Appreciating the wildlife around us.

[Patrick]

This past Sunday my cousin and his wife from Ireland came to visit us. My cousin is a very serious bird watcher. So when my dad went to pick me up, Noel(my cousin) came by with his binoculars and spotting scope. First, we tried this area across from one of the towns boat ramps. We looked across and we could see only 2 snow white egrets hiding in the marsh grass. But when he pulled out the binocs, we could see 7 or 8 more hiding down hunting the mummies and spearing. As if that wasn't exciting enough, we used his spotting scope to check out the osprey on it's nesting pole.

Well we moved down the road. Beachhouses on our left and a tidal marsh owned by the Audobon on our right. We went up on this hill and peered over. My dad spotted this bird first. But Noel took a look at it through the spotting scope. My Dad and I looked too and Noel told us it was either one of two species of Herons in it's juvenile stage. I think one was called a Night-crowned Heron or something to that effect. This bird just wouldn't move. It was absolutely gorgeous. Noel had never seen this species of bird before.
You never realize all the beautiful stuff hiding around you. Every so often I see a rabbit running through the grasses. It seems like a family has taken home to under the small sailhouse down near the marina. We also have skunks which everyone down there hates but I think she is beautiful. She is like a reverse skunk. She has all white sides and a black streak. The odds that a distinguishably colored wild animal to survive in the wild is odd.
I don't know why I am posting this. Maybe we should all keep a better eye out for the little hidden things around us.
Patrick

[Jenn]

When I read your thoughts on wildlife around us it made me think of the many times I have caught a glimpse of what you decribe. One particular moment comes to mind. My husband and I were on vacation a couple of years ago and it was about seven in the morning when we decided to take a ride onto the beach. It was a beatiful morning, no one else around, and the shore was more covered in sand eels than I have ever seen in my life!!! As we were reflecting on the ocean and our thoughts we happened to look over down the beach and I thought it was a dog, so we waited as it seemed to be coming closer. Much to our surprise when it finally stopped about twety yards away from us we realized that it was a young eagle feeding on the sand eels!!! What a great feeling it was to see such a rare sight and that close!! It was so HUGE but yet ever so graceful!!! Amazing!

[Patrick]

Eagles are beautiful animals. I find something appealing about all birds but there is something almost magical about birds of prey. They are like precision machines. My cousin saw one bird that soars high, spots his prey, and dive bombs it at about 200 miles and hour! Then it snaps the prey's neck instantyly. Unfortunately, this was a bird that got injured and couldn't be released but through the grace of the Audobon, he gets a good home. Funny thing is, according to PETA, us fisherpersons are cold-hearted fish killers.

BTW, since we are talking about birds. One time I saw this comorant catch an eel that had to be between a foot and 15 inches. He tried to swallow it and as the bird tried to gulp, you could see his whole throat wiggling like a hula dancer. Finally he choked it down and you could still it wiggling.

[Got Stripers]

Our family vacation has been in Maine for the past 7 years and you can't beat the wilderness of Maine for wildlife and a sense of being a part of it. Two years ago I hit the mother load, when we changed lakes that year. On a scouting trip in the spring we had a moose come out of the woods both going in and coming out on the access road. Then come the August vacation, I caught a moose swimming across a stretch of lake and got some great photos, before she finally clammered ashore.

We had the usual osphrey, eagles, assorted ducks, owls, but my personal favorite loons. Man, I could listen to the loon songs all night, if I could only stay awake....lol. Loons are weary of man, but on this particular lake (about 1-1/2 hours NE of Bangor), the loons were actually looking forward to fishing right along side you. There was a spot that the guides would all anchor up off Perch Island and for obvious reasons, since their clients were after white perch. The loons would arrive after you anchored up in this 30 foot hole and would swim right under your boat to snatch the smaller white perch being released. It was such a trip to watch them swimming right under your boat, quite a sight indead.

If it weren't for the long winters, I'd be packing up my family and moving to Maine. I just love that state, the wilderness, the wildlife and man the fishing is just tops. Of course I'm also a smallmouth bass nut, but Maine has some good striper fishing as well.

Tight lines.