Went to Jamies (Jimmie) Pond Wildlife Management Area for a walk this morning. (See http://www.maine.gov/ifw/wildlife/land/department/region_b/jamiespond.htm FMI.)
Arrived around 9:00 (with husband and dogs, of course) and was surprised and delighted to find we had the place to ourselves. (Hooray for mid-week walks!) My good friend the beaver was not as thrilled by the turn of events, and for the ten minutes I spent taking photos and wandering the shoreline he was zigzagging more than he might have otherwise done. At one point he disappeared with a fantastic splash.
The beaver was headed toward this shoreline when I spotted him mid-pond.
The pond is not as green (not really green at all, actually), as my photos make it appear.
There is about an inch of water here, which gives you a sense of the water’s clarity.
As explained in an article in the June 21st issue of the Kennebec Journal (Morning Sentinel), the state has been undertaking timber harvesting at Jamies Pond this summer. (See http://www.centralmaine.com/2016/06/21/state-wildlife-officials-to-host-meeting-on-jamies-pond-in-hallowell-next-week/ FMI.)
According to the article, the timber harvesting plan “includes removal of certain trees to allow other, younger trees to flourish, thus increasing foraging opportunities for deer, snowshoe hare and turkey, and deer wintering area work to increase browse and patch openings in aspen-dominated areas to provide habitat for both grouse and woodcock.”
Trees slated for removal are marked with orange. We only heard heavy equipment toward the end of our walk (around 10:15) and we saw no signs of the work being done, but we stayed close to shore today rather than taking any of the more difficult trails at higher (and rockier) elevations. We’ve explored all of the trails many times, in many seasons, and this is one of our favorite spots to visit. (We’ve run into hunters there during the fall, which always makes me a little nervous.)
No bugs, no loose dogs, no twisted ankles. All in all today’s walk was nearly perfect. Now ain’t we living the dream?
The Nature of Maine 