Hubby was out walking the dog this morning, and came across a family of #Kildeer -- including itty bitty ones! I'm so glad that Poland Spring decided to ban ATVs and turn a large undeveloped parcel into a wildflower and native plant meadow!
https://www.audubon.org/field-guide/bird/killdeer
#SolarPunkSunday #BirdWatching #MaineBirds #CaliforniaFields
So, one of our neighbors builds and installs birdhouses for #CaliforniaFields in #HollisME (conservation land owned by #PolandSpring / #BlueTriton). The owners recently cleared out a bunch of pine trees, making more grasslands for endangered birds. Here is one of my neighbor's creations (taken yesterday, when it was more hazy).
Read more about the restoration here:
https://www.newscentermaine.com/article/news/local/poland-spring-hollis-maine-endangered-birds-grassland-habitat-inland-fisheries-wildlife/97-915df0f7-e07f-46cc-93a1-e9149e18d4b4
In other news... It's #Chompie season! First #MonarchButterfly #caterpillars were sighted in #CaliforniaFields today!
Before and after...
#GrasslandRestoration #Grasslands #Maine #CaliforniaFields
Some of the species that benefit from the tree removal and grassland restoration -- #GrasshopperSparrow #UplandSandpiper #NorthernHarrier, #HornedLark, #Kestrel, #Meadowlark, #Bobolink, #Bumblebees, #MonarchButterflies
I took a lunch break in a nearby meadow today. The corporate landowners (#PolandSpring / #BlueTriton) kept their word and got rid of most of the pine trees they had planted years ago (to hide the water source?) -- returning #CaliforniaFields back into, well, fields! Lots of butterflies and bees were enjoying the abundance (there will be more native grasses and milkweed next year). Soon, there will be caterpillars chomping away!
#Restoration #Rewilding #Nature #EndangeredSpecies #Maine #Grasslands
Speaking of #Rewilding, some new signs went up at nearby #CaliforniaFields in Southern #Maine! Looks like the #MaineDepartmentOfInlandFisheries finally acknowledged that there are some #EndangeredSpecies there, and put the pressure on #BlueTriton / #PolandSprings / #BigWater -- who had planted a bunch of pine trees in the field (to hide the drilled wells that they claim are "springs"). But now they have to take them down and restore the grasslands! (And it's full of #Milkweed which the #MonarchButterflies love!)
#GrasshopperSparrow #UplandSandpiper #NorthernHarrier, #HornedLark, #Kestrel, #Meadowlark, #Bobolink
DoomsdaysCW