Region 2. This region has a greater proportion of palustrine, riverine 

 tidal, and estuarine emergent wetlands than any of the other regions. It 

 includes the estuaries of three major rivers; the Kennebec, Androscoggin, and 

 Sheepscot. This region also includes Merrymeeting Bay, where the largest 

 concentrations of waterfowl are found. 



Region 2 is similar to region 1 because the ice cover in estuaries forces 

 wintering or migrating waterfowl to use the areas adjacent to the many islands 

 for feeding and protection. Major species are sea ducks, i.e., eiders, 

 scoters, and old squaw ducks, which tend to winter as near shoreward as ice 

 permits . 



The Maine Yankee Atomic Power Plant is located within this region adjacent to 

 the Sheepscot estuary at Wiscasset. To date this plant, or its construction 

 and wastes, have had no measurable effect on habitat utilization by waterfowl 

 (Spencer 1974) . The non-tidal wetlands of this region are numerous and highly 

 productive for breeding waterfowl (table 15-6) as well as for spring and fall 

 migrants . 



Region 3. This region encompasses the coast from Boothbay to Port Clyde 

 and includes the Damariscotta, Medomak, and St. George River estuaries, and 

 Muscongus Bay. The nearshore marine waters are important to wintering and 

 migrating sea ducks (scoters, eiders, and old squaw ducks), and to breeding 

 eiders. The estuaries are heavily utilized in fall, winter, and spring by 

 black ducks, goldeneyes, and buf f leheads . The Medomak estuary, particularly 

 from 1960 to 1975, supported a large population of black ducks. Although 

 there has been a drastic unexplained decline since 1975, similar but less 

 drastic declines occurred in other areas of Maine. There also was a slight 

 decline in wintering goldeneyes and buf f leheads . Available evidence suggests 

 a combination of factors were responsible for these declines. The possibility 

 of habitat change in the estuarine system cannot be discounted entirely. 

 Here, as in other parts of the coast, casual observations by several observers 

 indicated a reduction of the density and abundance of eelgrass may have taken 

 place. The last survey of the eelgrass beds was made around 1969. The 

 interaction of eelgrass and black ducks, and other Maine wintering waterfowl, 

 needs to be better understood and represents an obvious data gap. 



Population changes in the St. George River estuary have not been as great as 

 in the Medomak estuary (Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife 

 survey data). Comparable data for the Damariscotta estuary are lacking, but 

 in the case of the St. George estuary eelgrass has not been abundant at any 

 time in the past two decades. A future concern in this region is the 

 preservation and management of island nesting habitat for eiders. 



Region 4 . This region largely is represented by the Penobscot Bay 

 estuary. It has a large variety of wetland and marine habitat and is the 

 center of breeding eider colonies. As in region 3, management of these 

 nesting islands is of prime concern. Of particular importance to breeding 

 eiders, and all wintering sea ducks, are the islands of the Muscle Ridge 

 group; Isleboro, Deer Isle, North Haven-Vinalhaven, and Isle au Haut 

 complexes. The southeastern end of Isle au Haut is a wintering area for 

 harlequin ducks. 



15-32 



