Harpswell has been invaded in the last few years by a pest called the winter moth, with plenty of public education to help us control their spread and their damage to our trees. For over 100 years, we have also hosted another invasive moth that can harm not only our trees, but also humans. The… Read more
Saturday morning, August 9th, dawned clear and calm. Even without checking the marine forecast I knew the day would be perfect for a boat trip to Middle Bay. Temperatures in the mid 70’s, a wisp of a breeze, and plenty of sun – it doesn’t come much better in Maine. After stocking my small boat… Read more
By Christine N. Farrell “Drive down three hills, park by my car, then walk down the lane.” Those were her directions. And perfect they were. Abigail Sibley’s cottage was built in 1937 on the shores of Middle Bay on 27 acres purchased by Abigail’s father, a Bowdoin professor, for $1,200. Each summer, Abigail and her… Read more
Curt Chipman photo You have to love the internet for offering all kinds of fascinating, but sometimes useless, information. For instance, when doing my research I discovered that our favorite little rodents love tomato juice, waiting for the fruit to ripen and then biting the bottom to steal a drink -an endearing trick unless it… Read more
As a boy growing up in Western NY farm country, I frequently saw large flocks of dazzling white birds on the fields. They were often following a tractor plowing up new ground, or spreading cow manure. We knew these birds by the term “seagulls.” It wasn’t until my junior year in high school that I… Read more
Talk about an identity crisis! This animal is known by a variety of names, none of them grounded in biology. “How much wood would a woodchuck chuck?” None — they don’t eat wood! The confusion probably arose because the Algonquians called this creature “wuchak.” Despite being referred to by some as a “land beaver,” they… Read more
Thank you to a number of people who responded to the two survey questions at the end of my last article. I asked readers to name their favorite local wildlife species, and to share interesting encounters with wildlife. When several of you described unexpected local meetings with fishers, I decided to do some research on… Read more
The forecast called for temperatures well below zero, and the wood box in my cabin needed topping off. Grabbing my log carrier, I headed to the woodpile. After placing the first big chunk of maple in the carrier, I looked back to the woodpile and found myself face to face with a small, sleek creature… Read more
February 5 brought another storm to Harpswell – 12 inches of powder snow with a light wind, a good day to stay home and get started on your income tax return. But the best was to come – an uninterrupted span of seven days with brilliant blue skies! With temperatures remaining below freezing most of… Read more
Norm Talbot photo Thick, soft snow swirled to the ground as I walked quietly along the path. Approaching a post I had passed many times, something seemed out of place. It dawned on me that there was a large white bird squatting on the post, seemingly unaware of my presence. As I came within 25… Read more