The Nature of Maine in January
The Snow Man
One must have a mind of winter
To regard the frost and the boughs
Of the pine-trees crusted with snow;
And have been cold a long time
To behold the junipers shagged with ice,
The spruces rough in the distant glitter
Of the January sun; and not to think
Of any misery in the sound of the wind,
In the sound of a few leaves,
Which is the sound of the land
Full of the same wind
That is blowing in the same bare place
For the listener, who listens in the snow,
And, nothing himself, beholds
Nothing that is not there and the nothing that is.
~Wallace Stevens
Plants
The humble American beech (Fagus grandifolia), often dwarfed by other trees in the bold, green bounty of summer comes into its own in winter - a graceful spot of coppery color in snowy woods. This native beech, which can live up to 3,000 years, provides an important food source for birds, mice, squirrels, foxes, ruffed grouse and bears (as claw marks on their trunks can testify!). Beech trees grow throughout Maine but the species has been hard hit by a bark disease (involving both a scale insect and a fungi) that forms cankers on the otherwise smooth bark.
Wildlife
Coastal beaches and headlands may be nearly void of human company in winter, but you can find plenty of avian company just offshore. Look for rafts of hardy wintering seabirds waterfowl-like eiders, loons, grebes, goldeneyes and oldsquaws. Coping with winter storms on the mainland pales alongside what these birds endure in winter gales - withstanding the low water temperature, notable wind chill, rough seas and blowing snow. You can find an assortment of species along the length of Maine's coast during winter, but Maine Audubon claims "the southwest coast easily provides the best birding in the state in terms of the number of species to be found."
Green Tip
Try coping with snow and ice on walks and driveways without relying on too many salts (which damage plants and can disrupt nearby waterways). Take preventative action by shoveling shortly after snow falls and removing slush and snow on warmer days. Use salt-based de-icing compounds (such as sodium chloride, potassium chloride, calcium chloride or magnesium chloride) minimally as even a teaspoon of salt can contaminate 5 gallons of water. A less toxic alternative is Calcium magnesium acetate (CMA) which is biodegradable (but contributes excess nutrients to waterways so should still be used minimally). Apply just enough de-icers to break the ice from the pavement below, then shovel away the remaining slush.
This information was adapted from the January 2009 edition of the "Living Green" e-newsletter (www.livinggreen.org) produced by the State of Minnesota. You can sign up for this great resource yourself at their website.
Notable January Dates
January 9: Full Moon (Wolf Moon)
January 16: Last Quarter Moon
January 23: New Moon
January 30: First Quarter Moon
See downloadable tide charts and times of sunrise/sunset in January.
