A walk along Center Point Preserve

Today was a picture perfect day with the temperature rising to almost 60F. We have had so much cloudy, rainy, snowy weather of late that my mood was increasingly dark. Today was a short reprieve as we are getting another 4 days of rain/snow/clouds starting again tomorrow. So, we celebrated today with a 3 mile walk at the Center Point Preserve, in Bowdoinham. Such a joyful day.

The trail was surprisingly dry, even after all the rain and snow we have had. And, all the snow had melted in the forest.

I just had to take a selfie to show my happiness during this gorgeous, sunshiny day. I also reached the top of the trail at Center Point which overlooks Merrymeeting Bay. It was so windy, which was nice as the heat from the sun warmed us up in sheltered areas.

The view from Center Point. This is one of my favorite places to spend a few hours.

Eastern Skunk Cabbage

 We went on a lovely 3 mile walk at Center Point Preserve today. The trail was surprisingly dry even after all the snow and rain of late. We are always thrilled to see skunk cabbage in one small wet area on the trail.

Eastern Skunk Cabbage is a native wildflower in the eastern part of North America. It is one of the first plants to flower in springtime and is found mostly in wetlands. It is thermogenic, which means that it can produce its own heat, and indeed can melt snow surrounding it. What you see in early springtime are just the flowers. The red "leaves" you see in these photos are called spathes (which are modified leaves associated with reproductive organs.) The flowers are inside. As far as the name Skunk Cabbage, these plants produce a strong odor that increases as the plant matures. This odor attracts pollinators like beetles and flies.

The plants arise from rhizomes underground. The species name is foetidus meaning "bad smelling."

The spadix is the structure that develops the flowers. Female flowers develop first, followed by male flowers. The female flowers become unreceptive by the time the male flowers form to prevent self-fertilization. By the way, it is the spadix that generates the heat.

2025 Maine Big Night #1

LH1Bowd (This year's participants are me, Paul, and Caroline)

March 17 - Start time: 7pm.     End Time: 8pm

Certified Volunteers - 1 (Paul)

Uncertified Volunteers - 0

Starting Temp: 44F.      Ending Temp:  42F

Precipitation: Light Rain

The road is wet.

Traffic Tally:  14 vehicles

Species Live: 4 Spring Peepers

Species Dead: 0

Species Injured: 0

Earthquake with magnitude 3.8

 

We had an earthquake this morning at 10:22am. Its epicenter was located offshore of York, Maine. Because it was a shallow quake, its epicenter being only 8.2 miles beneath Earth's surface, there was a lot of shaking going 'round from Maine to Massachusetts, and further down into New England.

Here is a description from the USGS's Earthquake Hazards Program website. If you want to participate in citizen's science, fill out the "Felt Report - Tell Us!" that you see on the right side of the page in this link.

The experience was varied depending on where you live. It even varied whether you were in the basement of your home or on an upper level. At our house, for instance, I felt the quake as the upstairs shook gently. At first, I thought that the nearby gravel pit had done some blasting, but that is usually accompanied by a loud noise and a quick shake. This shaking was too prolonged, so I figured it was a mile earthquake. I did not hear any noise associated with the quake. Drew was in the basement and did not notice it at all. Another friend, just five houses down from us, also did not detect the quake.

Our friend, Veronica, only lives 1.65 miles from us, as the crow flies, yet she felt the quake shake and heard what sounded like a big truck racing out of control down the street. She said a friend in southern Maine heard what sounded like a freight train associated with the quake.

New Year Resolutions/Adventures 2025

 Here we go again! Another new year, and I only accomplished one item from last year's Adventure list (going to Cathance River Preserve and the CREA building). As usual, there are a few resolutions and tons of adventures to consider. I have grouped the adventures by the season to make sure I go at the appropriate times:

Try new photographic techniques: 
a) Use a neutral density filter when taking moving water and cloud photos (longer exposures like a minute long.)
b) Learn and practice stacking photos.
c) Use the Osmo Action 4 Underwater camera at the beach and during the alewife and sturgeon runs.
d) Go to Popham Beach and photograph the tide pools, seaweeds on the rocks at Fox Island, Piping Plovers (bring long lens) - In 2024, the Morse River had changed course and we were not able to get out to Fox Island.
e) Play around with the lensball with photos.

Some local Land Trusts and Preserves with lots of trails to explore:

1. Harpswell Heritage Land Trust

2. Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust

3. Maine Coast Heritage Trust

4. Kennebec Estuary Land Trust

SPRINGTIME

1. Scarborough Marsh Audubon Center - (opens in May) Rent a canoe for an hour or two to photograph the marsh along the Dunstan River. Opens 9:30am. Glossy Ibis migrates in during April. 

2. Visit Saco Heath Preserve (Nature Conservancy) to do some photography and butterfly watching during late May to early June when the heathland plants bloom AND when the Hessel's Hairstreak Butterfly is feeding off the heath flowers.

3. Damariscotta Mills to view the Alewives migration at the fish ladder. Peak migration is mid-May from around May 13-May 30. Use Osmo Action 4 underwater camera.

4. Horseshoe Crabs at Thomas Point Beach (mudflats-mating around May 20-June 30) Peak spawning occurs at the new moon and full moon in late May. Directions: Cooks Corner, Left on Bath Rd., 1st right after Cumberland gas station. Go 1.1 miles and bear right at the T. Follow sign to Thomas Point Beach then follow beach road to the end at the mudflats/marsh)

5. Sturgeon migration at the Cathance River at Bowdoinham. Use Osmo Action 4 underwater camera.

6. Visit Sunflower Farm Creamery in Cumberland - to see the mama goats and baby goats and Goat Yoga. (Memorial Day through Oct. 31.)

7. Pemaquid Point Lighthouse in Bristol, Maine (Memorial Day through early October)

SUMMERTIME

1. Photograph Piping Plover chicks on Popham Beach (by July 4th many of the chicks have hatched and they are flightless for 25-30 days). So, go to Popham Beach any time during the month of July to photograph the chicks.

2. Maine Coast Heritage Trust's Woodward Point Preserve is nice and flat with lots of variety in Brunswick. AS WELL AS  Brunswick-Topsham Land Trust Trails: such as Potts Point Reserve  (Tidepools) (Rt. 123 for 13.9 miles to the end of Rt. 123. Park on the side of the road) AND Stover's Point Preserve - South Harpswell - Short walk.

3. Orono Bog Boardwalk - One mile boardwalk loop trail through part of the 600 acre bog that is part of the Caribou Bog Complex.

5. Whale Watching - 
a) Odyssey Whale Watching Tour - Portland.  
b) Quoddy Link Marine - Whale Watch out of St. Andrews New Brunswick. - Humpback Whales and Finback Whales in August. Ha! This means that we would have to stay in Campobello for a few nights...Awesome!

6. Casco Bay Lines - Cruises and tours.

7. Seawalker Excursions - 207-671-4448 - Corey Walker's 2.5 hour Casco Bay Excursion after school is out (Gift Certificate.) 295 to Freeport Exit 20 / Left onto Desert Rd. / Desert Rd. to Rt. 1 / Right onto Rt. 1 / Left onto Pine St. (FIRST LEFT off Rt. 1 / Follow Pine St. (turns into Main St.) to South Freeport Harbor. Park on side of street.

8. Maine Celtic Celebration -  (Mid July) Belfast, Maine

AUTUMN

1. Woodbury Sanctuary - Stanton Bird Club -Litchfield/Monmouth. 3 miles of trails.

2. Ovens Mouth Preserve - Edgecomb - Boothbay Region Land Trust - 4 mile walk.

3. Thorne Head Preserve - Bath (at the end of High Street) - Fabulous trail along the Kennebec River and over next to Whiskeag Creek. Tidal estuary, fresh water marsh, vernal pools, etc.

4. Mount Apatite in Auburn - Rock Hounding is allowed down to a depth of 2 feet with hand tools. The Pulsifer Quarry had purple apatite, green tourmaline, beryl, and garnet. The Greenlaw Quarry may have bits of purple lepidolite, garnet, green tourmaline, graphic granite, muscovite mica. Mt. Apatite Map. Note: the mine was mostly for feldspar and the tourmaline and apatite were left. Dig down below the topsoil to find the minerals.

5. Deer Hill Amethyst Locality - Amethyst, beryl, etc. print map. Bring hand trowel, sifting screen. Collect within the blue painted boundary requires a free permit at the trailhead. Owned by the Forest Service.

6. Cathance River Nature Preserve - Topsham - at the Highlands - No Dogs Allowed.

7. Ship Harbor Trail AND Asticou Azalea Garden in Acadia National Park

8. Sandy Stream Pond Trail in Baxter State Park. Stay at Mt. Chase Lodge.(re: Pat Maloney) - Also go to Shin Brook Falls (gorgeous waterfall)

9. Pemaquid Point Lighthouse in Bristol, Maine (Memorial Day through early October)

WINTER
1. Maine Mineral & Gem Museum - Bethel, Maine

2. Farnsworth Art Museum (closed Mon & Tue) and Rockland breakwater (go at low tide)

3. Stover's Point Preserve - Long-tailed ducks -South Harpswell - Short walk just north of the beach OR Reid State Park (can be close to shore along the rocks.)

4. Giant's Stairs Trail- Harpswell -From Cook's Corner go down Rt. 24 for 14.5 miles (cross the crib stone bridge) Turn LEFT on Washington Ave. Park at the Episcopal Chapel parking lot except for Sundays. Walk to the end of Ocean St.

5. Plum Island in Ipswich, Mass. (around a 2.5 hour drive) - The sand on the far south of the island has a purple coloration to it due to many minerals in the sand. - pink garnet, opaque black ilmenite, magnetite, dark augite, quartz, feldspar, green epidote, and possibly blue Kyanite (or sapphire). Photo from International Sand Collector's Society on Facebook.

Gorgeous 75F day!

Today is an amazing day of warmth on November 6th. I need this day to bask in the sunshine, to wander around my gardens, to attend Woods Wednesday and volunteer with kindergarteners, and to breathe deeply of my favorite herbal scent of lavender (which is still blooming on the front deck!) The last few months have been so incredibly stressful, culminating with the election of Donald Trump for a second term. I need to just immerse myself in nature and shed the angst for awhile.

Look up, look down, look all around in Autumn!

 

Today, we went for a walk on Hix Small Cemetery Rd. As we crossed the West Cathance Stream, we spotted a gorgeous red maple ablaze in all its autumn glory. The cloud studded sky added to the dramatic coloring of the scene.

We crossed over a log, took a right, and went uphill on a trail through Sylvan Woods. As I approached the top of the hill, I looked to my left and saw a colorful log on the ground surrounded by an assortment of fallen leaves, needles, and mosses. If you don't stop to explore something in nature like this more closely, you miss the true beauty of it.

Upon closer examination, I saw a variety of lichens, mosses, and fungi festooning the log, making it look like a Christmas tree! The brilliant red of nearby fallen maple leaves and the glossy, rich brown coloration of the beech leaves added to this colorful feast for my eyes. There is so much to see here. Do you notice that the moss on the ground is different from the moss on the tree?

Finally, I took the time to get as close a look as i could. There are so many fabulous textures and colors on just a small section of this log. It really pays to take the time to observe those parts of nature that intrigue you.

Loon Update

 We only had one loon on Caesar Pond this summer and this loon came and went on a regular basis. He would show up once or twice per week and spend a day, then go to somewhere else. I am wondering if he lost his mate last year and has yet to find another one. I was not able to catch sight of him this summer.

Yellow Blue-bead Lily and Dagger Flies

I did a quick non-scientific survey, for interest sake, of the Yellow Blue-bead Lilies, Clintonia borealis, in several areas next to Hix Small Road, leading to the Hix Small Cemetery.

I read that Clintonia generally spread by underground rhizomes, so I figured that there wouldn't be many individuals that would be flowering.

I surveyed 4 groups of plants with the number of flower stalks with flowers present: 1/58, 2/47, 2/23, 1/22. Out of 150 plants, only 6 were flowering. But, it leaves me to question what biological factors stimulate a few plants to flower when the rhizome method of reproduction is so successful. BY THE WAY, I also looked at groupings of Yellow Blue-bead Lilies in the Center Point Preserve and found many more in bloom. In fact, in one area I saw 7 out of 24 plants that were blooming.

On another note, I saw several Yellow Blue-bead Lilies that had Dagger Flies, Empidid flies (Empididae) crawling all around them. I couldn't find any information about pollinators as these plants, like the Lady's Slippers, are very successful at asexual reproduction with rhizomes.

Thanks to Edwin Barkdoll for the ID. He also told me that these flies are generally carnivorous, but that he mostly sees them supping on nectar and pollen.

Aurora Borealis

 Here is my experience with the Aurora Borealis: I chose to go to the south end of Caesar Pond to set up my tripod as the trees blocked most of the light from many neighbors who leave their outside lights on all night long. This allowed me a northward facing view up the length of the pond. I went out at around 9pm to start the photography as you never know when the aurora will arrive.  

Nothing much showed up in the early photos except that I thought I saw the faintest green glow. This photo was taken at 9:38pm, and you can see a hint of purple and green. Here were the camera settings that I used for all the photos:

•Canon 70-D camera with a 17-40 lens. I removed my lens UV filter so that I didn't get any strange concentric circles on my images.

•Manual lens focus/Single point focus (preferably the center one).

•Move focus to Infinity (then back off until a bright object in the distance is in focus)

•Iso 1600 to 2000

•F/stop 5.6

•Temperature 3500 Kelvin

•Shutter speed of 5 to 10 seconds

•A lens hood may help reduce condensation.

After 45 minutes of standing in the dark, I was surprised when it seemed as if a spotlight was suddenly illuminating the sky to the south. At 9:50pm, I looked up and saw my telltale sign of aurora...a whitish looking cloud that was moving rapidly to the north. I started shooting photos, and even though I could not see any color, the camera picked up bright green. The green color of an aurora is caused by atmospheric oxygen atoms getting excited by electrically charged particles from the Sun that slam into our upper atmosphere at millions of miles per hour. Green is the most common aurora color.

After the initial display of green, other colors emerged. This photo was taken at 9:53pm. The yellow near the bottom of the display is also created by excitation of oxygen atoms and molecules, while the purple color occurs due to excitation of nitrogen atoms. Both the purple and yellow colors form during intense solar activity.

At 9:55pm, rays and veils were really changing rapidly, and purple was the predominant color. Do you see the black, horizontal line at the bottom of the aurora? It is in many of the photos I took. I think it is what is called a black aurora. The European Space Agency defines black auroras as anti-auroras where electrons shoot upwards into space and creates a hole in the aurora that is visible. See https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Space_Science/Cluster/Black_Auroras

By 9:58pm, a pink aurora color was evident. The pink color is formed from a combination of red auroras with blue or green ones. Again, pink only forms in high or extreme solar activity.

This photo was taken at 10:24pm as the cloud cover was becoming more dense. It created some dramatic light compositions.

At 10:42pm, as the cloud cover was starting to clear out, the red auroras were starting to form. They occur at high altitudes, of up to 250 miles above Earth's surface, by the interaction of oxygen atoms with solar particles that cause the oxygen atoms to vibrate at a higher frequency / wavelength.

Check out the red aurora coloration here at 10:58pm. WOW, it was so intense.

By 11:03pm, the aurora storm was starting to weaken and even though I stayed outside until 11:45pm, this was typical of the rest of the photos that I took. I like that every aurora color was represented in this photo.

What did I miss by hanging out at the pond the entire time? I missed the dramatic corona displays that occurred straight up into the sky. I couldn't see it from my vantage point. Next time, I will set up a camera in the front yard and use an intervalometer set to automatically take photos ever 5 or 10 seconds, while I am over at the pond.