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The Vinalhaven Sightings Report is organized and edited by Kirk Gentalen on behalf of Vinalhaven Land Trust and Maine Coast Heritage Trust. Out and about on Vinalhaven, MCHT steward Kirk Gentalen reports on what he and others have seen in their travels. Contributions of stories and photos are welcome, and can be sent to vinalhavensightings@gmail.com.




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Thursday, March 12, 2020


otter tracks and tail imprint
 
 
Welcome to the Vinalhaven Sightings Report – March 12, 2020

Brought to you with the support of VLT and MCHT – Thanks to both organizations!

 
 
 
 
 
deer 'slip'-per
 
 
 
 


Fell behind in February, trying to catch up and be caught up.

Another in the series of blips – should be a bunch on the way

This is the mammals.

 
 
 
snowshoe hares scat looks like this. like almost always.
or always in my experience
 
 
 

Contact us – with all the observable nature stuff going on around Vinalhaven it feels good to have a safe place where you can unload and share your sightings with other humans. Send your photos, sightings and whatnots to vinalhavensightings@gmail.com . The place to be really, and to share.

 

deer scat sometimes looks like this
 

 

Sightings – this is kind of a conglomerate of on island and off island stuff. Much overlaps.

 

River Otter – From the ferry -  Captain Peter Drury recently spotted an otter swimming between Lairey’s and Leadbetter Island. After years of seeing slides and sign in the snow there, this is Captain Pete’s first sighting of an active otter at the Narrows. Much of otter activity is done at night! Nice spot!

 
river otter spraint - fish hook preserve

 
 
 
 
Sticking with the otters – I had the pleasure of hiking VLT’s Fish Hook Preserve with the 2nd and 3rd graders from Vinalhaven School. Great time, great group – we found a fairly new otter spraint on the new connector trail. I love it when the local otters stake a claim on a new trail. Very transparent, good communicators – we are here!

 
I counted this as a 'c'







letter 'e'.
maybe a mermaid type thing








 
 
 
 
Here are other otter spraints I found at old harbor pond-

 






 
 
Also with the 2nd and 3rd graders – Linnell Mather found a deer skeleton right next to the fish hook parking area. Great way to start the walk! Thanks Linnell!

 





 
 
And then the kids found this deer leg under our state flower and tree – Eastern White Pine – right smack in the middle of the trail. There’s a story here…

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Raccoon – lots of great tracks and trails in the mud these days.

Classic big hind foot and small front hand.
















Basin Preserve - Long Pond - tracking a pair of Raccoons along and across the shoreline and pond. So much fun!

luscious raccoon trail patterns






raccoon trails along the shore



 
 
 
 
 
 
 





















crossing the pond

















 







Beaver tracks and sightings in the Marsh on the mainland –

cool back foot.



 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Had the pleasure of seeing this beaver a handful of times at this particular opening. Watched it chew the ice edge to maintain openness. Fun to see tracks
 
 
 
 
 





River Otter spraint and track art from the mainland –

 
 
lots of small eel skeletons at latrines in the marsh
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 








































Porcupine from Erickson Field Preserve –

Mainland porcupine!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
the human abacus - Capt. John Drury
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

John Drury keeping score candlepin bowling!

 



















Vespurrs, our cat acting totally cute – which is a total act.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
frankie is chill with just about everything
 
 

And finally some Leif and Frankie, the latest critter to join the scene here. They are two peas in a pod. The dog is kinda pathetic in this regard, but super cute and loving.

 

Blind in one and easy to pack into most carry on luggage!

 

 

   

 

 
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