A wildlife sightings logbook in the visitor office of the Wells National Estuarine Research Reserve catalogs a variety of birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians and insects spotted on the 2,250-acre property. There are reports of does, milk snakes, porcupines, rabbits, wrens, warblers, wild turkeys, blue jays and butterflies. One log notes “two monarchs mating.” Another provides an account of a “shrimp-like creature with blue antennae.”

Not every trip to the Wells Reserve guarantees such exotic sightings, but the chances of seeing some type of wild creature are high. This property on the Gulf of Maine skirts broad estuaries at the mouths of the Webhannet and Little rivers. It is covered with upland fields, forests and salt marshes leading to the Atlantic Ocean. The diverse habitat is home to at least 235 bird species, 55 fish species, and plenty of terrestrial mammals, amphibians and reptiles.

Viewing them requires patience and keen skills of observation. Visitors can hone their skills by participating in guided nature walks along the reserve’s eight looping trails. Volunteer guide Missy Brandt recently led a “Signs of Wildlife” walk, educating her guests on the keys to tracking animals.

The tour began on the Saw-whet Owl Trail, named for a small species of owl that is common to the area. The path cuts through a patch of forest before reaching an open field of tall grass and wildflowers. From there, the walk connected with the Farley Trail, which leads to an observation point overlooking a winding river.

Brandt advised her guests to keep an eye out for anything that might indicate the presence of an animal, including tracks, burrows, scat or feathers. Rather than hiking at a brisk pace, the wildlife explorer must move slowly and quietly, sinking into a near meditative state of deliberate and careful observation.

“It’s more of an exploration of the trail and really learning to slow down and look at what’s there,” Brandt said.

Some signs of wildlife reveal significant information about the animals that leave them. Owl pellets, for example, often contain the intact bones and fur of their prey. “You learn pretty quickly that the gross stuff like scat and puke is pretty interesting,” Brandt said.

At the top of the reserve’s food chain are mammals like coyotes, foxes and bobcats. Larger predators like wolves and mountain lions have long since been driven from the region by hunting and development. Most of the remaining mammals are omnivores, feeding on almost anything they can find.

Stopping off at the reserve’s forest learning shelter, Brandt displayed a replica skull of a coyote. The animal has a veritable set of cutlery between its jaws, with incisors for pinching, large canines for grasping, sharp premolars for tearing and flat molars for grinding.

“They’ll eat anything they can find, literally, whether it’s your cat or a squirrel or a deer,” she said.

Brandt '93, who earned a wildlife degree at Unity College and works for the York County Soil and Water Conservation District, also displayed a number of native animal furs, including a coyote, fox, bobcat, muskrat and skunk.   

But mammals aren’t the only predators in Wells. The great horned owl, the largest of Maine’s owls, feeds on small mammals ranging in size from mice to skunks. It has a front ridge of very fine feathers that allows it to fly in near silence. As an unsuspecting skunk grubs around for insects, a great horned owl will swoop down noiselessly and snatch it up with its talons before the skunk has a chance to spray.

Other birds focus on arboreal insects, and signs of their feeding can be seen all over the forest. Many insects lay their eggs on the sides of trees, and the newborn larvae burrow into the wood where they metamorphose into adults.

Woodpeckers can hear insects tunneling through the trees, and when they detect significant activity, they set to work drilling with their beaks. Numerous dying trees, mostly shaved of bark, are speckled with small insect holes and large punctures from the birds that hunt them.

Even an anthill is worthy of attention in this complex ecosystem. Not only do ants provide a food source for animals, but they help pollinate many of the forest’s plants. And the underground tunnels they dig help aerate the soil and keep it healthy.

Other clear signs of wildlife can be seen in the reserve’s upland fields. Trampled plants, probably caused by deer, form narrow pathways through the vegetation. Birds chatter from the tall grass, and sightseers with trained ears can identify them by their songs.

Above the estuaries and salt marshes, bald eagles, ospreys, herons and ibises soar. Around this time of year, many of their young are just learning to fly. Laudholm Beach offers still other specimen, including marine invertebrates like crabs and shellfish, and even occasional harbor seals.

Of course, the forest is also filled with mosquitoes and ticks. Applying bug spray and tucking pant cuffs into socks is advisable, but even the peskiest insects are vital to the delicate balance of wildlife.

The Wells Reserve also offers walks focused on flora like wildflowers and trees. The forest is rife with Norway and red maples, white and yellow birches, red spruces, northern red oaks and eastern white pines. There is also hawthorn, witch-hazel and sphagnum moss, plus hay-scented, cinnamon and royal ferns.

Out here, every hollow in a tree could shelter raccoons or squirrels, every fallen log might conceal salamanders or wood frogs, and each flattened bed of grass could form a resting place for deer. Those who take the time to look will notice shredded pinecones and munched crabapples evidencing the presence of hungry animals.

The Wells Reserve, which is funded through donations and memberships, offers a variety of demonstrations, day camps and other educational programs. The facility also helps conserve crucial habitat, as does the nearby Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge. Brandt is one of many volunteers who lend their expertise to the cause.

“It’s a lot of fun, and it gets me out of my office,” she said.

For a calendar of walks and other programs at the Wells Reserve, visit www.wellsreserve.org. The facility is at 342 Laudholm Farm Road, Wells, Maine, 207-646-1555.