Maine woods in bloom.

False Hellebore (Veratrum viride)
Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara )

Fern

Purple or Red Trillium (Trillium undulatum )
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Violets

Yellow Birch (Betula alleghaniesis)

Confessions of a bog walker

I spent yesterday walking in a bog. It's an old bog, completely filled in, thick mat of sphagnum moss, and a tangle of leatherleaf,Labrador tea, and rhodora. All in search of butterflies. Upon spotting one across on the other side, I would, well you can't run,it's like running over semi frozen jello, with a million tripping hazards and ice water. So I would just walk over, way too late to even see the butterfly. Once I got lucky and a mourning cloak flew to me.

It was hot, I got soaked. Got "misplaced".

I had fun.

False Morel

Window Strike

Thump! The distinctive sound of a bird hitting a window. Rush outside and see a crippled body on the porch. Gently scooping the warbler up after checking for life, I brought her inside for recovery.

My procedure for this goes like this: Very gently place the bird into a box, close it and and let them rest for a minimum of half an hour. Usually they will recover within that time as long as I keep the box dark,quiet and warm.

I've done it for a lot of birds even a saw whet owl,( imagine putting your hand into a box of needles, wear gloves!)

She recovered fine and was released. A female Blackburnian Warbler. (Dendroica fusca)

Nature Programs at Wilhelm Reich

Here's the summer line up of the Wilhelm Reich Museum.If you are in the area, stop by and take one in, it should be a good year. Starts every Sunday afternoon, from 2-4 pm.

July 12- Derek Lovitch,"Backyard Bird Feeding"

July 19- Kirk Betts, "Point & Shoot Nature Photography"

July 26- Warren Balgooyen, "Tree,Enriching Our Lives"

August 2- Michaeline Mulvey, "Mushrooms"

August 9 -Jeremy O'Neil, "Outdoor Activities & First Aid"

August 16- Peggy Betts, "Bats & White Nose Disease"

August 23- Warren Balgooyen, "Apples"

August 30-Herb Wilson, "Butterflies"

Spring Day on Aziscohos

One of the nice things about having mountains in your backyard is that you can go hike anytime you get the itching for it. So a trip out to Wilsons Mills and up Aziscohos Mt. Elevational differences in Maine's western mountains is wild. At Rangeley, (elevation 1518') it's at least 2 weeks behind Farmington (elevation 480'). Wilsons Mills (at the trailhead for the trail is 1730') and the Hobblebush (Viburnum alnifolium) is in bloom, trout lily (Erythronium americanum) is out and the trilliums are bloomed. In Rangeley we only have trilliums in bloom. Aspens are out in both locales.

Black flies are hideous out to Wilsons Mills, just getting underway in Rangeley.

On top, a stiff breeze kept the blackflies at bay, while it made for some good acrobatics for s couple of mourning cloaks, the commas kept lower. While sitting watching the view,(Mt Washington was very clearly visible and remarkably I believe Katahdin was also spotted. A perfect day.

A trio of bald eagles soared overhead and then in habitat that I didn't expect it, a tiger beetle showed up.No sand, just spruce-fir trees and bare rock, scrub, lichens and moss. He was pretty, green head,thorax and abdomen, and bronzy elytra. Maculations were just dots, 4 I believe.

Maine Butterfly Survey

On Saturday I attended the Maine Butterfly Survey's workshop at Colby College in Waterville,Maine. The Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, along with UMF and Colby College, and a few other agencies support and run this annual survey to establish what species of butterflies and where they are located in the state. Up until now we really don't know what we have and this project is helping to fill in the gaps.
Today, I spent some time to go over some maps and plan my survey spots. I have 7 stops, and a couple of other places I'll check when I can get to them. One I will be hitting is Bigelow Mt, which I will be able to do when I do the Mountain Birdwatch this June. I hope to make another trip there later in the summer. I also have the summit of Saddleback Mt , (just outside of Rangeley), on my list.
It should be very interesting, can't wait to get started.