Sunshine Imaginings Photography

2011-10-01T16:41:00.005-04:00

Somewhere near Ragged Mountain, Camden, Maine

Water retrieve at Camp CaPella

Sneezeweed

Itty bitty mushrooms

Mayflowers gone by

Coral Fungi (Clavaria)

Moon off kilter

Blue Bead Lilly

Caterpillar (What kind?)

My pretty girl

Green frog

Some sort of mushroom.

Partridge Berry

A photo by Mom, Bald Rock, Camden, Maine

Photo by Mom, Beech Hill, Rockport, Maine

Camp CaPella

My pretty girl.

My girl by a sign to one of our favorite trails in the Bangor City Forest, Maine

My pretty girl

Rosie wanted to play retrieve some more.

Some Photos from Summer 2011

The Month of April

2011-05-08T21:21:00.001-04:00

The following photos were taken in April. They are not in any order, but as you can see, April was very early spring here. When Hawkweed looks beautiful, you know it's been a long winter. Though we did have fun in the snow this past winter, we welcomed the snow melt with enthusiasm as our world has opened up a little and we can get around easier. We began to go back to the golf course to play when all the snow pretty much cleared. It had been so deep, we stopped going over there.

Hawk weed! Spring's first flower in the city forest.

A glimpse of Skunk Cabbage rising up from the frozen ground.

One of the ground hogs by the waterfront.

Not quite water retrieve time.

Ducks down at the waterfront.

What is this sparrow doing in a packed parking lot at Walmart between two cars?

Rosie's first official 'Cool off" dip!

Fresh out of the mud and dead grass. What a pleasant contrast!

Ground hog with a bottle brush tail. Me: "Do you need to brush your tail or are you just unhappy to see me?"

A robin.

This was a couple of Cormorants down at the riverfront.

A darling Starling. Did you know they are mocking birds???

Recent Beaver action in the city forest.

A couple weeks ago I caught this little guy poking away at a tree in the city forest.

April Fool's Day! Twelve inches by days end... April 2nd we had about 2 inches left of it on the ground.

I wondered around the neighborhood for the last three days to photograph flowers for my mother's Mother's Day card. I then cropped each flower down and arranged them as shown above.

One of those trees that never loses its leaves.

A tree had fallen in the city forest and this fungus was on a block of sod that broke off the roots.

Four Canada geese with a pale goose friend.

And the waterfront is alive with dozens of Mockingbirds singing their little hearts out.

Rosie posing in a funky pine tree on the golf course.

These geese were heading west-east, but then they turned a little. They really were heading south.

Two male Merganser, one pruning his wing feathers.

Heading back south? You just got here!

Mergansers

Pussy Willow??

Is this a pussy willow? It was a large tree.

Just a little bit of snow left from the 12 inches we got on April 1st. April 2nd we had about 2- 3 inches left! It had been so warm, I knew this snow wouldn't stay long at all.

This woodpecker was pecking away at the pretty much dead tree out back.

Sun through the wet clouds.

A male and female Mallard duck at the golf course.

The ground hogs down near the railroad tracks have become an attraction for us. Rosie first startled when they would whistle an alarm, but yesterday it was like she didn't even hear the one that was right in front of her whistling. She's not big on wildlife. Neighborhood cats make her nervous.

Seagull in flight down town.

Not a great picture of a Cormorant

One of the noisy Grackles that hang out under the bridge at the park down near Rosie's swim hole.

Grackle

These were next door growing in the wooded part of the lawn. What are these?

These were growing next door on the wooded part of their lawn.

Two Killdeer near the railroad track. They must have thought I was stalking them because I was going in the same direction. I tried to keep my distance as much as I could, but eventually I had to pass them.

The snow is all off the hill at the City Forest so we can go in and out from there again.

What are these little birds that appeared to have taken over a wood duck house?

Rosie on the stone bench at an intersection on the West Trail which is finally free of snow!

The Mother's Day Floral Stroll

2011-05-08T18:49:00.000-04:00

Marching into Spring with the SUPER MOON!

2011-03-19T23:46:00.005-04:00

Hey everyone! I am so thrilled to be able to say that I have a new camera! It feels so good to have a decent camera glued to my neck again!

I went to the city forest for the first time with my camera (and dog) today to see what I could find to photograph. On the walk in I saw LOTS of woodpeckers in one tree! On the walk out (these walks are on the road walking to the city forest) I saw and heard lots of Redwing Black Birds and Lots of Robins were out and about worming. According to my photos, there were a few Starlings out as well. I saw a woodpecker, but again no one really wanted to cooperate with a photo op today. I got photos of a sparrow in a tree at Walmart. As usual, my dog got photographed a lot. Can't help it! She's so pretty right now with her fluffy coat!

Even though none of my bird pictures were really worth posting, I am posting some only because these are my first few pictures with my new camera.

The best photographs taken today were of the Super Moon! I got a late start of it, but I did get to it (having to walk all the way down to the waterfront- it was a long day so it felt like a long journey) I got in a clear area and was able to get some amazing moon photos!

With out further fuss, here is what I have from today's venture:

Here are some photos of one of the woodpeckers. As you can see, I couldn't really get a good angle and the bird didn't want to cooperate with the photo shoot at meal time.

We were excited that the snow had melted enough for us to walk through the field and down the hill to the city forest instead of walking all the way down to the parking lot.

This is Rosie's swimming hole (when it is warm enough). There is still about 90% ice on the pond so swimming isn't even possible yet even if she were a polar bear. I was shocked (and kind of pleased) to see that the pond washed out the road in that spot. The pond has been overflowing there for quite a while and everyone was blaming it on those "damn" beavers (ruining our road through their home!) Well, the cause was nature, but it "weren't no beaver"!

I took Rosie's picture by this sign because we love this trail. Last summer this was the trail we usually started on. It is on the right just after you enter the woods by the stone wall onto the West trail. The trail is off the beaten (or groomed) path, but there are no leash restrictions in place for any of the natural trails.

Rosie really thought she was going to play with this tree... I mean stick.

I took a picture of her clean fluffy coat expecting it to be all muddy and dirty by day's end. It actually didn't get too bad at all.

"Go find the bench!" West Trail, this stone bench was made last year. It is the only one I've seen out here that has a carved out seat.

The Red-wing Blackbird didn't want to cooperate for a photo either. He was too busy singing to pose for me.

The Robins didn't mind a few photos while they digged for worms and other tasty tidbits in the wet soil.

There was a tree full of Starlings

And this little swallow was in one of the small pines that were planted next to Walmart. Looks like the same one that screamed at us from the Lupine around the corner where we cut across to get to Kitteridge road.

...and finally, the SUPER MOON! The moon was at its closest point to the earth this evening. At sunset we were to look at the horizon to the east for the oversized moon to rise. It was pretty dark when I finally got to a place to take a photo of it, but these pictures really turned out super.

Great day, I just wish we had more time to walk in the woods, but I have been so exhausted lately I just couldn't leave early like we did last summer. Bumped into a friend at the Walmart bus stop so this evening I was treated to Authentic Indian food! He cooked it! He gave me a bag to go with beans, peas and rice and pita bread (more like American flour tortillas but a tad thicker). I don't know if he was being nice, but it really wasn't as spicey as I expected it might.

Spring 2010

2011-01-30T02:28:00.005-05:00

Rowena and I enjoyed many day long walks in the City Forest. New leash ordinances kept us on the rougher trails, but that wasn't a bad thing. We very rarely saw another dog (maybe 2 on the rough trails all summer) and rarely any people either. There was the occasional mountain biker. What we found was plentiful star flowers, blue bead lilies, bunch berries, lady's slippers and trillium to fill the whole forest. There were some flowers that were fairly new to my brain this year too. The raven family has grown into a shiney flock. My season ended with two ravens playing in the sky.

Bittersweet was the ending of our summer of forest walks. In July Rowena and I went to Saxl park for some photos and fun and Rosie was attacked quite viciously by another dog. This did scar her (emotionally) as it was just added to a couple of other dog charges and attacks from the year. It scarred me as well and made me a tad agoraphobic. We increase our activity and we get out there, we make ourselves vulnerable to things like that. After July our trips to the forest got less frequent and I feel like we were robbed of more photos of all the changes going on in the woods. By the time we returned, many things were going by and the woods was going silent of birds. The two ravens playing was the last I saw or heard of the ravens that year.

Here is a collection of some of the photos we took with the Canon this past season. I hope you enjoy them as much as I enjoyed taking these pictures.

May Flowers in bloom

Star Flowers in bloom

Blue Bead Lily in bloom

Low Bush blueberries

High Bush blueberries

Trillium

Pink Lady's slippers

Pearly Everlasting

Pink Strawberry blossom

Lady's Slipper with Bunch Berry blossoms

Thistle with Bee

Raven

2011-01-28T22:40:00.000-05:00

This photo was taken with my Canon at Saxl Park. The camera really brought the colors out in an already brilliant sunset.

It has been a year of ups and downs and I have done a horrible job at journaling that for you here. Enjoy these photos and I will organize some from this past year to show you what my Canon Powershot SX20IS allows me to do. This camera has been close to my heart both literally and figuratively and to have it gone has really just left me broken hearted. I am totally distraught and don't know what to do. If my friends could donate just a dollar or even five-dollars I might be able to collect enough to replace my camera. The memory card inside the stolen camera will be a loss I will have to live with and hope I had emptied most of the photos already.

This past summer we went on a number of walks in the City Forest. We enjoyed a spring full of rebirth.

This is the hill we climb to leave the City forest. This was the prime of the summer with the grass aglow with buttercups and other flowers, with a touch of blue colored grass mixed in.

Mama squirrel comes out after a storm to see what she can find to eat. She must have a full nest by the look of her teats.

I had fun with assorted photo ops... this one with Rosie in her Ruff Wear pack and sneakers down by the riverfront early fall.

"Sneeze Weed" down by the riverfront.

A recent snowstorm. I put my pocket camera to work during a blizzard to keep the lens on my Canon condensation free.

VANDALISM AT THE ORONO BOG CLOSES THE BOARDWALK

2010-09-09T18:05:00.003-04:00

Photographs NOT by me: See below for credits... Click on the title above to be forwarded to The Bangor Daily News site and article.

BANGOR DAILY NEWS PHOTO BY JOHN CLARKE RUSS Orono Bog Boardwalk director Jim Bird, right, conferred with volunteer Jerry Ledwith, center, of Bangor and boardwalk maintenance supervisor Phil Locke, left, of Bangor as they retrieved a broken bench that was removed and thrown from its footing near the north end of the boardwalk. They learned Monday morning that various sections the boardwalk were vandalized sometime after it closed for the evening Sunday. Buy Photo:

http://www.bangordailynews.com/story/Greater-Bangor/Vandalism-closes-Orono-Bog-Boardwalk,153084

9/6/10 11:23 am Updated: 9/7/10 01:36 pm

By Nok-Noi Ricker, BDN Staff

ORONO, Maine — A group of criminals raised havoc at the Orono Bog Boardwalk on Sunday night, causing so much damage that the mile-long boardwalk was forced to close. director Jim Bird said Monday morning. “It’s a real mess,” he said. “We have to close today and maybe tomorrow.” The damage was discovered just after 7 a.m. by Wendall Trembley, who was opening the boardwalk for the day. Bird estimated it will cost “hundreds, maybe thousands” to repair. “They basically ripped off 20-25 benches,” which are placed every 200 feet along the boardwalk", he said. “They smashed about 20 deck boards with their boots.” They also broke into the cabin, ripping the door off its hinges and stealing at least one item from inside, damaged railings and destroyed nearly half of the interpretive signs. “They ripped off six and threw them into the bog,” Bird said. To get to the boardwalk, the group also broke the lock on the gate.

The bog walk allows visitors to walk or use wheelchairs to make their way through a northern peat bog. It is located in the Bangor City Forest and on adjacent University of Maine property and last year had more than 30,000 visitors. Visitors on Labor Day were stopped at the broken gate. “We’ve had to turn away about 25 people so far since 8 a.m.,” Bird said around 10 a.m. Monday. Two of those turned away on Monday were Bangor resident Amanda Turcotte who brought along Matthew Parks of Milford, who had never seen the boardwalk. “There is no other ecological system like a bog,” she said. “It’s beautiful here.” The two were saddened to hear about the vandalism. “I’ve heard quite a bit about the place,” Parks said.“There are few places like this that are relatively untouched. It’s frustrating that someone would damage it," he said.

Bangor police were called to the scene and are investigating the crime, he said.

Those with information about the investigation may call the Bangor Police Department at 947-7385. The department’s anonymous tip line may be reached by pressing extension 6.

2010 Update

2010-09-05T16:31:00.000-04:00

Brewer, Maine from the Bangor Waterfront

Well, last week my external disk drive died. I am really hoping that it is something that can be fixed. My husband heard that it might be very expensive, but I think getting back over half a computer's worth of photos from the past year it is worth it. Fortunately I still had some photos on some of my memory cards. I need to reprocess them and burn them to disk before something happens to the memory cards. There are so many photos that may be lost forever it really saddens me.

This deer was a real thrill... He looks like an awkward teenager who hasn't quite grown into his body.

In April, Rosie and I began taking the bus way out on Stillwater where we would walk the mile and a half to the beginning of the City Forest in Bangor. Then we'd walk out and take the bus back into town. When we go, we leave late in the morning or very early in the afternoon and hike around (and I take photos along the way) for a few hours or so. Many times we would get out in time to take one of the last three busses back to town, the latest one at 6:15 pm I believe? We did this on a regular basis. It did seem like the more we walked around town, even that far out, the more dogs would charge us. Rosie and I started to startle quite easily and I began to bring my pepper spray along in a quicker to access area on my body. After one attack at Saxl Park (the dog actually had contact) we stopped going to the woods on a regular basis. My dog who is also my service dog was so traumatized that she will no longer alert in an appropriate way. I realized that I really can't protect either one of us.

Bobolink in Saxl Park

Anyway, we would head into the forest and begin on the West trail. Upon entering the woods I could hear one Robin who had his own way of arranging his music, and it was getting easy to recognise from the Robins downtown.

My little trail runner giving me a speedy recall

This past spring and summer brought about some beautiful flowers, but the rain was sparse and rare so that everything (including grass) dried out and died early in the season. Actually I have never seen it this dry before. There are regular vernal pools that have at least a little water left where as right now there is not even mud in the water holes. My dog will go to where the water is supposed to be and I can see she is frustrated. She likes to lay down to cool off in the water (or muck depending on the water hole), and also enjoys a small game of fetch as well. Some people started off really well, got to start haying early, some twice. I am unsure how the lack of rain affected the haying season later on. I would guess not much happened as summer progressed in a hot and dry manner.

Very large and handsome Grackle.

Along with hiking solo with my dog I have been trying to prepare to move cross country to live in Oregon. When I do relocate I suppose I will have to change some of the information on the page of my blog. My husband has been living in Oakridge since November. Don't even get me started with that one.

Rosie and I spent one hot day walking up Kenduskeag Stream. She enjoys "cliff" diving for her water Wubba.

This year brought about some nice photographs, both of my dog and of nature or whatever tickled my fancy. All though I hate to leave Maine because it is my birthplace and my family is here, I look forward to finally joining my husband again. I am also looking forward to checking out the wildlife on the other coastline.

Sunset in the City Forest

Sparrow on Lupine seed pods. Not ready to harvest yet!

2010-03-30T18:42:00.001-04:00

Sunsets- Top: Bangor Golf Course, Middle: Bangor City Forest, up on top the landfill, bottom: Saxl Park, Bangor

From Top: Teaberry, Tansy, and the next five are numerous mushrooms and lichen... I don't know what they are yet.

Lightening Strikes!

Look at the damage done to this tree by lightening... right down the side of the tree\

Chris stands next to a large splinter that we found stuck in the ground! The lightening threw large splinters like this all over the area.

You can see how the lightening just peeled down the middle of the tree.

And left a deep crack that went all the way to the bottom of this tall tree. Here are some more large splinters

Another huge splinter thrown off this tree.

Below is Rosie standing next to the splinter that shot into the ground.

There were a few powerful storms that went through the area this past summer, bringing with them not so much thunder and lightening, but also powerful winds. We would go to the forest a day after and see all this large and small trees that had just toppled over, roots and all. We had a very wet year, and the stream in the City Forest actually overflowed, rushing water OVER the bridge and down the other side to make its way down to the bog. The bridge, reinforced with large granite rectangular stones were moved slightly, but the earth on either side of the stones had an eroded path from the water flowing down the side.

My friend and I, faithful dog walkers at these woods, were caught in a couple of terrential down pours and the water that accumulated and puddled on the road turned into a virtual river (though not a very deep one.)

Here is one such down pour with the water gathering on the dirt road. It was quite deep.

Birds from Spring & Summer Outings 2009

2009-09-27T17:35:00.022-04:00

I had a great time this summer photographing the Osprey and their nests at Sandy Point.

Northern Mockingbird, top photo is down at the waterfront this summer... the last 2 are some of my favorites, of birds that have stalked us in town.

a Loon looks for dinner at Sandy Point

A Great Blue Heron visits Kenduskeag Stream in Bangor, and another checks out the food at Sandy Point

A Cooper's Hawk checks out Saxl Park for dinner

Eastern Kingbird at the Beaver Pond in the City Forest

Canada Geese in Pushaw Lake and on a lawn in York

Ducks in Kenduskeag River

Crows in Bangor, both at home (with a nest next door) and Saxl Park

A wild turkey (and her older chicks) in Herman

Bald Eagles at Pushaw Lake

Cormorants chillin' & Nesting at Sandy Point

Bobolinks in Saxl Park

I know that some of this will be a little outdated, but I DID say I would post them. What better time to take a look at some of the birds I saw this past Spring and Summer, but at a time when sadly, they have (for the majority) all headed south. Their voices and sounds are dearly missed on my walks, and the fact that I will soon be moving to the Pacific Northwest makes this even more bittersweet. This season is the last season I will hear and see these particular birds. My beloved Raven family, my little woodpecker friends, all those silly Mockingbirds, the skydiving Eastern Kingbirds over the beaver pond, all the R2D2 Bobolinks in the field, the little sparrows that live in the low bushes in almost any parking lot in town that will even eat chicken McNuggets... So lets look back at the birds I was able to catch with my camera:

"A Trip to Sandy Point Beach with Mom and Dave"

2009-09-08T10:18:00.021-04:00

Top two: assorted mushrooms on the trails behind the beach, Canada flower berries, and bottom: an aster going by.

"Who, Me??" The marsh off the trails behind the beach

The marsh stream going inland

Rosie returns to the trail after a pit stop to check out the water.

Family Photo Ops

More nifty bright colored mushrooms!

Rosie coming and going on the trail so I can keep an eye on her.

Jewel weed

Top Three: Me eating lunch on my front "porch" at Sandy Point Beach

Bottom: Dave and Mom look for rocks and shells

Cormorant

Mom and Dave ponder the meaning of life

Me and Rosie on my "porch" finishing lunch

Rosie and her various poses

Rosie and me pose for some team photos.

Rosie plays with a stick in the water and on the beach

Top: Cormorant, Bottom: Osprey

Group Pictures on Sandy Point Beach, Dave & Mom

Top to bottom: Sea Lavendar,

Osprey,

Cormorant,

Osprey

Beach Combers: Top- Dave looks around the far side of the beach while Mom (bottom) returns from testing the water temp. TOO COLD!

A cormorant snoozes

Rosie waits for someone to throw her toy out into the water so she can begin retrieving (over and over and over...)

Top: Cormorant Bottom: Osprey on a nest

Dave does lunch by the waterside at high tide.

A Hawk Visits Saxl Park This Past Spring...

2009-06-24T22:56:00.005-04:00

This past spring, my husband and I took the dog out to Saxl Park for a run and a game of frisbee. We did our usual walking around as I checked to see if the wood frogs were in the vernal pools yet, check the ice thaw in the pond, and at the end of the field (Close to Cascade Park area), up in a naked tree was this hawk. I was excited as I had my good camera with me. I was cautious so I wood not scare the Hawk off, and I told Rosie to down stay. I couldn't believe my luck... a hawk right out in the open begging to be photographed! No leaves in the way, no branches to conceal... just a hawk happy to look around him while I snapped several pictures. (By the way I have no idea why this is being underlined as that is not even an option given.)

The hawk we saw was identified as a Cooper's Hawk. He was hanging out in a tree in Saxl Park, checking out the menu selection in the area. The local Crows were not thrilled with this Hawk's presence in their turf. In the upper right of the photo you can see the end of a Crow's wing as he and his shiney black buddies dive bomb the tree the Hawk is sitting in. The Hawk in the meantime seems to totally ignore or not even notice the Crows dive bombing antics and continues to turn his head around and up and down checking things out before he flies off in the opposite direction (towards the river). The crows had resettled somewhere else by that time.

Spring Blooms in the City Forest!

2009-06-24T21:23:00.016-04:00

Sheep's Laurel

Leather leaf (?)

Tea Berry

Early Spring Skunk Cabbage

White Lady Slippers

Tea Berry

Painted Trillium

Pink Strawberry Blossom

White Strawberry Blossom

Blue Bead Lilly (Flower)

May Flower

Tea Berry

Pink Lady Slipper

Tea Berry (?)

Star Flower

Sheep's Laurel

Rhodora

Partridge Berries

Sheep's Laurel

Rhodora

Leather Leaf

Blue Bead Lilly (Before blossom)

Partridge Berry

Violet

Strawberry Blossoms

Violets

Shelf Fungus Among us!

Partridge Berry Blossom (?)

White Violet

Partridge Berry

Pink Lady Slippers

Grass Pink

True Forget-Me-Nots

Fern Unfurling

Low Bush Blueberry Blossoms

Skunk Cabbage

Pink Lady Slippers

Bunch Berry

Bog Bean/ Buck Bean

Violets

Blue-Eyed Grass

Blue Bead Lilly (Flower)

Bluets

Coming Soon...!

2009-06-05T23:30:00.003-04:00

Look Forward to Photographs and posts about the following...

Spring Blooms in the Bangor City Forest,
A Hawk visits Saxl Park in Bangor,
Talking About Crows,
Beavers in the Bangor City Forest,
Springtime Birds in the Bangor City Forest,
Frogs!,
Vandalism in the Bangor City Forest,
Butterflies and Moths and Other Insects

"Ravens in the City Forest"

2009-06-05T20:11:00.011-04:00

From the Smithsonian Handbooks,

Birds of New England,

by Fred J. Alsop III

The Common Raven: Corvus Corax

Wing Span- 46-56 inches

Length- 24-26 inches

The common Raven is a magnificent flier and is the aerial equal of hawks and falcons, and is the largest passerine, or perching bird in North America. If any bird truly enjoys flying to the point of playing in the air, it must be the raven. They are intelligent and resourceful hunters and scavengers. Groups of ravens have been observed working together to capture prey that is too large for one bird to conquer. It is a revered totem and spirit to many Native Americans.

Appearance: Adults are glossy and black overall and have a huge "Roman nose". the shaggy throat feathers can be elevated or sleeked down. The female is similar to the male, but smaller.

Vocalizations: a variety of vocalizations, some quite musical (I personally haven't heard a musically talented Raven as of yet). Most often their vocalizations are croaking, drawling croooaaak or cur-ak. (I give the example of a parrot croak) or a metallic Tok, (which I describe as a tongue clicking on the inside of the beak, similar to a human "tok" raising the tongue to the roof of the mouth, sucking in and pressing the tongue and then releasing it creating the "Tok" sound.)

Behavior: They are tame, quick-learners, and are usually solitary or in pairs. They also may appear in small groups as well. (definitely not in my case). Ravens are gregarious in the winter, when it may occur in large foraging flocks and nightly communal roosts (sounds more like the crows around here than the Ravens, which seem far and few between). They are omnivorous... They are active foragers, scavengers and hunters. They eat a variety of small invertebrates, from tadpoles and shell fish, to worms and insects. They also eat many small vertebrates such as minnows, eggs, and young from other birds, rodents, as well as carrion and refuse.

Flight: They have an elaborate courtship flight with great displays of acrobatics, and pair flying, male above female, wing tip to wing tip, and heads touching. (Very romantic!)

They are strong fliers, often rising in circles, alternates deep wing beats with long glides or soaring on flat wings like a hawk, and like to soar on thermals and updrafts.

Breeding: They are monogamous and mate for life. They are solitary; they gather in small loose colonies in the north. (just not here).

Nesting: Raven eggs are greenish or gray-green eggs with brown or olive spots, and are subelliptical to long oval in shape, 2x1.4 inches.Incubation 18-21 days by the female. Altricial young stay in the nest for 38-44 days. They are brooded by the female and fed by both sexes. They may have between 3-7 eggs. They have 1 brood a year.

The nest is made of branches and sticks on the outside; a cup made of small sticks and lined with bark chips, animal hair, sheep's wool, lichens and mosses, seaweed and grass. The nest may be located on a cliff near water, in the mountains, or in a fork of a tree about 45- 80 feet above the ground. The nest is built by both male and female.

Population: They are common, expanding into California and into the Appalachians into areas where birds have been extirpated.

Conservation: In the past, the raven was shot, trapped and poisoned for alleged damage to wild game and domesticated animals. (They haven't tried to eat us yet!)

Let me introduce the Raven family to you. I believe that I originally met Mr. Raven this past winter, and took some very fine pictures of him posing on a dead tree, surrounded with snow lined branches. I did not have my best camera with me, but the photos turned out quite well just the same.

I was aware of these birds in the City Forest for a couple of summers now, but did not know that they WERE actually Ravens. We heard them calling back and forth (only 2) to each other, and never heard more than 2 out there. I had never heard a Raven before and was able to identify the face with the sound. This past winter when I finally got to meet face-to-beak, I heard his call, and then heard his "Tok-Tok" sound that sounds like a tongue on the inside of the beak. This is a tell-tale sign that this bird was indeed a Raven and not a lesser bird.

So, my Raven and his love interest have apparently been busy this past spring raising a couple of babies. These babies are presently trying to find their wings and learn how to eat on their own. Don't get me wrong... as you can see in these pictures (that include at least one of the babies) these chicks are quite big now. They tend to flutter their wings around clumsily while trying to balance on branches, and call back and forth with their parents. One can hear the high pitched gravely call of these babies, and then the lower calls of the grown-ups. My sister tells me that these birds probably know me and my dog by now (and my friend and her dogs) and see us as no threat. They commonly hang out in a few dead trees next to Bog Brook between East Trail and the Main Road, or off towards the bog. I have even seen them IN the bog. I took these incredible pictures of the Raven family this past week. I can never tell the detail of the photos until I get home and view them on the big screen. At that point, I am often amazed at the clarity my camera has even when photographing from a distance. Of course, the further away I am when I zoom in, the less clarity there is. You can see that decreased clarity in my hawk pictures from earlier this spring. (Those will be posted later).

Anyway, I hope you enjoy these rare close-ups of the Ravens. For those who believe that Crows and Ravens are the same, perhaps you will finally get to see the difference. I only wish you could hear it as well!

Stay tuned for a post describing the American Crow!

"The Deer Exclosure"

2009-05-29T21:22:00.009-04:00

This is what the sign says: "DEER EXCLOSURE Built to allow Biologist and Botanist to study the effects that Whitetail deer and Moose have on plant life. Eagle Scout project built by Troop 8 scouts 2006 1/10th Acre

If one wanders about in the Bangor City Forest, exploring the less traveled trails, one can find many interesting things. Some of them Mind-boggling indeed. At one point a few years back, the city had backhoes and dump trucks and things out by the little tree farm near the pond and by the stone fence entrance to the Quinn Trail. They removed many stones from the gorgeous stone fence that had probably been there for ages, and began tearing and cutting down trees... cutting out a swath of a space in the forest as if they were going to build a road. They never did... however, after the construction or destruction (depends on how you look at it) was done, we went to see what the heck the city had done. I want to share with you what we found...

The damage done here was not done by deer of even moose, but by humans. I remember the first time we saw this deer exclosure, there were trees standing inside the exclosure. There was more shade surrounding the exclosure as well. As you can see there are no more trees in the exclosure. In fact, there were piles of trees and brush everywhere that had been cut down and cropped off, blocking trails, and cluttering up the surrounding area... including one of the original trails of the forest.

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My conclusion to this Deer Exclosure project is as follows: The plant life inside the deer exclosure seemed to decrease in density, but stayed much the same except for the damage done by humans. Humans have damaged the area plant life to the extreme by not only cutting surrounding foliage down, but also by removing foliage from inside the pen as well. They cut a driveway sized path into the forest to create this exclosure when a simple path would have sufficed. Humans also destroyed an ancient stone fence in order to make this road to provide easier (to humans) access into the exclosure.

Whether this project was actually created and built by the Eagle Scouts as mentioned on the sign, I may never know. I have never actually seen anyone walk down this way. I do know that if the scouts did indeed create and build this project that it was probably with help from city workers, who are also responsible for other natural disasters. They like to line the road trails with debree from seasonal road sweeping, apparent by large rocks of road pavement, cell phone parts, and many other garbage items that no one entering the forest for recreational use would ever carry in with them.

Many pictures you will see in this blog are of all the things of nature that catch my eye here in the City Forest. This is one thing that caught my eye in another way, and I felt like I needed to record this as well.

Look forward to more nature shots!

Winter in the Woods...

2009-01-22T21:20:00.003-05:00

Winter Birds in Maine...

2009-01-22T20:40:00.004-05:00

Dark-eyed Junco, (Junco hyemalis) 5.75- 6.5 inches tall, 9.25- 10 inches long wingspan:

These little guys hang out either alone or in pairs, or in family groups after breeding season. They form foraging flocks in spring and fall. They eat vegetation, hops seeds grains, berries, insects, caterpillars and some fruits, and sometimes flying insects. Juncos live in areas common in coniferous and mixed coniferous/deciduous forests and in bog areas. Their winter habitat varies. Living along the shores of Megunticook River in Camden, Maine seems the ideal place for these little birds to spend the whole year!

This Great Blue Heron, (Ardea herodias) 46-52 inches tall, Wingspan 77- 82 inches wide:

was out in back of my mother's house on Megunticook River, hanging out on the neighbor's dock left in the water. It was December 24th. He doesn't have a regal Heron look about him because, well... he is a bit off course and is probably quite cold! Great Blue Herons are migrating birds (especially in Maine). Therefore this poor guy would have a long S-shaped neck and not a squat "no neck" look. He would normally feed while standing in water or in a marshy area. He would be eating fish and other animals that come in range, and would use it's long bill as a dagger. They normally brood once per year in the north, and the chicks are fed by both parents. They are also monogomous.

The Common Raven: (Corvus corax) Usually 24- 26 Inches tall, Wingspan 46- 56 Inches.

The Raven's most common vocalizations are the croaking, drawling "crooaak" or "cur-ruk" or the metallic (in the beak) "tok". Unlike Crows, Ravens usually have a shaggy throat, and has V-shaped tail feathers, whereas the crow has tail feathers that fan out straight across. They are monogomous and mate for life. They are usually solitary, or in loose colonies in the north. Both Male and Female feed the chicks. The nest is brooded by only the female. These guys are tame, quick learners, especially gregarious in the winter. He is an active forager, scavenger and hunter. He is an omnivore and eatsinsects, small animals and other birds' young among many other things. they are awesome to watch in flight and have an amazing courtship display. this Raven is the first one I have been able to identify as a Raven, and also catch on camera. That is why I am so happy with this one photo. Taken in the City Forest in Bangor, Maine.

Fox Pond: Cherryfield, Maine

2008-11-06T21:45:00.001-05:00

The Summer Blueberry Fields: Wyman's in Cherryfield

2008-11-06T21:13:00.003-05:00

Birds of Summer 2008 Slideshow (revised)

2008-10-15T21:13:00.005-04:00

Music by Anne Dodson: "Against the Moon" Beech Hill Music; Rockport, Maine

Sea of Grass; Waves of Grain

2008-06-13T23:14:00.006-04:00

That's right folks! I've finally gone High-speed! I am finding the joy of video clips! I have so many video clips I have been unable to share for the past 4 years... I am having a great time posting them where I can. Hopefully it will give me another way to share with others how I see my world.

The City Forest Comes Back to Life

2008-05-15T19:37:00.004-04:00

Weekend with Mother

2008-05-15T19:18:00.004-04:00

After a Mother's Day in Camden with my Mother and family, my husband and Rosie (on leash) & I took a walk up Beech Hill in Rockport to see how the cottage looks after it's renovation last November. We looked out over the blue berry barrens and checked out all that Mother Nature had to show us. The year begins in the Springtime.

At my Mother's house on the river, we see a number of different kinds of birds. These are two I was able to catch on camera.

Spring Showers...

2008-05-15T19:02:00.003-04:00

With the newly thawed earth, the garden slowly awakens to a new year of growth and beauty. The Lamb's Ear, Tulips, Lupine and others stretch their leaves out and yawn as mother nature provides them with a refreshing shower.

Fish?

2008-05-06T00:32:00.004-04:00

These fish were in a stream at the Bangor City Forest. They were about 4" -5" long. My friend said, "Those are really big minnows! They're big this year!" Okay, I know they are not minnows, so what ARE they???

Spring has Sprung!

2008-05-05T22:53:00.009-04:00

Dogs have a Real Paws-on approach to enjoying Nature!

Rowena and her Puggle friend, Chloe enjoy a wet game of tag in the Bangor City Forest's many vernal pools and swampy areas.

Rowena sets an attractive pose in the wilds of the Bangor City Forest.

Rowena's first swim of the season! Finally the ice has totally melted! This photo was taken at the pond where the Red-winged Blackbirds were chillin in the tree. (Below)

A set of Red-winged Blackbirds hang out in a tree that is beginning to grown its new leaves for the 2008 year. These birds are so common one would ask why I would bother to take a picture of them. They are the first ones I have seen this year! And they really love this spot near a swampy pond area in the Bangor City Forest.

The Penobscot River is flowing very strong this spring... so strong that the water is swirling all over the surface in whirlpools on whirlpools! Rosie (my service dog) wishes she didn't have to be leashed when she plays in this river (under a big bridge where the Kenduskeag empties out), but even in the protected cove where I take her, the water is too strong for her weak swimming.
Rowena at her swim spot under the bridge on the Penobscot River. Behind her and to the left the Kenduskeag Stream empties out into the bigger Penobscot. Destination: the Atlantic Ocean! (Same place her tennis ball that day went!)

2 sets of Red-Breasted Mergansers:

These are one of the fasted flying ducks, having been clocked at 100mph! Both males and females have ragged crests (on their heads). These 2 couples were spotted in Rockland, Maine of the Breakwater.

First Mallard spotted in this spring season! This male enjoys the spring overflow of a stream in the Bangor City Forest. The Mallard is one of the best known waterfowl in the world and can be found wherever shallow freshwater occurs (some even in salt marshes and bays).

Great Cormorants:

These two water birds are bobbing about in the end of Kenduskeag Stream that empties out into the Penobscot River in Bangor, Maine. Cormorants are awesome swimmers and divers and has been found as deep as a hundred feet below the surface. The Penobscot was flowing so strongly that the Cormorants swimming there were basically there for the ride, swiftly floating down stream in the currents. Another northern Atlantic Cormorant is the Double-Crested Cormorant.

Male Downy Woodpecker:

Bangor City Forest in March. This bird is the smallest woodpecker in North America and is found all over most of the continent. This guy was claiming this tree. He was hammering away, climbing up and down, around and around this dead tree. It was difficult to catch this one on film!

Female, Black -Backed Woodpecker:

Formally known as the Black-Backed Three- toed Woodpecker, this bird shares the 3 toes with th Three- toed Woodpecker. The difference is that this bird lacks the white on the back. Males have a more solid yellow cap than the three-toed as well. Both this woodpecker and the one above (Hairy) they call a single, sharp pick or chik depending on how you translate it. These birds are often quiet though. These woodpeckers are less common than the Hairy shown above. I am happy to say that the Bangor City Forest is home to some!

February Photos

2008-05-05T22:41:00.003-04:00

A leaf sinks into the slowly melting snow at the City Forest. The snow is disappearing, but remains very deep on the ski trails and back trails.

February 20th brought a lunar eclipse! We were driving home from dog training class when I noticed that the grand event had begun! I got home, set up my tripod and took pictures of the moon throughout the process. Unfortunately it was VERY cold outside and I had to go inside and thaw my fingers. The camera began to freeze as well. This is one of the last phases and one of the better pictures out of the many I took. I find it is very difficult to focus on something so far away.

Happy Birthday to my sister Kristen! What a special event to have happen on your birthday!!

"Winter Waves His Frosty Hand"

2007-12-29T11:13:00.001-05:00

"Autumn Shows It's Colorful Coat!"

2007-12-29T10:16:00.001-05:00

Views from atop Bald Mountain in Dedham, Maine. We hiked up here in September or October to take our Christmas Family Photos this year! Not exactly Christmas scenary, but well worth the photos that accompanied this little day trip!

photo for profile

2007-10-08T01:53:00.001-04:00

"The Birds of Summer"

2007-10-08T00:23:00.001-04:00

This Double-Crested Cormorant dries his wings on a rock off Fort Point State Park, near Searsport, Maine.

Aaah, here is my favorite in town friend, the Northern Mockingbird! The bird book describes this southern fellow as "Bold & Brash". This is a very accurate description. Rowena and I have been dive-bombed, stalked and harassed as we walk about town running errands. He has disturbed the peace by the riverfront with his repetitive and constant singing, and one hopes that he has rights to these songs as none are original to the Mockingbird. When I listen to him go on and on, I can identify a variety of bird songs stolen from other birds. This particular bird did not like us resting in the park in the middle of town during one hot day. Rosie and I rested under some shrubs in the shade and I gave Rosie some water in a dish. This bird dive-bombed, "Chacked" at us over and over, and repositioned himself several times in attempt to get us to just leave the park. Eventually he flew off over the rooftops.
This is the same Northern Mockingbird as above.
And again... has found another perch from which to yell at us.
And then right over our heads. They are feisty little birds!

This is a male House Sparrow, Passer Domesticus
This is a female House Sparrow, Passer Domesticus

These little birds like to watch humans do their thing ("human watchers"!)

so they hang out at malls, parks, farms, in cities, and in the above couple's case (and their many friends), they like to hang out and beg for food at McDonald's and even dig the chicken McNuggets!

Eastern Kingbird, Tyrannus tyrannus

These guys hang out on the tips of trees, poles, and fences near waterways, roads and fields.

Eastern Kingbird-

These above kingbirds were hanging out in all of those area. Though they are fairly small in size (8"), they have no fear of defending their territory and attacking crows or hawks that get too close.

A large group of Seagulls gather to watch the sun setting.
Nesowadnehunk Stream, Baxter State Park, Millinocket, Maine

This is a Common Merganser and her first summer chicks! It is not a great photo (the good one was accidently deleted), but I couldn't resist putting this in the blog. It is not a bird I commonly see around.

I will need your help to identify this little guy, seen bobbing off of Point State Park in the Searsport, Maine area. This is the only picture I could take because he (or she) kept diving under. It kind of looked like a Grebe, but it was too small. Maybe a youth.

Is it a Sanderling? Calidris Alba, a member of the Sandpiper family? They are usually in groups, but this little guy was alone.

Too Many Photos Taken in July!

2007-07-27T03:38:00.001-04:00

Oxeye Daisy Leucanthemum Vulare

Not really sure what kind of flower this is. I found it in a field.

Wild Lupine Lupinus Perennis

Wild Maine Blueberry blossom!

Bluebead Lily, Yellow Clintonia Clintonia Borealis

More Photos for July from Assorted trips and walks:

2007-07-27T01:08:00.001-04:00

Common Garter Snake... not a happy one either!

Look closely! A Seal is peering out of the water near Sandy Point near Bucksport, Maine

A fresh water snail

Yarrow Achillea Millefolium

Canada Thistle Cirsium Arvense

Orange Hawkweed Hieracium Aurantiacum

Rough-Fruited Cinquefoil Pontentilla Recta

Common Tansy Tanacetum Vulgare

Bittersweet Nightshade Solanum Dulcamara

Hedge Bindweed Calystegia (Convolvulus) Sepium

Purple Loosestrife, Water willow Decodon Verticillatus

Bunchberries

Canada Goldenrod, Meadow Goldenrod, Tall Goldenrod Solidago Canadensis

Savannah Sparrow

Song Sparrow

White Lady's Slipper

Anyone know what bush these berries would grow on? Can't find it in my books.

Scenes From July

2007-07-13T22:02:00.001-04:00

An Osprey overlooks the water by the nest of youngens.

two Osprey (2) in their nest off Sandy Point Beach

Common Milkweed

Bunchberry

Bluebead Lilly

Northern Mockingbird "Mimus Polyglottos"

The End of June

2007-06-26T22:32:00.002-04:00

Wild Purple Lupine being visited by a bumble bee.

Rowena cools down with a swim for her frisbee on a hot, humid day

What is it??? Did someone throw confetti? What does this have to do with nature and the great outdoors??
(This is a photo of summer insects swarming around a spotlight that shines on a car dealership near the waterfront in Bangor, Maine.)

Finding Fauna on June 5th, 2007

2007-06-05T23:01:00.002-04:00

Bird Sillouette... Red Wing?

I believe this is a Common Grackle.

Mrs. Frog seeks safety in a culvert at the Bangor City Forest.

She is a "Green Frog" or Rana Clamitans

I believe this moth is in the "Skipper" family.

A House Sparrow (which my sister informs me is not really a sparrow at all, but a European Weaver Finch import) waits for hand-outs at a hotdog stand in Hampden

A red squirrel eats a pine cone on the boardwalk at the Orono Bog

A Double-Crested Cormorant trespasses so he can dry off from his swim

A Common Garter Snake stops to pose for a photo

The Common Garter smiles for the camera

Smelling the Flowers on June 5th, 2007

2007-06-05T20:48:00.002-04:00