Leslie Clapp only began birding in 1999, too little time, she says, to see trends in local bird populations. But as president of the Downeast chapter of the Maine Audubon Society, she’s heard from other members that once-common birds, like the evening grosbeak, have vanished. “Decks…would be full of 30 to 50 [evening grosbeaks],” Clapp
Known Positions Before surveyors could chart depths, they had to fix heights
On the coast of Washington County, a small hill rises between Pigeon Hill Bay and Dyer Bay. The 317-foot summit is marked by a cairn of stones; beneath the stones is a copper bolt driven into the exposed granite, marking an 1856 visit by the Survey of the Coast, the first scientific agency created by
Independence Day
Independence Day — Chebeague residents celebrated their new status with flags and well decorated cars.
Some of Beal’s Island’s legendary boats are smaller than others
If you live anywhere near Beal’s Island or even if you don’t, but make radio-operated model boats, mark your 2008 calendar for the Saturday before July 4th. Whether you’re a model boat maker or racing observer of any age, it would be almost impossible not to have fun at these races. This third year of
Grounding Charts and Ourselves
Two hundred years ago this year, President Thomas Jefferson initiated a project that’s still informing us: mapping the coasts of the United States. Like other well informed people of his time, Jefferson recognized that good geographic information was essential to commerce, safety and general well-being, and so he established the Survey of the Coast. Over
“The Coast is Clear”
Children use the phrase when playing war in the backyard. If one in the group says that “the coast is clear” it means that it is safe for the group to advance. No enemies threaten. Whether or not a coast is nearby is irrelevant. The message suggests that the group can change position with minimal
Canaries in the Mine
For birds and those of us who regard them as environmental indicators, the news isn’t good. This summer we heard from the National Audubon Society that out of 600 species of common birds in North America, about one-third lost population in the last 40 years. Some species declined by 50 percent or more. The declines
Good Ideas
For some whales, the news is a little better: the Gulf of Maine Lobster Foundation is helping lobster fishermen change over to new kinds of pot warp that may not ensnare fin, humpback and right whales. For every pound of floating rope turned in at a one-day event earlier this summer, lobstermen received a voucher
Maine’s Ruling Family
Maine’s a relatively small state, so it’s probably to be expected that some of our political and business leaders are going to be related to one another. It’s not unusual for a small town manager to be a close relative of, say, the local newspaper editor, business kingpin, or some senior law enforcement official, and
“In the End”
In the end, which means now, our little fish house with its new addition turned out just fine. There was still a lot of work to be done. Interior walls, wiring and plumbing — rid of the outhouse at last. That did not deter us, however, from using all that wonderful new space. Once the