Vol. 3, no. 39, Tuesday, September 29, 1998
The Editor recently hiked on the Appalachian Trail and observed Nature in the mountains of New Hampshire. Link to trip report.
Quick jumps: | This week's reports | Prior weekly Nature reports | Prior black fly reports | Editor's special Nature report - Appalachian Trail in New Hampshire |
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 17. Orono (Map 23) From my back yard I saw a bright meteor low over the Northern horizon, traveling from the Northeast to the Southwest, about 10 pm. The meteor glowed white, appeared to have a perceptible width, i.e not a pinpoint like a star, and was comparable to Venus or Jupiter in brilliance. It left a trail that persisted for a couple of seconds. J.B.
Wednesday, September 23. Wells (Map 3) From the south: No
frost yet. Our first frost is usually about the 15th of October.
Robins are still in family groups, no large flocks yet. Canada Geese are still the local
breeding population, though moving about a bit from marsh to marsh. On Saturday, Sept. 26
it was summer with the temperature at 80! Will let you know when signs of fall arrive.
Just a few trees show color. N.M.
Wednesday, September 23. Fort Kent (Map 67) In response to
your inquiry, we have not yet had a frost at our place by the lake, but expect the first
one to strike tonight. Predictions are for 25 degrees F. This would seem to be about
normal compared with past years. It has been unusually cool though since the beginning of
September.
I have seen a flock of geese flying over and landing on Little Black Lake about ten days
ago, but cannot tell for sure whether they were Canada geese. The robins have been gone
for some time, but I did not note the last day I saw one. E.T.
Wednesday, September 23. South Thomaston Town (Map 8) As
of yet, we have had no frost that I have noticed. Being on the coast, it is often later
than inland, even just a few miles.
I have not noticed any Robins migrating but they could possibly have gotten by me.
Canadian geese have been observed flying over in this area, but again I personally have
not noticed them. D.S.
Thursday, September 24. Fort Kent (Map 67) Northern Maine
experienced its very first frost on Friday (Sept 18) morning. This was our first of the
year. I happened to be going to Bangor last Friday morning and the frost extended all the
way to Millinocket. We had another frost yesterday (September 23) and this morning is to
be a real winner (lows in the 20's). This is the start of Long John weather.
There is a good crop of Mountain Ash this year and a few birds are eating. But the robins
are absent. I suspect they will migrate next month.
I was in the Phippsburg area this weekend and saw a pair of Bald Eagles. I was within 60
feet of them and watched them for a long time. It was magnificent.
There are some geese in Northern Maine. I saw a flock (50 birds) last Friday feeding on
the golf course in Portage. I pity the poor golfers later that morning. These could have
been resident birds.
This summer we had a first near the town of Fort Kent. A pair of Canadian geese had their
family in a beaver pond right next to the main road. Each morning, the pair stood guard.
One day, there were 4 yellow goslings. In a few short weeks, they molted and looked just
like their parents. It was so interesting to see them grow. Then about August 18, they
left.
What was most interesting about this brood is that they rarely went in the water. They
stayed on shore all the time. I saw them each day all summer long and only twice did I see
the family on the water. I did see another flock of geese in Saint Agatha last week. They
were flying low and, I assume, they had just come from Long Lake. D.R.
Thursday, September 24. South Orrington (Map 23) We did
have a frost Thursday, September 24. We are in a low area near the Penobscot River, and
often get frost when higher elevations (like Bangor) do not. We have a thermometer at
ground level, and a weather station on the roof (about 35 feet higher), and have verified
that the temperature differential on calm, clear nights is usually 7 degrees. Our readings
on the roof usually match the readings at Bangor airport.
This year's frost is an average first frost date for us. We have seen frost here as early
as Labor Day (around Sept. 3) and as late as Oct. 5 (last year). The Climatic Atlas of
the U.S. (available from the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing
Office) shows average first frost dates in Maine varying from Sept. 10 along the northern
border through the mountains, to as late as Oct. 20 on the offshore islands. Another
source of weather data that we have is a CD-ROM, "US Daily Climatology" from
World WeatherDisc Associates in Seattle. This lists the earliest frost date in Bangor as
Sept. 14. L.S.
Friday, September 25. Newburgh (Map 22) We have had our
first frost, but it was a very mild one and did not harm our tomato plants or tomatoes. :)
I saw a small flock of Canadian geese a few days ago in the field of a local dairy farm
here in Newburgh. They were next to a small creek. I have not noticed any Robins, but have
noticed small finches and sparrows chasing each other. In the Fall and particularly the
Spring when the birds get "rambunctious" they fly into our large living room
windows by accident. One such "accident" just occurred a day ago. Thankfully,
he/she recovered and was only stunned. I also saw either a female pheasant or grouse
running in the woods along the jeep trail.
The chipmunks and squirrels have also been active and have been crossing our driveway and
road more often than usual, probably collecting nuts and such for the winter months ahead.
My son also saw a huge buck leap across the road in Winterport on his way home from work
at approximately 7:15 pm.
I have also noticed a lot of toads and frogs in my vegetable garden and along the jeep
trail and they were all normal and healthy. S.W.
Thursday, September 24. Alfred (Map 2) A light frost this
morning -- very light. According to my son, robins are birds of prey. Think about it, he
says: eagles eat fish, hawks eat mice, robins eat worms. They all eat living things, so
robins must be bird of prey. (Learn something every day!)
I 've seen flocks of ducks, but no Canadian Geese. J.L.
Friday, September 25. Orono (Map 23) At Taylor Bait Farm on 9/25, about 15 Leopard Frogs leapt through the grass near a pond. J.K.M.
Friday, September 25. Bowdoin College Grant East (Map 42)
Hay Mountain. Seen: two Eastern garter snakes, of medium size (about 16-18" long),
Eastern chipmunk, black capped chickadees, boreal chickadees, ruffed grouse, and a white
throated sparrow -- the latter fed on the ground and approached within about 7 feet of us
as we sat quietly at the wooded summit. Heard: blue jays, American robin, raven.
Moose evidence is everywhere on this mountain and adjacent West Peak and Gulf Hagas
Mountain: scat, browsed bushes, and wide moose trails. On the South slope of Hay Mountain
I noticed two shallow, oval pits about 4 feet by 2 feet dug into the soil in ferny areas,
and I guessed it was the work of moose hooves. What would they dig for? I never saw the
moose, but I heard the clop-clopping of their footfall around 3 am near our campsite.
At all altitudes: bunchberry not only had berries, but some plants were still blooming,
even at this late date. Creeping snowberry had no blossoms nor berries, but was bravely
colonizing stumps, rocks and other objects on the ground with its stems full of delicate
green leaves. Streams and springs are low, although White Brook still has a good flow.
On the White Brook Tote Road and KI Road: a varying hare (still in summer brown coat), and
a ruffed grouse, flushed by the passage of our car. Pearly everlasting are still showy and
abundant, but starting to go to seed. F.W.
Saturday, September 26. Milford (Map 33) In the Sunkhaze National Wildlife Refuge, Mink frogs were the most abundant frog with about 10 found in beaver flowages and streams along the perimeter road. About 5 Leopard Frogs, 1 Pickerel Frog, 1 Green Frog, Sticklebacks and Dace (a kind of minnow) were found in the same habitat. J.K.M.