Category: Wachusett Meadow

Vantage Points

The Visitors Center at Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary provides ample opportunities for accessible views of nature.

Relax on the porch to view grapes, hummingbirds and the South Meadow.

From your seat, the grape leaves above provide both cool shade and a view of the meadow beyond.

Hummingbird feeders hang just a few feet from you, near the grape vines.

Just to the left of the parking lot, stone walls lend a shady spot at the edge of the sheep pen.

The friendly sheep will often come to you, and allow you to pat them.

From the pen, traditional wooden fencing and movable fencing allow the sheep to graze a variety of pastures. You can also view the beaver wetlands beyond.

Another accessible trail leads directly from the Visitors Center to open views of the North Meadow. The Meadow sign is also written in Braille underneath the English, and is linked to an audio tour for the visually impaired. In the ever-changing meadow, you might view any of the flora and fauna below:

Japanese Spirea
Red-winged blackbird

Eastern Yellow Swallowtail
Canada Geese

Mourning Dove

How’s Your Heron?

It won’t be long until the great blue herons return to the Wachusett Meadow in March.

Herons are important for the environment as they act as “indicator species”. Scientists monitor heron populations to detect environmental contamination, such as toxins in the water or mercury levels in eggs, which reflects the health of the entire ecosystem.

Although they are named “great blue”, herons can look grey or brown depending on the light conditions.

This great blue heron does look blue. Herons appear bluest in low light, fog, or shadows, which reflect cooler, blue tones.

This heron is taking advantage of the All-Persons Observation Deck.

Herons are known for their exceptional camouflage, often appearing nearly invisible when perched among dead branches, or debris.

This heron can see well from high up in the tree. Its eyesight is estimated to be about three times more detailed than a human’s. From this high perch, a heron can spot small movements below.

Great Blue Herons are expert fishers, but they will eat almost anything they can catch and swallow. In a meadow, herons hunt for small mammals, which can make up a large portion of its diet, especially in winter when waterways freeze . 

The Great Blue Heron is widely considered one of the most prehistoric-looking birds alive today. While all birds are living descendants of dinosaurs, herons appear more like dinosaurs because of their large size, sharp angles and guttural sounds.

Herons possess specialized flexible necks with 19 to 21 vertebrae.

They can form their necks into an S-shaped curve which acts like a coiled, spring-loaded mechanism. This allows them to catch prey in the water with high speed and precision.

Ewe Can Do It

Sheep at Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary spend fall days on the go.

Visitors are greeted with this sign at the entrance.

I’ve watched this sheep and her friends

walking the stone wall,

choosing fresh tree leaves to munch on,

strolling through the Visitor’s Center entrance,

and posing for a painting.

Then there’s time for a bit of lawn grazing,

flower pot grazing,
mirror-image grazing,
and a pause to show off luxurious layers of wool.
Finally it’s back into the sheep pen,

and a quick rub against the scratching post.

Dinner Awaits!

Chairlift

Unlike classic Adirondack Chairs, these redesigned Ardirondacks at Wachusett Meadow feature ergonomic higher seats and straighter backs, allowing for greater ease of use for those with mobility issues.

These three chairs sit along one of the All Persons Access Trails.

The chairs allow for views of the South Meadow…..

The nearby boathouse…

The Wildlife Pond, and beyond.

January Light

Catching the last of the afternoon sunlight at Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary.

The bird blind overlooks a section of the 85 Acre Beaver Wetlands.

The Observation Platform is a popular stop for photographers.
An American tree sparrow blends in perfectly with sumac bushes.

This tree sparrow does not breed in Massachusetts, but is a common winter visitor here.

A singular northern red oak towers over the South Meadow.

New Year’s Inspiration

A strange egg shape appeared on the Wildlife pond during a New Year’s Eve walk at Wachusett Meadow.
What could it be?
A North American Beaver rests on the ice. No wonder it stays warm with its sleek furry coat!
In Native American tradition, the beaver symbolizes wisdom, hard work, persistence, productivity and cooperation.
May we remember these beaver traits in the coming New Year.

Ice Breaker

An icy pond at Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary won’t stop this beaver from “going out for dinner”.
A beaver can break off large chunks of ice with its body, chew off smaller pieces, or swim underneath the ice to churn up warmer water from the bottom.
Aquatic plants can be dinner for a beaver, along with bark, bushes and grasses.
This beaver is likely munching water lily roots in the last of the late afternoon sun.

Time to head home…
Past the bird blind….
Near the Wood Duck box….
And finally, home!
The beaver has left behind a perfect trail to visit another day, but human visitors, beware!

Meditation Gift

A late autumn walk in the wetlands at Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary ended with the discovery of a thoughtful gift.

A boardwalk ends with a quiet resting place.
Something caught my eye.

I found a bracelet, a branch, a stick and an acorn sensitively placed.
Later, I met the gift creator. For his meditation, he braided the bracelet using nearby cattails, then left this humble and generous gift for another to enjoy.

A Walk Around the Barn

Meeting these common creatures on a short walk never fails to lift my spirits.

View from the All-Persons Ramp at Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary.
Herdwick Sheep
Female House Sparrow
Mourning Dove
American Tree Sparrow
Male House Sparrow
House Finches
Eastern Gray Squirrel
American Red Squirrel

All Persons Trail

The All Persons (Universally Accessible) Trail at Wachusett Meadow is carefully crafted to provide access to nature for all.
Observation Pier
Nature is an Artist
Painted Turtles Sunbathing
Water Lilies Leaves Emerging in Full Color
A Clear View of the Beaver Lodge
A Porcupine Ambles By!

Feathers and Shells

Painted Turtles and Canada Geese share a sunny afternoon together at the Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary, Princeton, MA.

I enjoy experimenting with the continuous shutter setting on my bridge camera.

In contrast, I use the built in close-up lens with the turtles sunning on the far side of the pond.

Did You Hear?

An Eastern Meadowlark, which is becoming rarer in many parts of Massachusetts, visited the Audubon Sanctuary recently.

“There’s a Meadowlark in the South Meadow!”
“Heads up, Painted Turtles!”
The Red-winged Blackbird, Mourning Dove and Northern Cardinal have a plan.
“Let’s go check it out!”
The Eastern Meadowlark rests in the grass.

Ramping Up

Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary, Princeton, MA

Signs of spring abound at the Audubon.
A Black-capped Chickadee rests on a grape vine.
The All Persons Ramp to the raft will make the view accessible to all.
In the wetland area, a Red-winged Blackbird pauses among the cattails.
The ground near the bird feeder provides unending treats for the Red Squirrel.

Bluebird Picnic

Eastern Bluebirds flew into town and invited their friends for a feast at the feeders.

Male Eastern Bluebird, Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary, Princeton, MA
Female Eastern Bluebird
Female Bluebird, Blue Jay, Female Cardinal

Female Bluebird, Gray Squirrel

Downy Woodpecker, Male Bluebird

Frozen Meadow Trek

Photos from a winter walk at Mass Audubon Wildlife Sanctuary in Princeton, MA,

It was a chilly 22 degrees at Wachusett Meadow today.
The Beaver Lodge was coated in snow and surrounded by ice.
A light layer of ice on the snow in the South Meadow shone in the low winter light.

Bluebird houses, abandoned until the spring, are a familiar sight along numerous trails.

The cross country skiers and snowshoers who trekked before me made my hike a bit easier today.

Feeder Friends

The ground around the feeders at Mass Audubon Wachusett Meadow bustles with familiar visitors during the winter months.

White-throated Sparrow
Northern Cardinal
Tufted Titmouse
Eastern Blue Jay
Northern Mockingbird
House Sparrow

Wachusett Meadow

A meadow is an area with shallow ground water that allows grasses and wildflowers to flourish. Meadows support a wide range flora and fauna that could not thrive in other habitats, including flowers for native bees and other pollinators.

A recent ramble through this habitat at Mass Audubon’s Wachusett Meadow enabled me to study and appreciate the flowers and grasses up close. In turn, three common meadow creatures kept an eye on me as I walked.

Eastern Bluebird
Common Purple Vetch and Other Meadow Grasses
Wild Turkey

Red-winged Blackbird
Common Milkweed

For more information visit: https://www.massaudubon.org/get-outdoors/wildlife-sanctuaries/wachusett-meadow

To learn more about meadow habitats, visit http://www.magnificentmeadows.org.uk/conserve-restore/importance-of-meadows

A Home For All Seasons

A beaver lodge is built for any kind of weather.

A summer evening is the best time to view beavers cruising the Wildlife Pond at Wachusett Meadow Audubon, but the beaver lodge at one corner of the pond is picturesque in all seasons. Canada geese are especially attracted to this home on the water.
Lodge in Summer
Fall
Winter
Spring

A Grand Design: Beaver Architecture

Beavers build lodges from woven sticks, grasses, and moss plastered with mud. These architectural marvels can be up to 8 feet wide and 3 feet high inside. A lodge is designed with at least two underwater “doors” to provide instant swimming access, while a “skylight” hole at the top lets in fresh air. There are two main rooms inside – one near the entrance that is used for eating and drying off and another used for sleeping and raising the young. On average, between four and eight beavers live in a lodge.

Beaver Lodge, Wildlife Pond, Wachusett Meadow Audubon, Princeton, MA

Looking Out, Zooming In

My point-and-shoot camera enables me to see amazing details, even at a great distance. During a recent walk at Mass Audubon Wachusett Meadow, I thought I saw a nest swinging near the top of a tree. Thanks to my camera, I was delighted to discover that it was really this gorgeous Barred Owl!

Barred Owl Far Away