C. tranquebarica

I cheated.

Home ground.

This is one of my favorite places. Spruce-fir forest, old logged area, an old railroad bed,riverine and a bog. The white area is all sand (300' x 700') and right now loaded with tiger beetles.Gravid Wood turtles will be arriving to lay eggs in the sand. Loaded with birds from spring to fall. I just love the varied habitats that exist in such a small area.

Maine woods in bloom.

False Hellebore (Veratrum viride)
Coltsfoot (Tussilago farfara )

Fern

Purple or Red Trillium (Trillium undulatum )
?


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"