Photo courtesy of Sue Shaw
Northeast Creek is an estuarine wetland located on the north side of Mount Desert Island, readily accessible from Route 3. The drainage is approximately 2 miles long and encompasses about 550 acres. Roughly a quarter of this wetland is somewhat characteristic of a raised peatland dominated by sphagnum mosses and various bog-adapted shrubs. Look for stunted Tamarack and Black Spruce trees along the bog portion of the wetland. Large areas are also characteristically marsh-like, dominated by sedges in the lower brackish reaches and cattails along the freshwater inflows. Cranberries can be found in abundance during the fall in the upper part of the wetlands.
Northeast Creek is a good area to find birds such as breeding American Black Ducks, Belted Kingfishers, Great Blue Herons, Bald Eagles, Swamp Sparrows, Red-winged Blackbirds, and Palm Warblers. With a great deal of luck, you may detect a secretive or rare marsh bird such as a Sedge Wren, American Bittern, or Least Bittern. Anytime of year, this quiet wetland provides a peaceful paddle not far from Bar Harbor. In late spring, one can take in the various shades of green and listen to birds sing and frogs call from the surrounding landscape. During the autumn, it is a nice place to view the fall foliage reflecting off the water while munching on cranberries.
Photo courtesy of Sue Shaw (Top),Leslie Clapp (Middle, Bottom)