Colonial Lake Wildlife

Tags

canada goose, colonial lake, crawfish, eastern phoebe, great blue heron, photography, postaday, squirrel

Colonial Lake close to home is quite small, but it has a good variety of wildlife. An old Canada Goose, named Hank by the locals, does not seem to fly any more and enjoys eating the bread crumbs and cookies that people throw to him.

Hank, the old Canada Goose.

Squirrels are abundant, and at this time of the year they are stocking up on acorns and other wild nuts to prepare for winter.

Squirrel at Colonial Lake.

An Eastern Phoebe had something in its bill, but I couldn’t tell what it was. They usually eat small insects, and sometimes small fruit or seeds.

Eastern Phoebe.

A Ring-billed Seagull landed with a splash and caught something in its beak.

Ring-billed Seagull.

The champ was a Great Blue Heron who caught three fishes in less than 10 minutes as I photographed him.

Great Blue Heron.

Great Blue Heron with first fish.

Great Blue Heron with second fish.

Great Blue Heron with a crawfish.

Maine Autumn

Tags

Acadia National Park, Bass Harbor, maine, photography, postaday, Shawnee Peak Mountain

Some more shots of autumn colors in and around Acadia National Park.

Shawnee Peak Mountain ski area on a sunny day before arriving in Acadia National Park.

Farm entrance near Bass Harbor.

In Acadia National Park.

In Acadia National Park.

In Acadia National Park.

Maple leaves over Bar Harbor.

Lake George

Tags

Lake George, Paul Stark, photography, postaday, Robert Rogers

The village of Lake George above Albany, NY was the last stop on my way home from Acadia. In the morning I went to the banks of Lake George to photograph a sunrise which proved to be as stubborn about rising as the one in Acadia.

Lake George sunrise, 30 seconds exposure.

Lake George sunrise, 0.4 second exposure.

While waiting for the sun, I took a few shots of the nearby scenery.

Lake George sightseeing boats moored for the night.

Lake George sightseeing boats moored for the night.

There was a wooden sculpture created in 2017 by Paul Stark, a chainsaw carver. It depicts Major Robert Rogers leading a band of Native Americans during the 1754-1763 war between British and French forces. One of the areas where Rogers operated was Lake George.

Robert Rogers and Native Americans on Lake George.

Acadia National Park – Local Life

Tags

Acadia National Park, lobster pot, lobster trap, photography, postaday, schoodic peninsula

Under the rain, I drove to the Schoodic Peninsula which is a separate part of Acadia National Park near Winter Harbor. It does not have as many visitors as Mount Desert Island where Bar Harbor is located, and on a rainy day there were only two cars, mine included, on the road. The Schoodic part of the park was practically closed for the season, and the rain and wind sent me taking pictures of the local life.

Coastline on Schoodic Peninsula on a rainy day.

House on Schoodic Peninsula.

Church near Winter Harbor on Schoodic Peninsula.

Beside tourism, the people living around Acadia National Park depend on the lobster industry as a major source of income. Lobster traps and boats can be seen at almost every harbor.

Lobster traps, also called lobster pots.

Lobster boats at Prospect Harbor.

Lobster floating marker buoys decorating a shop near Bass Harbor.

A Maine political statement near Bass Harbor.

Farm near Bass Harbor.

Acadia National Park – Bar Harbor and Cruise Ships

Tags

Acadia National Park, bar harbor, cruise ship, photography, postaday

During the time I spent at Acadia, the main road into Bar Harbor, ME was undergoing repair and repaving. It became a temporary one-way street, with a major detour through the park when one wanted to go the other way. Traffic was severely congested, and parking a nightmare. I only went into town once and that was enough.

Bar Harbor is well known as the place where the rich and famous live or spend their summer. In the fall of 1947 a giant fire was fanned by wind and lasted more than a month. It completely burned many cottages, hotels, and over 10,000 acres (4,000 ha) of Acadia National Park. Regrowth of the forests occurred naturally, and it is said that the park looks better now because of the fire.

Here’s a view of a part of Bar Harbor from Park Loop Road above it.

View of Bar Harbor from Park Loop Road.

In this next shot, you can see three cruise ships anchored along Bar Harbor water front.

View of Bar Harbor from Park Loop Road with cruise ships anchored in the distance.

Cruise ship at Bar Harbor.

Cruise ship at Bar Harbor.

Cruise ship at Bar Harbor.

There is currently no pier or terminal for the cruise ships, and small boats are used to ferry their passengers to Bar Harbor and back.

The town expects 230,000 cruise ship passengers in 2018, a 257 per cent increase from 2003. In the fall, one big cruise ship alone can disgorge as many as 6,000 passengers into Bar Harbor, which had a total population of 5,434 in 2017. Naturally, the natives are grumbling! Although the tourist season has been extended and benefits business as a result, issues about congestion, pollution, and quality of life have been raised. A recent proposal to build a terminal for cruise ships has met with local opposition and it may never be built.

Acadia National Park – Jordan Pond and Bubble Rock

Tags

Acadia National Park, bubble rock, photography, postaday

For a couple of hours that day, it didn’t rain after that beautiful sunrise captured earlier. I went for a short hike to South Bubble mountain, one of the two small mountains that are visible from Jordan Pond.

The Bubbles as seen from the South end of Jordan Pond, near the entrance.

The Bubbles from Jordan Pond.

The hike to Bubble Rock on top of South Bubble was short and not too strenuous, even when the ground was not completely dry.

Trees and a boulder seen on the way up to South Bubble mountain.

At the top was a big boulder perched on the mountain rocks, looking like it was ready to tumble down to the road or the gorgeous valley below. Bubble Rock was moved there a long time ago by a glacier that carved out what is now Acadia National Park.

Bubble Rock.

Bubble Rock.

Bubble Rock and visitor.

And here’s the million-dollar view from Bubble Rock.

View from Bubble Rock looking toward Jordan Pond.

Acadia National Park – Bass Harbor Light Station

Tags

Bass Harbor, Bass Harbor Light Station, photography, postaday

After the no-show sunrise on Cadillac Mountain, I drove to Bass Harbor where one of the most photographed lighthouses is located. The Bass Light Station, as it is officially named, looked small up close, standing only 32 ft tall, or less than 10 meters. It is currently the residence of a member of the Coast Guard, so you cannot go inside it.

Bass Harbor Light Station.

It is a functioning lighthouse with an occulting red light which is on for 4 seconds then off for 4 seconds, day and night. It used to belong to the Coast Guard but in November 2017, Acadia National Park announced that it will take ownership. It is working on renovation plans to make it more accessible and “revenue producing”!

To shoot the iconic photos that you often see of the lighthouse, you need to wait for low tide and then climb down some stairs to jagged and slippery rocks on the beach. It was not a pleasant experience but still many visitors, including young children, did it. Following are some photos that I took while sitting or leaning on the rocks. Please let me know which one you like best.

1. Bass Harbor Light Station.

2. Bass Harbor Light Station.

3. Bass Harbor Light Station.

4. Bass Harbor Light Station.

Here are two views of the beach.

Beach at Bass Harbor Light Station, looking South.

Beach at Bass Harbor Light Station, looking North.

Acadia National Park – Sunrise

Tags

Acadia National Park, cadillac mountain, hulls cove, photography, postaday

The sunny and bright skies along Kancamagus Highway gave way to cloudy and rainy weather for every day that I spent in Acadia National Park. As a result, heavy clouds and rain will affect most of the photos I will be posting about Acadia.

On the morning after arrival, I got up early and drove to the summit of Cadillac Mountain, 1530 feet (466 meters), the tallest point in Acadia, where one can see the sun rise the earliest in the Eastern United States. It was not raining, but the sky was completely covered with clouds.

On top of Cadillac Mountain to see the sun rise.

Other sun watchers also arrived, on foot or by car, then huddled together for warmth as they waited for the sun.

Sun watchers on Cadillac Mountain, Acadia National Park.

People kept checking their watches or cell phones, but the scheduled time came and went, and the sun kept itself well hidden. There was gradually more light, but without the brilliance and warm colors of a rising sun.

At the top of Cadillac Mountain with no sunrise.

Disappointed people started to leave, either hiking down or driving their car to the town of Bar Harbor. The only indication of the presence of the sun behind those clouds was a sliver of pale blue horizon.

Sun watchers leaving Cadillac Mountain.

The following day, I also got up early to go do some hiking. There was a superb sunrise as I drove by Hulls Cove, just before the entrance to Acadia. Here was the sunrise I wanted, and it was at sea level. I will always wonder what it would have been like if I had photographed it on top of Cadillac Mountain.

Sunrise at Hulls Cove, Acadia National Park. On the right of the picture was a cruise ship anchored for the night.

Sunrise at Hulls Cove, Acadia National Park, a minute after the above shot.

Kancamagus Highway

Tags

fall foliage, Kancagamus, photography, postaday

Fall foliage in the New England states is world renowned for its beautiful colors, and the best place to see them is the Kancamagus Highway (aka the Kanc). That’s 34.5 miles (55 km) of Route 112 in the White Mountain National Forest in New Hampshire, between the towns of Lincoln and Conway. It is named after Kancamagus (“The Fearless One”), a Native American chief who ruled the area in the 17th century.

Last week, on my way to Acadia National Park, I made a detour there, and now wish I had planned for more time instead of driving so quickly through.

Kancamagus Highway.

Kancamagus Highway.

New England fall colors have the benefit of the vibrant reds of maple trees, in addition to yellows and oranges.

Fall foliage along Kancamagus Highway.

View from Hancock Trailhead on Kancamagus Highway.

View from Hancock Trailhead on Kancamagus Highway.

View from Hancock Trailhead.

There are many hiking trails throughout the area, and 6 campgrounds with well maintained facilities for campers. I stopped at one of the campgrounds for a quick look.

Camping along Kancamagus Highway.

 

Rocky creek next to Kancamagus Highway.

There are at least four waterfalls along Kancamagus Highway, but I had to skip them for lack of time.

View from Kancamagus Pass.

You can’t find hotels or other commercial facilities along the highway, but for those who do not want to rough it, both Lincoln and Conway have plenty of hotels, resorts, motels, and many places that cater to tourists.

View of street in Lincoln, NH.

A hotel or resort in Lincoln, NH.

Chrysalis – Conclusion

Tags

chrysalis, monarch butterfly, photography, postaday

This is what the Monarch chrysalis looked like on 20-Sep-2018.

Monarch Chrysalis on 20-Sep-2018.

Three days ago, the butterfly was visible inside.

Monarch Chrysalis on 04-Oct-2018.

Yesterday, I saw no change and did not take a picture. Today I was out of town for most of the day. When I came back in late afternoon, the chrysalis was empty! I removed the empty and dry cover from the underside of our house siding, laid it on a table and took the following pictures.

Cover of empty chrysalis.

Cover of empty chrysalis.

Cover of empty chrysalis.

So, in this case, it took a total of 17 days before the Monarch butterfly emerged, and not 10 to 14 days as written on several Web sites about Monarch butterflies. I am disappointed to have missed the emergence of the butterfly, but I am happy that it did finally emerge, and may be on its Southern migration soon, if not already.

Here’s a photo of a Monarch butterfly, but it’s not the one from the above chrysalis.

Monarch butterfly.

Late Hibiscus

Tags

hibiscus, photography, postaday

In previous years, by now we would have frost, which would have killed all the summer flowers. This year is an exception, as yesterday we had temperatures in the 80 °F (27 °C). That is why, despite being ravaged by deer, our hibiscus flowers keep sending up beautiful and eye-catching blooms.

Hibiscus bud.

Older Hibiscus bud.

Partially open Hibiscus.

Hibiscus, the day after full bloom.

Hibiscus in full bloom.

Hibiscus, from the side.

Hibiscus, from the back.

Updates etc.

Tags

chrysalis, cleome, hibiscus, milkweed, monarch, photography, postaday, seedpod

Following is today’s shot of the Monarch chrysalis. There is the shape of a butterfly in there, but it has not come out yet. It has been 15 days, past the 10-14 days from formation to emergence.

Monarch Chrysalis.

The milkweed plants have gone to seed. Here’s a shot of one of the seedpods.

Seedpod of Asclepias Incarnata.

There are still some flowers, and the garden still has some spots of colors.

Cleome.

Hibiscus.

Hibiscus.

Boat-tailed Grackle

Tags

boat-tailed grackle, Edwin B Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge, photography, postaday

Yesterday a band of Boat-tailed Grackle congregated on a section of Wildlife Drive at Edwin B Forsythe NWR. I had seen this bird before, but never in such numbers, or so brazen, posing conspicuously for photographers.

Boat-tailed Grackles. Pointing their bill upward is typical of this type of bird.

Boat-tailed Grackle calling.

Boat-tailed Grackle singing.

Boat-tailed Grackles.

Boat-tailed Grackle foraging. These birds are omnivorous and will steal food from humans.

Their bright yellow eyes make the Boat-tailed Grackle appear fierce. By the way all these photos show male Boat-tailed Grackle and I did not see any female around. The female birds would have been brown. Usually, one male bird would have a cluster of female birds as his harem.

Boat-tailed Grackle.

Boat-tailed Grackle.