Bangor Bog Blog

We needed to take a trip to Bangor, Maine today.  This was our first time to the Bangor City Forest & Orono Boardwalk located north of town.  We highly recommend this little area.  The 616 acre Orono Bog is a wetland.  The plants you see here can tolerate wet soil.  This wetland is also called a peatland because of its deep layer of peat.  The peat is 25 feet deep in some parts of  the bog.                                                                                                                                                                                   

As we got out of the truck, we heard a familiar sound of a Mourning Dove.  This one was busy gathering seed.  It's nice to hear familiar sounds.  In south Texas, we don't get to hear warblers as they are busy feeding and not         nesting in our neck of the woods.     Every year, I have to learn all over again.  I'm still learning them.  One thing I learned about doves is they don't drink water like other birds.   They suck water up much like through a straw.  Watch them next time when they come by for a drink.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     

This is one of the dragonflies I have been wanting to find.  This is a         Twelve-spotted Skimmer.  Count      the number of black spots on the       wings.  This one likes to be around water.  It is perched upon a lichen named British Soldiers.  As you can see, I have taken a liken to lichen.  It is hard to see in this picture, but they       have a red top.  I will get a better         picture of this one later.                     

                                                                                                                                                            

This butterfly is a White Admiral.  It is perched on Ostrich Fern.  I learned       about a new fern today, Royal Fern.     This is one we don't have in our neck    of the woods.                                                                               

                                        

                                                                    This is a Magnolia Warbler.  He     finally stopped long enough for this picture.  We had many of these        warblers the month of May while we were in Ohio volunteering at Ottawa NWR.  If you have never been to        Magee Marsh, you are missing         something amazing.                                                                                                                                                                                                          

This little  chipmunk had his little jowels full as he scampered across the forest floor.

Who is THAT?  This is what the boardwalk looks like.  Now where is that darn Sundew?  We finally found it, at number 82.  It is so tiny, it is overlooked.  This plant is also carnivorous like the Pitcher Plant.                                                                                                                                 

As you can see, it is happy living on sphagnum moss in a wet area.  It uses its sticky hairs to entrap insects.                                                                           

This plant is Bog Rosemary.

I couldn't resist another picture of the Pitcher Plant.  Have you ever looked inside?

This is a Balsam Fir.  The kind that is usually picked for our Christmas tree.  Like all true firs, balsam fir cones point upward.

I saved the best 'til last.  The only orchid...Grass Pink.  Much prettier in person!!

Wish you were here to enjoy it with us.  Oh yes, we saw a Moose on our way over to Bangor on Airline.  It almost collided with a car.  It happened too fast for           a picture.