The Wrack

On a recent kayak trip down a narrow winding river, a beaver and I passed closely by, I was on a leisurely paddle and it was on a mission. I think leisure is a foreign concept to this creature. Thus the adage: Busy as a beaver.

We as humans seem to have developed a love/hate relationship with this industrious large rodent. It is very much like us in the fact that it is skillful at manipulating its environment to suit its own needs. The Native Americans thought the similarity was so great that they named the beaver "the little people." Food and security are what it works long hours to achieve.

Last Friday a science team marched to Wells Harbor and began a rapid assessment of marine invertebrates on and around the dock.

The Wells Reserve couldn't run without its army of volunteers. They help with every aspect of activity here. One task that I never have problem getting volunteers to help with is going out into the field with insect nets and catching dragonflies and butterflies. In 1999 the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife started a state-wide survey of dragonflies. That survey concluded in 2004. This year …

On a recent walk to the upper meadow off the Saw Whet Trial, I came across an old friend. A pretty, frilly little flower called Ragged Robin.

Tin and I had been trying to find time for a paddle for months. Despite the threat of thunderstorms all day, yesterday was the day. We both showed up to work here at the Reserve, our cars each donning kayaks on racks. The weather threatened all day but the storms never materialized. Four o'clock came and off we went.? Within a few short minutes we pulled into Wells Harbor, unloaded our boats and were afloat…

Painting the big barn.

Spanning over the subtidal zone, harbor docks make convenient places to see fish in their natural setting. And fussing with fishing gear isnt even necessary.

The Wells Reserve is a prime destination for lots of different reasons.

The shadbush bloom can be a natural signal that shad are running in local rivers.

Last Saturday (May 5) at the Maine Land Conservation Conference, Stewardship Coordinator Tin Smith was presented with the Land Heritage Award to honor well over two decades of service to conservation in Maine.