Nature

• 

  Nature: Blooming flower list keeps getting longer

  May 17, 2021 by Ruth Grierson on Columnists, Lifestyle, Nature, News

  Here on Mount Desert Island, seeing an eagle is special, but not unusual. Adult eagles are very beautiful and are here throughout the year. Their size is impressive, with a wingspread of 6 to 7 1/2 feet. Eagles are mainly fish eaters. They let other birds, like osprey, catch the fish and then they steal it by making the other bird drop it. Eagles can catch fish on their own, but they prefer letting other birds do the work. Although not elegant, eagles will also be happy with finding and eating dead fish and even roadkill.  

• 

  Nature: It’s worth the drive to hear the frogs and toads sing  

  May 10, 2021 by Ruth Grierson on Columnists, Lifestyle, Nature

  Spring is full of surprises if you stay alert! On the windowpane one evening, a small frog appeared. Actually, two appeared in full view showing us their light-colored stomachs from our vantage point. Their sticky toes kept them in place. Even our dog found them interesting. 

• 

  Nature: Sparrows bring to mind days gone by

  May 4, 2021 by Ruth Grierson on Columnists, Lifestyle, Nature, News

  Each day in May offers new wildlife happenings to enjoy as spring progresses. Ferns are unfolding and Canada mayflower leaves carpet the woodland floor. I have had reports of blooming trailing arbutus along the carriage paths.

• 

  Nature: Tide pools are nature’s treasure chests

  April 27, 2021 by Ruth Grierson on Columnists, Lifestyle, Nature

  Walking along the shore and beaches on Mount Desert Island at any time of year is always exciting and you just never do know what you might find washed in from far away. Shells are always of interest. After a storm is a good time to look for something unusual, dead or alive. A tide pool is always a treasure chest of interesting creatures and plants.  

• 

  Nature: Are feeders for the birds?

  April 19, 2021 by Ruth Grierson on Columnists, Lifestyle, Nature, News

  Bird feeders provide so much pleasure for so many people all over the world. Feeders are not really as important to the birds as one would think, except in severe weather conditions. But feeders do provide pleasure for the humans watching and they are educational for all ages who might not get out in woods and fields and notice the world around them. 

• 

  Nature: Frankly, my dear, blue jays are quite something 

  April 12, 2021 by Ruth Grierson on Columnists, Lifestyle, Nature

  None other than the blue jay can be described as bold, brash and beautiful — a feathered Rhett Butler in blue and white. (Who knows that name anymore?) This is a northern bird and often seen here on MDI year-round. It is one that easily rivals in looks any bird found in the tropics. Most of us forget about that. A birding friend visiting me from England brought that to my attention when she first caught sight of a blue jay and said, “Ruth, what was THAT beautiful bird?” I answered, “Oh, that’s just a blue jay.”  

• 

  Nature: Treasure is under our feet

  April 5, 2021 by Ruth Grierson on Columnists, Lifestyle, Nature, News

  April is a month full of wildlife stirrings and plant life awakenings after the long, cold winter. Just being outside is a new adventure not to be missed! Watch for new flowers every day along the road, even in the ditches. Don’t miss the coltsfoot that looks a lot like a dandelion at first glance. Coltsfoot flowers bloom before the leaves. 

• 

  Nature: Wildlife leave telling signatures for us to decipher

  March 30, 2021 by Ruth Grierson on Columnists, Lifestyle, Nature, News

  Spring is officially here and lots of wonderful things happen this month. Flickers fly up from the sides of the road and clearly show the white patches on their lower backs. Male goldfinches have changed, or almost have changed, into their summer gold and black feathers that brighten up any landscape that may still be a bit drab.  

• 

  Nature: Raccoons tend to overstay their welcome 

  March 23, 2021 by Ruth Grierson on Columnists, Lifestyle, Nature, News

  You may rue the day you decide to lure them in with food, for one or two raccoons quickly become a crowd. Getting them to come is very easy but getting them to move along is almost impossible. I had a good friend in Manset who welcomed them generously, but after awhile she had them climbing on her roof and tapping on her bedroom window for service. Another friend, also in Manset, who treated the local raccoons to goodies, came home one night to discover that they had gotten into the house and were not wanting to leave. 

• 

  Nature: Mockingbird’s trill doesn’t thrill city girl 

  March 16, 2021 by Ruth Grierson on Columnists, Lifestyle, Nature

  In 1972, when our family moved to Mount Desert Island, mockingbirds were only summer visitors. Then, as years went by, more and more of these birds were seen, even in the winter. It soon became a common sight to see them in the snow and feeding on numerous berries still found on local vegetation. In the last 10 years or so, I have been getting fewer and fewer reports. In some years, I get none about this bird. I have wondered about this.