Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Hopkins Island, Maine

Our good friends Ellen and Sam invited us to spend a few days at a summer house place on an island south of Brunnswick. It's been in Sam's family for generations and is now shared by members of a large extended family. I'm really grateful that they chose to share it with us!

So what do you do on a small island in Maine?
Well, if you're like me, you'd get really excited just to see some Bunchberry plants.

And these pretty flowers: Sharp leaved Aster,
And these - some sort of wild lettuce.
  

One single striped Maple showed off its pretty green bark,

Stately northern Red Oaks grew multistemmed

And pretty Heather grew in every crack.

And, if you are a boy, say aged 2-6, you'd find lots of interesting creatures:
 (I will have to send this picture to Bugguide.net to get an ID.)

Daddy Longlegs (the house was full of them. We found out, rather by accident, that a Daddy Longleg-leg that is removed from its spider, keeps moving by itself for at least 5 minutes). 

Red backed Salamanders hiding under an old log
 

and you'd play play play all day long, explore and create and run and climb and get muddy and wet and happy.

Fort building

"Crab" made out of loose parts and clam shell

Exploring a small tidal pool with crabs and tiny fish

and you might like to try some Blueberries, Huckleberries, or Blackberries.

It seemed like the island consisted of two different habitat types. In the middle were woods with lots of spruce and pine and some red Maples and oaks, but by the shore it was more windy, salty and rocky, with plants that were thriving in such environment. There were some beautiful views.






When the tide was low the water receded and left a deep thick mud.
  

The fastest flutterer in the butterfly world might just be this one. Many pictures were taken before I had something to go on. Thankfully the Goldenrod proved so irresistible, she kept coming back. My guess is that this is a female Spring Azure, but I'd love to be corrected if necessary!


Something new to me: Indian Pipe flowers, growing entirely out of rotten logs under the surface.

One of the most Common plant on the island seemed to be Bayberry. I was constantly crushing some fragrant leaves and smelled them.

One enormous Rhodie grew by itself. I would have liked to see it in bloom.

Could this be Water Parsnip? There was only one.

I could see at least two different kinds of Goldenrods.


Cute as a button

I hope we can return some other time.




2 comments:

  1. What an idyllic place, just heaven for a child or one who is young at heart. I can ID your second flower, a Sharp-leaved Aster, and the third one is some kind of wild lettuce (I would have to count the petals and check the color inside to be sure of species). Thanks for sharing your special place with us.

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  2. Thanks for helping! Feel free at any time to share your knowledge!

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