SCORES & OUTDOORS: The chatty barred owls hootin’ it up in the middle of the night

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Barred Owl

Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

Last Thursday night my wife woke me from a sound sleep to listen to something outside our camp. Well, being somewhat groggy, I didn’t hear anything, and went back to sleep. It wasn’t long afterwards that she woke me again.

“Can’t you hear that?” she inquired sounding a little frustrated – You see, my wife tells me I’m going deaf.

I sat up, and listened attentively. “OK, I hear it, it’s a Barred Owl,” I told her.

She persisted. “Listen carefully.”

What I then heard made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. It was at least two, maybe three, barred owls caterwauling to each other. This was at about 11 p.m. I had heard Barred Owls behind camp a thousand times, but never anything like this. It was almost as intriguing as listening to loons calling to each other.

The “who cooks for you, who cooks for you all” call was unmistakable. There were times when it was so loud and sustained, it almost sounded like a barking dog. In recent weeks, they have been quite active during the night, at times hearing at least three, and sometimes four, hooting from far and near.

These calls are most heard at night or in twilight, and especially during the breeding season. However, calls can be heard year round since these birds do not migrate. They are very territorial, and will chase away intruders with loud hoots. These vocalizations become more frequent during the mating season, where female birds make invitation calls to mate with males.

Scientists, however, have debated that the calls of Barred Owls are much more diverse than we think. The research indicates that more needs to be known about the Barred Owls before they can deduce more about its behaviors in and out of the breeding season. Owls in general can be a difficult species of bird to study since they are mainly nocturnal and are not incredibly active until the breeding season.

Barred Owls, Strix varia, are easiest to find when they are active at night, but they are easier to hear than to see. From a distance, their calls can sound like a barking dog. They prefer mature forests, and their main diet is small mammals, reptiles and amphibians.

Since the 1960s, Barred Owls have expanded their range to the Pacific Coast where they are considered invasive. That is because it is believed they are partly to blame for the recent decline of the northern Spotted Owl, which is native to British Columbia, Washington, Oregon and California. When Barred Owls and Spotted Owls occupy the same space, the Barred Owl is more aggressive and will out-compete the Spotted Owl. Barred Owls have even been known to kill Spotted Owls. Interbreeding is also suspected.

In 2007, White House officials announced a U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service proposal to shoot Barred Owls in order to reduce the threat to the Spotted Owls. If implemented, it was estimated 2,150 to 2,850 Barred Owls should be taken over a five to 10 year period. It is feared that increased populations of Barred Owls could eventually render the Spotted Owl extinct. Environmentalists fear increased blame on Barred Owls for declining Spotted Owl numbers will result in less attention being paid to territorial protections and resumption of logging in protected Spotted Owl habitat.

According to the Oregon Fish and Wildlife Office, the experiment is ongoing and results are still being studied.

Currently, there is not a general law that allows the shooting of all Barred Owls, but there is a proposed plan by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) to lethally remove them in specific areas. This plan is part of a larger strategy to protect the endangered Northern Spotted Owlt.

An adult Barred Owl can be anywhere from 16 – 25 inches long and weigh 1.1 to 2.3 pounds, with a wingspan of 38-49 inches. The Barred Owl is the only true owl of the eastern United States which has brown eyes. All others have yellow eyes.

The upper parts are a gray/brown, the underparts are light with markings. The chest is barred horizontally while the belly is striped vertically. The legs and feet are covered with feathers to the talons, and the head is round with no ear tufts.

Even though they are primarily nocturnal, they generally hunt near dawn or dusk, swooping down from a high perch, to take their prey.

Here’s another twist. Recently, we have heard Barred Owls hoot during the day.

Barred owls can hoot during the day for several reasons, including territorial displays, attracting mates, and maintaining contact with other owls in their territory. They are primarily nocturnal, but may call or hunt during the day, especially on cloudy days.

Here’s a more detailed explanation:

– Barred owls, like many owls, are very territorial and will hoot to mark their territory and deter other owls from encroaching.
– During the breeding season, male barred owls will hoot to attract a mate.
– Barred owls may also hoot to maintain contact with other owls in their territory, especially during the breeding season.
– Although they are primarily nocturnal, barred owls may also hunt during the day, particularly on dark or cloudy days.
– Barred owls may also hoot during the day to communicate with their young, or to defend their nest site.

I can’t wait for the next concert.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

Who holds the Boston Celtics all time scoring record?

Answer
Paul Pierce.

REVIEW POTPOURRI: Aaron Copland, Gloria Lynne

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by Peter Cates

Aaron Copland

Aaron Copland – Music for the Theatre Suite; Howard Hanson conducting the Eastman-Rochester Symphony Orchestra; Victor Red Seal M-744, three 12-inch 78s, recorded 1940.

Aaron Copland

Aaron Copland (1900-1990) completed his Music for the Theatre in 1925 during the summer months at New Hamp­shire’s Mac­Dowell Colony for the Arts. It is a beautifully introspective work with lovely passages for each section of the orchestra.

Howard Hanson (1896-1981) was Director of the Eastman School of Music at the University of Rochester from 1924 to 1964, a noted composer himself and an outstanding conductor of 20th century American music. This 1940 recording, for my taste, is even better performance-wise than the 1960s stereo recording of Leonard Bernstein and the New York Philharmonic, despite that younger conductor’s close friendship with Copland, because of Bernstein’s over-emotional approach and lack of sensitivity to this music’s quieter moments.

The Hanson 78s can be heard at Archive.org on the Internet.

Gloria Lynne

Gloria Lynne – He Needs Me; Everest LPBR-5128, 12-inch LP, recorded 1961.

Singer Gloria Lynne (1929-2013) emerged during the 1950s and ’60s when other fine African-American vocalists such as Dinah Washington, Della Reese, Sarah Vaughan, Nancy Wilson, Aretha Franklin, Dionne Warwick were achieving much deserved success in jazz and pop music. Lynne had a uniquely lyrical delicacy to her voice similar to that of Nancy Wilson.

Her renditions of I Thought About You, The Lamp is Low, If You Love Me and others on this 1961 Everest album conveyed this quality nicely, with the superb arrangements of Jimmy Jones and his Orchestra.

Two Sibelius 78s:

Finlandia – Artur Rodzinski conducting the Cleveland Orchestra; Columbia Masterworks 11178, 12-inch 78, recorded 1940.

Swan of Tuonela – Leopold Stokowski conducting the Phildelphia Orchestra; Victor Red Seal 7380, 12-inch 78, recorded 1937.

Finland’s still justifiably greatest composer Jean Sibelius (1865-1957), according to the great Maestro Eugene Ormandy who visited with him during an early 1950s concert tour of the Philadelphia Orchestra in Scandinavia, had shelves of records and a top notch phonograph in his living room.

Castine Maine’s David Hall commented in a 1967 Stereo Review piece that the music of the Finn in its celebration of the rocky coast, woods and meadows reminded him of the Penobscot Bay area encompassing Deer Isle, Blue Hill and, of course, Hall’s own favorite village. I once asked if he and the composer ever met; the reply: “I once had the opportunity but chickened out!”

Artur Rodzinski conducted a joyously bristling performance of Finlandia which has become Finland’s own national anthem equivalent of the Star Spangled Banner. In the late ‘50s, Ormandy recorded Finlandia with his Philadelphians and the Mormon Tabernacle Choir which has been my own favorite for more than 60 years.

In 1936, Leopold Stokowski invited Eugene Ormandy to be his co-conductor in Philadelphia, as he admired what Ormandy was achieving with the Minneapolis Symphony . In 1938, Stokowski resigned.

The 1937 Victor shellac featuring Stoky’s interpretive magic in Sibelius’s Swan of Tuonela is well worth hearing via YouTube, especially for the hauntingly eloquent English horn.

Stokowski later rerecorded the Swan with a studio orchestra for Victor and hired Mitch Miller, then one of the finest players of both the oboe and English horn in the country and later more famous for the Sing Along LPs on Columbia Records.

Some more about Sibelius:

The composer told violinist Yehudi Menuhin that Bela Bartok was his favorite 20th century composer.

When German pianist Wilhelm Kempff visited Sibelius, he played the Hammerklavier Sonata which was the composer’s favorite Beethoven piece.

Enrico Caruso

Enrico Caruso

The widow of legendary tenor Enrico Caruso (1873-1921), Dorothy Caruso published a biography of her husband in 1945, titled simply Enrico Caruso His Life and Death.

Although a native New Yorker, she lived much of her adult life in France and Italy. During the late 1930s, she did humanitarian relief work in the Maritime Alps feeding and clothing impoverished families.

In the conclusion to her husband’s biography, Mrs. Caruso wrote:

“When I returned to this country [in 1942] I found that Enrico was not forgotten but living as if he had never died. Twenty-five years is a long time [the couple eloped in 1917] but my memory of him is as clear as if he had left me an hour ago. With every word I wrote he walked into the room. The more I wrote, the more clear those years became.

“I never reread his letters after his death. I never looked at them until I began the book and realized that they were the best illustration of his thought. Because he was such a silent man and thought before he spoke, I think I have remembered everything he said.”

Caruso’s unfailingly down to earth personality is conveyed in an exchange with his good friend John McCormack. When the Irish tenor greeted him with “How’s the world’s greatest tenor this morning?”, Caruso replied, “I didn’t know you were now a baritone.”

With his earnings, Caruso was a secret pal to many. A cleaning lady at the Met Opera was overheard telling a friend that her husband had fallen off a scaffolding and she didn’t know how she would be able to support their family with several children. She found a wad of hundred dollar bills in her winter coat.

FOR YOUR HEALTH: Can fiber help you lose weight?

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Dietitian answers 5 key questions

When it comes to weight loss, many people track their macros — i.e., their proteins, fats, and carbohydrates. However, as a humble nutrient, fiber is often overlooked. But what if this is the missing ingredient to weight loss success? Can fiber supplements replace whole foods? In this podcast, a nutritionist answers readers’ questions about fiber and more.

Nowadays, the internet is awash with articles, charts, and recipes centered around eating more protein — anything from a 30-gram-protein breakfast to high-protein drinks and more — to naturally lose weight. And although the key to achieving good weight loss results is indeed a higher protein intake, there is a nutrient that is often overlooked: fiber.

Fiber is crucial not only for digestive functioning but overall health. Studies have shown it can lower LDL cholesterol, reduce blood pressure, and protect against heart disease. Newer research also shows that fiber may promote weight loss and enhance sensitivity to insulin.

However, statistics show that less than 5 percent of Americans realistically meet their recommended daily fiber intake, which is on average up to 34 grams (g)Trusted Source for adult men and about 28 g for adult women. So, how can we eat more fiber?

What is fiber, and why is it important for our bodies? How can we tell whether we are eating enough fiber? Is it right to call fiber nature’s Ozempic?

Let’s differentiate between soluble and insoluble fiber while discussing the ideal daily intake for different people. We’ll also touch on how fiber supplements like psyllium husk compare with whole foods, weighing their benefits for our well-being. We will also look at how fiber plays a crucial role in fighting insulin resistance and its potential role in supporting weight management goals.

To discuss this and more is registered dietitian Lisa Valente, MS, RD. Lisa holds a Master of Science in nutrition communications from the Friedman School of Nutrition Science and Policy at Tufts University, and she completed her dietetic internship at Massachusetts General Hospital.

What are the best high-fiber foods?

After the podcast recording, for the readers of MNT, we also asked Lisa what her top favorite high fiber foods were.

“I will say frozen berries, fresh too, but frozen berries tend to be a little bit higher in fiber for a fruit. And when you buy them frozen, they’re just more affordable and easier to have on hand. [T]hey don’t go bad on you in a day — so, you can add those to smoothies or mix them into oatmeal or yogurt,” she said.

Lisa said her second choice would be whole wheat pasta and shared a fun fact about fiber.

“Brown rice only has one gram more of fiber than white rice, but whole wheat pasta has significantly more than white pasta. [It creates] like this nice fiber-rich carbohydrate base to your dinner to add some vegetables or protein to,” she said.

Her third choice was chia seeds.

“I sprinkle them on oatmeal, but you can also make chia seed pudding where you soak them with some milk or non-dairy milk and add a little bit of fruit. They’re very filling and they not only have fiber, but they also have omega-3 and a little bit of protein. So I feel like they’re sort of this tiny but mighty little seed where you can check off a lot of nutrition boxes at once. So if I had to pick three, that’s a good starting place for me,” she told us.

QUINN MINUTE: Class reunion

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by Rix Quinn

The old guy in the grocery line looked about two coughing spells away from the Promised Land. Gnarled and unshaven, he mumbled to himself while the clerk totaled his bill.

He noticed me as he reached into his pocket for change, and accidentally pulled out a set of teeth.

“Hey,” he smiled, “remember me? I’m George, from biology class!”

Suddenly, I did remember. Back in tenth grade, we dissected the same frog. Disgusting!

George never comes to our high school reunions. That’s too bad, because he could make the rest of us feel lots younger.

My friend Ray was mascot at his school, and he wears a silly hornet outfit to every class gathering. On his drive there last year, he got pulled over…and it’s hard to walk a straight line if you can’t control your stinger.

He got to the party late, then made the entrance only a middle-aged pot-bellied hornet can. Across the room, he noticed Mollie.

She was a former cheerleader, and she remembered Ray immediately. And she looked great to Ray, whose glasses fit sort of funny on a hornet mask.

Funny how fast time flies. Just when we understand school, we graduate. When we finally learn to comb our hair right, it falls out. And when we get our act together, there’s no old friends around to watch the performance.

But reunions reconnect us with our roots…and roots remind us of our natural hair color. Ray and I both recommend them…if you don’t dress like an insect.

MAINE-LY GARDENING: An invitation to garden

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Winterberry

by Jude Hsiang

Are you thinking about starting a garden? Here are a few things to think about before planting.

Start small. Maybe a few pots of favorite flowers, herbs, or one cherry tomato. You can start with a few little plants at a garden center, get a few free seeds at a seed library, or extras from a friend. Gardening should be enjoyable, even if you are doing it to save some money, get a little exercise, or brighten up your yard. Don’t let yourself be tempted to till up the yard, invest in lots of tools, or keep up with Farmer Jones. You may find that you are too busy with work or family responsibilities to care for more living things. And don’t be ashamed to admit that you really don’t like gardening. You tried and it’s just not for you, but there are Farmers Markets, farm stands, and locally grown produce at more and more grocery stores and supermarkets. And there are other ways for you to help neighbors in need and support a healthy environment.

On the other hand, maybe you really do want to garden. Many people got the gardening urge during the pandemic, just as others took up painting or baking sourdough bread. And lots of those folks are still involved in those activities. Are you a bit envious of a friend’s flower bed, or uncle’s Bob’s homegrown tomato sauce? It’s time to make some plans.

If you have a yard, is there enough sun for a garden? At least 6 hours a day during the summer months will do. Is there easy access to water? Again, start small. Next year you can expand on what’s worked well and try a few more things. Your University of Maine Extension’s website has a wealth of information on getting started from knowing your soil, specific varieties for our area, preserving food, to caring for trees. Take advantage of the free, science-based experience available from these professionals who love to share their knowledge.

In addition to these experts, you probably already know some folks who love to share tips, extra baby plants they’ve started from seed—something you might want to do someday—or their prize-winning pickle recipe. There may be a community garden in your area. For a small fee you can use a manageable sized garden bed, share tools, and make friends with people you’ve only seen in passing at the post office. If you have a week’s vacation scheduled, another garden member will water your little plot in return for your help later on.

Grow things you like. Allergic to tomatoes? Don’t like kale? Marigolds don’t come in your favorite color? Don’t plant them. There are so many choices that picking what to start with can be overwhelming, but beans are easy to grow, so are zinnias. Just grow something! You’ll (probably) be glad you did. Whatever the summer brings, something good will be found in a garden, why not yours?

© Judith Chute Hsiang
Jude Hsiang Is a retired Extension Master Gardener instructor and member of the China Community Garden.

SCORES & OUTDOORS: Where are the June bugs: three sightings in 2024; zero in 2025

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Green June Beetle

Roland D. Halleeby Roland D. Hallee

Where are the June bugs? Although they are called that, they usually make their first appearances in May.

Generally, June bugs, Phyllophaga, do make their appearance in mid- to late-May. So why are they called June bugs? It all depends on what you want to call them. They are also known as May beetles and June beetles. But, the name is derived from the fact that adult June bugs emerge from the soil at the end of spring or the beginning of summer.

Females bury their eggs just below the soil surface in the fall, they pupate and emerge in the spring. They hatch within three to four weeks and feed on grass and plant roots from several months to as long as three years. In spring, these grubs, as they are called, grow into pupae. Within three weeks, these mature into adult June bugs.

June Bug

Grubs, when full grown, live in the soil and feed on plant roots, especially those of grasses and cereals, and are occasional pests in pastures, nurseries, gardens and golf courses. An obvious indication of infestation is the presence of birds, especially crows, peeling back the grass to get to the grubs. A way to test for the presence of these beetles is drenching an area of lawn with water, that will cause larvae to emerge at the surface.

The grubs have been known to attack vegetables and other garden plants, such as lettuce, raspberries, strawberries, potatoes and young ornamental trees. Maintaining a healthy lawn is a good step in deterring the grubs from establishing themselves.

June bugs are harmless. They do not bite, sting or spread disease. However, I did see one of my friends move faster than I have ever seen her move before, while sitting around a camp fire, when one landed on her. To be honest, it’s the natural reaction by most people, including yours truly.

Again, they are harmless, but because they are attracted to light they can make an evening sitting on your porch or deck a little unpleasant. Even if there is no light outdoors, they can be attracted to lights inside your home. I know at camp, when we’re spending time indoors after dark, they come “knocking” on our windows. The sound of June bugs buzzing and bumping against window screens in early summer is a very common occurrence over many parts of the U.S. Adult June bugs are extremely clumsy, especially in the air.

Scientists are still undecided on the precise explanation for this behavior. Several thoughts have been advanced, but no single theory has come about that can account for why so many different nocturnal insect species gravitate to sources of light. June bugs usually are a half-inch to an inch and a quarter in length. They can fly and you will find them swarming around street lights at night.

Now, let’s do some “did you know.”

• Exposure to light for longer intervals will kill June bugs. That is why you will find them dead in the morning under porch lights and windows.
• Don’t leave a window open during May-June period. They will enter your house and die, leaving you with a mess to clean up. If they do enter, remember, they don’t bite and are harmless, just annoying.
• There are over 200 different species of June bugs in the United States.
• A natural enemy of the June bug is the pyrgota fly larva, which feeds on the beetles, eventually killing them.
• The June bug larvae, called white grubs, are considered excellent fish bait, and are staples in the diets of native people in South America, Australia, and Asia.
• Have a pet lizard or toad? The beetles make excellent, tasty food for them.

There is another popular June beetle that’s active during the day. It is the Green June Beetle, and are found in our region of the Northeast, extending from Maine to Georgia and as far west as Kansas. These are not very good for the garden either. The head, legs and under-body is shiny green, while its wings are dull metallic green, with slight gold contrast to its sides.

So day and night, during early summer, these beetles can be destructive to vegetation, and just plain annoying to humans.

Roland’s trivia question of the week:

In what year did the Houston Texans join the National Football League?

Answer
2002.

REVIEW POTPOURRI: These were our songs

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Peter Catesby Peter Cates

These were our songs

These Were Our Songs – The Early ‘30s; Reader’s Digest KRB 187/A2, released 1989.

This cassette contains beautifully done transfers from 28 vintage 78 sides, recorded on the Victor label during the early 1930s of classics from the Great American Songbook.

Its contents –

Maurice Chevalier, Mimi; and Walkin’ My Baby Back Home.
Bing Crosby– Where the Blue of the Night Meets the Gold of the Day; Sweet and Lovely; and I Surrender, Dear.
Fred Astaire, Night and Day.
Paul Whiteman – Willow Weep for Me.
Jeannette MacDonald – One Hour with You; and Beyond the Blue Horizon.
Russ Columbo – All of Me; and I Don’t Know Why.
The Mills Brothers – Tiger Rag.
Cab Calloway – Minnie the Moocher.
Wayne King – Star Dust; and Dream a Little Dream of Me.
Fred Waring – Dancing in the Dark; I Found a Million-Dollar Baby (in a Five and Ten Cent Store); and Little White Lies.
University of Maine’s own Rudy Vallee – Would You Like to Take a Walk?
Ted Black – Love Letters in the Sand.
Harry Richman – On the Sunny Side of the Street.
The High Hatters – Get Happy.
Duke Ellington – Three Little Words.
Leo Reisman – Paradise; Sing Something Simple; Body and Soul; and Happy Days are Here Again.
A majestic lament concluding Side 2, Ben Bernie – It’s a Lonesome Old Town (When You’re Not Around).

Tape 2 is listed on the container, indicating that this was part of a set titled These Were Our Songs, and is the only one I own. Having previously written of the joys still to be found listening to scratchy old 78s, I also own hundreds of such discs including the fragile dusty black label Victors of other selections by several of the artists listed here – Leo Reisman, Duke Ellington, the High Hatters, Fred Waring, Jeannette MacDonald with and without Nelson Eddy (on both the Victor black label and Red Seals) and huge piles of Paul Whiteman.

And each performance here is a gem in the best old-fashioned sense of the word.

Russ Columbo was achieving much success with his films, radio shows and records and was an influence on the singing of Bing Crosby and Perry Como when, during a September, 1934, visit to a friend’s house in Los Angeles, the two men were examining an antique pistol. It accidentally fired a bullet which ricocheted off the wall and hit Columbo in the eye. He was rushed to a nearby hospital where surgeons tried unsuccessfully to remove the bullet and died six hours later. He was only 26.

Astor Piazzolla

Astor Piazzolla – Maria de Buenos Aires; Gidon Kremer with small ensemble of singers and instrumentalists. Teldec 3984-20632-2, recorded 1998, two cds.

Astor Piazzolla

Argentine composer Astor Piazzolla (1921-1992) brought the tango rhythms, along with elements of jazz and classical music, into this 1968 operetta of just over 90 minutes and a quite exhilarating listening experience. In addition to a quartet of strings, a percussionist, a flutist and a pianist, the music requires a chorus of about 15 and 3 soloists. Finally the central instrument is the bandoneon, which looks like a concertina, sounds like a combination of pump organ, harmonica and accordion, the results being quite beautiful, and always associated with tango dance music.

A few different performances of the operetta exist on YouTube.

Hans Swarowsky

Mahler 3rd Symphony – Hans Swarowsky conducting the Berlin Radio Symphony, January 21, 1963, broadcast.

Hans Swarowsky

Austrian conductor Hans Swarowsky (1899-1975) was more well known as the teacher of conductors Zubin Mehta and Claudio Abbado but did record a large number of composers including Gustav Mahler.

Mahler’s 3rd is the longest of his Nine Symphonies, at just over 85 minutes.

This burnt CD set, courtesy of a friend, has Swarowsky conducting a very spirited performance of its six movements; during his career, Swarowsky was unfairly dismissed as average or worse by critics who ranted that the Maestro should confine himself to the classroom.

I own numerous LPs of Swarowsky conducting Brahms, Bruckner, Mozart, Tchaikovsky, Wagner etc., and found them very enjoyable on their own terms.

A bonus on this set is Swarowsky collaborating in a 1956 Vienna State Opera Orchestra recording with pianist Eduard Mrazek in a very engaging Brahms 2nd Piano Concerto.

Stan Kenton

Stan Kenton – Dynaflow; Tortillas and Beans; Capitol F1535, recorded 1951.

Stan Kenton

I have always enjoyed Stan Kenton’s records featuring his wild big band arrangements with irregular rhythms and festive brass sonorities. These two sides feature a feisty ins­trumental Dyna­flow and Tortillas and Beans, a tongue in cheek vocal duet by Eddie Gomez and Ray Wetzel, who composed both selections.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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FOR YOUR HEALTH: Living Longer? Great! Now Stay Healthier, Too

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An additional dose of the 2024/2025 COVID-19 vaccine six months after the first dose adds a key layer of protection against severe illness for older Americans and people with weakened immune systems.

(NAPSI)—Americans are living nearly a decade longer than they were in the 1970s. That’s great news – but staying healthy into your 80s and beyond requires extra care and an eye towards prevention. The protection provided by vaccines plays a key role in helping keep you healthy and preventing severe illness and potential long-term complications, especially for older adults and individuals with immunocompromised conditions.

As people age, their immune system naturally weakens – it becomes slower at recognizing and fighting off viruses. At the same time, lungs become more vulnerable, and chronic conditions such as heart disease or diabetes can make it harder to recover from illnesses such as COVID-19. Similarly, people of all ages with weakened immune systems – whether from certain health conditions or medications – face a higher risk of severe illness because their bodies also struggle to mount a strong defense. In both cases, a reduced ability to fight infectious respiratory disease increases the risk of serious complications and hospitalization.

Vaccines Help Keep You Healthy

That’s why staying up to date on vaccines – especially for COVID-19 and other infectious respiratory illnesses like flu, measles, pertussis, pneumococcal disease, and RSV – is essential as we head into spring and summer. Vaccination helps boost our body’s immune response and provides an added layer of protection when traveling and gathering with friends and family. In fact, according to data from the 2024/2025 season, COVID-19 vaccination was associated with:

• A 45 percent lower risk of hospitalization from COVID-19 for older adults
• A 40% lower risk of hospitalization from COVID-19 for older adults with weakened immune systems
• A 33% lower risk of emergency department or urgent care visits from COVID-19 among adults 18 and older

Why It Matters Now

COVID-19 isn’t just a seasonal concern—it can surge at any time of the year, including during the spring and summer. Early in the pandemic, spikes were often associated with colder months, but we now know that outbreaks can occur during any season because the virus keeps changing so it can spread more easily from person to person. This makes staying up to date on vaccination even more important.

Spring into Summer with an Extra Layer of Protection

Immunity from previous doses can wane over time, leaving individuals—especially those 65 and older or with a weakened immune system—more vulnerable to severe illness. If you fall into one of these groups, it’s recommended that you receive another dose of the 2024/2025 COVID-19 vaccine six months after your first dose to help maintain protection.
Talk to your healthcare provider to learn whether you should get another dose of the latest COVID-19 vaccine so you can enjoy time with family, travel, and everything else this season brings.
Learn more at: CVEEP.org/stayprotected.

QUINN MINUTE: Middle School smells

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by Rix Quinn

I’m not sure I had much sense of smell until sixth grade. The only aroma I remember before that was dinner rolls in the elementary cafeteria.

But junior high was different. For the first time, many girls started wearing perfume. Guys started splashing on after-shave.

The aura in a small classroom was astounding. Imagine walking into a flower garden and inhaling the essence of spring mixed with a saddle and cheese.

The school hallway scents were variable. What you sniffed depended on what door you entered.

If you entered through the biology room, you smelled alcohol or formaldehyde. If you came in through the gymnasium, you sniffed either laundry detergent or dirty socks…depending if the giant washer was off or on. Most kids chose the lunchroom entrance. Those fragrances changed, depending on the day of the week. The older the meat supply, the odder the smells.

For example, let’s say the meat-of-the-week was turkey. On Monday we smelled appetizing sliced turkey and dressing.

On Tuesday, the entrée became turkey and gravy. On Wednesday, the daily special changed to turkey casserole.

On Thursday there were two selections. That might be either turkey soup, or fried turkey slices with special sauce. I never asked what the special sauce was, but I ate it.

But Friday was scary. That’s when the special became Turkey Surprise. I won’t say what the surprise was, but I got surprised twice.

That’s when I invented my own new Friday ritual: sandwich-from-home.

Were you born between 1946-1964? Would you like to know more about the generation called Baby Boomers? You can order Rix’s book on that generation today. Just go to this link.

CRITTER CHATTER: A dove from above?

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Mourning Dove

by Jayne Winters

As most of our readers now know, Don Cote passed away in December following a short illness. I noted at the end of his obituary that I would write a final Critter Chatter column to honor Don and Carleen Cote’s six decades of caring for the literally thousands of animals that came to their home for rehabilitation or, in the saddest cases, peaceful transition over that famous Rainbow Bridge. This article, however, is not that final column. After something I experienced today, I knew I had to share one more story with the followers of Duck Pond Wildlife Rehab Center.

I was driving by Don’s this afternoon and noticed a large box had been left on the doorstep, so I stopped to pick it up, assuming it was a delivery from Fedex or UPS. Imagine my surprise when I discovered it wasn’t sealed or covered and contained an apparently injured juvenile mourning dove! Despite the Wildlife Rehab Center sign no longer being posted, someone familiar with the Cotes must have thought they were still open for business and left the bird for their care.

Following a couple of text messages and calls, I transported the dove to Avian Haven, in Freedom. I put the box on my heated passenger seat in the car and turned up the heat as s/he was chilled on this dreary, drizzly day. I’m by no means an avian expert, but cold feet are cold feet, no matter the species! The staff was expecting our arrival and quickly took care of the admission; I’ll be calling to check in on the little dove’s prognosis tomorrow.

In Native American storytelling, the mourning dove symbolizes peace, love, and connection to the spiritual world. In many tribes, it is believed to be a messenger between the physical and spiritual worlds, embodying qualities of peace and tranquility. The dove is considered to be a messenger from a higher power. “If the mourning dove has flown across your path today, it brings peace and hope. Let go of what has passed and make room for more love. Connect with nature to take advantage of the nurturing energies she provides. This will give you a regenerative boost in the right direction. Fret not and let the waters gently carry you to your next chapter.”

This may not seem ‘news worthy’ to some of you, but I wanted to share it. I’ve never been one to believe in coincidences. I think I was meant to find that little mourning dove and make one final rescue for Duck Pond Rehab. I think it was a “God nudge” and a gift I will never forget.

Duck Pond Wildlife Rehab Center is closed. As noted in previous columns, Don worked closely with Wilderness Miracles Rehab, in Bowdoin (Kathi at 207-720-0074), Misfits Rehab, in Auburn (Jen at 207-212-1039), Bridget Green, in Wiscasset (207-631-0874), Critterville Wildlife, in Brooklin (845-549-2407), and Saco River Wildlife (207-702-1405). Turtle rehabber Pam Meier can be reached at The Turtle’s Back (203-903-2708). Otherwise, please check these websites for a rehabber close to you: https://www.mainevetmed.org/wildlife-rehabilitation or https://www.maine.gov/ifw/fish-wildlife/wildlife/living-with-wildlife/orphaned-injured-wildlife/index.html or contact your local Animal Control Officer through your town office.