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Photographs taken with a bridge camera journaling nature and everyday life in Central Massachusetts.

wild animals

Telling Tails

Squirrels use their tails for warmth, balance and communication.

American Red Squirrel, Princeton, Massachusetts

Porcupine Picnic Patch

Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary, Princeton, MA

This porcupine rambled through the meadow, to the picnic areas, and by the pond as the turtle looked on.

Follow the Fur

Eastern Gray Squirrel, Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary, Princeton, MA

Most Eastern Gray Squirrels don’t have the brown face and back stripe that this one, seen under the feeders at Wachusett Meadow, does. That makes it easily identifiable, and a perfect candidate for following this winter. I’ll be noticing how much time it spends under the feeders, how far it travels along the nearby stone walls and trees, its feeding habits, and its social interactions.


Critter Conference

An important meeting was held today under the birdfeeders at Wachusett Meadow.

Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary, Princeton, MA

Flotilla

The North American River Otter and the North American Beaver cruise the Wildlife Pond at the Wachusett Meadow Audubon Sanctuary in the early evening.

  • North American River Otter, Princeton, MA
  • North American Beaver, Princeton, MA

All-Weather Rabbits

Eastern Cottontail Rabbits do not hibernate in the Winter; they are active all year. These rabbits were seen daily near the bird feeders, in all types of weather, often sharing fallen seeds with the sparrows.

Eastern Cottontail Rabbit, Wachusett Meadow Audubon Sanctuary, Princeton, MA

Friends of Mass Audubon Wachusett Meadow

Just a few of the “friends” I’ve had the pleasure to see these past months at the Audubon Sanctuary in Princeton, MA.

Barred Owl
Red Squirrel
Phoebe
Sheep
Bobolink
Red-tailed Hawk
American Turkey
Black Bear
Red Fox
White-tailed Deer
Juvenile Raccoon
Great Blue Heron
Painted Turtles
Mallard Duck
Canada Goose
Black-capped Chickadee
Monarch Caterpillar and Butterfly

Beaver Wetlands

Wachusett Meadow Audubon Sanctuary in Princeton, MA is home to an eighty-five acre beaver wetland–one of the largest in Massachusetts. A sign along the trails reminds visitors that:

• Beavers are a keystone species, providing habitat for many other animals and plants.

• Beaver wetlands are highly advantageous to wildlife, providing wetlands in various stages from open water to wet meadows.

•These wetlands provide habitat for moose, great blue heron, wood duck, dragonflies, amphibians and aquatic plants.

One of several beaver lodges partially covered with snow.
Last Summer, this beaver could be seen munching on plants most evenings.
Boardwalk at the edge of the wetlands with the snow just melting.
The long expanse of reeds. Benches give visitors a chance to immerse themselves in the landscape.
A wood duck box. I was fortunate to view this shy species of duck last summer.
The wind-blown reeds close-up.
A Great Blue Heron visits the main pond most Summer afternoons.
Where you find beavers, you are also likely to find river otters like this one who frequented the ponds last Summer.

New England Thanksgiving

Pumpkins, Fall vegetation, colonial houses, and snowy landscapes dotted with the creatures that inhabit them all evoke a traditional New England Thanksgiving. Wishing you a wonderful holiday from Central Massachusetts.

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Wild Turkeys

In recent years, wild turkeys have become a very common sight in Massachusetts. While they look rather plain and brown from a distance, a closer inspection reveals feathers of a wide variety of subtle patterns and hues. The males’ iridescent feathers shine with green, red, bronze, copper and gold. Both males and females have a distinctive “wattle”, a fleshy red piece of skin that hangs beneath the neck.

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turkeys in field

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A Keen Observer

This northern cardinal, high above me on his windy perch, spotted me photographing him. With feathers rustling in the wind, his watchful eye followed me attentively. With a sudden flash of brilliant red, he swooped down to command the bird feeders, constantly checking out the action around him. It wasn’t until he was at ground level that he seemed curiously unconcerned with the small mammals hunting for seeds with him.

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