Field Trips Off to Great Start
On the weekend of May 21-23, more than 30 people joined MCHT staff and volunteers to explore three Trust preserves and to uncover bird and plant life along Maine's scenic coast. The first of three weekend field trips began early Friday, May 21 at Bass Harbor.
One of many stunning views enjoyed on Frenchboro
The sky was blue and the temperature ideal for the eight o'clock ferry to Frenchboro. A small but energetic group of travelers joined MCHT Regional Steward Terry Towne and Public Policy Coordinator (and bird enthusiast) Jeff Romano for the 45-minute voyage. Arriving in Frenchboro before 9:00 am, the participants quickly began the day's scheduled "Bird Hike" on the island. It did not take long to be rewarded. Within minutes, binoculars were focusing on an assortment of migratory songbirds, from a scarlet tanager to a Baltimore oriole, from a chorus of bobolinks to fourteen species of warblers. By the end of the day, the crew encountered 59 different types of birds, highlighted by the elusive black-backed woodpecker. In addition to bird life, the field trip included many stops to scenic ocean vistas along the 967-acre preserve's coastal trails, with views of Cadillac Mountain, Isle Au Haut, and the Camden Hills.
Yellow-rumped warblers were frequently seen and heard throughout the weekend.
On Saturday, May 22, the bird theme continued farther Downeast in MCHT's Hamilton Cove Preserve in Lubec. More than a dozen folks arrived to search for avian life along the thickets and scenic outcrops that line the preserve's trail network. Once again, the weather cooperated nicely and the birds, as well. Led by MCHT Regional Steward Deirdre Whitehead and local bird expert, Jennifer Multhropp, field trip participants were treated to views of 39 unique bird species that included twelve species of warblers, a northern harrier, eastern towhees, loons, and a bald eagle. Plant life was also on display. While the shadbush flowers were past peak, elder was blooming and the flowering bunchberry was spectacular.
Getting a closer look at Aldermere Farm's plant life.
The weekend's last adventure took place at the Trust's Aldermere Farm Preserve. While famous for its resident cattle, the farm hosted fifteen guests on the afternoon of Sunday, May 23 to uncover the preserve's diverse plant life. Trip leader and MCHT Regional Steward Amanda Devine led the group around the farm, answered questions, provided in-depth ecological information, and even told some jokes. The two-hour walk led to numerous plant species common to Maine's coast, including: starflowers, pink lady's slippers, wild sarsaparilla, American beech, red pines, low sweet blueberries, Canada mayflowers, bid-leaved asters, blue bead lilies, meadowsweet, cinnamon ferns, New York ferns, rock polypody, as well as various mosses, lichens, and algae.
Upcoming Trips
There are a full slate of trips scheduled for June, July, and August. Check out the current listing, mark your calendar, make reservations (where necessary), and join us to get a more intimate view of some of the special places MCHT has worked to protect over the past four decades.
