Vol. 2, no. 10 Tuesday, March 11, 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, March 5. Wallagrass Plantation (Map 67) Sent my husband out into the woods last night to measure snow depth in an area with no wind drift effect -- and everybody's guess of 2-3' was right on. In Wallagrass we have 29" in the protected woods. S. Z-B.
Thursday, March 6. Caratunk (Map 30) I was in Bangor all weekend and couldn't get over
the difference [in snow depth.]! On Mar. 3 we still had a good two feet in the yard.
Tuesday, the 4th we received 5" and today we've gotten at least 16". I shoveled
off the deck this evening and was surprised that it wasn't very wet or heavy. I won't see
any daffodils until May!
Sightings: A bald eagle on Rt. 201 near Wyman Dam in Bingham in mid-afternoon, on two
different days in mid-February . Five deer on the ice on the Kennebec in Solon near the
scenic overlook on Rt. 201 last Thursday afternoon. Three there on Tues. the 4th at 7 am,
dangerously near water. We called the game warden. B.Y.
Friday, March 7. E. Orland (Map 23) Toddy Pond near the dam: Yesterday's storm's covering of snow seems to have driven a lot of birds to our feeder area. A red breasted nuthatch investigates logs and trees. 2 hooded mergansers swim in the open water all day, water that had been iced over before the storm. Lots of bright evening grosbeaks visit; as do the usual herd of goldfinches, that are beginning to turn summer colors; and the chickadees regulars, doves, blue jays, a couple of white-throated sparrows and slate-colored juncos; and the neighborhood crows, who hang out nearby. W.D.
Friday, March 7. Farmington (Map 19/20) We got plastered with snow and wind Thursday March 6. Cancellations right and left. Many fender benders and more serious accidents. Got about 18 to 20 inches in this area. Snow drifted badly as had 40-50 mph winds in the afternoon and evening. Drifts blocked roads. Plows could not keep up with drifting. Visibility was almost nonexistent at times. Hard packed ice on secondary roads under this new snow -- so very slippery. Electricity knocked out in many areas -- here for about 6-7 hours. Worse further south, where they get rain and ice. The snow has drifted on our road to cover our snowfencing which is over five ft. in height. Field is full of sculpted snow. No spring for a while I guess. S. M.
Saturday, March 8. Garland (Map 32) Light reflected from the plowed dirt road surface caught my eye. On examining closely I found little feathers made out of ice, sometimes bundled like quills tied together. Very delicate forms, no longer than 1". Most were set up on top of snow, at odd angles, not vertical, some even on their sides. Perhaps this is a hoar frost phenomenon, from daytime evaporated moisture condensing close to the ground at night. M.J.
Monday, March 10. E. Orland (Map 23) Toddy Pond near the dam: our couple acres of open water iced over again, by Saturday morning, with the cold north wind that followed Thursday's snowstorm. Yesterday few people were on the bigger and older ice, though many snowmobile tracks had been laid. No ice shacks are visible on Toddy One at this time. W.D.
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