Vol. 1, no. 41 Tuesday, December 10, 1996
Quick jumps: | This week's reports | Downeast Birdline -- discontinuation announcement | Meeting of new group: Greater Portland Naturalists Forum | Publication announcement: Biological Diversity in Maine: An Assessment of Status and Trends in the Terrestrial and Freshwater Landscape |
You are invited to participate. Your reports are always welcomed!
Please e-mail Frank Wihbey, Editor: menature@maine.maine.edu
This week's reports
Report format = Day, date, time. Location (Maine Atlas Map number) Report text. Initials of correspondent
Thursday, December 5. Orono (Map 23) Stillwater River is at edge of its banks -- the highest I've ever seen it in December. Thin plates of ice are floating everywhere, but the ice skim of a week ago is gone. F.W.
Friday, December 6. Orono (Map 23) Although the ground has been refrozen solid for nearly a week, liquid water continues to seep out of an anomalous spring in a bank in my neighbor's yard, traveling many yards before it freezes in a roadside gutter. Apparently, last week's rains soaked down to the subsoil, and that remains warm enough to seep out at that temporary high local water table -- visible evidence of the power of the inner warmth of the Earth, even in December! F.W.
Tuesday, December 10. E. Orland (Map 23) Toddy Pond near the dam: This end of this lake
remained open all week. The ground also remained completely thawed most of the week,
though it is struggling to thaw the last couple of days.
Goldfinches have been visiting by the tens, feeding harmoniously with the chickadees, who
seem calmed by the goldfinch presence. These birds were particularly numerous in the hours
before the two weekend snow storms the state had. Today the feeders are brightened by
evening grosbeaks, who seem to bring in the blue jays. Nuthatches and blackbirds also
accompany them. Why this sudden variety? While the rest of the state had up to 18",
we escaped those storms with NO accumulation lasting more than a couple of hours. Here,
Saturday was a day of about 2 1/2 " of horizontal rain. W.D.
Downeast Birdline has ceased -- discontinuation announcement
Downeast Birdline -- transcript of current telephone message
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