Blogs

In a big way this year, clearly all of the conservation efforts have paid off on the Maine coast. I hear that they are in trouble in southern New England but the runs locally are astounding. I suspect that the changes in our river systems really favor their production now. We visited the Damariscotta Mills fish ladder Monday evening with friends and I cannot remember ever seeing more fish in the ladder. The stream was black with fish, in fact the gulls were so full that they were no longer fighting over fish.

Spring is the season of young critters that is for sure and this year I keep running into them, more than other years. Last week it was woodcock chicks and this week a young red squirrel. I backed down into the ramp to launch and when I started loading the rods and other equipment into the boat, there at my feet was a young (maybe three quarters grown) red squirrel.

What will happen next. I was on my way to Augusta for a meeting at the fish and wildlife department. I always go the back way out past Sweetgrass Winery and down over the Medomak River. I came to a stop at the bottom of the hill and could see what looked like a pile of feathers in the road. A car coming the other way stopped quickly and backed up to the pile. Easing forward I could see now that it was a woodcock.