Audubon Center notebook

Not a Popsicle!

ORRINGTON – With a week of very cold weather, we are starting to see some amazing ice formations. One group of sixth graders from Old Town was touring “Secrets of the Forest,” studying some remnant deer bones. One student looked above the deer bones and cried, “What’s that!” The others all looked up, pondered and started guessing. It appeared as a brown-colored icicle, coming out of a tree.

On another part of the tree, it appeared like more of a broad, brown sheet. “It’s peeling bark,” suggested one student. “A sap icicle,” suggested another. “I want to taste it,” said another. “YUCK!” he shouted, “that’s awful!”

Upon further investigation, they discovered the icicle was in fact coming out of a dead tree. No sap would be oozing from a dead tree. The conclusion was that with all of the rain that we have had recently, water was collecting in hollow parts of the tree. The water was leaking out through holes or cracks in the tree, but not before it had picked up resins or other stains on its way out of the tree. The result was an orange-brown icicle that was quite beautiful to look at, but likely yucky to eat!

Ice sculptures

At the stream crossing there are also some remarkable ice sculptures forming. Where a tree lies just above the water level, splashing and condensation have formed icicles that are in the shape of large teardrops. A whole row of them hang from one tree and look like tinsel hanging from a Christmas tree. In another spot the teardrops have expanded into larger “bells.” Ice can do some amazing things in nature. Be sure to get out and discover!

An unhappy track story

Last weekend’s snowstorm brought out many animals as well as humans enjoying the aftermath. While looking for animal track stories we came upon an interesting, but not so happy, track story. Someone mistakenly thought an old logging road on Audubon property would be a good place to use an ATV.

ATVs are not allowed on our trails. Our trails are for walking and quiet exploration.

There was just enough snow to hide some of the wet and muddy areas left by the unusually rainy weather. The machine got through some of these areas with just minor damage to our trails. But when they turned away from the old logging road onto a trail that has narrow log bridges (for hikers) over small creeks, they got good and stuck. Down the steep bank they went. Mud was everywhere. Deep ruts cut into the streambed and it looked like they had a heck of a time getting out. We hope we don’t see these tracks again!

Mad at birds

Audubon birders are looking forward to today’s Christmas Bird Count. They have been scouting and have spotted several flocks of Bohemian Waxwings and Pine Grosbeaks. Both species eat crabapples and berries. But, many fruit trees and shrubs have already been stripped of their fruit by hoards of starlings. Birders are mad at the starlings!

Send sightings, comments, or questions to fieldspond@maineaudubon.org