Downeast Lakes Land Trust Leads Birding Festival Attendees in the Downeast Lakes Region

June 2, 2014

The Downeast Lakes Land Trust (DLLT) was pleased to lead hikes, children’s programs and a journaling class as part of the 11th Annual Down East Spring Birding Festival.

DLLT Executive Director Mark Berry led a walk along the Musquash Esker on Saturday May 24th.  A raised, ancient river bed that formed inside a glacier, the esker offered relatively level terrain, over looking small ponds, brushy alder stands, old forests,open water and wetlands. Following the forested esker  that extends out into the expansive wetlands along Big Musquash Streams, visitors from as far as Bangor and Pembroke were treated to a lovely morning with an American Bittern highlighting the walk.

Meanwhile at Cobscook Community Learning Center, DLLT Education and Communications Manager, Tanya Rucosky led a group of 26 excited children  (and a few adults!) in an up-close and personal examination of owl pellets. Dissecting dried regurgitated clots of feathers, fur and bone proved to be strangely compelling.   “It brings out your inner obsessive compulsive,” said one high school student as he carefully removed wadded hair from the eye socket of a tiny rodent.  After dissecting the pellets, students  identified and re-articulated the bones they discovered.

The Down East Birding Festival wrapped up for the DLLT with a Nature Journaling program offered in Grand Lake Stream on Sunday, May 25th. The short course was an introduction to nature journaling, which included developing observational skills, as well as honing sketching and writing talents. Participants wound up the class by hiking up Tower Rd and explored the rocks, moss, leaves and venerable white pine trees on the hilltop in a new way.   “I never just sat before and looked at a leaf.” said one participant, who resolved to slow down after taking the class, and add journaling to his regime of meditation and appreciation for the natural world.