Spring just does not simply arrive in Maine; snow and ice don’t simply vanish. Spring comes like a gentle kiss on the land, slowly melting away winter.

This pond in the salt marshes of Bates Morse Mountain Conservation Area is just opening up. In a month or two, fish fry will populate the water. This pool is isolated from the rivers and streams that cut through the marsh, yet the fish population is stable. Amazingly, the salinity of the water is higher than the ocean that feeds the marsh.