White oak

White oak
(𝑸𝒖𝒆𝒓𝒄𝒖𝒔 𝒂𝒍𝒃𝒂)
Conservation Status:  Threatened in Maine 

Photo Credit:  Plant Image Library/Flickr 

At Rachel Carson Refuge, you can identify the white oak by its distinctive rounded leaves and their lighter, almost white, furrowed bark. They are deciduous trees, meaning they have leaves instead of pines which show a cycle we are all familiar with here in the Northeast. In the autumn, the leaves turn shades of orange, yellow and red, dropping as winter comes in. Then, as winter turns to spring they leaf again. 

This part of Maine nears the northern end of the white oak’s range. It is more common in the Refuge’s southern divisions, particularly the Brave Boat Harbor Division in Kittery. As the white oak becomes less common as you move north, you may see more northern red oak. You can tell these two trees apart by their leaves. The white oak has rounded leaf lobes, while the northern red oak has red, pointed ones. Keep an eye out for more information on the northern red oak.   

The white oak, like other oaks, are known for their acorn fruit. A wide variety of animals feed on these acorns, including mice, squirrels, chipmunks, deer, fox, raccoon, song birds, mourning doves, ruffed grouse, and wild turkeys. However, they are not only beneficial for animals. Historically, indigenous peoples of North America turned the acorns into flour. The strong wood continues to be used for ship building, tools, furniture, floor boards, wagon wheel spokes, and the caps of the acorns can be used to make a simple whistle!  

Did you know:  Mice are a big fan of the acorns, and certain mouse populations benefit greatly from acorn productions. Mice are also hosts for deer ticks, and, here in Maine, we all know that deer ticks carry Lyme disease. There are some studies that suggest that two years following a large production of acorn, or mast of acorns, there is an increase in deer ticks and thus an increased chance of humans contracting Lyme disease. Make sure that when you walk our trails this spring, summer and autumn, to wear long pants and socks or sprays that protect you from tick bites.  

Sources:  Forest Trees of Maine – Centennial Edition, Maine Forest Service, 2008, Eastern Forests (Peterson Field Guide), Kricher and Morrison, 1988, Field Guide to Trees and Shrubs, Petrides, 1972, https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/12653136/#:~:text=We%20conclude%20that%2C%20at%20our,acorn%20production%202%20years%20previously. 

Green heron

Green heron
(𝑩𝒖𝒕𝒐𝒓𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒔 𝒗𝒊𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒄𝒆𝒏𝒔) 
Conservation Status:  Not Extinct (Low Concern) 

Photo Credit:  Keenan Adams/USFWS 

About:  You may be familiar with the great blue heron that stands tall in the marsh looking for its prey, but have you ever heard of the green heron? If you haven’t, that’s okay! The green heron stands at 18 inches and is much more secretive than its commonly seen cousin. If you see this solitary bird, you might find it crouching patiently until a fish swims by, at which point it will snatch it up quickly with its sharp bill. They are even known to use feathers or little twigs as bait to lure their prey to them. 

On the Refuge:  So, how can you see this bird on the refuge if it is always hiding? Like most birds, the best way to find it is to listen for its call. The call is a sharp kyowk! or skyow! call, or at times you may here a kuk kuk kuk call on repeat. If you do hear these sounds, look out into the marsh, among the heavy vegetation, for a dark blue or dullish bird with a green iridescence on the its back. Good luck finding this elusive bird! 

Sources:  https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/green-heron, https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Green_Heron/lifehistory

Monarch butterfly

Monarch butterfly
(𝑫𝒂𝒏𝒂𝒖𝒔 𝒑𝒍𝒆𝒙𝒊𝒑𝒑𝒖𝒔) 
Conservation Status:  Not Extinct 

Photo Credit:  USFWS Headquarters/Creative Commons 

Facts:  While it may be cold outside now, as the days grow warmer and the flowers start to bloom, a familiar creature, the monarch butterfly, returns to the refuge. These beautiful creates normally take on massive migrations from August to October, flying thousands of miles south to hibernate. As the weather warms, they migrate back north, females lay eggs along the way. 

While you may only associate the yellow/orange and black wing pattern to the monarch butterfly, this coloration is not unique to this creature. The coloration of the monarch butterfly mimics that of the viceroy butterfly (Limenitis archppus) and is known as Mullerian mimicry. Mullerian mimicry is a resemblance between two or more unrelated, dangerous creatures, which share the very similar warning patterns. In this case, the monarch butterfly and the viceroy butterfly share a similar warning coloration and toxic taste to predators. Mimicry is seen in many different creatures, and is a fascinating way species protect themselves against predators. What other species on the refuge might have a type of mimicry? 

Supporting Pollinator Species:  Planting butterfly friendly flowers will help support the caterpillars and adults. Milkweeds are popular as food and help protect against predators. Milkweeds contain cardiac glycosides which are stored in their bodies and are poisons and distasteful to prey.  

Sources: https://www.butterfliesandmoths.org/species/Danaus-plexippus, https://www.fs.fed.us/wildflowers/pollinators/Monarch_Butterfly/migration/index.shtml, https://www.britannica.com/science/Mullerian-mimicry  

Hobblebush

Hobblebush
(𝑽𝒊𝒃𝒖𝒓𝒏𝒖𝒎 𝒍𝒂𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒏𝒐𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒔)
Conservation Status:  No current status rank in Maine

Photo Credit:  Plant Image Library/Flickr 

Facts:  The Hobblebush grows in rich forest soils from Nova Scotia and Ontario, and as far south as Tennessee. Here on the Carson Trail, the bush is more prevalent at higher elevations along the Merriland River. The hobblebush is the first shrub to bloom in the spring, with its flat, star-shaped, white flowers standing out from the bright oval heart-shaped leaves. They have bright, red berry clusters which are a feast for foraging birds, squirrels and chipmunks. In the fall, its leaves turn copper or purple, sometimes all on the same plant!  

Fun Fact:  Ever wonder where some plants get their names? Well, the hobblebush is named because the asymmetrical branches take root where they touch the ground, restricting or hobbling passersby.

Source:  https://plants.usda.gov/core/profile?symbol=VILA11

Yellow-bellied sapsucker

Yellow-bellied sapsucker
(𝑺𝒑𝒉𝒚𝒓𝒂𝒑𝒊𝒄𝒖𝒔 𝒗𝒂𝒓𝒊𝒖𝒔) 
Conservation Status: Least Concern (Population decreasing) 

Photo Credit:  Laurie Sheppard/USFWS Southwest Region 

Facts:  The yellow-bellied sapsucker is one of several types of woodpeckers found within Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge’s divisions. Males and females both have the distinctive yellow belly, so to tell them apart, focus on their throats. The males will have a red throat while females will have a white one. They nest in tree holes typically 8 to 40 feet from the ground. Male and female sapsuckers excavate and prepare a cavity together where 5 to 6 eggs are typically laid. Both parents incubate the eggs and care for the young. 

Like many woodpeckers, the yellow-bellied sapsucker is adapted to hunting for prey that live under the barks of trees. Their two toes in the front and two in the back grip the bark as their stiff tail holds them steady as they create their holes. Their skulls and neck muscles have been adapted to withstand the pounding from chiseling wood without damaging their brains. You can tell where sapsuckers have been feeding by a series of small holes in rows they excavate around the tree trunk. They will use the holes later to drink nutritious sap or eat insects that are attracted to it.  Their long tongues have short hairs at the tip, allowing them to capture and drink the sap. Some of their preferred trees are fruit, birch and maples. Thus, they may be the first “maple tappers” of North America.  

When you walk on the refuge, it might be hard to spot these small birds, so keep an eye out (and an ear) for the other signs of them. Look for the small holes in rows around the tree trunk, and like many birds, listen for their calls to know they are there. Their calls are a nasal mewing “neeah”, a loud short territorial “QUEEah”, and when close to other sapsuckers a “wik-a-wik-a”. However, you won’t find these birds on our refuge yearround. Unlike most area woodpeckers, they are migratory, spending their summers at the refuge to nest and raise their young and migrating to warmer climates for the winter.

Fun Fact: The yellow-bellied sapsucker may do all of the work making holes in the bark, but they aren’t they only ones that take advantage of the sugary sap. Chickadees, hummingbirds, some species of bats, and even porcupines have been seen benefiting off of the work of the sapsucker.  

Sources:  Peterson Field Guides: Bird Nests by Hal H. Harrison, 1975.  National Geographic Complete Birds of North America, 2nd edition, edited by Jonathan Alderfer, 2014.  Cornell University All About Birds Website, Yellow-bellied Sapsucker: https://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Yellow-bellied_Sapsucker/overview.  The Sibley Guide to Birds, David Allen Sibley, 2000.  Kilham, Lawrence (1971). "Reproductive behavior of yellow-bellied sapsuckers I. Preference for nesting in Fomes-infected aspens and nest hole interrelations with flying squirrels, raccoons, and other animals". The Wilson Bulletin. 83 (2): 159–171.