by Roland D. Hallee While sitting on the deck at camp one lazy afternoon recently, one of our friends asked, “Why don’t we hear Whip-poor-wills anymore?” Interesting question. Besides the fact that whip-poor-wills are strictly nocturnal – that meaning they are active at night when I’m sleeping (something that seems to be happening earlier all […]
by Roland D. Hallee Last week, a reader dropped by my office to tell me a nature story that is, to say the least, unusual. Betsy, a China resident, told me about an oak tree on her property that is a considerable distance from their home. In the branches of this particular tree were multiple […]
by Roland D. Hallee There is nothing like beating a subject to death. But, in this case, it’s worth every word. You have to be living in a cave not to know that deer ticks are at an all time high. They are everywhere. Friends and family have told me stories about their encounters with […]
by Roland D. Hallee Have you ever heard of clover mites? Neither had I. Until, that is, a couple of weeks ago when a friend told me of her encounter with some. So, let’s take a closer look at them. First of all, clover mites flourish in early spring. This dark reddish-brown pest, which is […]
by Roland D. Hallee Like an idiot, I decided to stop into the office on my way to camp on Sunday. However, every chore has its rewards. On our way to camp afterwards, I noticed a small vernal pool in its customary spot on the Cross Hill Road, in Vassalboro. It’s always there, but it’s […]
by Roland D. Hallee I have seen this bug around my house recently – like two in the last couple of weeks – and I was wondering what it was. I’ve seen it many times before, and merely dealt with it. But this time, my curiosity was peaked, and it was time to find out […]
by Roland D. Hallee Part of my daily routine is when I first get up in the morning, I grab the local daily newspaper, and a cup of coffee, and get caught up on what happened the day before. A ritual that I have done for more than 50 years. Recently, I noticed articles, and […]
by Roland D. Hallee Walking through the woods following a snowfall can show evidence of many wildlife tracks. This past winter, I did see tracks of the Eastern Cottontail rabbit. The Eastern Cottontail, Salvilagus floridanus, is actually a New World cottontail rabbit, a member of the family Leporidae. It is one of the most common […]
by Roland D. Hallee Porcupines. Nuisance, or ecological necessity? It all depends with whom you talk. I know some people who are overrun by the animals to the point where they are raiding the gardens, and having to deal with their dogs being injured by porcupine quills due mostly to their own curiosity. While others […]
by Roland D. Hallee Last week while while doing some work in my backyard, specifically, dealing with the compost bin following the winter, spreading fertilizer in the garden, pruning my black raspberry bushes, and just doing some general clean up, I noticed a flock of starlings in a bush in the corner of my property. […]