Notre Dame Cemetery (2/25)

On Sunday I took a walk over to Notre Dame Cemetery in Worcester. It was a beautiful sunny day... the kind that reminds you that spring isn't far off. There was a flock of Canada Geese picking at the areas of grass that were exposed from under the snow. Their tracks were everywhere. In soft snow the webbing between their toes showed up clearly but on harder substrates you couldn't see any evidence of the webbing at all.

The Song Sparrows were out and singing too. Its amazing that over only a few months I can forget the bird songs. But, I had to get a look at the sparrow before I could figure out what it was.

Everywhere I walked there were signs of animal activity in the snow. In addition to the normal Gray Squirrels and small birds I found a set of Eastern Cottontail tracks. I followed them a bit and watched as the tracks showed the animal going from small hops to a full out run. Unbelievably the distance of one bound was over 10 feet (I paced it out to be 4 of my strides). I initially thought that I could have missed a set of tracks in the middle that didn't register in the snow. But I couldn't find anything.

After following the tracks for some time I wondered to myself why the rabbit was running. There weren't any predator tracks nearby. Then it hit me. Why not a Red-tailed Hawk? And this was perfect timing as a Red-tail flew out of the tree just outside the boundaries of the cemetery. The remainder of the walk I watched as this bird flew back and forth with sticks in its beak. It was obviously building a nest.

As I continued on I spotted some different tracks. From the track size and stride I decided that they were from a Striped Skunk. These are uncommon in snow since the skunk enters a state of torpor (a state similar to hibernation) during the winter. Female skunks tend to den in groups along with a single male. Most males den alone. Around this time of year the males skunks get restless and emerge from their dens and search for food. This was evidently what I was seeing since the tracks wound all over the cemetery grounds.

This is uncommon behavior for a member of the Weasel family. Most of the members of this family (River Otter, Fisher, Mink, etc.) remain active all year round. The skunk also doesn't exhibit the same gait pattern as its "cousins". But apparently the similarities between the species outweigh these differences.

I followed the skunk's trail for some time before eventually coming to the edge of the cemetery. One of the houses that abuts the cemetery had a number of feeders and the normal winter birds (Cardinals, Blue Jays, Juncos, etc.) were taking advantage of the food source. It was such a nice day that the Juncos were actually singing. While watching these birds, I discovered a hawk high in a tree. At first, I thought that it was another red-tail but after looking at the pictures and referring to several guides I decided that it was an immature Cooper's Hawk.

I was really surprised by the bird's size. But, I guess that's the result of having access to all the prey that it can eat.

Turtle Symposium

On Saturday I attended the Turtle Symposium which was organized by Millers River Educational Center. The symposium was held at UMass Amherst and actually was a two day event. Unfortunately I could only attend the second day.

The conference consisted of several presenters who spoke about the turtles of Massachusetts and related subjects. The morning presentations were mostly about the different species of turtles and the afternoon was devoted to conservation efforts. There was too much information for me to write about everything, but here are some interesting points:

Alison Whitlock of the US Fish and Wildlife Service spoke about the Bog Turtle. This is the smallest turtle in MA. It is limited to only three sites, all in the Western part of the commonwealth. Alison estimates the total population at 100 animals.

Don Lewis and Barbara Brennessel spoke about the Diamondback Terrapin. This turtle lives in salt water estuaries all along the east coast. In New England there are populations in Buzzards Bay, Wellfleet Bay, and Barrington, RI. The Wellfleet Bay population congregates in Middle Bay to mate before dispersing at the beginning of May. This turtle species is doing well enough that it is still commercially harvested. But, the numbers taken were a relative mystery. But, last year Maryland instituted mandatory reporting of each terrapin caught. To their surprise over 10,000 were killed in 2006 alone.

Bob Prescott of Wellfleet Bay MAS presented a talk on the sea turtles of MA. He spoke about the different species and why they strand in Cape Cod Bay. The sanctuary has an active program that monitors the beaches in the winter in hopes of finding "cold stunned" turtles. Bob also spoke about the wind farm. He thinks that this will be a benefit to the turtles since each turbine will need to be anchored to the sea bed on a cement platform. The platforms will promote the growth of artificial reefs which will attract food for the turtles. The best thing about this talk was that Bob showed pictures of the mouths of Leatherback Turtles. I never knew that their mouths were lined with spines (scroll down the pictures on this link to see what the spines look like). Apparently this helps them swallow their favorite prey, jellyfish.

Sarah Bean of the New England Aquarium gave a talk that complemented Bob's. She spoke about how the "cold stunned" turtles are rehabilitated at the aquarium. Sarah estimated that 20% of the turtles that the aquarium receives die in the first day. An additional 5-10% die in the next week or two due to complications. That means that the partnership (Mass Audubon and NEA) save approximately 70% of the turtles they find alive. That's fantastic!

Brad Compton of UMass Amherst presented a talk on his models of turtle populations. He had models which estimated extinction and predicted ranges. But the best was a model which looked at the types of habitats that each turtle needed (ex: vernal pools for food in the spring, sandy banks for laying eggs, deeper water for hibernation). It then located areas of the state that had these habitats allowing for targeted searches for new turtle populations. Very cool.

Lori Erb of the Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program described conservation efforts in the commonwealth. In particular she spoke about Wood Turtle mortality due to field mowing. The NHESP has been working with farmers in areas where the Wood Turtle is present to determine what can be done to minimize turtle deaths. One option they found was to increase the mowing height. Not only does this reduce mortality but its actually better for the mower blades.

Lori also spoke about the Massachusetts Turtle Atlas. This is a great web site which allows citizens to report their turtle sightings. I can't wait until the spring so I can try it out.

There were also some great vendors at the symposium. I got a couple of T-shirts from the Vernal Pool Association and a fantastic photo of a Common Loon with chicks from John Slonina Photography.

Wachusett Reservoir (2/18)

Last Sunday I took a drive out to Wachusett Reservoir. The week before at least some of the water had still been open and there had been a good quantity of water birds to be found. But another week of sub-freezing temperatures resulted in a complete ice over of almost all the water.

The only exception was the River Road. There the fast moving water left openings in the ice here and there. These openings were obviously used by River Otter since you could see tracks where the animal emerged from one hole, scamped across the ice, and then dove back into the water. But, the ice was thick enough to also support larger amnimals like a Red Fox.

Birds in the area were relatively hard to find. There were Juncos, Titmice, and Robins all trying to find food in the dead of winter. But, the best sighting of the day was a Sharp-shinned Hawk that we found perched in a tree next to the road. I was able to get a few shots of the bird before it spooked. It was an amazing look, I just wish that I could have gotten a better focus on it through the woods.

Hodges Village Dam: Oxford, MA (2/17)

On Saturday afternoon my Mom and I headed over to Hodges Village Dam to search for tracks. Initially we didn't hold out too much hope since the snow that we got on Wednesday was rock hard. But the sun melted the top layer just enough to allow the animals to leave great tracks.

This area is extensively used by people walking their dogs so some of the tracks were a bit hard to distinguish. For example, this one fits the range for a Bobcat but it could just be a medium sized domestic dog with no nails registering. And this set was really confusing. It looks like several individual tracks one on top of the other. I can only guess that it may be from a member of the weasle family due to the pattern of tracks.

But, there were others that were relatively easy to make out. I found this set of tracks which was definitely made by a Red Fox. The tracks are sort of amorphous due to the significant amount of fur on the animal's feet. Its also interesting to see the difference in size between the front and hind tracks. Surprisingly (at least to me) the front track is the larger of the two.

While there were many tracks, we actually didn't see too many animals out and about. We did stumble on a large flock of Dark-eyed Juncos and I took a picture of their tracks after they moved on.

All through our 3 mile hike we stumbled on interesting tracks. Deer, Coyote, Gray Squirrel, and a variety of small rodents and birds were all present. We even found what I think are Eastern Cottontail tracks. The pattern is right but the size of the hind prints really struck me.

Finding these tracks really adds enjoyment to any hike. They convince me that the animals are still around... even in the dead of winter.

Backyard Wildlife (2/16)

When leaving my house around 5:00 Friday night I heard a pair of Great Horned Owls calling from the woods a couple of houses down from me. I tied to spot the birds but I could only spot movement here and there. While searching for the owls, my attention was drawn to an animal walking arund my neighbor's back yard. It was a Opposum. Its amazing that this kind of wildlife can be found in residential areas.

Photo Contest '07

Broad Meadow Brook MAS is holding their second annual photo contest and I would like to enter a few of my photos. I participated in the contest last year and had a lot of fun (I even sold a couple of photos). But, this year I ended up taking so many pictures on the sanctuary that I can't decide which ones are the best.

So, I've created a directory on my PBase site with what I think are my best photos. The categories for the contest are: Seasons, Wildlife, Sanctuary Waters, and People. If you'd like to help me, please take a look at the entire gallery and pick your three or four favorites. Then just leave comments on the site. Thanks for your help.

http://www.pbase.com/mwalker427/photocontest07

Oxbow NWR (2/10)

On Saturday I headed out to Oxbow NWR for a hike. It was cool but relatively sunny which made for perfect walking conditions. I ended up hiking the two mile loop around the main body of water. There were a few pockets of birds here and there (Chickadees, Golden-crowned Kinglets, Downy Woodpeckers, Tufted Titmice) but it was relatively quiet.

But, just because I couldn't find aanything doesn't mean that the forest is barren because there was a wealth of tracks in the light snow. Along the main road I found lots of Coyote tracks. At the park bench near the first body of water I found a set of Bobcat tracks and followed them over the ice. That led me to a set of tracks that I'm pretty sure were made by a Fisher. They show the weasel family gait and I got a good look at the individual prints when the animal ran over some hardened snow.

Further up the road I came across tracks from a flock of Turkeys. The tracks were a bit strange. Instead of having distinct print they had what looked like toe drags in the snow which connected each print. I even found the imprint of a wing in the snow.

There was also a lot of Deer tracks. Lots of them led over the frozen pond and appeared to show the animals browsing on the vegetation. Also, on the ice I found a path that I'm guessing was made by a Muskrat. The path went between a burrow opening in the ice and a small wooden bridge. I'm guessing that the animals were eating the grasses under the bridge since they were protected from the snow and ice.

Hodges Village Dam: Oxford, MA (2/3)

After having some lunch, my parents and I headed over to Hodges Village Dam for a hike before the sun went down. It was getting cooler so most of the birds had already turned in for the night. But, during our return trip we headed up onto the dike. There we found some incredible tracks... a River Otter slide. You could see where the animal came out of the river and scampered up the dike. At the top of the dike he did a belly slide over the edge. The slide itself was so detailed that you could see traces that I would guess were made by the otter's claws.

Wherever the snow wasn't deep enough to completely bury the rocks, the otter ran just far enough to start sliding again. He went down the entire slope like this. You can see it all in this picture.

I don't think that its unreasonable to say that otters really love to do this. This guy certainly went out of his way for a quick thrill.

Broad Meadow Brook (2/3)

On Saturday morning I got up early and headed over to BMB. Friday night we had the first real snowfall of the season and I wanted to take some pictures of the sanctuary under a fresh blanket of snow.

I started at the Dunkirk enterance and was immediately struck buy how beautiful the brook was. I scrambled down the embankment and took a few shots closer to water level just as the sun was poking thru the trees.

The snow was only 2 or 3 inches deep but it covered everything from the wildflower stalks to the biggest trees. And I was early enough so that it was still undistrubed in most locations. I don't know exactly why but this really improved my mood. The winters in New England are harder to take when everything is brown and lifeless. But, when there's a fresh snowfall, it tends to renew the landscape.

Unfortunately, the new snow wasn't exactly the best for tracks. I saw tons of them all over the sanctuary but I had a tough time figuring out what animals made them since not a lot of detail registered in the fluffy snow. Some tracks were small, others were very large. I'm sure that some were from Coyote but others, like these, I had a hard time with. They are very large and show the 2X2 pattern. At one point, the tracks veered suddenly into the woods. I'll have to do some research on this.

I hiked my normal loop except for a few new stops. I crossed the brook and headed over to Cardinal Trail. Sheltered amongst the trees I foun a few Chickadees and Mourning Doves. Next I headed up to the powerlines where a made a side trip to see the new beaver lodge on auto parts pond. Then it was back to the powerlines where I followed canine tracks for some distance. The bushes along the path were all covered with the same fluffy snow which made them look like cotton plants. I took some photos of the area for documentation purposes and then started down Blue Well towards Lady Slipper.

I finished my hike with a walk down Trioano Brookside Trail. Again, the brook was really picturesque so I had to stop and try my hand at some artistic shots. As I strolled down the trail I saw sparrows in the reeds but they flew so quickly that I had a tough time picking out what type they were. But, it was still nice to see that there were some birds surviving the harse winter. At the end of the trail I ran into one of the sanctuary's interns. She explained that she was looking for the Otter that I had spotted in December. I told her that I hadn't seen it and either had she. She did report seeing a Red Fox though. I would have loved to get a shot of him.

Mid-Winter Events

There are some really great events coming up in southern New England. First is the Eagle Fest sponsored by the CT Audubon Society. This event takes place on February 17th and 18th.

On February 23rd and 24th, Miller's River Environmental Center in Athol, MA is hosting the first Massachusetts Turtle Symposium. This looks really interesting but unfortunately I can only attend on the second day.

Last is the Massachusetts Audubon Society's 15th Annual Birder's Meeting on March 24th. By that time Spring will be just around the corner.

Whooping Cranes Killed in Florida Storms

Last week's storms in Florida effected more than the human population in the area. It was also devastating to a small flock of rare Whooping Cranes being housed at Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge near Crystal River, Florida. Operation Migration was attempting to establish a second migratory flock of the cranes to supplement to main flock (which migrates between Canada and Texas). When the storms struck, 17 of the birds were killed. More information can be found in the Field Journal section of the organization's web site.

Help for a PJ Fan

I usually try to stay on topic but I read this post on the Pearl Jam message board the other day and it has been in my thoughts ever since. And, although I don't think that being on this blog will add much publicity to the cause, I thought that I'd at least try.

Well, I don't know if I can tell the story as eloquently as the poster, but here's a synopsis. Shana is participating in an event to support StBaldrick's Foundation. This organization is raising money to cure childhood cancer. This is a great cause and it would be fantastic if you could make a donation. Thanks.

Another PBase Milestone

Sometime on Thursday I surpassed 50,000 page views on my PBase site. This isn't too many considering some of the photographers that I know have over 1 million. But its pretty good for me. And the best part is that my page views seem to be accelerating. It took me 2 full years to get to 30,000 page views but only another 4 months to get to 50,000.

Happy Groundhog Day

Well, the results are in and the authorities in Pennsylania are predicting an early spring. What a strange holiday based on a peculiar rodent. The best thing about the Groundhog is that it has so many names (Groundhog, Woodchuck, Marmot). But my favorite is Whistle Pig (which apparently refers to the sound that the rodent makes when alarmed). It just sounds cool.

I'd never actually seen one of these guys until I moved to Connecticut. Here they are everywhere. My first apartment was next to a large mall and I would often see Groundhogs browsing on the grass near the parking lot.

Moore State Park: Paxton, MA (1/28)

On Sunday I headed over to Moore State Park for a quick hike. There was a light snow the night before and I thought that I could find some good tracks. From the main parking lot I headed up the road that runs alongside the meadow. This is a place where lots of people walk their dogs so I obviously found a lot of their tracks. But there were a lot of rodent tracks as well. I found some larger ones with a bound of at least four feet that were definitely Gray Squirrel. Others were a bit smaller and I'm guessing that they were Red Squirrel. Then there were even smaller ones that were either Chipmunk or some species of mouse.

But there wasn't much else to see. A few Chickadees here and there but that's all. It really made me wish for summer when the Bobolinks return to the field.

Next I headed down to the lake. It was completely frozen over and some people were even brave enough to walk on it. I enjoyed the view from the covered bridge before heading down to the waterfall. It had partially iced up which made for a pretty nice photo.

Back at the parking lot, I took a look at the group of American Chestnut trees that had been planted by the park staff. The story of this native tree is pretty tragic. In the late 1800's it was estimated to be approximately 25% of all hardwood trees over much of its range. But a fungus out of Asia whiped out most of the large trees. Now only small Chestnut Trees grow and they typically die before reaching maturity.

In cooperation with the American Chestnut Foundation, Moore State Park is attempting to grow trees which will be resistant to the fungus. This would be quite an accomplished. Let's hope that it happens.