<![CDATA[Wild Moments]]>https://wildmoments.substack.comhttps://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!5aDR!,w_256,c_limit,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2Fb77ee902-d3a8-49f6-965d-6a0778805bdf_256x256.pngWild Momentshttps://wildmoments.substack.comSubstackThu, 14 May 2026 00:09:22 GMT<![CDATA['Tis May]]>https://wildmoments.substack.com/p/tis-mayhttps://wildmoments.substack.com/p/tis-mayWed, 13 May 2026 10:25:39 GMTBelow are photos of wild moments I enjoyed during an early-May stroll at home…

Wood Windflower by the driveway
Dwarf Ginseng flowering by the creek
fuzzy ferns unfurling… or perhaps doubled-over in laughter (once I saw it, I couldn’t unsee it!)
Wild Sarparilla leaves soon to unfold, with clusters of flower buds below
Balsam Fir sapling
Starflower leaves and a flower bud
violets in the back clearing
an ant walking on an unfurling Bracken Fern

Have you seen a fir, a fern, or a flower today?

]]><![CDATA[Scott Arboretum & Gardens]]>https://wildmoments.substack.com/p/scott-arboretum-and-gardenshttps://wildmoments.substack.com/p/scott-arboretum-and-gardensTue, 12 May 2026 15:48:22 GMTMy Mom and I took a trip to Pennsylvania a couple of weeks ago, and while we were there, we visited Scott Arboretum and Gardens, at Swarthmore College.

Below are photos of some of the not-so-wild, but very delightful, moments I experienced with the trees and flowers of this place…

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]]><![CDATA[A walk in Kennebunkport]]>https://wildmoments.substack.com/p/a-walk-in-kennebunkporthttps://wildmoments.substack.com/p/a-walk-in-kennebunkportTue, 28 Apr 2026 13:18:11 GMTI took an hour-long, mid-morning walk in Kennebunkport last week.

Below are photos of some of the springtime wild moments I enjoyed along the way…

Common Dandelion growing between a brick and a hard place
an old friend peeking above the sidewalk-wall at the Colony Hotel
and more botanical life emerging from the wall
basal rosette of Common Mullein leaves — holding secrets within
I love to search for heart-shaped rocks — do you seen any?
soft, bright-green moss
Coming soon: leaves!
oh-so-many colors in one little place
Many of the trees in downtown Kennebunkport are labeled with these numbered tags.
The tree labeled #339 has several fuzzy, orange buds that are well over an inch long.

I hope you enjoy some wild moments today!

]]><![CDATA[Moments that made my heart sing]]>https://wildmoments.substack.com/p/moments-that-made-my-heart-singhttps://wildmoments.substack.com/p/moments-that-made-my-heart-singSat, 25 Apr 2026 20:41:10 GMT
Shagbark Hickory — a recent “tree of the week” (Apr 12)
Wood Frog eggs, at Mary Merrill Trail in Saco, ME (Apr 12)
ladybug (Apr 16)
Dawn — 5:36 a.m. (Apr 18)
maple flowers (Apr 18)
Dusk — 7:41 p.m. (Apr 18)
Common Dandelion (Apr 21)
Vibrance! (Apr 21)
“Shh… we’re hiding.” — Trailing-arbutus flowers (Apr 22)
my first Glossy Ibis of the year — photo by Josh (Apr 23)
Cascade Falls, in Saco, ME — a magical place (Apr 25)
my first Little Bluets of the year — in our friends’ yard (Apr 25)

This spring, may a wild moment make your heart sing!

]]><![CDATA[Wild Sounds]]>https://wildmoments.substack.com/p/wild-sounds-642https://wildmoments.substack.com/p/wild-sounds-642Thu, 23 Apr 2026 18:47:34 GMTOn Tuesday morning, not far from the creek, I recorded the following two-minute soundscape:

There are at least 11 species of birds in the soundscape. Do you recognize any of the voices?

Recording: April 21, 2026, 6:22 a.m., Kennebunkport, ME

]]><![CDATA[Exquisite]]>https://wildmoments.substack.com/p/exquisitehttps://wildmoments.substack.com/p/exquisiteThu, 16 Apr 2026 09:58:40 GMTOne of the very first “petaled” wildflowers we see in spring is Trailing-arbutus (Epigaea repens).

I find the fragrance of this plant’s blossoms to be exquisite, and it was with this in mind that I posted the following photo last week.

It shows the leaves of Trailing-arbutus among those of Eastern Spicy-Wintergreen and other plants…

I hadn’t yet seen any flowers, or even flower-buds, at this location, which is very near to our home, so, on Saturday morning, when I walked by another patch of Trailing-arbutus in the neighborhood, I almost didn’t slow down to check.

However, my intuition said: Stop… Look…

I approached a bit closer, and my gaze rested on what I thought might be a few tiny flowers…

When I bent down to investigate the Trailing-arbutus more fully, I realized that there were many flowers, and flower-buds, among the plants’ rough, weathered, yellow-green leaves.

The petals’ colors ranged from white, to creamy yellow, to pale pink…

Even though it had rained several hours earlier, I couldn’t help but hope the flowers might still offer me their delicate fragrance, so I crouched down, placed my cheek by the earth, and took a deep breath…

It was a most delicious drink of wildflower air!

How joyful it is

to meet a flower,

to find a patch of plants,

to wait for the first breath of spring,

to draw close to the earth,

to savor a wild moment.

]]><![CDATA[Catkins, Clouds, and a Crocus]]>https://wildmoments.substack.com/p/catkins-clouds-and-a-crocushttps://wildmoments.substack.com/p/catkins-clouds-and-a-crocusTue, 14 Apr 2026 23:49:00 GMTOn Sunday morning, I walked to a neighborhood river crossing and back. Below are photos of some of the wild moments I enjoyed…

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]]><![CDATA[You're invited.]]>https://wildmoments.substack.com/p/youre-invitedhttps://wildmoments.substack.com/p/youre-invitedMon, 13 Apr 2026 20:20:54 GMTHi all,

This April and May, I’ll again be leading spring bird walks for Saco Bay Trails. Details are below. Jenny and I hope to see you there!

Wildly,

Josh

Saco Bay Trails’ annual Spring Bird Walks

These walks to the riverside and back will focus on observing birds with our eyes and ears. Perfect for beginners and experienced birders alike. Be sure to bring a pair of binoculars, if you have them!

Mondays at 7am (April 20, April 27, May 4, and May 11). Each walk will last approximately 90 minutes.

Laurel Hill Cemetery, 293 Beach Street, Saco, ME. We’ll park/meet in the lot by the chapel.

]]><![CDATA[Trash Day]]>https://wildmoments.substack.com/p/trash-dayhttps://wildmoments.substack.com/p/trash-dayFri, 10 Apr 2026 18:22:28 GMTIn our household, Josh kindly takes full responsibility for handling the trash and recycling. He brings items outside to their containers, and he brings the container(s) to and from the main road on Trash Day.

However, now that our dirt road is no longer a quarter-mile of ice, slush, or mud, I’ve been retrieving the container(s) for him, by foot, on Trash Day afternoons — to be helpful, and to enjoy some wild moments, of course!

I took the following photos during my container-retrieval outing this week…

a Blackberry bud
Eastern Spicy-wintergreen growing on the mossy bottom of a tree
white oak leaves still hanging on and looking quite lacy
a red oak cradling ferns and nuggets of icy snow
One reason I love living in a wild landscape: dead, standing trees!
Do you ever suddenly find yourself This Close to a tree?
The past and future location of exquisitely fragrant flowers! (Any guesses?)
This is one of the very first plants as you enter our driveway — but I’d never truly noticed this woody neighbor until today, a week or so after a friend and I started noticing similar-looking shrubs at a local cemetery.

I hope you enjoy some wild moments today!

]]><![CDATA[Wednesday Wanderings]]>https://wildmoments.substack.com/p/wednesday-wanderingshttps://wildmoments.substack.com/p/wednesday-wanderingsFri, 03 Apr 2026 10:22:40 GMTOn Wednesday, I visited a local cemetery. Here are some photos from my time…

Sugar Maple buds and branches
The greening has begun.
Sheep Dock leaves look a little like fish.
This basal rosette is so purple, and so hairy.
There’s a Brown Creeper scooting up a tree trunk at the center of this photo.
Heard my first-of-year Spring Peepers! The frogs were calling from behind the pond.
European Starlings spoke noisily at the top of my favorite cemetery tree, just before I left.

Back at home, I felt like wandering some more. Here are some photos from my stroll down our road and in the neighborhood…

Scat! — My guess is Wild Turkey scat.
I wasn’t the only one taking a walk.
I think this is an owl pellet. Do you see the tiny bones?
This is the female flower of a hazelnut shrub. For size reference, the flower is only about two coat-stitches wide.

I hope you enjoy some wild moments today!

]]><![CDATA[Tracks, scars, and a wee Balsam Fir]]>https://wildmoments.substack.com/p/tracks-scars-and-a-wee-balsam-firhttps://wildmoments.substack.com/p/tracks-scars-and-a-wee-balsam-firFri, 27 Mar 2026 11:17:48 GMTOn Wednesday, I enjoyed a sunny stroll at midday, and snapped a few photos along the way…

White-tailed Deer tracks — one clear track at the top of the photo, and another (I think) just above the golden pine needles
The base of this tree’s trunk looks to me like a three-toed foot wearing moss socks.
Along our dirt road, I noticed three trees in a row with similar-height scars — here’s the first.
Here’s the second.
And, here’s the third.
a young Balsam Fir (Abies balsamea) — our nature group’s “tree of the week”
Eastern Spicy-wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens)
There were still a few pockets of ice and snow.
There’s a pool of water beneath and beside the tree trunks in the middle of this photo. The creek runs nearby, behind the large rock.
the starry “winter” form of a wildflower along our road — perhaps a goldenrod

I hope you enjoy some wild moments today!

]]><![CDATA[Wild Mid-March Moments]]>https://wildmoments.substack.com/p/mid-march-walkhttps://wildmoments.substack.com/p/mid-march-walkTue, 17 Mar 2026 10:50:41 GMTOn Sunday afternoon, as I sat and rested on a bench that is only a few feet from our bird-feeders, several avian neighbors kept me company:

First a chickadee — the one with what sounds like a hoarse voice. Then, other chickadees.

Next, a titmouse who flew off immediately, protesting my presence.

Then, one goldfinch. And, soon after, a few of that bird’s pals.

Finally, a female nuthatch, and a male bluebird, who alighted briefly, before noticing me there.

I enjoyed being close to these birds — especially the goldfinches, who have never before stayed so near to me.

I employed my peripheral vision to observe the birds, and I remained very still.

When several minutes had passed and my body started to complain of the stillness, I stood up, stretched, and took a gray-day walk through the yard.

Below are some photos from my walk…

Can you feel the moss?
An underground run. Whose, I wonder?
Feather!
So much color and texture on this fallen branch.
And, so much color and texture on this tree trunk.
This part of the trunk looks like a knee cap, and is alive with liverwort.
I see more detail each time I look at this photo.
A very large, felled tree trunk, with insect sign, fungus, and bird droppings.
There is beauty and story even in the muddy mess of the driveway.

I hope you enjoy a wild moment today!

]]><![CDATA[Reinvigorated]]>https://wildmoments.substack.com/p/reinvigoratedhttps://wildmoments.substack.com/p/reinvigoratedMon, 09 Mar 2026 11:04:37 GMTSnowmelt has reinvigorated Bobcat Creek with ripples, reflections, and the sounds of flowing water.

Video: Sunday, March 8, 2026

]]><![CDATA[Early March Stroll]]>https://wildmoments.substack.com/p/early-march-strollhttps://wildmoments.substack.com/p/early-march-strollSat, 07 Mar 2026 11:08:32 GMTThere’s a bittersweet quality to this season of back-and-forth weather.

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]]><![CDATA[February 28, 2026]]>https://wildmoments.substack.com/p/february-28-2026https://wildmoments.substack.com/p/february-28-2026Sun, 01 Mar 2026 21:01:57 GMTat Bobcat Creek…

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]]><![CDATA[February 26, 2026]]>https://wildmoments.substack.com/p/26-feb-2026https://wildmoments.substack.com/p/26-feb-2026Thu, 26 Feb 2026 17:34:26 GMTA wild moment at Bobcat Creek…

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]]><![CDATA[The middle of February]]>https://wildmoments.substack.com/p/the-middle-of-februaryhttps://wildmoments.substack.com/p/the-middle-of-februaryWed, 18 Feb 2026 00:31:14 GMTCan you spot the two Yellow Birch (Betula alleghaniensis) trees in this video?

Video: 16 February 2026

]]><![CDATA[Sketchbook]]>https://wildmoments.substack.com/p/sketchbookhttps://wildmoments.substack.com/p/sketchbookMon, 09 Feb 2026 14:03:20 GMTHere’s a sketch of a White-breasted Nuthatch visiting one of our bird-feeders on Saturday morning. The nuthatches seem to like this type of feeder on which they can feed in their favored “upside down” position.

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]]><![CDATA[Sanderlings]]>https://wildmoments.substack.com/p/sanderlingshttps://wildmoments.substack.com/p/sanderlingsTue, 03 Feb 2026 22:36:04 GMTPlease enjoy this one-minute throwback to January — with a group of Sanderlings resting at midday in Biddeford Pool, ME.

Video: 4 January 2026

]]><![CDATA[The first of February]]>https://wildmoments.substack.com/p/the-first-of-februaryhttps://wildmoments.substack.com/p/the-first-of-februaryMon, 02 Feb 2026 01:31:29 GMTSnowy blankets, icy windows, and murmuring waters.

Video: 1 February 2026

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