Drew constructed a new bridge!

With my knee instability and Toby's blindness, Drew decided to construct a new bridge over the creek. Here, Drew is inspecting the old bridge that he put in place 15 years ago. The goal is to move that bridge to another location and replace it with a bridge that is 6" wider. In the foreground, you can see that Drew carried the boards from home using a firewood hauler.

Drew decided to construct the new bridge at the creek because it was to be made from super heavy, recycled, pressure treated wood from Ernie's old dock and our old front deck. Drew had to make several trips from home to the creek to haul all the materials there. By the way, the air was a frigid 15F feel-like temperature!

After watching big bridge construction over the years, Drew remembered that the old bridge would be moved off to the side and the new bridge would be installed in its place. So, that is what Drew did. He moved the old bridge to the left (and tested its capability of keeping stable,) hauled the new bridge up and slid it as far as he could across the gap. The end of the new bridge ended up in the water. But, Drew just walked across the old bridge, to get to the far side of the creek, and pulled the new bridge up into place. You can see him hauling the old bridge to its new location. Super genius!

And, voila! Both bridges are now in place and ready to use. Drew pounded a couple of rebar rods into the ground, and fashioned some wood stakes as well, to hold the bridges in place in high, rushing water. Now, we can keep our feet dry and neither Toby nor I will fall into the creek!

Longish walk in the woods

Whoooeee! I took the longest time yet to traverse the woods! We took 112 minutes (almost 2 hours) to walk 1.37ish miles. Poor Drew and Toby... I am such a slow poke.

But we had uneven trails to walk, mud to slog through, ice to navigate, a creek to cross, brush to remove from the trails, photos to take and Toby with his blind dog stand-up strikes because he didn't want to go where we wanted to go! 

Here is the old county road where water has iced over a bit in the tracks of the ATVs that traverse it.

I took a photo of the edge of the track where you can see the frost crystals that have formed.

Drew's bridge is still standing after all the rushing water from the rain, wind, and snow melt.  

You can see the rushing water under the bridge. It took me a few tries to cross it as I got a bit of vertigo from the motion of the water. But, I figured if Toby could do it, so could I! It is a bit skinny for the unsteady of foot, and for a blind dog. Toby fell off it several years ago, but was successful at crossing it today as he took it very slowly. Drew is so great at guiding him. 

Further up the trail, I found more crystals and ice to photograph. There were lots of wet areas and lots of drainage from all the melting. I love this photo as you can see layers of ice and crystallization patterns. And, the sun was hitting it in such a pretty way.

I also love this frosty ice on a tiny puddle. So pretty...

Happy Winter Solstice!

 

Snow Day # 1

The table shows the last 8" of snow in the afternoon as the snowfall was just about done.

 We got 15 inches of light, fluffy snow today! It was easy to shovel and was so pretty.

Here is a photo of the bird feeding area after the first 7" of snow had come down. There was double that amount at the end of the storm.

I love mourning doves, and this one spent a lot of time near the feeder station

Drew took the screen out of the guest room window so that I can have an unobstructed view of the outdoors for photo purposes. All I have to do is bundle up and open the window to the snowy world!

I took this photo through the kitchen window in the morning.

There were a lot of bluejays at the feeder today. This bluejay was patiently waiting his turn.

Once I went into the guest room, I could get closer to the birds.

It was nice to finally be able to photograph them without a dirty window between me and the birds, and they didn't get spooked.

First measurable snow of the season

 We got 7" of snow from this awful storm. First it rained, followed by snow, followed by rain, followed by snow. By the time we got around to shoveling it, it was hardened like a brick. This was by far the heaviest snow we have ever tried to move around.

Crazy Warm November Weather

 WHAT??? NOVEMBER???

Hix Small Cemetery to Gordy's woods walk

Today, we maxed out my knee! First, I did a slow mile on the elliptical machine. Then, an hour later we drove to Hix Small Cemetery Rd. and walked over to Gordy's property via the old county rd. This walk challenged me to new levels as I haven't gone down as steep a slope as I did, on part of this walk, since before my first knee surgery 15 months ago. I had to zig-zag down the slope and be careful of every footstep. As it was, my knee gave way just before crossing the creek near the last 1/4 mile of the walk (thank goodness I was using my walking poles as they saved me from face planting.) I really pushed it today. Each time I go out, I push myself a bit more. Hopefully, by next summer I will be able to walk small hills and not think of them as insurmountable mountains. Everything I do is magnified in difficulty at this moment. I always feel sorry for the people who choose to walk with me as I am agonizingly slow...slow...slow...

Maine Foliage Report

Autumn color change in Maine is about 2 weeks ahead of schedule due to the drought that we are in, as well as cooler temps. and frost in the inland and northern reaches of the state. Read the entire story on the Maine Foliage Report.

Autumn colors on the way to work

My outdoor time is so limited, due to my incredible school hybrid classroom workload, that I have taken to enjoying the autumn colors as we whiz by in the car. Our bit of the planet is a riot of reds, oranges, and yellows.

Snapping Turtle Hatchlings and False Alarm

Sort of false alarm...This morning, we spied the nest hole opening to the turtle nest and expected to see an exodus of baby snapping turtles during the day. This seemed to be right on schedule at 95 days from being laid. Strangely enough, that did not happen. Drew saw three tinier than usual turtles that had emerged, but when he came back to check a little later, they had disappeared. All I can think is that those three were able to crawl under the fencing and escape. Since then, the fencing has been secured and there has been no activity.

So, Drew put an endoscope into the nest cavity (about 3.5" under the surface) to see what was going on down there. Not much as you can see. There were at least 30 eggs laid, and you can see some of them poking up through the sand, with the rest still completely covered.

Check out the rounded bumps of the eggs under the sand. Cool! I expect lots of activity by the weekend and into next week, but never have I seen just a few hatchlings and then nothing... 

Wood Frog in the back woods

I went on a short walk in the woods behind our house in an area I haven't been able to access for over two years as my knee has been such a mess. As I stepped onto the main trail I saw something brown hop out of my way. It was a gorgeous wood frog. We hear them calling loudly in the springtime, but rarely see them. I love the black masks over their eyes. They are the Zorro of the frog species!

The trail was very nice to walk on and I appreciated the lack of rocks. I have been traversing so many rocky paths of late. Here, I only had to watch out for roots.

I was so happy to soak in the sights and sounds of this part of the forest. It had been brutally cut about 7 years ago and the land is starting to regain its beauty. The ferns are stunning in this open area.

American Toad

It's toad season! They are hoppity hopping all over the forest trails! We have to be careful not to step on them.

Forest Walk and Shrooms

I am finally able to walk in the woods more often (as Drew picks me up from school and takes me to the forest directly from work.) I am loving this relaxation time and am so happy to be outside as the season moves speadily toward autumn. 

We have walked from the Hix Small Cemetery Rd. to the old County Rd. (both wooded, rocky and rooty trails that were main roads 100 years ago.)

With the trail being so rough (lots of rocks to trip over and twist ankles), Drew and Toby walked ahead and cleared the trail of branches so that I would be safe.

Drew's bridge is still standing. He constructed it about 15 years ago so that we could cross the creek at high water times. It is on the right side of the photo in the distance. My knee was complaining as we neared the creek so we had to turn around and head back to the car. Eventually, I'll be able to walk from home to here. Baby steps to health.

As we walked the trail, Drew spotted a puffball fungus ready to open and release its spores. We helped it along a bit!

And, here is a puffball that is not quite as mature.

Nearby, I spotted a type of bracket fungus, Lenzites sp. It grows and gathers its nutrients from dead wood and breaks the wood down.

The underside of this species of Lenzites has gills. Other species have pores, so you really do need to turn the fungus over to look at its underside to identify it.

The patterning reminds me of brain coral. Spores are released from within the gills.

First "longer" walk since knee surgery on June 16th

Wowee! I finally attempted to take a longer walk down the snow mobile trail today. Up until now, I have only attempted a 0.4 mile walk. Whoo! I got so exhausted from this 3/4 mile walk. It consisted of two down slopes and two up slopes, and was quite the challenge to my knee. The ground into the forest, on the old county road, was very rocky and rooty, but I picked my way slowly and carefully. It took an hour from the start to the finish of the walk. I am very satisfied with my progress, although I guess I pushed myself a bit more than I probably should have, but I had to see what my capabilities were.

Thinking of hiking again...

With my knee healing well, I am starting to think about hiking again. No big mountains, just local hikes.  I recently became a member of the Facebook group called "Maine Hiking" and it has been a fantastic resource.  One hiker has just completed 100 hikes in Midcoast Maine. Wow! Here is his list. It is one that we can reference for short hikes that are pet friendly. I'll be ready to tackle a few this autumn!

1-Bradbury Mtn State Park Trails in Durham 4/26/20

2-Crystal Springs Farm Trails in Brunswick 5/2/20

3-Brunswick Commons Trails in Brunswick 4/28/20

4-Chase Preserve Tails in Brunswick 5/9/20

5-Maquoit Bay Trail in Brunswick 4/20/20

6-Cox Pinnacle Trail in Brunswick 5/15/20

7-Devils Back Trails on Orr’s Island 5/17/20

8-Cliff Trails in Harpswell 5/17/20

9-Mast Landing Audubon Sanctuary Trails in Freeport 5/16/20

10-Head of Tide Park Trails in Topsham 5/18/20

11-Skofield Shores Preserve Tails in Harpswell 5/18/20

12-Androscoggin Riverwalk Trail in Brunswick 5/20/20

13-Brunswick/Topsham Androscoggin River Path in Brunswick/Topsham 5/19/20

14-Thorne Head Preserve in Bath 5/20/20

15-Cousins River Trail in Freeport 5/21/20

16-Run Around Pond Trails in Durham5/22/20

17- Pratt Brook Park in Yarmouth 5/24/20

18-Otter Brook Preserve Trails in Harpswell 5/28/20

19-Giant Stairs on Bailey Island 5/25/20

20-Curtis Preserve Trails in Harpswell 5/25/20

21-Wilson’s Cove Trail- Harpswell 5/29/20

22-Widgeon Cove Trail in Harpswell 5/29/20

23-Hedgehog Mtn Trails in Freeport 5/23/20

24-Long Reach Preserve in Harpswell 6/3/20

25-Hackett and Minot Trails in Harpswell 6/5/20

26-Potts Point Preserve in Harpswell 6/5/20

27- Houghton Graves Park Trail on Orr’s Island 6/6/20

28-Little Ponds Preserve in Harpswell 6/8/20

29-Bowdoin Schiller Coastal Studies Center on Orr's Island 6/10/20

30-Wolfe’s Neck Woods State Park in Freeport 4/17/20

31-Fels-Groves Farm Preserve in Yarmouth 6/13/20

32-Woodward Point Preserve in Brunswick 6/12/20

33-Chewonki Eaton Farm Trails in Wiscasset 6/12/20

34-Mitchell Field in Harpswell 6/14/20

35-Denny Reed Trail in Phippsburg 6/15/20

36-Gamble Preserve at West Point in Phippsburg 6/15/20

37-Calderwood Preserve in Freeport 6/17/20

38-Royal River Park in Yarmouth 6/18/20

39-Royal River Water Trail in North Yarmouth 6/18/20

40-Richmond Town Forest in Richmond 6/19/20

41-Sprague Pond Preserve in Phippsburg 6/20/20

42-Spirit Pond Preserve in Phippsburg 6/20/20

43-Florida Lake in Freeport 6/23/20

44-Durham River Park in Durham 6/23/20

45-Bliss Woods in Freeport 6/24/20

46-Arnold Family Forest, Blair Addition in Freeport 6/24/20

47-Powell Point in Freeport 6/24/20

48-Tidebrook (Bartol Island) in Freeport 6/25/20

49-Wolfe’s Neck Farm in Freeport 6/25/20

50-Oven Mouth Preserve in Boothbay 6/26/20

51-Perkins Farm Trail to Ft. Baldwin in Phippsburg 6/27/20

52-Wilbur Preserve at Cox’s Head in Phippsburg 6/27/20

53-Bijhouwer Forest in Phippsburg 6/27/20

54-Red Rose Preserve in Bowdoinham 6/28/20

55-Spear Farm Preserve in Yarmouth 6/30/20

56-Pisgah Hill Preserve in New Gloucester 7/01/20

57-Big Falls Preserve in New Gloucester 7/01/20

58-Presumpscot Falls Park in Falmouth 7/3/20

59-Walton Park in Falmouth 7/3/20

60-Cushman Preserve 7/06/20

61-Griggs Preserve in Newcastle 7/06/20

62-Zak Preserve in Boothbay 7/06/20

63-Colby Preserve in Edgecomb 7/06/20

64-Josephine Newman Preserve in Georgetown 7/08/20

65-Round The Cove in Georgetown 7/08/20

66-Ipcar Preserve in Georgetown 7/08/20

67-Weber Kelly Preserve in Georgetown 7/08/20

68-Hamilton Audubon Sanctuary in West Bath 7/09/20

69-Poland Spring Preservation Park in Poland 7/10/20

70-Noble Hill Preserve in Phippsburg 7/11/20

71-Green Point Preserve in West Bath 7/11/20

72-Green Leaf Preserve in Phippsburg 7/11/20

73-Captain Alfred Skofield Trail in Brunswick 7/12/20

74-Whaleback Shell Midden State Historic Site in Damariscotta 7/13/20

75-Great Salt Bay and Hart Family Heritage Trail in Newcastle 7/13/20

76-Ridgewell Preserve in Phippsburg 7/14/20

77-Center Pond Preserve-7/15/20

78-Lilly Pond Preserve-7/15/20

79-Vaughn Woods in Hallowell 7/16/20

80-Augusta Greenway Trail/Fort Western in Augusta 7/16/20

81-Raymond Community Forest in Raymond 7/19/20

82-Butler Head Preserve in Bath 7/18/20

83-Skyline Farms in North Yarmouth 7/20/20

84-Cross River Preserve in Boothbay 7/21/20

85-Hendricks Head in Southport 7/21/20

86-Bonyun Preserve in Westport Island 7/22/20

87-Carl & Barbara Segerstrom Preserve/Squam Creek in Westport 7/22/20

88-Gregory Hiking Trail in Boothbay 7/23/20

89-Porter Preserve in Trevett 7/23/20

90-School House Pond Preserve in Trevett 7/23/20

91-Dodge Point Preserve in Newcastle 7/24/20

92-Marsh River Preserve-in Newcastle 7/24/20

93-Trout Pond Preserve in Alna 7/25/20

94-Bass Falls Preserve in Alna 7/25/20

95-Plummer Point Preserve in South Bristol 7/27/20

96-Seal Cove Preserve in South Bristol 7/27/20

97-Tracy Shore Preserve in South Bristol 7/27/20

98-Augusta Nature Education Center in Augusta 7/28/20

99-Linekin/Burley Preserve in East Boothbay 7/31/20

100-Maiden Cliff Trail in Camden 8/8/20

Loon Family video - Chicks R Go!

We love loons, and to have a successful hatching of loon chicks is just magical! Here is a short video that I shot over at the pond. I think the chicks are about 3 weeks old, and I checked with the Loon Development info page on the Loon Preservation Committee's website.

The wind was blowing a bit and I was at maximum zoom, so it was difficult to keep track of the loons as they swam about. Enjoy!!!! 

UPDATE: A neighbor told me that a bald eagle snagged one of the chicks for breakfast soon after I shot this video.

Loon Family on Caesar Pond (the first in 25 years)

Wowee! This is our first loon family on Caesar Pond in at least 25 years! Of course, I just had knee surgery and am confined to the shore. I had to use my camera with the longest reach to shoot some video as the loons were near the western side of the pond. This is a screen grab from one of the videos I took. At full zoom there is some camera shake and there was a breeze blowing straight at the camera. I had neglected to have Drew bring over the sand bags. But, at least I have documentation of loons!!! If you are interested, here is a link to the Loon Preservation Committee's Loon Chick Development information.

Tomato Hornworm Season

'Tis the season for the dreaded Tomato Hornworm. I found 9 of them on the Centennial Tomato plant, two on the middle tomato plant (Early Girl), and I looked on the northern most Early Girl tomato plant and did not find any, but I could see some destruction so I know there are some there. I'll have to continue my search tomorrow! UPDATE: I pulled a total of 17 tomato hornworms off of the Centennial Tomato plant!

Red Fox and Deer

We set the game camera out in the hope of seeing a doe munching on my flowering plants, and caught this fox walking through the front yard. UPDATE: on July 19, Drew saw a dead fox on the side of the road. I fear that our visitor met his/her demise.

The doe's butt was seen as she moseyed over to the main stump garden. She has decimated the majority of the daylilies, which seem to be her favorite food source. But, you can see here that she also enjoys Hosta. Look at the Hosta from the fox photo and then in this one. She has munched it down to just stripped stalks.

Yellow-shafted Flicker Chick Flick!

We absolutely adore Yellow-shafted Flickers, aka Northern Flickers. We were so excited to see that they had nested in the ash tree. We haven't documented woodpecker chicks from just after birth to fledging before. Enjoy!

Oh yes, before I forget...here is a neat tidbit of information I found about Northern Flickers. The Red-shafted flickers live on the west coast of North America and the Yellow-shafted flickers live in the eastern portion of North America. In between is a hybrid zone along the Missouri River area where the woodpeckers inter-breed and are different shades of orange. Cool!

Axelson, Gustave. “It’s Official: Red-Shafted and Yellow-Shafted Flickers Have Nearly Identical DNA.” The Cornell Lab: All About Birds, 19 Mar. 2021, https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/its-official-red-shafted-and-yellow-shafted-flickers-have-nearly-identical-dna/

Yellow-shafted Flicker chicks have fledged!

Yesterday, Alpha Chick was using his beak for the first time to peck at the wood around the nest hole. He seems to be ready to fledge!

Then, this morning Drew put the video camera out at 7am. At 7:08am, the last of the chicks fledged. I am assuming that Alpha Chick, and another brother or sister, fledged earlier in the morning. Here is the chick putting his feet on the edge of the nest hole. He gave one last chirp, and...

launched himself out of the nest hole!

He flapped his wings so we could see the identifying yellow shafts and tail as he soared into the wild, blue yonder... Fly, be free little buddy! (Again, note that these are screen grabs from video.)

Yellow-shafted Flickers update

It is heartening to find that there are still at least two chicks alive in the Yellow-shafted Flicker nest. We saw two sets of beaks in the videos from today. Yay! I was getting worried...(By the way, all the photos on this post are screen grabs from the daily videos we took between July 4 - July 7.)

Here is the alpha male chick on July 4th. He is beginning to get a bit more brown coloration around his eyes.

Red squirrels are among many predators of baby birds. Luckily, on this encounter (on July 6th) Alpha Chick was able to be aggressive enough to keep the squirrel at bay. He pecked at the squirrel sending him on his way.

Mama Flicker has become more attentive to the food needs of the chicks over the last couple of days. Up until now, we rarely saw her feeding the chicks.

Here is Alpha Chick using his tongue for the first time (on July 6th). Soon he will be using it to gather food from ant hills.

As of July 7th, Alpha Chick has developed more of the typical male coloring, especially around his eyes. The feathers are more brown than grey as they had been up until now. He is one good looking chick!

Alpha Chick is also aggressive. Here he is pecking at his papa's chest and pulling feathers from it when he feels that he isn't getting fed fast enough! Papa bird is not amused! (July 7)