Vinalhaven Sightings

Welcome to the Vinalhaven sightings Report

June 18 2021

Brought to you , in part, through the support of Vinalhaven Land Trust

And Maine Coast Heritage Trust

Highlights – Flowers, Slime Molds, Pond Chillin’, Turtles, stuff….

scrambled egg slime

Business: contact us – vinalhavensightings@gmail.com

Tiit trick – click the photos, back them

jumbo

Matinicus Rock raven fledglings
photo by John Drury

Sightings : Word from Skua – Sooty Shearwater, Willet, Harlequin Duck at Brimstone

Raven fledglings at Matinicus Rock.

Thanks John!

Pink Lady Slippers are mostly fading – I spotted this still bright one by the parking lot at Huber Preserve on Tuesday.

Last time we talked about the lady slipper plant symbiotic relationship with a fungus in the ground. Now take a look at this close up and think about what it would be like if you were a bumblebee. Irresistible.

this is neither a bee or a orchid
just a reminder to do a tick check

‘The insect-flower symbiosis reaches its peak of development in the orchids, whose sometimes bizarre flower anatomies attract insect pollinators and all but prevent self-fertilization. Lady slippers enclose their bisexual flower parts within saclike balloons projecting from the base of two smaller petals. The insect enters from a tongue like sterile stamen at the top (or, in the case of C acaule through the infolded cleft in the in pouch).

consider this a double reminder
all the ticks in photos have been
'rehabilitated'.

Fine, slanting, nectar bearing hairs on the smooth-walled inner surface nudge the insect toward the sticky, overhanging receptacle (stigma) at the stem end, a constricted passage from which it cannot backtrack. The only way out is by squeezing through the passage and so brushing against the antlers, which smear the insect with pollen form the next sac it enters. ‘ John Eastman, Forest and Thicket

Anyway – they are cool.

blue flag - dorsal view

And so are Northern Blue flag Irises – (Iris versicolor) – state Flower of Tennessee and provincial flower of Quebec. Meanwhile Maine’s state flower is pinecone.

While aesthetically pleasing, please enjoy this species without chewing – here’s why!

is this tempting to eat?
fight that temptation

‘The species has been implicated in several poisoning cases of humans and animals who consumed the rhizomes, which have been found to contain a glycoside, iridin. The sap can cause dermatitis in susceptible individuals.

Both the leaves and roots are poisonous and can cause stomach and intestinal inflammation. Consuming the plant can be fatal to calves.’

The iris has been used as magical plant, with people carrying the root (or rhizome) to get 'financial gain', or it was placed in cash registers to increase business.’

golden heather

Golden Heather (Hudsonia ericoides) is in bloom along the Wharf Quarry trails in the Basin Preserve. High up on the rocky ledges - Check ‘em out!

Slime molds – Myxomycetes! Mini bloom session with some of the minimal rains as of late – here and gone in a flash – Scramble Egg Slime –

wolfs milk slime

Wolf’s Milk Slime –

not sure what happened to this wolf's milk
but it looks like a gummy bear with a parachute to me

Visit to Armbrust Hill – after a day on the trails its nice to not go very far but still get to check in with some local wildlife. Last week I found myself at the main pond at about 6:30pm.

Green Frogs – banjo strings were pluckin’ away. This one adult was particularly unstealth-like.

polly wog

Tadpoles/pollywogs – Green frog youngsters going through the changes. ‘Nice legs!’ Doc Hopper, The Muppet Movie

chalk-fronted corporal

Dragonflies – classic Chalk-fronted Corporals were taking breaks on the rocky wall that makes the eastern shore. Felt early, and lowish number of dragonflies but more to come no doubt!

But the best thing though was the Painted Turtle that was making her – I assume it was a female returning from laying eggs – way to the pond. Let me explain.

I had been there for about ten minutes, returning to the picnic table to give the frogs and dragonflies a break from me. Kinda felt like someone was behind me, so I turned quickly and there was this turtle, right in the middle of the trail that I had walked down once again, no more than 10 minutes prior.

I started to approach, and she retreated into her protective shell. So, I backed off, went back to the frogs and actually forgot about her. What a jerk right?

Not sure how long, but before long I was back to the table and remembered the turtle, turned, and looked and she was gone. Well, she had moved, closer the pond, and closer to the table. I took this photo then – and I call it ‘the most beautiful shell in the world’.