NATURE NOTES FROM ACADIA

WILD LIFE ALONG THE HIGHWAYS

We who patrol the roads through Acadia National Park have an excellent opportunity to observe wild life on the island. It may be early morning when we open the Cadillac Mountain Road for those who wish to see the sun rise from that summit that a glimpse of a mother deer and her fawn may be had when we round a bend in the highway. Perhaps this couple has been surprised at its feeding. Away will go the mother, stopping after a few bounds, perhaps, to look back after the fawn who, apparently fascinated by the headlights, may hesitate before deciding to follow as best it can. But the mother deer will wait, and sometimes the two will watch us from the forested road-banks until we are out of sight.

From Cadillac's summit, during blueberry season, we sometimes can see hundreds of gulls feeding on the ripe fruit on the nearby mountain tops. Occasionally the noble bald eagle is seen wheeling high overhead, or perhaps we are fortunate enough to witness his thrilling act of robbing the Osprey of its fish. A glimpse of even the much smaller forms of wild life, especially squirrels and small birds, make our patrol of the highways all the more pleasant.

- Vernon A. McQuinn
Temporary Ranger