The Nature of Maine in April

After a brutal Maine winter
the world dissolves
in weak sunshine and water.
Mud sucks at your shoes.
It's impossible to keep the floors
or the dogs clean.
Peeling layers of clothes like onion skins,
you emerge pale, root-like, a little dazed
by brighter light...

Plants

Early April in Maine tends to be a time of waiting and watching for signs of reemerging life. Before the earliest shrubs begin to leaf out, you may find skunk cabbage rising up through half-frozen ground near stream beds. Its elegant leaf (called a spathe) brings welcome spots of brilliant yellow-green and maroon to a landscape drenched in browns and grays. This unusual plant can actually generate heat (and its infamous odor), keeping itself roughly 30 degrees F. warmer than the surrounding air! For a full and fascinating natural history of this remarkable plant, see The Nature Institute's description.

Wildlife

At latest count (in 2006), Maine had 412 nesting pairs of bald eagles. Eagles prepare their nests in March and lay eggs-which they will incubate for 35 days. Many eagles nest in settings removed from human activity (and like it that way), but you can get a close-up view of two Maine nest sites through two online "eagle cams" run by the Biodiversity Research Institute. Young eagles typically remain around the nest about 12 weeks. If you want to see eagle families during summer months, consider visiting Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge downeast. If you encounter eagle nests elsewhere in your travels, please respect the birds' strong need for privacy and keep far away. To learn more about good viewing etiquette and the eagle's recovery in Maine, see "Bald Eagles in Coastal Maine" and "The Comeback of Bald Eagles in Maine," both by the State's leading eagle specialist Charlie Todd.

Local Foods

If you want fresh, local produce through the coming summer and can't make it routinely to a farmer's market, you can enroll in a Community Supported Agriculture program near you--where you sign up for a share in the spring (April is not too early-some farms end up with waiting lists!) and then receive a bag or two of produce each week through the harvest season (generally late June through early October). Maine is at the forefront of this local agriculture movement nationally, with 120 farms across the state that provide 5,500 shares. See the directory of participating CSA farms at the website of Maine Organic Farmers and Gardeners Association.

Green Tip

kayaking Planning for your summer vacation? Consider the options within a day's drive of home-so you spend less time in transit and more time in R&R mode. You also generate less pollution and are apt to save a good deal of money. If you're within a day's drive of Maine, you can find outdoor adventures, opportunities to learn new skills and explore beautiful backcountry settings on this site's searchable database. You can also find links to green lodgings and restaurants, good travel guides and more to help plan your ultimate vacation.

Notable April Dates

AprilApril 6: Last Quarter Moon
April 14: New Moon
April 21: First Quarter Moon
April 22: Earth Day
April 28: Full Moon (Frog Moon)

See downloadable tide charts and times of sunrise/sunset in April.