 April 2022
Bureau of Parks and Lands (BPL) Forester Andrew Wilcox and Deputy Director Bill Patterson checking timber and wildlife management conditions at Hamlin Public Land.
One of the drawbacks of being a forest ecologist is that I find myself sorely missing the woods -- particularly after a long winter of legislative sessions, budgeting, personnel decisions, and other desk-bound work. To scratch that outdoor itch, I took a few days in mid-March and headed north with BPL Deputy Director Bill Patterson.
|
We snowshoed around Aroostook County Public Lands while discussing timber and wildlife management, met with snowmobilers to talk about connecting critical trails north of Millinocket, and glided over the exquisitely groomed ski trails at Aroostook State Park. (Folks in the County know how to do winter outdoor recreation!)
Across the globe, the constant flow of dark news from Eastern Europe has been difficult to process. My family has a number of personal connections in Ukraine, and we have spent time in Donetsk, Kiev, and Lviv. In the shadow of that news, it’s a simple thing, but those three March days out of Augusta, and largely outside in the snow and sun, made a meaningful difference in my frame of mind. I’m constantly reminded of why outdoor places are so important in today’s unpredictable world. They’re good for the body, good for the mind, and good for the soul.
~ Andy Cutko, Director, Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands
(Photo 2: Andy Cutko and Scott Thompson, Manager of Aroostook State Park, at the park's cross-country and snowshoe trails sign. Photo 3: Scott Thompson in the Bombardier groomer - keeping the cross-country ski trails in excellent condition.)
Top of page
|
 |
Osprey in flight by Jeff Bouton.
Join us for two days of bird watching and nature discovery for all ages!
Read all the details, watch webcams, and download birding materials at www.maine.gov/feathersoverfreeport
-
On Saturday, April 30 Bradbury Mt. State Park in Pownal hosts the event. The line up includes a morning bird walk*, the on-going hawk watch at the summit, a hawk watch workshop*, self-guided walks and take-and-make crafts for children, a presentation by Center for Wildlife and their ambassador birds, and educational displays and games.
-
On Sunday, May 1 Wolfe's Neck Woods State Park in Freeport hosts the event. It includes a morning bird walk*, an osprey watch, self-guided walks and take-and-make crafts for children, a presentation about the Owls of Maine by Chewonki, and educational displays and games.
* Pre-registration is required for the morning bird walk and the hawk watch workshop so we can assure small groups and enough leaders. To pre-register for these programs at Bradbury Mt., call (207) 688-4712. To pre-register for the morning bird walk at Wolfe's Neck Woods, call (207) 865-4465.
Wednesday, April 20 from 4:00-8:00 p.m. Community Pizza Night! Get into the fun early and help support Feathers over Freeport by attending the Community Pizza Night at the Maine Beer Company. Twenty percent of the proceeds for every pizza and other food items sold will be donated to Feathers over Freeport. The Maine Beer Company is located at 525 US Route 1 in Freeport, Maine.
Top of page
A boat launch before (on left) and after (on right) Boating Facilities Grant work was completed.
The Boating Facilities Fund Grant Program is seeking proposals from local, state or other governmental agencies, as well as other entities for the development and/or renovation of public recreational boating facilities. The 2022-2023 application package is available online now. Please note that a pre-application site inspection must be requested by April 22nd.
Top of page
Text ICE-OUT to 888-514-7527 to get daily updates on the Maine lakes that have cleared of ice. Visit the Ice Out webpage to view this and past year's listings in sortable tables, and for links to fishing information.
Above:Wood duck box on a fencepost and the supplies needed for maintenance in a sled. Below: Wood duck box and predator guard on a small tree. Photos by Jeff Bartley.
Building, placing, and maintaining wood duck boxes can be a worthwhile and fun project to do on your property to benefit a once almost extinct wildlife species.
Although wood ducks were likely abundant in eastern North American prior to European settlement, by the early 20th century they were nearly extinct. Between protections from the Migratory Bird Treaty Act and habitat restoration efforts, the species is widespread in the region once again.
The Bureau has installed and maintained wood duck boxes since the 1980s, with approximately 96 currently being maintained on Public Lands property on an annual basis by the Bureau staff. The most important thing we do with these boxes once installed is conduct annual maintenance. This includes cleaning the box of all old nesting shavings and eggshells, adding fresh shavings, and repairing or replacing, or relocating the boxes.
|
During these maintenance visits staff also collect information on whether the box was used, if there was a successful hatch, how many eggs were hatched (or not), and what species used the box. Since wood ducks aren’t the only cavity nesting ducks, you may find common goldeneye, hooded merganser eggs or even evidence of species such as squirrels or tree swallows. When we asked staff what they enjoy most about their annual visits to these boxes we heard all sorts of great stories:
|
- “I enjoy seeing the patterns of duck behavior over time – Which boxes do they like? Which ones never get used – and why? There’s a thrill of success when they use a newly installed box, and a lesson learned if they don’t.” ~Kate Locke, Forester, Eastern Region Public Lands
- “…a great opportunity to enjoy some spring snowmobiling while encouraging future generations of waterfowl to utilize Maine Public Reserved Lands. It also introduces some task variety and creates a nice change of pace from the busy winter harvesting season.” ~Jarrett Beaulier, Forest Technician, Northern Region Public Lands
- “The duck box program has always been one of those satisfying projects that I look forward to each season. It’s one of the perks to working for BPL where our multi-use management offers a more diverse scope of work that keeps the job more interesting.” ~Jeff Bartley, Forester, Western Region Public Lands.
Maintaining wood duck boxes is like going on a yearly treasure hunt -- you never know what you might find! Remember, when you install a duck box, you’re committing to taking care of it annually, which makes it a great outdoor activity to do with kids and teach them about Maine’s wildlife, so give it a try!
If you are interested in more information about:
~ Stephen Richardson, BPL Senior Forest Engineer, and Sarah Spencer, BPL and MEIFW Wildlife Biologist
(Photo 3: Membranes of successfully hatched hooded merganser eggs. Photo by Stephen Richardson. Photo 4: Male wood duck on his nest box. Photo courtesy of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.)
Top of page
|
Work Outdoors this Summer!
Work in a beautiful location while making a lasting impact. You'll be helping visitors enjoy and learn about the outdoors, and stewarding iconic locations so that they will retain healthy ecosystems and be healthy places to recreate for future generations.
Employment opportunities include Rangers, Lifeguards, and Customer Service Receptionists. Apply now at BPL's Careers and Seasonal Job webpage. Resources include brochures, videos, and a link to the applications and job descriptions.
Campground Hosts
Become a "resident" volunteer at one of twelve Maine State Park campgrounds and you'll enjoy part-time duties helping our camping guests and providing essential maintenance services. Learn more and apply.
Top of page
|
Spring is here, at least by the calendar, and the migrant birds have already started to return to Maine State Parks and Public Lands. The earliest to return arrived early in March, and the most conspicuous are Red-winged Blackbird, Common Grackle and Turkey Vulture. Osprey, Sharp-shinned Hawk, Cooper’s Hawk and Broad-winged Hawk will also be arriving.
- Join us for the Hawk Watch observations and programs on Bradbury Mt. State Park on April 30 and for a guided observation of the Osprey on May 1 at Wolfe's Neck Woods State Park. These are all part of the annual weekend long celebration Feathers over Freeport.
The Common Loons will be returning to the lakes, along with Common, Red-breasted and Hooded Mergansers. Many Ducks, Plovers, Shorebirds, Wading Birds and Sandpipers will be passing through as they continue to migrate farther north. Numerous songbirds will be arriving soon for the summer, with Palm Warbler, Blue-headed Vireo and Pine Warbler usually showing up early.
Other early arriving migrants are Eastern Phoebe, Gray Catbird, Song Sparrow, Chipping Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, Black-throated Green Warbler, Common Yellow Throat Warbler, Black-and-White Warbler, Yellow Warbler, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, Tree Swallow, Barn Swallow, American Woodcock (photo courtesy of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service) and Ruby-Crowned Kinglet.
|
Further along in April and May, numerous other migrants will be showing up on a regular basis. Depending on which Park or Public Land you will be visiting, some of the migrants you can expect to see or hear are Piping Plover, Common Tern, Whip-poor-will, Killdeer, Spotted Sandpiper, Great Crested Flycatcher, Least Flycatcher, Eastern Towhee (photo courtesy of the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service), Winter Wren, Hermit Thrush, Swainson’s Thrush, Veery, Northern Parula Warbler, Blackburnian Warbler, Nashville Warbler, Chestnut-sided Warbler, Magnolia Warbler, Oven Bird, Northern Waterthrush, Black-throated Blue Warbler, American Redstart, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Red-eyed Vireo, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Scarlet Tanager, Chimney Swift, Swamp Sparrow and numerous other migrants showing up through May.
|
This is just a quick list of what migrant birds you may see or hear on State Parks or Public Lands. There are many other birds that visit Maine or are permanent residents of Maine and may be present on the State lands that you visit.
~ David Rodrigues, BPL Director of Real Property Management
Top of page
Each year beginning on April 1, all pets (including dogs, and horses), bikes, and kite flying are not allowed on the State Park Beaches in order to protect federally endangered nesting shore birds. Pets, bikes and kite flying will be welcomed back onto the beach October 1, 2022.
Thank you for helping us protect shorebirds and the dune habitat they rely on.
(Photo of Piping Plover adult and chick by Amanda Reed, courtesy of Maine Audubon.)
|
Spring can mean mud, floods and ice out in southern Maine while high elevation locations and northern Maine are still gripped by heavy snowpack and thick lake ice. Winter road closures can last well into May some years, and weather can change at a moments notice.
Check the weather conditions, and for trail and road closures of the areas you plan to travel. If you encounter muddy roads, regardless of closure, the rule of thumb is - if you are leaving ruts, you should not proceed. This helps reduce the risk of erosion and expensive road repairs. Trails need extra care right now too. All ATV trails in Maine are currently closed for Mud Season. The Downeast Sunrise Trail is closed to all uses except walking. Hiking and biking trails may be open one week and closed the next. If they are open but wet, please do not widen the trail but wear appropriate footwear and stay on trail.
Stay up-to-date on trail closures - Subscribe to our Alerts:
Top of page
|
My Maine: Haiku through the Seasons, by Bette A. Stevens, walks the reader through the four seasons of Maine with a mixture of haiku and photographs. Haiku is a traditional Japanese form of poetry that often focuses on images from nature and is known for its simplicity and directness. The same could be said about people from Maine. From Spring Awakenings, with windowsill seedlings, to Winter Tales and winter white gemstones, Stevens’ mix of imagery, humor, and heritage presents a unique view of Maine and its landscapes as they change throughout the year. A retired teacher from central Maine, Stevens is the author of several books and advocates for children and families, childhood literacy, and for the conservation of monarch butterflies.
~ Joe Anderson, BPL Stewardship Specialist
Top of page
|
Send article suggestions or newsletter comments to Jocelyn Hubbell, Interpretive Specialist, webmaster, and newsletter editor for the Maine Bureau of Parks and Lands.
|
