On this cools spring evening, we welcomed the second moon of the month and explored the Mingo Springs Loop Trail conserved and maintained by the Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust.
A night walk is special because it gives us a brief look into the window when so much happens in the forests and rivers and lakes around us. We also learn how to connect with the natural world using more of our senses. Humans are sight-dominant, diurnal creatures. We really have to listen in the night. New sounds, especially in the spring come at night. Many of us are familiar with these sounds from sitting on the porch or by the lake.
We started off in a nice swamp area listening to the spring peepers. It’s amazing that such a frog animal can make such an enormous sound. Because of the cooler night, the temperatures kept the other frogs and toads quiet.
Walking away from the swamp we talked about the medicinal and prolific plantain plant. We discovered the goldenrod gall and learned how to tell if the larvae made a successful departure without being fed on by the chickadees or downy woodpeckers.
Before it got too dark we discovered the work of boring beetles, creating intricate mazes in dead wood. We also looked at pileated woodpecker feeding sign and got to peek in to see the carpenter ant galleries. Right next to that snag we found Jack in the Pulpit flowers. These have such a unique pollination scheme and their corms (starchy root structures) are enjoyed by our local black bears.
We also saw some great signs of a deer rub, deer and moose browse, and a recent deer trail in the fading light.
Certain birds grace the evening and setting sun. We were lucky to hear the ethereal Hermit Thrush and the Bard Owl and White-Throated Sparrow.
Back at the parking lot we enjoyed some warm locally honorably harvested chaga tea and conversation.
Thank you everyone for such a wonderful evening and thanks to Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust for hosting!
