Broad Meadow Brook MAS, 12/29

Before the real rain started on Thursday I spent a few hours at Broad Meadow Brook Massacusetts Audubon Sanctuary in Worcester. I hiked down Troiano Brookside Trail and looped around via Cardinal Trail. The conditions were cold and damp but the normal winter birds were out in force. I would estimate 50 - 75 American Robins were searching for food on the banks of the brook. There were also Dark Eyed Juncos, Chickadees, Tree Sparrows, Cardinals, Goldfinches, and two Rock Pigeons circling the fields. At the very beginning of Troiano I had a raptor which I believe was a Red Tail Hawk. Finally, since the brook is still mostly open water, a Belted Kingfisher is still around. Its amazing that this bird can still find food. But, its a good indication that a good number of fish survived the breaching of the beaver dam this past summer.

On a bad note, I also came across a deceased heron (I think that it was a Great Blue) in the brook. I couldn't tell for sure if it died of natural causes or from predation but the body was still intact.