Pillow and Cradle

More about Pillow and Cradle

Blowdowns

Thunderstorms are a common occurrence in Maine, so pinpointing the date when this tree fell would be nearly impossible. This part of Maine experiences 20-30 thunderstorms each year, mainly during the late spring and summer months. 1-3 nor’easters strike each year and hurricanes hit here once every 50 years. There are more precise records for nor’easters and hurricanes, making it easier to date those blowdowns.

In this forest there are many examples of blowdowns in various stages of decomposition. Even very old pillow and cradles can be identified and blamed on specific storms, especially those that were toppled by hurricanes. This is an example of a pillow and cradle from a hurricane blowdown that formed hundreds of years ago, before hurricane records were kept. The cradle is large, so this must have been a giant tree. Since the pillow is south-west of the cradle, the direction of the wind is typical of hurricanes.

Identifying blowdown directions can be tricky. If the tree hit another tree or some other obstacle, it could bounce off and land in an unexpected place.

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