The Wrack

Every morning as I make my coffee, I watch the birds at the bird feeder outside my kitchen window. The other day I noticed, perched on the deck railing near the feeder, a brownish-greyish bird throwing a temper tantrum.

Elderberry is a pioneer species that is found in disturbed and open areas. It displays opposite branching, deeply cut green leaves, and creamy, flat-topped blossoms. Its berries are important food for birds.

The following was published in the Biddeford-Saco?Journal Tribune Sunday edition, 6/19/2016, and?Making It At Home's 6/22/2016 issue.

The week before Fathers Day, my sons gave me a great gift: they went to California for seven days with their grandmother, leaving me and my wife alone for the longest stretch of time weve had together in eight years.

For the past 2 weeks, I've been doing my Kennebunk High School senior project with the Wells Reserve, examining the type and frequency of comments submitted to the Kennebunk Light and Power District (KLPD) regarding the possibility of dam removal on the Mousam River. I also reviewed information? addressing the concerns of commenters, to help people understand the probable effects dam removal would have on the river.

The most common concern, noted in 15% of 232 total comments, was the loss of the rivers aesthetic. This encompasses the fear of a drawdown-like future, bad smells, and more visible mud. Approximately 55% of comments discussed either this, decreased river recreation, harm to the wetlands, or a possible reduction in property values.

Information provided by the KLPD through a contractor's report (Wright-Pierce report), and a researcher at Bates College addressed these primary public concerns, as summarized here.

Yesterday, the picnic table under the copper beech was covered with clipboards, bird books, and banding supplies for the first time since last summer. Around the table, a bird-banding team kept busy with catbirds, veeries, waxwings, and other species brought up from the nets. This long-term monitoring and research project has entered its 29th year (28th on the Laudholm campus)? but it's got a new look for 2016.

Were lucky to work with some of the best wedding professionals in the business. Here are thoughts of three of our favorites. What trends do they see in the industry? Why do they love being a part of events here?

Beach-based businesses, a powerful economic engine for Maine, are generally little prepared for storm surge and coastal flooding. Yet lessons learned from previous disasters underscore how important the recovery of businesses is to the overall recovery of a regions economy.

For the past five weeks, our research staff have been out fishing in the rivers of southern Maine to provide up-to-date information on species with the greatest need for conservation. We have been fortunate to have the help of some dedicated community volunteers and members of the Sebago Chapter of Trout Unlimited. ?This is the earliest weve been fishing in recent years and the catch has been diverse and exciting!

How important is having an environmentally-friendly wedding to you? Here's some food for thought.

Green crab burrowing activity is weakening salt marsh creek banks, causing them to erode.