Geography
Flora, Fauna, and Place
| The Character of Cliff - Map | Place-names of Cliff Island | Links |
| Photo-Journal of the Island | Flora and Fauna | Will and Dylan - Coordinators |
The natural
history of Cliff Island is rich and richly known by the Islanders (especially
the "year-rounders"). This richness has its origins with the
Cliff Island School. Students start to learn about their natural environment
at an early age. Each child develops an intimate relationship with their
surroundings. Because of the island's size and proximity to the mainland,
there are inherently fewer species of flora and fauna; but these children
more than make up for this with their heightened curiousities for the
natural world on their island.
Will and Dylan-Geography Coordinators, left. |
Will holding a green crab
| PLANTS | LAND MAMALS | BIRDS |
| Oak | Mice | Crows |
| Horse chestnuts | Racoon | Bald Eagles |
| Spruce/Pine/Fur | Ground Hog | Osprey |
| Sumack | Fox | Turkey Vultures |
| Beech | Deer | Ducks |
| Apple | Sand Pipers | |
| Birch | Cardinals | |
| Maple | Chickadees | |
| Poplar | Blue Jay | |
| Wildflowers | Gold Finch | |
| Ferns | Sparrows | |
| Moss | Barn Swallows | |
| Garden Flowers | Wood Peckers | |
| Poison Ivy (not good!) | Catbird | |
| Grass | Mockingbird | |
| seaweed | King Fisher | |
| kelp | Pheasant | |
| algae | Quail | |
| Pigeons | ||
| Herring Gulls | ||
| Woodcock | ||
| Killdeer | ||
| Commorants (Shags) | ||
| Black Back Gulls | ||
| Storm Petrel | ||
| Owls | ||
| Robins |
| Insects | Reptiles |
| Butterflies | Snakes |
| Bees | Turtles |
| Browntail Moths | |
| Tent Moths | |
| Wasps/Hornets | |
| Spiders | |
| Dragonflies |
| Fish | Shellfish | Sea Mammals |
| Mackerel | clams | harbor seals |
| Cod | mussels | porpoise |
| Haddock | periwinkles | minke whales |
| Flounder | welks | |
| Striper | hermit crabs | |
| Bluefish | lobsters | |
| Sculpin | scallops | |
| Skates | horseshoe crabs | |
| Dogfish | oysters | |
| Blue Sharks | ||
| Pollock | ||
| Herring | ||
| Squid |
For a great description of island habitats in Maine, visit Maine Island Trail Association