Please e-mail Frank
Wihbey, Editor: menature@maine.maine.edu Vol. 4, no. 28, Tuesday, July 13, 1999
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You are invited to report on any aspect of Nature in Maine
Please e-mail Frank
Wihbey, Editor: menature@maine.maine.edu
Report format = Day, date, [time]. Location (Maine Atlas Map number) Report text. Initials of correspondent
Tuesday, July 6. Mount Desert (Map 16) We climbed Penobscot Mountain at Acadia National Park. There were tons of berries all the way up, at I would say, mid fruiting stage. Our highbush berries are just beginning to ripen. I was eating them today. This is a low fruit year for us because of the dry weather, late frost and some insect damage. The bushes are beginning to look like they need some pruning. The vegetable garden is really early. We have been eating squash and cucumbers since last weekend. A.W.
Wednesday, July 7. Brunswick (Map 6) Atlantis Fritillary (Speyeria atlantis) seen feeding on Zinnias. This location nicely matches the habitat given in the Audubon guide to butterflies on page 554 -- a flowery opening at the edge of mixed woods. A.S.
Wednesday, July 7. T2 R10 WELS (Map 50) My wife and I were
able to enjoy blueberries on on Rainbow Ledges today. On the bushes that had a lot of
southern exposure there were several clumps of large, ripe berries. Most bushes had
berries that were still small and green. The bushes that were back into the shade of the
woods showed no sign of berries at all.
Along the road near Hurd Pond we were able to pick several raspberries.
With a little work, enough for some tarts or a pie. There's plenty more on the way.
We saw two adult ruffed grouse and four "fledglings" adjacent
to the road and a raspberry patch. About a month ago we saw some grouse chicks in this
same area. If they're the same brood, they've tripled in size. D.W.
Thursday, July 8. Kennebunk (Map 2) At the Kennebunk Blueberry Plains some blueberries are ripe, and the signs are up showing where to pick. Wood lilies are also in bloom. N.M.
Thursday, July 8. Holden (Map 23) Children found tadpoles of Gray Treefrogs at the Fields Pond Nature Center. One metamorphosed into a Gray Treefrog on July 11. Bluebirds were seen on July 12 there also, two pairs working on second broods. Phoebe eggs, also a second brood, hatched on July 7 or 8. J.K.M.
Thursday, July 8. Argyle Township (Map 33) Birch Stream.
My wife and I paddled up Birch Stream from Route 116 (at the confluence with the
Stillwater River) to a point about a mile Northwest of I-95. We had never paddled that
water before so were a little surprised that we only saw one duck (not identified
positively). In fact, birds in general were not very evident. We were pleased, however, to
see several kingfishers. Probably more than we've ever seen on a section of stream of
comparable length.
Though we saw no beaver or muskrats, we did see some lodges and holes
in the bank, particularly the West bank. We also saw scores of mussel shells littering the
mud about the water line. Of particular interest to us was a flower we saw on the West
bank (we eventually found another further upstream on the same bank) that was such a
bright scarlet that we had to paddle over to admire it closely. Through Newcomb's guide
and again Dwelley's, we identified it as a cardinal flower. We also saw several patches of
pickerel weed in bloom. D.W.
Friday, July 9. Phippsburg (Map 6) Wednesday I hiked Morse Mountain and saw blueberry bushes that had as much as 30 percent of their fruit ripe. Also had a pie on Thursday made from Maine blueberries that had come from Appleton Ridge. Plan to be going up to Carabasset for a couple of days and hope to see lots of blueberries. A.G.
Friday, July 9. Medway (Map 43) Penobscot River. Paddling in a logan near the confluence of Hathaway Brook and the West Branch of the Penobscot my wife and I were delighted to see a wood turtle (its carapace about 10" long) sunning itself on a cedar tree that hung over the water. The tree was still alive, though it reached horizontally over the water for about ten feet before curving skyward. It appeared that some years back the bank beneath it collapsed, almost sliding the trunk into the water. The turtle was actually ten feet away from land and almost three feet about the water's surface. The cedar's diameter was only about 5" at that point so the turtle hung with all four legs dangling over the edge. It reminded me of the way other creatures, such as monkeys or wild cats sleep in tree branches. Though the turtle saw us and moved its head, neck stretched taut, ever so slowly as we slipped by, it showed no alarm. D.W.
Saturday, July 10. Phippsburg. (Map 6) Here is a fish story to end all fish stories. I was driving down 209 in Phippsburg when I noticed a large bird in the road perched on top of something. I slowed and pulled over to discover it was an Osprey sitting atop a wiggling Striper! I reached for my camera and jumped out of the car only to witness the Osprey take off leaving a twisting and flipping fish in the middle of the road! I quickly kicked the fish off the road before it and I were run over. I proceeded to "bag" the fish (which later flipped out in my car!). Now I ask, is it legal to pick up a fish in the road that was caught by a bird?! And do Osprey carry any diseases on their talons or beaks? I soon will learn the answers to the latter question because this fish is dinner! R.K.
Sunday, July 11. Alfred (Map 2) A few ripe fruit Blueberries are in. Some highbush too. J.L.
Maine
Wild Blueberry Report for July 7-13, 1999
This is the second Maine wild blueberry report for this year. I note that the progress of the berries appears to be about 3 weeks ahead of average in most localities. Your participation is welcome! Please e-mail Frank Wihbey, Editor: menature@maine.maine.edu
Unripe fruit stage: Washington County
Early ripe fruiting stage: Penobscot, Piscataquis, Somerset Counties
Middle ripe fruiting stage: Hancock, Sagadahoc, York Counties
No reports: other Maine counties