Maine Nature News

Vol. 7, no. 31, Tuesday, July 30, 2002

Quick jumps:  | This week's report | Home page | Wild blueberry report |

Wednesday, July 24. Sandy Stream (Map 51) Blueberries are just starting to ripen in this area.  Some stretches of the roadside have bushes with only small green and red berries on them.  Other areas have bushes that I would guess to have an average of 20% ripe berries, some of them being deliciously large. These bushes tend to be found intermixed with large ferns and various small shrubs that provide partial shade.  We did notice two piles of bear droppings, about a mile apart, right in the road.  Quick examination showed the bears were anxious to eat blueberries even though many were yet unripe and hard to digest.  D.W.

Wednesday, July 24.  Phippsburg (Map 6) From the shores of Phippsburg, a "fun find"  We were exploring a tidal beach as the tide was going out, finding the usual Hermit Crabs and an occasional Moon Snail.  Recent winds presented us with some floating or stranded Kelp, often with its holdfast still attached to a mussel.  I've learned that these holdfasts are good habitats for sea creatures, and today we found a treasure.  There in the "fingers" of the holdfast were entwined the serpent -like arms of Brittle Stars!  We kept digging and carefully pulling the holdfast apart finding a total of 8 squirming starfish.  Our advice - don't overlook Kelp holdfasts when exploring the shoreline. R.K.

Thursday, July 25. Biddeford/Saco (Map 3) This is growing rampant around here and I assumed it was the lupine that has been in the been in the news.  Attached is a photo of what is growing in the swamps and wetlands here in the Biddeford/Saco area. What is it? J.B.

Monday, July 29.  Fort Kent (Map 67) Starting to see a very few ripe blueberries.
July 20 -- Solitary Sandpiper in our vernal pool.  First  little wood froglets emerging from the vernal pools.  One vernal pool in town is nearly dry with toad tads and  salamanders crowded into 4" wide, 1" deep pools.
July 24 –- Frost warning!
July 25 -- Frost in Portage. Our elevation saved us from frost, with a low of 41 degrees F. Brown-eyed Susans starting to flower. Torpid Atlantis Fritillary picked up late in the day. Very good color and condition. Maybe just emerged and cool weather making it easy to handle and carry home. 
July 24-26 -- Clear with no rain! Maybe the longest no-rain period since summer started. Along the banks of the St. John, with water just dropping:  Purple  Fringed, Tall White and Rose Pogonia Orchids, Horned Bladderworts, Canada Lily, Tick-Trefoil, Brook Lobelia. A few Siberian Chives and Sticky Tofieldia in flower near the water. Those higher up above the high water flowered earlier. Two places checked for the St. John Tansy. In one the tansy was overgrown with other plants -- no flowers. The other, on ledges, has been under water so long, it may not bloom this year.  Most of the Prunus depressa looks fruitless -- too long under water. Saw one Spiranthes romanzoffiana in flower.
July 28 -- Near the Frenchville Ledges found a tulip tree "shrub"!  Apparently someone planted it some years ago. I think it has been cut, as there were many stems. I suggested to the present day owner that he might try protecting it in winter to see if he could get it to flower.  Saw the exuvia of a giant stone fly, and a couple of days beforesaw a Giant Stonefly at Walker Brook on the St. John.   Fireweed at peak blooming. Wild raspberries ripening enough to be noticeable. G.F.

Maine Wild Blueberry Report for July 24-30, 2002

Unripe fruiting stage:  Somerset County
Early ripe fruiting stage:  Aroostook County, Penobscot and Piscataquis Counties
Middle ripe fruiting stage:  Hancock County
No reports: other Maine counties

Your participation is welcome! Please e-mail Frank Wihbey, Editor, Maine Nature News:  menature@maine.edu