nature trips

Just in from a long walk around the neighborhood. It is cold today but not too, high of twenty degrees Fahrenheit. A breeze out of the North at about fifteen miles per hour and brilliant sunshine blocked by only a few wispy clouds. It has been a while since we have had fresh snow and the stories in the snow are really showing up!

The wind shifted with a bang a little after noon today and we had a not too cold but windy afternoon. The skies were crystal clear and very blue. I always write about the clear winter skies but this time I’ll let a picture tell the story.

The last couple of mornings have been cold and in fact last nights frost lingered in the shade until nearly noon today. The ice has started to form in the shallows. Winter is definitely coming even though the last few days have been very sunny and mild. The falling temperatures and cooling water have the beavers working overtime. I noticed this morning where one cut a few small trees and dragged them across the road on my way to Augusta.

Fishing this afternoon under a cloudy sky was a good as the last few trips have been for bass and pickerel. The fall foliage is fast approaching peak and the colors were exceptional on the still water as you can see in these pictures.

This morning on our walk Argy and I heard a loud tapping in a dead maple tree. We looked up and saw a Pileated Woodpecker working on the tree. We stood for a while and watched as he worked intently. After a few minutes I wished for my camera and Argy responded, “Go get it. Worst case he is gone when you come back.”

The Final Charge is the name of an extremely rare taxidermy display developed in partnership with the Maine IF&W and L.L.Bean. A ceremony will be held at 11am on Saturday, September 26th to dedicate the display to a Maine-based outdoor-related organization during the L.L.Bean Hunting Expo, September 26th and 27th. I hope to be able to attend or at least make a trip to see this display sometime this fall.

I had the pleasure of taking a couple from the UK on day trip yesterday. The day started with rain showers but they were soon over and the day improved to a crystal afternoon with a few clouds. We visited a list of sights that I was able to choose to provide a sampling of the Maine coast.

I just finished two mornings of trips that were part of the Nature Discovery package that Maine Outdoors offers in cooperation with LeVatout in Waldoboro. Yesterday seemed hot and muggy when I picked up my guests Waldoboro but when I pushed the boat from the trailer in Thomaston it was foggy and cool.

I will be presenting two sessions at the Maine Becoming an Outdoors Woman introductory skills weekend in September. The program will be held September 18, 19, 20 at Camp Caribou in Winslow. I have been fortunate to have been involved with this program off and on since it was started in Maine in the early 1990’s and always enjoy the positive attitude and curiosity that the participants bring to each session. Not to mention lunch is usually worth the trip.

The sessions I will be offering are.

No not just in the trips I have guided this week. Although I have done a number of different trips in the last several days, salt water fishing to canoeing. Rather how conditions can be different even in a short period of time.

This morning I had a family fishing on Megunticook Lake in Camden after having been there last evening. Both fathers wanted to fish with their kids and I was pleased to be able to pick them up at their respective docks. Kind of unusual for me to have two of the same trips back to back but I digress.