Aha, my favorite! This morning when I checked my email, there was this spider photo waiting for me from Gudrun at Hirundo Wildlife Refuge. The message with it: "We found this rather slow spider at Hirundo this past weekend. Very green. Any idea of its name? Tried to ID it but no luck." 

I'm pretty sure this is Tetragnatha viridis Walckenaer, or Green longjawed orbweaver. The red patch at the front of the abdomen was the give-away since I can't see the eye pattern or mouthparts. According to Common Spiders of North America, they're "found along the East Coast and in the Southeast.  They are a spider of pine forests and occasionally other conifers. The web is built in the low branches of pine trees."

It is very exciting to receive a spider sighting this time of year - especially one in bright green wrapping paper. Thanks, Gudrun.

Happy Holidays!

Shirley Ellis sent in this picture of Ruffed Grouse, Bonasa umbellus. A lot of people call it a partridge. These medium-sized birds are heard more than seen when they are flushed from hiding spots in deciduous woods - their wings flapping loudly. This shot really shows the crest on its head well. According to the Sibley Field Guide to Birds of North America, the color of this specimen indicates that it is a rufous (or red-colored) specimen verses another gray type.
     Below are other winter signs of Ruffed Grouse taken last winter - scat and tracks.
     In mid June 2014, on a trail in the northern section of Baxter State Park, I must have gotten too close to a nest. One came flying out of the woods at a good clip right toward me. It was fairly low to the ground and my concern was for my legs getting pecked into a bloody mess. I ran and she eventually calmed down enough for me to get the last photo below.

In the Bangor area, we are very fortunate to have a group of experienced birders that share their adventures through photographs. Those that I've had the pleasure to meet are very dedicated. They venture out every day in every kind of weather. 
                 Tuesday morning it was easy to see the excitement of one of these birders when he stopped in the office to share that the Peregrine Falcon couple returned to their winter hunting perch on the Fairpoint building in downtown Bangor. He noticed them last winter as well and pointed them out to me from the Bangor Land Trust office window which is right across the street.
                Thanks so much Jerry, Bob, Ron and Richard. You bring these lofty beings closer to us. It brightens our lives and increases our awareness.