Site Discussions

Years ago I would hike on an abandoned old county road in western Maine before the hardwood leaves unfurled and listen to black-throated blue and black- throated green warlers.  I would scan the tree tops with the naked eye, then bring up my binoculars for a grand look at one.  Oh, those were the days.

Found this sapling growing on a fence line in my yard. Hoping to replant in a better growing spot, hopefully it works.

Alyssa, I enjoyed your article on tree rings.  However, you wrote in the first paragraph “new wood is added year after year to the cambium” when I’m sure you meant to write “by the cambium”.  It makes a huge difference in understanding how tree rings come about.

I have never seen these beauties around my house before but this year they are in abundance.  So beautiful. They are enjoying the black sunflower seeds I leave out daily . They are accompanied buy the little yellow sparrow songbirds and the red winged blackbirds.

Hello to all baltimore orieole fans out there. I live in south central Ontario Canada, in the picturesque setting of Northumberland County’s rolling hills.
For the past few years, I have had the absolute pleasure watching Baltimore orieoles come to my property.  They never used to come this way at all , like the gorgeous red cardinal, but they have arrived. All birds are my friends, and as such, I create the perfect setting for them to always want to come back to. From building the appropriate bird houses ( eastern bluebird, wrens,  to buying the
food they like best.
For the past few years, I have been feeding the orioles oranges,  grape jelly ( a jelly feeders can be purchased) and orieole liquid, similar to hummingbird liquid.
What a treat to see these beautiful orioles flying around, feeding and nesting on my property.  I have so many photos and videos of these pretty birds feeding . I hang their feeders close enough to my windows so that I can watch them up close without them detecting my presence.  Could watch them for hours.
Ironically enough I live in a place in Ontario Canada called Baltimore.

I was just informed today that horse owners have concerns of opossums living nearby because of a parasite that can harm and even be fatal to horses. Sarcocystis neurona can be prevented as long as food and bedding are kept safe from opossums.

This was an interesting and informative article. Appreciated the origins of the names of the plants and their predicted and actual uses - with bits of humor thrown in!

In addition to think global, act local, we can add look local, love local, think connected.

Thank you Bridget, for reminding us to slow down and “connect” with our bird kin, rather than just naming and counting them.  I will try to be more mindful and savor every aspect of sharing time with our bird friends. I will spend more time watching and listening to their stories…learning more about them and the habitats that we share. 

Our grey squirrels do this long, low hum, while being perfectly still on a branch when there is a hawk in our tree. You can hear the other squirrels humming back. All the birds also turn quiet it is very eerie, and this can go on for hours!!

What a timely article by Michael Caduto on ferns as they just begin to surface. This gives me so much of an understanding of fractals written in Michael’s typical clear fact-laden style. Much appreciated.

Thank you for this wonderful article about Ramona Peters and the Native Land Conservancy. I have worked for and served on the boards of small land trusts and I agree that a major challenge is affording the cost of attorneys to negotiate real estate transactions. Interested citizens can contribute their funds or their expertise to help offset the costs and promote more land conservation. Contact your local land trust to inquire how you might contribute!

Three years ago we completed a deer-proof fence engaged with our house on Wellesley Island in the Thousand Islands, where we live several months each year in retirement.  We call the enclosure “the pale” after the protective enclosures of ancient castles and cities. With deer excluded, (beyond the pale) we have flourishing shrubs, evergreens, rhododendrons, annual flowers and now:  spreading blue-eye grasses.  These natural wildflowers do not survive outside the fence.  Oak and walnut are also living beyond the first-year sprouting.  Emboldened, we planted pussy-willows last year…and this April:  here they are, safe inside the pale, along with red osier dogwoods and later, brilliant red/orange poppies!  We are very happy to keep the deer “beyond the pale.”  Darrel and Judy Rippeteau

Hello Northern Woodlands and Allaire Diamond,
Thank you for the very informative and inspiring article. I am a biology student on the Kenai Peninsula of Alaska, and I am presenting a research project about the benefits of beaver-inspired wetland restoration. My project includes research on historical beaver presence on the peninsula and the possibility of installing a BDA in a local creek that has not had beaver habitation in over twenty years. For my project, I counted and mapped old dam and lodge sites and will suggest viable locations for a BDA project.  Your article has numerous facts and examples that speak to the benefits of BDAs and beavers in a landscape, and I appreciated reading about the projects.
This reply is to thank you for the work you’re doing and assure you that any information I refer to will be appropriately credited and referenced.

Fascinating.  Thank you.

What a surprise to read this delightful article by family friend Loren Merrill! I think I spotted our first pheobe of the season today, just by the tail-bob. Great to see your work in this magazine, Loren!

The American Kestrel Research Project at the Vermont Institute of Natural Science in Quechee, VT is a very good way to get involved in helping the Kestrel population increase and thrive.  Here’s the link:https://vinsweb.org/research/birds/
Kestrels that have been rehabilitated but are unable to survive in the wild are on exhibit and are included in educational programs at VINS as well.  Come and enjoy these beautiful creatures up close.
vinsweb.org

Very much enjoyed reading this …right after listening to Bridget on Vermont Public just after lunch. Hearing the voice and her bird voices in my head as I was reading. Such a wonderful teacher.

This was fascinating.  A great new slant on birding.

An amazing and praiseworthy man which I’m sure he would not relish. Few will ever know the impact he had on a small remote village nestled in the woods of Northern Washington county Maine. The lifestyle, people, and community he embraced and in return they so enthusiastically embraced him. Will forever be indebted to him for his conservation work with the Downeast Lakes Land Trust. It was an honor to work with him and watch his commitment and tireless dedication to keeping Grand Lake Stream Maine, Grand Lake Stream Maine.

Thank you, Syd, I too am deeply indebted.