March in Maine is a random experience consisting of too much winter, too little spring, and surprises almost daily. This March was relatively milder than normal, but also wilder when it came to the number of surprises. We had cycles of bright sun, snow, fog, rain, ice, fierce winds, and days that were turned on and off by sunlight periodically breaking through dense clouds.
Our ponds and streams froze and thawed continually.
Great Cove frequently was wind-whipped and frozen into sea ice along the shore.
We haven’t seen many of the usual spring migrating birds yet, although our Herring Gull population has increased, a flock of Canada Geese rested a day in the Cove on its way north, and a pair of Mallards had to walk on ice, rather than swim.
The scallop season ended in late March and our fishing vessels looked like they had been through a tough, but successful, season. They’re getting cleaned up and ready for the summer lobster season — if we have one this year.
March is when our ancient apple trees get pruned before they wake up and crowded conifers are culled from the woods and chipped.
Skunk Cabbage spathes and Pussy Willow catkins appear in March and the Spruce trees disclose whether it will be a big cone year or not. This year is very big. There still were a few fruits on the Crabapple trees and Winterberry plants — an indication of a mild month in which the birds had plenty of better food to eat.
The March full moon was a super moon that rose molten red and became platinum when it gained height. It’s traditionally known as the Worm Full Moon, because it comes when the soil starts thawing and the worms awaken.
One of the month’s last surprises was a pretty snowfall that she gave us on March 30th to remember her by.
(All images above were taken in March 0f 2020 in Down East Maine.)