Vol. 2, no. 5 Tuesday, February 4, 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 29. Orono (Map 23) At 4 am, muted but persistent noises announced the arrival of a skunk, which had come to feed on a bowl of compostables carelessly left on our deck. The animal, quite energetic in the +10 degree cold, picked and chose its way through the vegetable matter, demonstrating both its keen sense of smell -- for having detected the scraps at a distance -- and its disregard for our cats, which watched detachedly, inches away on the other side of the glass! F.W.
Wednesday, January 29. Otis (Map 24), I was so excited to see four evening grosbeaks at my feeders. Since my tray feeders were empty, and I was so anxious to have the grosbeaks stay, I ran right out to replenish the tray feeders. Alas, I must have frightened the very feathered friends I wished to welcome and they took flight, never to be seen again. I haven't seen evening grosbeaks in the area since before Thanksgiving. B.G.
Saturday, February 1. Cushing (Map 8) At the Cushing Nature Center in the coastal township of Cushing, Maine, a colleague and I found an adult Spotted Salamander walking in the snow. Actually, it was alive but immobilized by the cold. It was near a wetland. Neither of us has ever seen a Spotted Salamander out in the snow in the dead of winter. Of course, we have both seen them out in a late April snowstorm, but that's different! J.K.M.
Sunday, February 2. Otis (Map 24) I was out for over one and a half hours in the afternoon wandering through the woods and along logging roads, and did not see or hear a bird until I was almost home and saw a pair of brown creepers. B.G.
Sunday, February 2. Trenton (Map 16) Sea ice covers most of the channel between Thompson Island and the mainland at Trenton. By contrast Somes Sound on Mount Desert Island is nearly ice-free. Why? I attribute the difference to the depth of the Sound (the channel is relatively shallow) and its direct exposure to southerly winds and to the open ocean (the channel is open to the East and West, but sheltered by the mass of Mount Desert Island.) F.W.
Sunday, February 2. Seal Harbor (Map 16) Day Mountain, Triad Mountain. A half-foot of
snow left the trails walkable. But ice underneath, and exposed ice under the shelter of
groves of trees require careful stepping im some places. Despite the cold there are
several running springs on these mountains. Other less obvious running water has created
ice cascades of treacherous beauty, including several on roadside ledges that make for
hazardous travel, even on the paved roads.
Chickadees are everywhere. Deer prints (adults and fawns) criss-cross the hiking paths. A
trail of raccoon tracks was observed crossing the Day Mountain Trail, heading straight
uphill (for what kinds of foods?) through some woods. I regret that I didn't think to
follow the tracks to see if the raccoon went up into a tree for the day. Near the summit,
under brush and low hemlock trees, grouse tracks were in evidence.
Fat, well-formed double buds on vivid red branches showing no winterkill nor ice damage,
may promise a beautiful display of dogwood flowers in the Spring. F.W.
Monday, February 3. Fort Kent (Map 67) Winter has been of extremes in Northern Maine.
We have had extreme temperatures (high and low) and extreme snow. The lowest (unofficial)
reported temperature occurred on two days (-42F). This was reported in two separate
locations (St. John, Maine and Frenchville), both in low spots along the river. The high
temperature was +42F. The most snow we had in one storm was 20 inches (official).
Overall the winter has been much milder than usual. The official heating degree days are
over 400 less than the normal. What is most noticable as well is the lack of extended
periods of cold. Usually January has 10-14 days of continuous below zero temperatures.
This year we never had more than 2 continuous days of below zero.
The snow has been a real bonus for the area. The cross-country skiing, the local downhill
skiing and the snowmobiling are EXCELLENT. With snow to work with, the trails are superb.
Those who maintain the trails do such a good job because of the depth of snow.
Cross-country trails and snowmobile trails are especially well-groomed. If you travel
South towards Bangor, the extreme snow is within 30 miles of the Saint John Valley. Below
that, depths of snow are mininum. I spent the weekend West of Baxter State Park where the
snow depth is minimal.
Regardless of whether the groundhog saw his shadow in Northern Maine, we are looking
forward to 6 more weeks of winter. D.R.
Downeast Birdline has ceased -- discontinuation announcement
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