Water time

Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus)
Cedar Waxwing (Bombycilla cedrorum)

One of the nice things about Maine is the water. The lakes and rivers around here provide a diverse range of habitats, which means you can see a lot of different birds.

Saddleback Mt.

I've been busy the past several days, but last Monday, I took a hike up Saddleback Mt with a friend. I love the alpine environments of the Northeast. At 4120' it's the 14th highest in Maine and with The Horn, (a summit attached to Saddleback), 4041' and the 21 highest . And that also means it around treeline. The Appalachian Trail runs along the summit ridge, views are great and the weather isn't always the best. We hit it on terms, calm winds, temps in the 70's.

Scattered patches of krummholz are about on the top, like this clump of balsam fir(Abies balsamea) and labrador tea(Ledum groenlandicum).

Mountain Sandwort (Arenaria groenlandica) was very abundant. It thrives in disturbed areas, especially in places disturb by frost. The trail was fringed with it.

I love the bonsai qualities of the krummholz.

More rain.

This is no longer fun. For a lot of birds up here, the nesting season was a failure. Cool temps and way above average rainfall made the act of egg sitting and finding food a tough job. I just checked the last 2 nesting boxes on my property. All 4 had tree swallows, and only one of those boxes was a failure. Three eggs were still in the north box. They gave up several weeks ago.

Hummingbirds in the state pretty much gave up. Reports of northern nesting shorebirds are already returning . Our neighborhood bluebirds have been successful and I've been watching the family making the rounds.

Fair thee well you Low.

Finally after what seems to have been an eternity, Maine is beginning to clear out. That doesn't mean we still won't have daily storms, but we'll take what we can,as long as it comes our way.

Back in the rain.

Blue-eyed Grass ( Sisyrinchium L.)

Bracken Fern (Pteridium aquilinum)

Speckled Alder (Alnus rugosa)

Serviceberry (Amelanchier spp.)

Tamarack (Larix laricina)

Robert Hunter once wrote a song called "Keys to the Rain." I wish I had those keys right now. The forecast is for rain clear until the end of the coming week. Maine is a maritime climate, no doubt about it. And so what does one do when it rains seemingly without end? Go outside and take some photographs.

Sunny day

Aspen (Populus tremuloides)


Bunchberry (Cornus canadensis)

Bracken Fern (Pteridium aquilinum)



Savannah Sparrow (Passerculus sandwichensis)

Pooter

We have not had much sun this month. It has been a wet month and so when the sun shines, even for a few hours, it's time to rejoice. Or pick yourself up from your fetal ball and dry your eyes and have some fun.
It has been with some trepidation that we go into summer here in western Maine. The last few years summer began in July and ended in early August. So while the sun shines it's good. With luck and hope we might have summer.

Owling

Last night, er I mean early this morning, I finally got to complete the 2009 Maine Owl Monitoring Project. It was not a dark & stormy night. It was a near full moon with clouds. And a few passing snow showers. Absolutely beautiful.

Peter and I only heard a GHO, and a Barred Owl. So for me it was an expected count. At stop #5, we were treated to a coyote pack chorus. About an 1/8 mile from us, which is quite close, but it makes the experience all the better. Didn't see a soul on the road, save for the single Border Patrol car that I passed.

And a raccoon.

It was a dark and stormy night...

No ,really it was. Last night 5 of us went out into the late night gloom to do the Maine Owl Monitoring Project. The survey has been in jeopardy for this weekend do to the forecast. And last night was looking good enough to give it a try. The Girls Gone Wild team headed out from our rendezvous point at 11:30 pm. My team left a few minutes later. It went downhill from there. Our first stop, you could hear the window blowing higher up the mountains. By the second stop, I called it, you couldn't hear the recording 20 feet away. The snow just added to the night.

We have until the 9th of April to complete the survey, the weather ,however looks not very cooperative.

5 Miles W Oquossoc ME

Today: A chance of showers. Cloudy, with a high near 41. West wind between 14 and 16 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%. New rainfall amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Tonight: A slight chance of rain showers before 2am, then a slight chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 30. West wind between 7 and 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 20%.

Monday: Rain showers, mainly after 2pm. The rain could be heavy at times. High near 48. Light wind becoming east between 10 and 13 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New precipitation amounts of less than a tenth of an inch possible.

Monday Night: Rain. The rain could be heavy at times. Low around 33. Breezy, with a east wind between 15 and 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.

Tuesday: Showers. High near 44. South wind between 9 and 14 mph. Chance of precipitation is 90%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Tuesday Night: Snow showers likely. Cloudy, with a low around 24. Chance of precipitation is 70%. New precipitation amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch possible.

Wednesday: Snow showers likely. Cloudy, with a high near 38. Chance of precipitation is 60%.

Wednesday Night: A chance of snow showers. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 22. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Thursday: A chance of rain showers. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 42. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Thursday Night: A chance of snow showers. Cloudy, with a low around 22. Chance of precipitation is 40%.

Our protocol calls canceling the survey when the wind if 14 mph or higher.

Mooselookmeguntic Lake

That's right, you heard it, Mooselookmeguntic Lake. Used to be known as Mollychunkamunk Lake.