Please e-mail Frank Wihbey, Editor: menature@maine.maine.eduVol. 2, no. 16 Tuesday, April 22, 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 |
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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, April 9. E. Orland (Map 23) Toddy Pond near the dam: Unlike the last few days here, there were no ducks most of the morning. Only a loon cruised these waters. Late in the morning, first a pair, then two pairs of mallards returned to a yard across the way, where the owner feeds them. A pair of hooded mergansers visited the mallards for a short while, staying close to shore. The loons appear to have left by mid-afternoon. By evening two black ducks, 5 ring-neckeds, and a pair of mergansers returned. None but a single female mallard ventured to the deep water, perhaps fearing a loon presence. The high temperature today was 25 degrees, and it was windy out of the NW. W.D.
Tuesday, April 15. E. Orland (Map 23) Toddy Pond near the dam: Today, about 10 acres is open water at this, the downstream end of this lake. It does appear the loons have displaced the ducks, especially in using the deeper waters. The ring-neckeds showed up occasionally over the last 6 days, their group smaller than the 5 they came steadily as, the week before. Only once did I see a pair of wood ducks during this time. A pair of hooded mergansers still lingers, but always close to shore, sometimes, pleasantly, our shore. Black duck visits have been occasional. The mallards, who have worked out territory with the loons, are happy dabbling and making tricky short flights; mallards number about 7 now. Often only one loon is detectable. They were wailing last evening, much to our delight. W.D.
Tuesday, April 22. E. Orland (Map 23) Toddy Pond near the dam: Through binoculars this roughly mile diameter section of the Pond appears more than half open water. Of course, as the water opened the various water fowl dispersed (or went to other lakes). The neighborhood mallards are still here, and we hear and see the loons in the distance. I am eager to see if they take up in our loon nest we made and floated last year. There is still ice on the ground here on the shaded sides of trees and buildings. We were able to prepare a garden spot, unlike last year when the soil was damp longer. W.D.
Tuesday, April 22. Orono (Map 23) Ice totally disappeared from the Stillwater Rivr a week ago. Pussy willows
are in full bloom.. Big flocks of robins, 30 or more, are feeding on the ground everywhere
int town, as are grackles, and in samller numbers, mourning doves.
Beaver activity has returned to the Stillwater. A very few honey bees, unfamiliar species
-- possibly a member of one of the sparsely populated native honey bees -- was seen on
crocuses, which have been in flower for over a week. F.W.
Tuesday, April 22. E. Orland (Map 23) Toddy Pond near the
dam: The thawing of the Pond's ice is occuring under a predominantly upstream wind. So it
appears that again there may be no dramatic flow of ice downstream.
A few turtles can be seen sunning. Those we see are seen through binoculars and appear
about 10" across. W.D.
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