Tag Archives: Nature

The Source of the Androscoggin

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life_in_maine_androscoggin_river_headNot far from Grafton Notch State Park, Umbagog Lake straddles the border of Maine and New Hampshire. This lake is the source of the Androscoggin River, which flows through New Hampshire and into Maine, eventually joining the Kennebec River at Merrymeeting Bay before emptying into the Gulf of Maine and the Atlantic Ocean. The name of the river is thought to come from either the Eastern Abenaki or Penobscot tribe.

Textile and paper mills nearly killed the river, but it has slowly been recovering since the enactment of the Clean Water Act, which the Androscoggin inspired. While great strides have been made to improve the condition of the Androscoggin (it was once known as the “Andro-stinkin” and just swimming in the river would make you sick), industrial pollution down stream is still a serious problem. Click on the image for a larger view.

Screw Auger Falls

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life_in_maine_grafton_notch_fallsYesterday, Naomi and I took a trip out to Grafton Notch State Park in western Maine near the New Hampshire border. The park is home to Old Speck mountain. The Bear River descends into a valley on the eastern side of the notch. Screw Auger Falls is one of a series of waterfalls along the course of the river. Click on the image for a larger view.

Maple Seeds

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trees_silver_maple_seedsOne of the great joys of summer is maple seeds, those wonderful natural helicopters that children love to play with. This seed is from a silver maple, Acer saccharinum L., and is about 2.4 inches (6 cm) long. What can a tree know of aerodynamics? Click on the image for a larger view.

Where the Land meets the Sea, part 3

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maine_coast_seawall_beach2For all of Maine’s lengthy coastline, what is rare is sand. Seawall Beach comes between the salt march of Bates-Morse Mountain Conservation Area and the Atlantic Ocean. Many threatened seabirds need the dunes behind these beaches to reproduce, which makes these areas along the coast extremely important. However, what are not rare on the Maine coast are mist and fog. Click on the image for a larger view.

Where the Land meets the Sea, part 2

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maine_coast_bailey_island2Maine’s coastline is a contorted into bays, peninsulas, coves, and islands. Bailey Island is the terminal point along a string of inhabitable islands jutting out into the Gulf of Maine. Many small uninhabitable islands dot the coast as well, like these rocks on the other side of Jaquish Gut—a small waterway between Bailey Island and Jaquish Island. Click on the image for a larger view.