Maine Nature News

Vol. 4, no. 9, Tuesday, March 2, 1999

You are invited to report on any aspect of Nature in Maine

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, February 24. Sebois Lake (Map 43) I observed sun dogs between 4:30 and 4:45 pm while watching the sun descend just to the west of White Cap and Chairback Mountains As the shadows lengthened the view of the mountains became spectacular as their features sharpened in the changing range of light. D.W.

Thursday, February 25. Orono (Map 23) About 10:40 PM, in Orono I felt and heard the whole house shake for 3-4 seconds from the earthquake centered in Waterville, 3.8 on the Richter scale. It was very noticeable to me while reading in bed in a quiet house, but probably would not have been noticeable if there were people talking or the TV on. J.K.M.

Thursday, February 25. Newburgh (Map 22) I personally did not feel the earthquake, but my young female boxer was acting strange for a while at about that time. S.W.

Friday, February 26. Brewer (Map 23) Now that you mention it I did feel something slightly shake the bed [on Thursday night]. I did not feel it as a strong movement and at first thought the cats were playing around, but they were not in the room. Then I attributed it to a friendly spirit who had come to visit, but the time was right for the tremor. J.R.

Friday, February 26. South Orrington (Map 23) Last night in the middle of our snowstorm, I thought we had the biggest gust of wind ever here. The windows rattled, the whole building shook, and there was a big noise, sounding like it came from the basement. Goobie (our dog) started barking and our parakeet was squawking and flying around his cage. But when I checked our wind gauge, there was no indication of any big wind (nothing over 40 mph). Then I checked the driveway to see if the oil delivery truck had come and ran into our porch or something. (He has been known to run over our trees when he comes at night). Nothing in the driveway. It seemed too strong to just be a train (which do occasionally shake the house). I checked the furnace, since it did sound like something could have happened down there. But everything was running okay. The answer was on the news this morning. We had had an earthquake, centered in Waterville and measuring 3.8. So that's my news flash.
I think we got about 9 inches of snow last night. It blew around so much that half the ground is bare and the other half quite snowy. Most schools in the state are closed today. We needed one more blast of winter before spring arrives. L.S.

Saturday, February 27. Orrington (Map 23) Tracks of deer mouse and boreal red-backed vole were observed in the fresh snow at the Maine Audubon Fields Pond Nature Center.
Also, the Orrington Fire Department burned down a falling-down camp there; and a raccoon ran out from under the burning building and up a nearby tree. J.K.M.

Saturday, February 27. TB R11 WELS/Bowdoin College Grant East (T7 R10 NWP) (Map 42) Little Lyford Pond. It was a wonderful experience. We hit the weather just right with about 6" fresh snow on top of many layers of crust and ice. There was about 2 feet of snow in the trees -- not much for this time of year. Good skiing conditions with the new snow. Very mild temperatures highs near 35 or so. Intense sunshine with a little sunburn to show for it!
The ski in was 12.5 miles over well packed snow mobile trail/road. It took about 4 hours for the trip in. …
In the animal department: we saw a large flock of grosbeaks at the lodge feeders, some jays, and finches as well as the usual chickadees and such in the woods. Fresh moose tracks at several locations, but no moose. We never have seen one in the snow - plenty at other times of the year, but not in the snow! Coyote tracks in evidence, as well as snowshoe rabbits, squirrels, mice etc.
We skied for about 3.5 miles up the Pleasant river just above Gulf Hagas, and the thaw is there to be seen. The stream had traversable ice -- no real danger, but many open patches to emphasize the need for caution. You couldn't have simply skied up the stream without looking things over. G.G.

Sunday, February 28. Orono (Map 23) In the woods in Orono, springtails, a.k.a. snow fleas, were abundant on top of the snow. J.K.M.

Monday, March 1. Augusta (Map 12) Yes, I did feel the earthquake [on Thursday evening]. The Bangor Daily News is correct, and is correct about the time [10:39 pm] and strength. The epicenter was in Winslow. I thought my roof was falling off. Most people thought there was something terribly wrong with their oil burner. J.H.

Tuesday, March 2. Winter Harbor (Map 17) Schoodic Point. As the recent rainstorm subsided this morning, large breakers that were oriented in the correct direction (south) to get past an island and the Point, crashed dramatically onto shoreside rocks. I estimated they were 8 foot swells, every 11 seconds. I noted the different security behaviors of the birds. Herring gulls sat on the rocks just outside the range of the crashing waves. Eider ducks rode the surf just beyond the point (line) where incoming waves began to disintegrate and become whitecaps.
Ponds and streams in town are all thawed. Gravel roads are mushy -- evidence of a very early mud season. F.W.

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