Summer 2019 HABITAT The Audacity Salmon of IN THIS ISSUE Maine’s Salmon Story Kids v. Balloon Litter Birding Oaxaca TABLE of CONTENTS 4 News and Notes 6 The Inspiring History of the Atlantic Salmon 13 Species Spotlight: Pandion haliaetus 12 Kid-powered Advocacy 16 Calendar of Events 20 Naturalist HQ 22 Poem: The Goldfinch and Her Mate Habitat Volume 35, Issue 2 Jeremy Cluchey, Editor The journal of Maine Audubon, Nick Lund, Assistant Editor ISSN 0739-2052, is published Jenn Schmitt, Events Editor quarterly. Brandi Sladek, Designer & [email protected] Layout Editor Staff Directors Officers, Board of Trustees Andy Beahm, Executive Director Stacy Stitham, President Peter Baecher, Properties David Littell, Vice President Dori Barnes, Finance & HR Alyssa Hemingway, Treasurer Kate Lewis, Development Richard McKittrick, Secretary Sally Stockwell, Conservation Eric Topper, Education Jan Weyant, Retail Maine Audubon Headquarters 20 Gilsland Farm Rd., Falmouth, ME 04105 (207) 781-2330, maineaudubon.org A NOTE from the EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Maybe it’s because we’re inching into the to become an activist for whales and wildlife, warmer months, but lately I’ve found myself and against balloons and plastic litter. thinking a lot about glaciers. Summer is of course the perfect time Glaciers deserve much of the credit for to appreciate water in Maine. As you creating what we now think of as “Maine.” head outside this season, be sure to find The last glacial remnants were gone about opportunities to visit Fields Pond in Holden, 11,000 years ago, but their impact on our or the magical ponds at Borestone Mountain. state’s unique geography is substantial and Get out on the water as part of our Annual enduring. Loon Count on July 20, or on hundreds of Enormously thick and heavy glaciers streams and ponds as a volunteer angler with completely reshaped Maine’s landscape. They our Brook Trout Survey. carved our lakes and ponds, and sculpted Of course, despite its abundance, water is those characteristic fingers and islands into not a resource we can take for granted. Clean our coastline. Today, Maine is blessed with water is essential to us, and to wildlife. On abundant water, which covers 10 percent of the next page, you’ll see an update on our our surface — more freshwater surface area advocacy work in Augusta on clean water than 46 other states. On the salty side of issues. We need your help — if you don’t things, Maine’s tidal shoreline measures 3,478 already receive our Action Alert emails, be miles — also ranked fourth in the nation. sure to sign up at maineaudubon.org/act. Water shapes us, sustains us, and defines us. Thank you for all you do to support Maine’s In this issue of Habitat, we dive right in. As wildlife! part of the Year of the Salmon, Catherine Schmitt shares the story of the persistent Atlantic Salmon, including its surprising role in presidential politics. And Kennebunk High School senior Will Jones tells his own story of inspiration and persistence that led him Andy Beahm 3 NEWS and NOTES OUR 4TH ANNUAL NATIVE PLANTS SALE & FESTIVAL Are you a gardener or homeowner looking to integrate native species into your yard? Ready to turn your yard into a wildlife sanctuary? On June 15 at Gilsland Farm in Falmouth, we’ll be hosting this popular annual event to help you do just that! We work with state and regional vendors to source naturally-propagated plants that are easily adaptable to a variety of landscape uses. We also grow many plants ourselves, and we’ll have experts and resources on hand to help you select the best plants for you. Join us and choose from over 60 species of potted native wildflowers, shrubs, and trees. This event is the signature program of Maine Audubon’s “Bringing Nature Home” community engagement and native plant restoration initiative, based on the best-selling book of that title by entomologist Doug Tallamy. It is funded by generous support from Jim and Ann Hancock. Hope to see you there! 4 DOING GOOD NEW LOON COUNT LEADERSHIP! WITH MAINE AUDUBON AND We are thrilled to welcome wildlife biologist Tracy Hart DOWN EAST to our conservation team. Hailing from Freeport, Tracy The “Great Maine has worked as a biologist in Scavenger Hunt” the U.S. and abroad — from from Down East studying the effects of pesticides magazine is back for its third on birds in Botswana, to coral year, and we’re taking part! Participants fan out studies in American Samoa, to around Maine to accomplish a wide variety of tasks — from assisting whale research in Alaska and Mexico, to (most scenic hikes, to restaurant crawls, to candlepin bowling recently) the biosecurity of several coastal islands — and share selfies along the way. As the sponsor for the in California. “Doing Good” category, we’re asking Mainers to volunteer in communities around the state, including sharing selfies Among other projects, Tracy now leads our Loon Project of them filling bags with plastic litter and other trash. Join work — which means she is managing our Annual Loon the fun at downeast.com/greatmainescavengerhunt. Count, taking place this year on July 20. Learn more at maineaudubon.org/looncount. ADVOCATING FOR CLEAN WATER We are excited to be making good headway on water quality. On Earth Day, Governor Janet Mills signed LD 216 into law, requiring septic system inspections for any property transfer in the shoreland zone. When septic systems fail, bacteria and excess nutrients can leak into groundwater, ending up in our lakes, streams, and coastal waters. The passage of LD 216 is great news for wildlife. Another bill — LD 235 — would increase funding for programs that prevent and control the spread of invasive aquatic plant species. Wildlife that would benefit from this bill include the Common Loon, as well as many other birds, fish, and plant life that call our lakes home. This bill had unanimous support from the Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Committee. We are optimistic that it will be law by the time you read this! 5 By Catherine Schmitt With Extraordinary Persistence and Force ing H Inspir isto r on The y o alm f the tic S Atlan 6 Early spring was once a hungry time. Stored food would be running low, and many animals and plants still dormant. Slowly, the snow melted, the rivers begin to flow again. And even before the ice had fully cleared, like magic, the fish returned, a gift of food from the sea. Among those that migrated between freshwater and the ocean, the Atlantic Salmon was one of the largest and most prized food fish. Their food value, combined with their history on the landscape and incredible migratory journey, earned salmon the title “King of Fish” and inspired cultures across the Northern Hemisphere. But these same characteristics are today among the reasons why Atlantic Salmon are on the Endangered Species List — and the focus of the International Year of the Salmon in 2019. Salmon have been here far longer than humans. The Atlantic species, Salmo salar, shares a heritage with other species of salmon and trout and evolved around 250,000 years ago, just as the planet was plunging into a series of ice ages and alternating warm periods. For hundreds of thousands of years, as the human race was emerging in Africa and dispersing across the globe, Atlantic Salmon lived with the ice, and learned to adapt to challenging conditions. Some of these adaptations include eggs that incubate in freshwater streams through long, cold winters; fast growth during short summers; and an ability to tolerate fluctuations in water flow and temperature found in the river landscapes created by glaciers. The modern history of salmon is intertwined with the history of humanity, as ancient peoples memorialized salmon in carvings, paintings, and stories passed down through generations. on o alm f the Atlantic S 7 Their migration is one of the greatest in the animal kingdom. Young salmon hatch from eggs and spend several years in again and again, sending adult Salmon back to Northeast the upper reaches of freshwater rivers, where predators are rivers every spring. Their natural range extended from New few and far between, before traveling thousands of miles to York to Labrador, Iceland, Russia, and Portugal, and includ- grow into adults in the productive, food-rich waters of the ed all of the major rivers of Maine. North Atlantic. Adults then migrate back to the very same rivers where they were born to spawn and lay eggs. Un- The Atlantic salmon’s ability to live in saltwater and freshwa- like Pacific salmon, Atlantic Salmon don’t always die after ter, to leap up waterfalls, to journey from mountain to sea spawning. Many survive to repeat the cycle again and again. and back again, generated stories and rituals throughout its range, from the Celtic Salmon of Knowledge to indigenous With extraordinary persistence and force, they make steady North American burial traditions and origin stories. progress, swimming against swift rapids, climbing cata- racts and launching themselves up unbroken falls as high Of course, part of the reason salmon were such a part of as twelve feet. They rest in shady pools and lakes along the culture is that they also were an important source of food. way. Only the strongest succeed, and sometimes only after Hundreds of thousands of salmon used to ascend Maine repeated attempts. Why go through so much effort? One rivers. The Wabanaki people fished for salmon with spears at hypothesis is that if the habitat worked before, it must be a waterfalls and rapids, often at night by torchlight.