Category: Out in the Woods

Out in the Woods

A black bear checks out one of its easiest food targets, bird feeders. Photo: Kevin McKeon Black Bears: Hungry, Not Hazardous By Kevin McKeon, Maine Master Naturalist Black bears have been in North America for about 3 million years, since their ancestors crossed the Siberian/Alaskan land bridge from Asia. They’re the smallest of the North American bears, which also include polar, brown, and grizzly bears. During the last 150 years or so, these bears have enjoyed a return to historic…

Out in the Woods

Striped Skunk Photo: Pixabay All About Skunks  By Kevin McKeon, Maine Master Naturalist A balanced ecosystem requires us humans to realize that every creature holds an important component to that ecosystem, adding value and service to its maintenance and health. This realization often escapes most folks, and this misunderstanding possibly applies to no critter more than our colorful but greatly stigmatized skunk. Let's peek into the ecological niche of these interesting mammals. Our Striped Skunk, Mephitis mephitis (meaning “bad odor”),…

Out in the woods

Snow fleas on a finger. Photo: Roy Lukes Winter Fleas Eat Bark, Don’t Bite By Kevin McKeon, Maine Master Naturalist During our winter walks along a warm, thawing snowpack, we occasionally notice black specks that seem to be moving. A closer look will reveal that we’re watching a swarm of snow fleas, a species of springtail and a common warm winter day sight. Their name is a bit misleading: They don’t bite, but like the bane of dogs, will jump…

Out in the Woods

Aurora borealis at Sanford Seacoast Regional Airport last May Photo: Wyatt Worcester We May Be in for a Real Light Show By Kevin McKeon, Maine Master Naturalist The night sky lights up with dancing streaks of pinks, greens, blues and reds, showing us folks in the upper Northern Hemisphere the wonders of the aurora borealis, or northern lights. As we approach the March 20 spring equinox, astronomical conditions will align in such a way that it may be possible to…

Out in the Woods 

Cattle crossing along Sanford Rail Trail. Note the flat stones placed to aid cattle footing.  Photo: Kevin McKeon   Trail Tells a Story of Cattle Crossings Past  By Kevin McKeon, Maine Master Naturalist   The heyday of railroad construction came to Sanford in the 1840s with the extension of the York and Cumberland Railroad to Springvale and continuing to Rochester around 1870. The tracks were abandoned and removed several decades ago, and the rail bed has since been used and lovingly maintained…