Greetings!

Like the animals, we are preparing for the cold months ahead and settling in to the rhythm of winter. Please enjoy our November edition!

What are you seeing out there? We'd love to hear from you! The following posts are from some of our local Harpswell Nature Watchers. All of the contributions below are seen immediately in our Facebook group.

Click here for more information about Harpswell Nature Watchers.
November is the time for killing frosts and our first snow fall. It's also the time for wildlife to dine on leftover fruit that may have fermented sugars. It is not unusual to see American robins and cedar waxwings stumbling around on the ground or flying erratically having eaten too many berries or apples that contained alcohol. In extreme cases the birds may succumb to alcohol poisoning! Ruffed grouse are more sensible, focusing now on leftover seed catkins and quaking aspen buds. Read more about wildlife on our website: https://hhltmaine.org/nature-notes/
(Submitted by Ed Robinson, November 6, 2019)
This week is the peak of the white-tailed deer breeding season, known as "the rut." Fueled by excess testosterone, bucks will be in hot pursuit of does coming into estrous. The fervor to breed and to pass along their genetics can lead to fierce battles between bucks, sometimes leading to serious injury or death. After the rut ends, bucks retreat to quiet locations to rest and rebuild their energy reserves, having lost up to 15 percent of their body weight.

Striped skunks and raccoons, fat from the bounty of autumn foods, are settling into their winter dens. On warmer days during the winter they may wake and wander around hoping to find some food, including leftover grain or carrion.
(Submitted by Ed Robinson, November 13, 2019; Photo by Craig Snapp)