Nature in the Right Light
We have three major habitats and lots of planted places to attract wildlife. Here at Little River, in Southern Maine, we have the river, the woodlands, and the wildflower meadow. These are the major habitats, but there is so much more to the property to add to your photo opportunities.
The farm is alive with life due to our bird feeding stations, the sunflower patch, the many shrubs, raspberry, and blueberry bushes planted to attract wildlife. Even the vegetable garden presents possibilities for photography. Simply put, the farm is designed for photography.
The Woodlands
By far the largest habitat on the property, the woodlands are a constant source of exploration and surprises. Walking through our forest is always magical and inspirational. Oddly enough, it is in the woods that we find our first wildflowers in spring. It's in our woodlands that we find some of the jewels of the property: the lady slippers, jack in the pulpit, trillium, and blue bead lily. A beautiful stream meanders through the woods, and it is here that we find our beloved waterfall. There is always something to fill your camera's memory card and your soul's imagination.
The Little River
The Little River is the place from where we get our name. The light, the mood, and the constant change of the water ensure that no two days are the same. The river is perfect for landscape photography. Each day, each hour, each moment on the river can be a new experience. Whether it is the quiet, snow-covered ice of winter, the torrential flooding of spring, the still calmness of summer, or the colorful reflections of fall, the river never disappoints us.
The Wildflower Meadow
It's hard to favor one of our ecosystems over the others, but our little wildflower meadow is really special to us. It is a seasonal habitat and is our main teaching area from late spring through early autumn. We have spent a lot of time developing the meadow and, as we learn more about the native flowers, we continue to plant and restore the meadow to its full potential. Each week new colors brighten our days as new plants come into bloom. We try to keep everything native to attract as many butterflies, birds, and insects coming to the meadow as possible.
The Bird Hide
To augment the farm's natural areas, we have also set up some places designed to attract wildlife to specific areas. Our Bird Hide is one of those places. It was built to take advantage of the bird feeding station and is a wonderful place to photograph the many species of birds. We've even made sure to plant specific shrubs to entice those birds that may not normally come to the feeders. Besides the permanent blind, we also have a few portable blinds that we can set up for some of the unexpected opportunities that pop up now and again at the farm.
Speaking of birds, our sunflower patch is a natural feeding station that attracts lots of seed eaters. We're thinking of charging a "pick your own" fee to all the goldfinches and other seed-eaters that adorn the sunflower patch.
Need more information? Call our team.
