Blue Goose ~ Day 79

August 18 - Falmouth, ME to Newington, NH

After spending a couple of hours blogging, and after a lot of iPhone help, I got to Timber Point Trail. The day before, I had checked eBird for this county (York). The local birders were very excited because they were seeing a Prothonotary Warbler here, along with all kinds of other birds. It is one of the many pieces of the Rachel Carson NWR scattered along the Maine coast from Port Elizabeth to Kittery Point near the New Hampshire border.  The Visitor Center is just south of Kennebunkport and Timber Point is northeast of that town. 

Rachel Carson NWR at Timber Point - ME

It was a gorgeous day, AGAIN. Timber Island is accessible only at low tide, a short scramble over rocks and seaweed. Just for the fun of doing it, I went there. I knew it was low tide, plus daily tide tables are posted on the beach. The trail TO the point was a mile long, through a sun-dappled wood and open meadows and along the beach. Being low tide, there were hundreds of people hanging out on the exposed sand. One tiny boy was screaming in fear as his dad waded to a sand spit and his mom tried to get him to follow. Even with her holding him, he was terrified. 

I thought about waiting to watch the tide cover the rocks to the island but it would have been several hours. I wondered how often people get stranded. It's close to the mainland and the size of a few city blocks but today, for instance, one would have to wait until midnight for another low tide. There are over 3000 islands off the Maine coast!

As I walked back to the car, I watched Semipalmated Plovers and Semipalmated Sandpipers for an hour. I could get very close by walking 6-7 steps, waiting a few minutes, walking a bit closer, etc. I was hoping to see some White-rumped Sandpipers but didn't, or at least couldn't positively say I did. There weren't many people on this sheltered little bay beach and few biting beach flies, so it was one more memorable vignette - close up and personal with SP sandpipers. 

Semipalmated Sandpiper - Rachel Carson NWR - ME

Next, I drove to the main unit of Rachel Carson, passing through very crowded Kennebunkport, a small town with impressive homes and notices for various cultural events (concerts, lectures, art shows), along with hundreds of tourist shops and people ambling along. In June of this year, President George H. W. Bush celebrated his 90th birthday and there were banners still noting this. 

Rachel Carson NWR, just down the road was an utterly lovely and welcome contrast with a mile-long interpretive trail, through hardwoods high above the salt marshes and small tidal creeks making their way to the ocean, visible from several overlooks. It was perfect in late afternoon with cooling breezes and only a few insects (surprisingly), and sun and blue blue sky. The quality of light was exactly like that at Big Star in the late afternoon in BACK of the cottage. Only a few other people were walking the trail. At one point, Yellowlegs flew in and landed on a small pond. I am surprised that the digital zoom on my Canon works as well as it does. The Nikon's digital was totally worthless. There were both Lesser and Greater Yellowlegs.

Greater and Lesser Yellowlegs at Rachel Carson NWR - ME

I also watched a single Spotted Sandpiper move along the muddy banks of the Merriland River. Visiting a gem like this is a reward for all the tedious driving.  The trail is beautifully designed, mostly a hardwood island high above the wetlands, with overlooks of recycled material. A trail guide explained salt marshes and the flora and fauna which can survive here, and their importance in the ecosystem of the coast. Global warming will be and is affecting them as ocean levels rise. This refuge is studying this and working on ways (if possible) to mitigate the effects. 

I eventually found my way to Newington, NH, but repeatedly got turned around and had to keep checking my phone. At one point I got on a toll road and frantically scrambled for cash at the toll booth. I only had a $20 bill and apologized since the toll was 75 cents but the toll lady laughed and said that was fine because she could use it for change for "the $100 bill I will probably get later tonight." 

I ate at an Olive Garden and settled in a not especially nice Walmart lot, but it was dark already and I read an hour before sleeping. I did wake up once or twice but only to check the sky for dawn and quickly fell asleep again.