The Fish Crow is a bird you have most likely seen, but may have never noticed. It is a distinct species of crow, yet it often associates with the ubiquitous American Crow, and the two species are almost indistinguishable in appearance. If you’re lucky, you’ll see the two next to one another and might notice […]
Maine's Naturalist
Small Wonders: Every fungus has a story
My first step to becoming a naturalist was seeing a mushroom called Exsudoporus frostii, or Apple Bolete (pictured above). I was walking in the Middlesex Fells in Massachusetts and something blood red caught my eye. I thought it was trash. It turned out to be a deep red mushroom with a funky-looking webbed stem, as […]
Small Wonders: Spittlebugs, Aphids, and Leafhoppers
I remember feeling a unique joy anytime I encountered spittlebugs as a kid. These are the teeny insects that leave surprise wet spots on your shins as you walk through tall grass. Sap-suckers like spittlebugs are everywhere, but most are much more inconspicuous. There are tens of thousands of species of insects all over the […]
Backyard Bird of the Month for August: Red-bellied Woodpecker
If you don’t know any better, you might mistake the Red-bellied Woodpecker’s call for that of a frog, or perhaps a clown lost in the woods. This isn’t a bird you would have heard often if you grew up in Maine, but now their loud, rolling “kwurr” can be heard commonly in the southern part […]
Backyard bird of the month for July: Common Yellowthroat
Common Yellowthroats could be referred to as “gateway warblers.” They’re widespread and easy to spot (for a warbler). It’s quite an arresting sight when a male, all yellow throat and black eye mask, flits into the open, singing at eye level only a few yards away. Common Yellowthroats prefer brushy edge habitats, making them one […]
Small Wonders: The Gulls On Your Roof
Last spring my upstairs neighbors had triplets. My upstairs neighbors are Herring Gulls, and they’ve been nesting on my roof, presumably since before I moved in. That May, I’d heard their parents’ quiet “mew” calls as they negotiated a site for the nest. Then one day they appeared with mouthfuls of twigs and leaves. During […]
Do fireworks disturb wildlife?
We always get questions about fireworks around the Fourth of July, but since the change to Maine’s law in 2012, now allowing Maine municipalities to adopt consumer fireworks ordinances, we hear about more and more conflicts with wildlife and not just around the July holiday. This simple answer is yes, fireworks definitely disturb birds, but […]
Backyard Bird of the Month for June: Eastern Phoebe
“FEE-BEE!!” Many Mainers look forward to this raspy song each spring. Eastern Phoebes spend the winter in the southern United States and Mexico, and are early migrants back to the Northeast. These large flycatchers are dark gray with nearly black heads and light undersides that often show a faint yellow wash. Their large eyes—typical of […]
Input needed on State Wildlife Action Plan
May 28 update from Maine’s Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife: We invite you to provide input on identifying significant Threats and what conservation actions are needed to address those Threats. Step 1: Review the list of Threats and Conservation Actions Step 2: Share your input! Based on your personal understanding of and familiarity with […]