Please e-mail Frank Wihbey,
Editor: menature@maine.maine.edu Vol. 2, no. 29 Tuesday, July 22, 1997
Note: the next report will be a two week report for July 29/August 5. Please send your observations by August 5 for this "double issue."
Quick jumps: | This week's reports | Wild blueberry report | Prior Black fly reports | 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 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, July 16. Peaks Island (Map 3) At Peaks Island in Casco Bay the blueberries are in the early fruiting stage, with about half of them ready for picking. They are comparatively plump this year, probably the result of the wet spring. H.K.
Sunday, July 20. Milford (Map 23) On Sunday I heard & saw about a dozen Mink frogs in the Sunkhaze National Wildlife Refuge. Also saw a Red Fox in Orono. J.K.M.
Sunday, July 20. Fort Kent (Map 67) Little Black Lake. It appears that the black fly season is over in our neck of the woods. I don't recall this ever having happened this early. If they come back, I will let you know. E.T.
Sunday, July 20. Blanchard (Map 31) Appalachian Trail
along the main branch and the West Branch of the Piscataquis River . This is a good area
for amphibian observations. I saw two Eastern garter snakes, one about 24"; several
American toads; my first definitely identified wood frog; and another species -- possibly
a pickerel frog. (Seen on this one day were as many species as I sometimes see in a whole
season!)
Saw the giant hemlocks I remembered from 1993.
I startled a partridge family (ruffed grouse) on a tiny grassy island. Also saw a female
black duck (species?) with 6 or 7 fledglings, of which one always lagged, peeping loudly
to the others as it strived to keep up with their movements.
Wildflowers were a bit fewer than in meadowy areas, but Indian pipes and shinleaf were
seen, as well as several fungus species.
In the morning, as I drove in to the trailhead, I saw a bull moose on the
Shirley-Blanchard Road, less than 100 yards from the spot where a woman, pushing her child
in a stroller, had just passed. Perhaps the moose are more prone to avoid visible humans
than cars? F.W.
Monday, July 21. Orono (Map 23) Lady's thumb, milkweed, and staghorn sumac are now in flower locally. F.W.
Monday, July 21. Stockholm (Map 68) Monday, July 14: Black Fly severity scale: 3. Monday, July 21: Black Fly severity scale: 2 (cool eve). M.S.
Wild Blueberry report for July 16-22, 1997
Wild blueberries in unripe fruit stage: Oxford, Penobscot (except Southern),
Piscataquis Counties
Wild blueberries in very early ripe fruiting stage: Cumberland County, Southern Penobscot
County (some areas), Sagadahoc County (some areas), Washington County (some areas)
No reports: other Maine counties
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