On Friday morning, since we did not have to meet the rest of our group until 2 PM, Doug and I traveled down to the Great Wass Island Preserve. I have not visited the preserve for about 20+ years but do remember it as a great place to visit, photograph and bird watch.
Directions: The preserve can be reached by car. From Route l take Route 187 to Jonesport, crossing the bridge over Moosabec Reach to Beals. Go through Beals to Great Wass Island follow the road (it turns to dirt) to Black Duck Cove (about three miles from Beals) where there is a marked parking area on the left.
Great Wass Island Preserve
is a 1540-acre tract that encompasses almost all of the southern portion of Beals Island and is maintained by the Nature Conservatory. The island jacks father out to sea than any other land mass than Eastern Maine and results in extensive marine exposure. The combination of the waters of the Gulf of Maine and the Bay of Fundy produce a cool humid oceanic climate.
There are number of hiking trails on the preserve and if you want to travel on them, I recommend sturdy shoes, a hiking stick, insect repellent and sunscreen along with water to drink. You hike through woods and then up onto granite cliffs which overlooked the water, across-the-board walk in a marsh.
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| Moss on tree |
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| Brown Creeper |
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| Mushrooms |
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| White-throaed Sparrow |
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| Dragon's Mouth |
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| Pitcher-Plant |
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| Bunchberry |
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| Canadian Tiger Swallowtail |
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| Yellow-rumped Warbler - blur |
You never know what you can find here, there are unusual plants, birds and even if you don't see them signs of mammals. We found fresh bear scat along the side of the trail which had to be no more than a half to one hour old.
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| Common Yellowthroat |
At one portion on a hike, a female common yellowthroat kept us company for at least a quarter of a mile.
We did not make it all the way to the coast because we came across an extremely wet area that was probably up to 2 feet deep.
If you are up in Down East Maine, Jonesport-Beals-and the Great Wass Preserve are worth a visit.
is a 1540-acre tract that encompasses almost all of the southern portion of Beals Island and is maintained by the Nature Conservatory. The island jacks father out to sea than any other land mass than Eastern Maine and results in extensive marine exposure. The combination of the waters of the Gulf of Maine and the Bay of Fundy produce a cool humid oceanic climate.
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