Category: Out in the Woods

Out in the Woods

Eastern whip-poor-wills nest directly on the ground. Photo: Dominick Fenech, eBird Twilight Bird Becoming Uncommon By Kevin McKeon, Maine Master Naturalist Legends of the whip-poor-will, or whip-o-will, begin with early Native American lore that the birds’ unique and unmistakable wailing song is an omen of death; the tale then morphed to the idea that the singing can capture departing souls of the dying. Whip-poor-wills live in thick, young, dry, deciduous or mixed woodlands, especially near fields and other open areas.…

Out In The Woods

The state champion sweet gum tree can be found on the shore of Number One Pond. Ornamental Sweet Gum Has Brilliant Color, Spiky Fruit Photo: Kevin McKeon By Kevin McKeon, Maine Master Naturalist In 1928, Dutch elm disease was first reported in Ohio, entering from the Netherlands in beetle-infested veneer logs. Quarantine and sanitation procedures kept the disease in relative check, but then World War II happened, and priorities understandably changed. As the disease spread, the sweet gum became a…

Out In the Woods

Nature Works Hard to Produce the Delicate Lady Slipper A lady slipper along the East Trail, McKeon Reserve Photos: Kevin McKeon By Kevin McKeon, Maine Master Naturalist Probably Maine’s best known native orchid, and the provincial flower of Prince Edward Island and the state wildflower of New Hampshire, is the pink lady slipper. These beauties can be seen along many of Sanford’s trails in filtered sunlit areas along pine-lined trails and footpaths. Look for them from mid-spring through June. The…

Out in the Woods

A painted turtle laying eggs in the sand along the Rail Trail Photo: Kevin McKeon Painted Turtles Have a Strong Homing Instinct By Kevin McKeon, Maine Master Naturalist The 15-million-year-old painted turtle can be found resting in and around the wetlands along many Sanford trails, basking on a log around Mousam River or maybe on a rock in Deering Pond. When hunting for shellfish along the muddy bottoms and munching on the various water plants in and along the riverbanks,…

Out In the Woods

A mayflower emerges from last year’s leaves The Mayflower’s Delicate Scent Still Captivates Credit: Kevin McKeon By Kevin McKeon, Mousam Way Land Trust Director A welcoming spring sight along Sanford’s woodland trails are the paste-pink flowers with shiny, oval, evergreen leaves attached to rust colored, hairy vines, sprawling along the forest floor that belong to the Mayflower, Epigaea repens. True to its name, early spring buds turn into blooming flowers in early May and are an important early-season source of…