it. Sadly.

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  2. Great story and captures. Enjoyed seeing the cast of characters up close (bear paws!). Lots of itching going on, I see. The variety of creatures using the fallen tree part is impressive. Thanks for sharing. Starting my Friday with a Big Smile because of the Big Woods and your effort. Kim in PA

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  3. Hello,

    Great video, I enjoyed seeing all the wildlife in the Big Woods.
    My favorites are the birds, the Bobcat and the Bear. The little mouse's eyes were so bright. All great sightings and images. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, have a great day and happy new week.

    ReplyDelete

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Woody