Vol. 2, no. 1 Tuesday, January 7, 1997
Quick jumps: | This week's reports | Downeast Birdline -- discontinuation announcement | Meeting of new group: Greater Portland Naturalists Forum | Publication announcement: Biological Diversity in Maine: An Assessment of Status and Trends in the Terrestrial and Freshwater Landscape |
You are invited to participate. Your reports are always welcomed!
Please e-mail Frank Wihbey, Editor: menature@maine.maine.edu
This week's reports
Report format = Day, date, time. Location (Maine Atlas Map number) Report text. Initials of correspondent
Wednesday, January 1. Clinton (Map 21) Driving south on Rte. 95, one mile north of the Clinton exit (Exit 37), spotted a mature red-tailed hawk soaring. B.G.
Thursday, January 2. E. Orland (Map 23) North winds continued through January 1, with
accompanying near zero temperatures. Yet, this section (First Toddy) of the lake did not
freeze over. In fact, the heavy winds appeared to caused the melting of large, upstream
(south) formations of ice seen two days ago. I guess this melting is due to wave action
and stirring of warmer subsurface waters to the top. The winds have subsided, and
overnight First Toddy iced over with a slushy, half inch snow cover. Only a quarter acre
of open water is apparent here near the dam where we often have open water midwinter.
A beaver took advantage of this little bit of open water to sit at our shore eating food
collected off the bottom. As it ate, a hawk was perched on a branch above; it had a rufous
stripe at its wing edge as it perched, and it was monocolored dark blue above, with at
least one bar across its tail. The beaver may be housed in a lodge many beaver have tried
to build under our dock. A trapper has been using body traps, advertised as instant death,
as opposed to slow agonizing death, to remove the last couple of beaver nearby. Such a
discreet, engineering, gentle, and, above all, ethical species. W.D.
Saturday, January 4. Bangor (Map 23) While trying to find birds to count on the Bangor
Audubon Christmas Bird Count, I saw tracks in the snow of fox, snowshoe hare, meadow vole,
masked shrew. Several birders on the count commented on the current prevalence of fox
tracks. I agreed. Driving home after dark, I saw a road-killed fox on I-95 near the
Kenduskeag Stream.
Bird highlights were: a Sharp-shinned Hawk, a Glaucous Gull, 4 Ring-billed Gulls, a Song
Sparrow & a Brown Creeper. Others reported a Cooper's Hawk and a Red-Tailed Hawk.
J.K.M.
Saturday, January 4. Bar Harbor (Map 16) Dorr Mountain. Despite icy conditions on the Ladder Trail, eight people were at the summit around 2:00 pm. Snowshoe hare tracks covered the trail from base to peak. A red fox followed a group of hikers on their ascent. No birds to speak of, except for a daring charter plane. J.W.
Sunday, January 5. Old Town (Map 33) Walked a gravel road with a thin layer of snow, ideal for tracking. Many deer tracks crossing, following in and recrossing the road. Also noted tracks of squirrels, snowshoe hare and field mice (traveling into and out the other end of culverts under the road). Saw what appeared to be a coyote track. All of these (except the deer) crossed but did follow the road, probably due to the infrequent, but noisy human traffic. F.W.
Sunday, January 5. E. Orland (Map 23) A new duck appeared in the only open water on First Toddy, which is at the shore by our house. It may have been a ring-necked duck or a lesser scaup duck. W.D.
Monday, January 6. Orono (Map 23) For about a half-hour this morning there was a fall of graupel, a form of snow consisting of tiny, white lumps, some having the familiar six points of snow crystals. The color and shape prove that it was not sleet. Then the snowfall changed to the more common needle crystals. F.W.
Monday, January 6. E. Orland (Map 23) The pond is open only at our house, for about an acre. Mallards have to take refuge on this, the only open shore if they are staying here at all. I think our cat may have found the ducks in the bushes this morning. When I went out to clean the car off, I found the two mallards killed by Rte 1 traffic. Possibly these two bird were scared up to reckless, road behavior by being chased. I hate to keep a housepet, but I hate to keep one confined even more. So I let the cat out. However, I must reconsider what damage freeing these beasts does. W.D.
Downeast Birdline has ceased -- discontinuation announcement
Downeast Birdline -- transcript of current telephone message
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