Maine Nature News

Vol. 2, no. 38, Tuesday, September 23, 1997

Quick jumps: | This week's reports | Prior Black fly reports |

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.

Thursday, September 18. Orono (Map 23) Two Barred Owls hooted in the night in Orono. J.K.M.

Thursday, September 18. Brunswick (Map 6) About 30 Canada geese were seen this evening flying South, in "V" formation. D.C.

Friday, September. 19. Trenton (Map 16) A Great Egret was seen on Thompson Island in Acadia National Park. J.K.M.

Saturday, September 20. Orrington/Holden (Map 23) A Bittern was seen at Maine Audubon's Fields Pond Nature Center. Also, Green Frogs, Bullfrogs, and a Spring Peeper were found at the Nature Center. J.K.M.

Saturday, September 20. Milford (Map 33) The same rainy day, in the Sunkhaze National Wildlife Refuge, Green and Leopard Frogs were found. J.K.M.

Saturday, September 20. Orono (Map 23) In Orono that rainy night, 4 Green Frogs, 4 Leopard Frogs, 1 American Toad, and 1 Red Eft were found. It was a bad day for a hawk watch but a good day for herpetology. J.K.M.

Sunday, September 21. Southwest Harbor (Map 16) Nearly 100 hawks delighted participants in Maine Audubon Society Penobscot Valley Chapter's Hawk Watch at Beech Mountain, Acadia National Park: 36 Kestrel, 20 Osprey, 17 Sharp-Shinned Hawks, 16 Broad-Winged Hawks, 1 Goshawk, and 1 Merlin. J.K.M.

Sunday, September 21. Orono (Map 23) The wild asters are finally in bloom, including the New England Aster and the Small White Aster. F.W.

Sunday, September 21. Glenburn (Map 23) We had our first frost. But it was only on the windshield of my car, not on anything at ground level. The ground is still holding too much warmth for that. J.C.

Tuesday, September 23. Wiscasset (Map 7) Yes, we are beginning to see a little color on the low-lying maples - very little, really. Oaks and birches are showing just a faint change in the upper branches. Hardly a blush in the ash trees.
Most folks don't think much about the pines, but ours are getting ready to drop this years load of needles. A few of the early ones got blown off when the front came through on Saturday night last. As you probably know, nearly a third of the needles on a pine are shed each fall. Ours usually come off late September, early October and blanket the 1 mile of road into Chewonki. D.H.

Tuesday, September 23. E. Orland (Map 23) Toddy Pond near the dam. Our first frost damaged few plants yesterday, though it left an eighth inch of ice on the windshield and white on the black roof. A few more trees are turning--mostly brown and yellow--but we're still predominantly green. The lake level continues low, despite rain.
For the last few days about a dozen killdeer have been stationing themselves on the rocks a hundred yards across the water. One heron (sometimes two) has been a near-constant, daytime visitor. An adult loon of our pair that has probably been here more than a decade was found dead on rocks last Friday. We're waiting to hear official word about the cause of death. This bird had been banded. W.D.

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