June 2026 Trolls, baby animals everywhere, Adirondacks, Maine

Tuesday, June 2  Went to Rhode Island to visit my friends Di and Linda today. First, Di and I met up with their friend, Pam, an ornithologist who works at the Ninigret National Wildlife Refuge to go for a walk. Pam said my bird book has "the perfect combination of nerdy and awe", which is, itself, perfect!

Afterwards, we stopped at the Ninigret Park to see the Thomas Dambo troll sculptures - here's Greta Granite.

When I got home, I went to Ward's Pond to check on the swan nest - 5 cygnets! But a week and a half later, they were down to just 2.

 Friday June 5 Mama duck trying to get some alone time at Ward's Pond.

 And in the evening, Jetta, the Arb intern staying with me this summer, saw this baby rabbit in my back yard.

Jetta Boser

 Sunday June 7 Walking at Broadmoor Audubon sanctuary in Natick, a turtle laying eggs.

 Later in the day, along the path near Ward's Pond, someone finally added eyes to the crinkled bark mouth and nose on this tree.

 And later on, walking along the Muddy River by the Longwood T station, another turtle laying eggs.

Tuesday June 9 The kousa dogwood in my front yard is covered in cream colored blooms.

Friday June 12 The swan family was at Jamaica Pond this morning, having crossed busy Perkins St. to get there from Ward's Pond.

Saturday June 13 The swan family was back at Ward's Pond again. The adults must have marched the cygnets back across Perkins St. Strange!

Sunday June 14 I'm in the Adirondacks for a week, relaxing and giving a couple of talks. At the Wild Center in Tupper Lake, Luna, the screech owl, helped with my talk about the microscopic structures of the facial ruff feathers and flight feathers that allow owls to hunt by their hearing alone and to fly silently. The BBC has a great video demonstrating the silent flight of a barn owl, compared with the noisy flights of a pigeon and a peregrine falcon.

 And 6 more trolls at the Wild Center! 

 Monday June 15 Walking through Saranac Lake, spotted this mural.

 Tuesday June 16 On my early morning walk around White Pine Camp, as I was standing at the dock a juvenile bald eagle took off from behind me and flew across the pond. At the end of the day, the pair of loons were on the pond by the tea house, one calling to the other.

 Walked the Heron Marsh Trail at the Visitor Information Center in Paul Smiths. Spotted a female wood duck (I think) with 2 ducklings at the far end of the marsh. Heard a few warblers, but couldn't spot them.

 Wednesday June 17  An adult robin has been hanging around the grassy area by my cabin, plucking worms and who knows what else from the ground. Yesterday, I noticed a juvenile robin with it, hassling it for food; they were both out there again this morning. 

Walked the Boreal Trail at the VIC this morning. Saw a white-throated sparrow in the woods and a lone loon at Barnum's Pond.

 Thursday June 18 Two snapping turtles decided to lay their eggs right by the walkway at my cabin this morning. One wasn't happy about me watching them and wandered away for a bit, but then returned. I've never seen two lay eggs at the same spot before.

 Sunday June 21 Went to Montreal to see my friend Sylvia over the weekend, then headed to St Johnsbury, Vermont, pictured below, on my way to the National Audubon camp at Hog Island, Maine. 

 Monday June 22 At Hog Island, waiting for dinner, I saw a bald eagle land at the top of a tree on the next island over; a loon paddling about in the harbor; an osprey fly over the mainland boathouse; and lots of common terns diving and catching fish.

 

Wednesday June 24 Gave a talk at the Rockport Library, near Camden Maine yesterday. Full house, lots of questions, enjoyed the visit. Before leaving this morning to head home, I went for a walk along a stream through some woodland trails - beautiful!

 Thursday June 25 A great blue heron at Leverett Pond in Boston, wading from one little island to another, looking a bit odd with the water up to its belly.

 Saturday June 27 Walking around Jamaica Pond this morning, I saw two downy woodpeckers land on a tree and watched as one pecked some insect out of the bark and fed it to the other, presumably its offspring. 

My friends Ellen and Maureen have been seeing juvenile hawks hanging around on the railing of their back deck - pretty amazing!

Ellen Wade

 

Ellen Wade