Yesterday afternoon when the Puffin island voyage was over, I headed for the Down East Birding Festival HQ ASAP. From there I joined up with an afternoon hike at southern Edmunds division of Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge. We traveled by van and when both vans arrived, we got out and a general slathering of various insect repellants began. Now I've been to many places famous for mosquitos, e.g., Alaska, Florida and Texas, but they have nothing over Maine for mosquitos and a new horror to me - Black Flies. Quickly I realized that as far as boreal insects are concerned, the insect repellant on my skin was a tasty condiment. My fellow birders stared at me in amazement as notable black clouds of insects hoovered over my head.
A kindly couple of birders gave me a sort of green mist net that covered my entire head. I could see through a verdant mist, and when I held binoculars to my eyes, I could see well enough, again, through a pea green haze.
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| A clearing in a Moosehorn Refuge forest |
We walked along a dirt road, surrounded by bird afternoon bird song.
Parula, Black-throated Green, Chestnut-sided and Bay-breasted Warblers noisily told us of their presence. A Northern Waterthrush - a fairly shy one - flew back and forth across the road, daring me to get a photo of it, which I managed - but only barely.
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| Super shy Northern Waterthrush, that hid itself well |
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| Equally blocked view of a male American Redstart |
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| at last, a bold male Bay-breasted Warbler in all his 'chocolate & cream' glory |
The hike through the boreal forest of Moosehorn, was something of a death march for not only myself, but several other birders, though I must admit those birders had a good decade on me age wise. I have been working out for months in hopes of avoiding such major energy glitches, but sometimes distances walked and jet lag sustained win out. Ugh! Thought I was going to die, but I did make it through the day without dying and that's all I ask for in the long run.
Bright and early today, I got up driving north on a pleasant drive to East Port, Maine, where I was scheduled for another bird watching cruise aboard the Lobster boat, the "Lady H". On the way - it was about a two hour drive - I stopped often to enjoy the beautiful Maine scenery and of course the birds. I stopped at a beautiful meadow to admire several Bobolinks, with their pretty tawny hats. I can always recognize
Bobolink song, because their song sounds like R2D2.
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| A male Bobolink singing his R2D2-like song |
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I got a kick watching this male Bobolink singing
as he did his fancy, 'show off his stuff' flight |
When I arrived at Rockport I was early at the dock - the boat was to leave the dock at 1:30. So I took a little drive around the town. Afterwards, back at the pier I bought some fish & chips at a little kiosk. I was lollygaggin' around when I happened to notice my iPhone... it was 1:45 PM! It was a total out-of-body experience. I mean, I was suddenly missing an hour of time and I had no memory of where it went. Had I been abducted by aliens or was am I just getting senile?
How did I miss the freakn' boat! I was totally upset and sadly I headed back south, down to my room in Machias. I have never, ever missed a festival event before and I am completely flabberghasted that I somehow managed to miss this one.
I should mention I am staying at Machias Motor Inn this week and I
really like it.
My room faces the river, which is only a stone's throw
from my patio door. There are lots of cormorants and ravens flying around by the river.
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| The view from my room in Machias |
Oh well! It is the end of my second day in Maine, and it certainly has been memorable - and you can take that as a good or a bad thing, your choice.
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| Maine Measles |
Oh! One last thing... after the hoards of Black Flies finished with me
today, I look like I have a case of the measles. Their tiny bites
actually hurt and I smashed the stupid things as they bit me, but at
least the bites aren't itchy or sore. Stupid, stupid flies!
