more maine

Every other day we were in Maine was beautifully sunny. The other days were foggy and misty, rainy, which I also love, but you won't see photos of those days.  Well, right there, we're cutting the posting party in half, for those of you who just can't wait to get back to What's Happening in Ohio...(here's a hint: it's raining.)  Monday we went out to the Great Salt Bay Farm, near Damariscotta, in search of birds and horseshoe crabs! Ah, Maine!

common yellow throat

I had the pleasure of observing and identifying a bird. I know, that sounds straightforward and simple but I can't tell you how often I make a guess and just have to give up knowing for absolute sure, but this time we studied the guide and had many opportunities to verify our guesses.  I will tell you that a common yellow throat is anything but common, with its brilliant yellow, and black mask.

we found several shells, but no one living

bobolink male

The bobolinks nest on the ground in this prairie, and we saw many bobbing through the air, and perching on the tall grasses, wild with singing.  They are striking birds with their black and white.

With a quick pass through Damariscotta, we headed to Thomaston, to the shipyard where Freeman is working on a crew renovating an old vessel. The craftsmanship is astounding.  This doesn't surprise me, having seen Freeman's work before, but that was on a small craft, not something of this scale. 

Every time I walked out of their house, this goofy weathervane was there to greet me.  Just where does he think he's going? Maybe it thinks it's a phoenix, rising from the chimney?

This cormorant was content to sit tight and gaze at the boats as I joined him at the end of the pier. We did see glimpses of harbor seals in these waters, and later in the week a loon and a guillemot, and on our last night the common - again with the "common" - eider, but none close enough to sit for a picture.