This year we had the most disappointing May that we’ve had here for a long time: mostly cold fog and rain But it did provide some wonderful experiences.
When the sun did come out, we jumped at the chance to experience the jewel-like Maine spring days. that May is (or was) famous for.
Nonetheless, our resident Gulls seemed not to mind the drizzly fog and our large migrant fishing birds seem to have wintered well. We have a pair of Ospreys building a love nest in the top of a Balsam Fir on the shore of Brooklin’s Great Cove and colonies of Double-Crested Cormorants seem larger than usual.
Tree Swallows have been here all month and our spring warblers are still coming in. (Below there are three images of Tree Swallows, then these Warblers: Common Yellowthroat, Yellow-Rumped, Northern Parula, American Redstart, and [singing] Yellow.)
In terms of our tough resident birds who braved our winter, our male American Goldfinches donned their summer yellow suits and our male Wild Turkeys were still strutting in May.
Our favorite reptiles came out of hibernation in large numbers, We have at least seven Painted Turtles in our pond; they usually bask in threes and fours.
Moving from pond water to the sea, Great Cove came alive in May. Blue Sky was the first fishing vessel to set and tend lobster traps there, small sailboats and pulling boats were moored there again, and the first Coastal Schooner, Angelique, arrived on May 30 and left the next day.
Of course, May also is the month for blossoms. Here are just a few (Shadblow, Quince, Forsythia, Plum, and Crabapple. )
We celebrate Mother’s Day and Memorial Day in May, when neighbor Judith Fuller hangs her famous road banner and flags fly over veterans’ graves. This year, we also had a “Flower Full Moon” that was a New Moon, as well.
(All above images taken during May of 2019 in Down East, Maine.)