Maine Nature News

Vol. 5, no. 33, Tuesday, August 15, 2000

Blue bead lillies along Appalachian trail in Vermont ©2000 Frank Wihbey Nature observation trip on the Appalachian Trail in Vermont
The Editor and his son made a backpacking and Nature observation trip on the Appalachian Trail in Vermont. Click here for the report. Narratives and pictures are included.

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.

Tuesday, August 8. T1 R9 WELS (Map 43) Ambajejus Lake. This afternoon I witnessed an encounter between a bald eagle and a loon that I'd never seen before. While visiting my father at his camp I saw an eagle fly over extremely low (within 30 feet of the ground) in the direction of its nest on a nearby island. Meanwhile, we watched a single loon swim by in the opposite direction, within 100 feet of shore. A few minutes passed and the eagle returned at a much higher altitude. It circled over the loon once in a descending loop and then suddenly dove at the loon, it's talons missing the loon by inches. We at first thought it was attacking the loon (or an unseen chick, as a female has been seen often lately with two chicks) but we soon could see a large fish impaled on the eagle's claws as it tried to gain elevation. The loon started wailing frantically and swam quickly after the departing eagle with its wings flapping in a take-off pattern. Of course, it never caught up with the eagle but it didn't quit until the eagle began to rapidly gain altitude as it flew into a brisk wind. The fish appeared to be a small salmon, perhaps 12 to 15 inches in length. Had the loon killed it first and was saving it for later? That's my guess. A "live" salmon so close to shore and near the surface isn't natural for this season on the lake.
Also, today I heard crickets for the first time this year near the foundation of my house in East Millinocket. A melancholy sign that, though the best of summer is here, it's winding down. D.W.

Wednesday, August 9 . T2 R9 WELS (Map 51) I picked blueberries this morning not far south of Baxter State Park. They seem to be in their peak right now. While picking in the extremely still and humid air, I heard a cicada call from a tree on the edge of the old burn area I was picking in. It made me realize that it was perhaps the first cicada I've heard this summer. D.W.

Thursday, August 10. Orono (Map 23) From 3:45 to 4:00 am the sky was mostly free of clouds and the Moon had set. I saw 7 Perseid meteors. They were each fairly bright. They emanated from several directions. F.W.

Saturday, August 12. Lambert Lake (Map 46) I found a fox print in mud. The print was so clear that it showed what a furry foot the fox has (as compared to a dog). I also found a Pickerel Frog, a Leopard Frog, and these butterfly species: American Painted Lady, Mourning Cloak, Great Spangled Fritillary, Viceroy, Northern Pearly-Eye, and a Comma (I could not tell which kind of Comma it was.) J.K.M.

Sunday, August 13. Bowdoin College Grant East/Katahdin Iron Works Twp (Map 42) Gulf Hagas Mountain. Ascending the Southeast face of the mountain by bushwhack, we noticed that most streams were running lightly or were nearly dry. But anywhere there was a pool, water striders were present.
    The raspberry canes in the meadows up on the ridge were either past fruiting or picked clean by animals. (We suspect the latter, as plants in the woods at lower altitudes had berries.) No blueberry fruit was seen. Bunchberries nearly all bore their bright red fruits. Blue bead lilies had their glossy blue fruits, which contrasted nicely wherever they neighbored the blue beads. In the woods moose scat was in evidence, as well as one deposit that was most likely bear scat. But neither were observed on the Appalachian Trail, which runs along the ridgeline. Perhaps these animals avoid that area now due to the dryness?
    Down near the logging roads Gulf Hagas Stream was still running with enough water to support two species of frog (green frog and ?) and an occasional fish. There were deer and moose prints in the damp sand at streamside. Flowers in evidence included pearly everlasting.
    Driving home from our A.T. maintenance trip we saw a small mammal dash across the KI Road. It was jet black, except for a slightly reddish appearance on the face, and was approximately the size of a large house cat (i.e about 30” from nose to tail tip). Although the animal traveled fast we got a good look at it because the distance it had to cover in the open was large, and the lighting was perfect (bright overcast). It had the weasel or otter profile – rounded head, slightly plump, untapered tail. As we were a great distance from water bodies, our best guess is that it was a mink. F.W. and L.W.

Monday, August 14. Fort Kent (Map 68) Nature is assuming an autumn-like air here around Little Black Lake. Dusk is coming noticeably sooner, nights are getting cooler, and frosty mornings do not seem so far off. Goldenrods and blue and white asters are now beginning to dominate the wildflower scene, and all our birches have been attacked by a disease that has caused much browning of leaves which adds to their fall-like appearance.
The Canada geese with their brood are gone from our lake. However, it has probably not been fall that drove them away but my neighbor whose lawn they used for feeding. His strong, loud and daily objections to what they left behind finally seemed to have succeeded in causing them to head for, if not greener then at least more peaceful pastures. I miss them. Somehow the lake does not seem quite as alive without the sometimes noisy proclamations and protestations of these wild creatures. And they never came onto my lawn. The reason was that I prefer a wooded, brushy buffer next to our lakeshore to my neighbor's clean-shorn lawn. That is one preference the geese seem to have had in common with my neighbor. The grassy beach gave them an easy view of predators during their mealtimes and a quick retreat to the lake in case of danger. Even more saddening than their departure is the thought that the geese now may not return next year, and that with them a wilderness accent will be missing from our lake. E.T.

Monday, August 14.   Brunswick (Map 6)   In response to K.T.'s (Aug. 2) question last week about Indian Pipe, it is, surprisingly, a wildflower. I've seen more of them this year than ever before.
    For the past 2 years, I've been perplexed by the dandelion-like wildflower I've seen pop up late in the summer in fields around my area. They have a thin, wiry stem and are taller than the regular common dandelion which we're all familiar with (a few can still be found even now). The mystery flower does not exude milky juice when crushed. It has a set of basal leaves which are deeply cut. It resembles other dandelion-like flowers listed more often in the field guides. Finally, though, I was determined this year to pin it down once and for all. The result: it is called Fall Dandelion. I found it only in the Peterson's Guide, page 170. I am surprised to see it mentioned so little since it is very plentiful in the places I've traveled.
    I've started to see more Monarch Butterflies, but not as many as in past years. My son found a huge Pigeon Horntail (Tremex columba) in our yard late last week. I have found a couple of the other, smaller species of horntails in the past but never seen one of these beautifully colored giants before! Despite its formidable appearance, these are harmless insects, related to wasps, bees, and ants.
    On Sunday, on the side of a house in Lewiston, was the largest Crane Fly I've ever seen. It was close to 2" long. I don't know whether it was a Tipula sp. or a Giant Eastern Crane Fly (Pedicia albivitta). A.R.S.

Maine Wild Blueberry Report for August 9-15, 2000

Late fruiting stage:
Middle ripe fruiting stage: Hancock, southern Penobscot, southern Piscataquis, coastal Washington Counties
Early ripe fruiting stage:
No reports: other Maine counties

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

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