Amazing Places - Rachel Carson National Wild Fauna Refuge, Maine


One of the places nosotros referenced inwards our Maine report is the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge.  If you're e'er inwards the southern expanse of Maine...downeast...be certain to banking concern gibe it out.  Below is an article I wrote for a publication a few years ago.

On a crisp autumn solar daytime inwards Southern Maine, nosotros cycle upwardly to the bulletin board of the Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge. Tacked to it is a ruled notepad in addition to a pencil on a string. Here, guests are invited to write downward what wild animals they’ve seen on their visit. It makes for some fascinating reading in addition to whets the appetite for what’s to come...

“Two squirrels, four blueish jays, i deer...”
“a hawk, iii chipmunks, four sparrows...”
“3 squirrels in addition to ii dead mosquitos...”

We had been inwards Maine for the by week, inwards the midst of the elevation autumn color. So far, the crowds bring been really sparse...we had been expecting that the expanse would hold upwardly swamped alongside leaf-peepers. On a brilliantly cool in addition to sunny day, fortified alongside some delicious local lobster in addition to chowder, nosotros caput over to the visitor’s center...just S of Kennebunkport.

Packing upwardly some H2O in addition to our binoculars, nosotros caput out onto the 1 mile trail that leads off into the forest. The trail is difficult packed dirt alongside wooden borders. Today, it is covered alongside a lean layer of fallen leaves, muffling our sounds in addition to then that exclusively those of the surrounding wood are heard. The trail is relatively apartment in addition to easily negotiable for whatever wheelchair. Interpretive stations are sprinkled throughout along alongside pullouts where the weary tin rest.

The offset tertiary of the trail winds through shady wood where at that topographic point are squirrel habitats, creeks, stations interpreting the local found life. Chipmunks in addition to squirrels abound. Curiously, birds are close absent every bit nosotros made our means quietly towards the sea.

The trail opens upwardly onto a coastal marsh alongside a breathtaking display of color alongside vivid cerise saccharide maples highlighting the yellows of the birch trees alongside the evergreen pines outlining their brilliance alongside their contrasting green. The designers of the trail thoughtfully bring installed a pullout alongside a bench, knowing yous volition desire to pass fourth dimension hither absorbing the view.

Shore birds flit roughly the saw grass at the border of the marsh. We halt to drink some water, searching the horizon alongside our binoculars. Surely at that topographic point must hold upwardly some wild animals inwards the refuge today but the biggest mammals nosotros reckon are the ever-present squirrels.

About 3/4 of a mile out, the trail turns dorsum in, next the job of the tide dorsum into the shady deciduous forest. Soon, nosotros encounter upwardly alongside the master copy trail in addition to are dorsum inwards the parking lot adding our entries into the log...

“Many squirrels, vi chipmunks, 2 blueish jays...”

The Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge flows through several seaside towns inwards Southern Maine. The visitor’s centre in addition to the mile long wheelchair accessible trail is betwixt Wells in addition to the Kennebunks on Route 9 close Deer Run Road only northward of the junction alongside Highway 1. Signage is really limited, spotter carefully for the entrance.

Beside the trail, other accessible features include portable toilets, parking, in addition to a modest visitor’s centre accessible via a ramp.

-Darryl
Copyright 2000 - Darryl Musick
All Rights Reserved

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Transit Written Report - Los Angeles 2018

Image
There's been roughly large moves inwards Los Angeles populace transit since nosotros in conclusion took a look.  See the updates below, inwards red. UPDATE: Jan 2018 Does Los Angeles at i time guide maintain the most extensive, wheelchair accessible rails organisation inwards the USA? Let's create a footling comparing (stats below create non include inter-urban commuter rail)... New York has 651 miles of rails transit amongst 96 accessible stations out of 425, or a footling less than 1 out of every 4. Boston has 78 miles of rails transit amongst 97 accessible stations out of 133, or nigh three out of every 4. Chicago has 102 miles of rails transit amongst 99 stations out of 148, or nigh 2 out of every 3. Los Angeles has 105 miles of rails transit amongst 93 stations, all accessible. Plus, at that topographic point is roughly other rapid charabanc trouble that runs simply similar rails transit on it's ain correct of agency for xviii miles amon...
Read more

Places That Don't Suck: The Yard Ole Opry, Nashville, Tennessee

Image
NOTE: This is i of our occasional, VERY occasional posts on places that are huge tourist draws but larn by non to suck at the same time. It's synonymous amongst Country music. If at that spot wasn't already a Country Music Hall of Fame, existence a fellow member hither would count only every bit much. Everybody inward the music work organisation strives to play on this stage. Now, the Grand Ole Opry demo is plenty of a describe but what makes it particular is the wintertime version when it returns to its roots inward downtown Nashville every bit opposed to the modern auditorium that's attached to the Gaylord Opryland Hotel to the east, over the Cumberland River. In the mutual depression temperature months, the Opry returns to its master copy home...the Ryman Auditorium, only a block northward of Broadway inward downtown Nashville. The Ryman has its roots every bit a church building as well as thus it's non a stretch to encounter why this is called the ...
Read more

Visiting Quaint Wayland Foursquare Inwards Providence, Ri

Image
Article in addition to Photo past times Eric H. Rodney Dangerfield -- God Bless your person -- induce got notice: Wayland Square, a pleasant department inward Providence, RI, gets no respect. While the busy, funky, eclectic in addition to sometimes cloying, precious College Hill caters to Brown University in addition to Rhode Island School of Design college students, Wayland Square resides, near silently, a few blocks down. And spell Providence Place, Federal Hill in addition to Waterplace Park convey inward the tourists in addition to local crowds, Wayland Square quite modestly avoids the limelight of Providence's lively renaissance. This avoidance happens amongst expert reason: it's difficult to induce got a Renaissance when your traditional-oriented neighborhood has maintained itself good through the years. Largely a wealthy residential expanse on the "East Side," Wayland Square looks to a greater extent than similar a quaint hamlet than business office of a bust...
Read more