Category: Wildlife

Local Menagerie

There is no shortage of wildlife in Central Massachusetts. Here is a sample of photographs from this year.

North American Beaver
Eastern Cottontail Rabbit

Tufted Titmouse
Scarlet Tanager

White-tailed Deer
Eastern Chipmunk
Red-winged Blackbird

North American Porcupine

Eastern Cottontail Rabbit (With Herdwick Sheep)
Northern Cardinal (Male)

Northern Cardinal (Female)
Northern House Wren

House Finch

Eastern Bluebird

Gray Squirrel
Ruby-throated Hummingbird (Female)

Ruby-throated Hummingbird ( Juvenile Male)
American Black Bear (seen in my back yard and photographed from a safe distance through the window).

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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.

Fall Walk

It’s delightful to explore the common flora and fauna of Central Massachusetts on a cool autumn day.

Eastern Grey Squirrel

Adult Squirrels can consume about one and a half pounds of seeds and nuts each week.
Goldenrod
Eastern Blue Jay
Oriental Bittersweet
The first Dark-eyed Junco of the season.
Common Milkweed

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

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.

Lunch Break

From apples to zinnias: visitors can choose from a wide variety of tasty treats in my garden this week.

Eastern Cottontail Rabbit/ Scarlet Emperor Greens
Female Ruby-throated Hummingbird/Scarlet Emperor Bean Blossoms
Eastern Chipmunk/Acorns
Downy Woodpecker/Baldwin Apple
Monarch Butterfly/ California Giant Zinnia

Painted (Turtle) Portrait Redux

Out with the old, and in with the new: a turtle sheds its shell.

Last June, I photographed a turtle on this exact log at Mass Audubon Wachusett Meadow. Yesterday, the turtle I saw there was shedding its shell. As a turtle grows larger, the outer portion of the shell, called the scutes, must fall off to make way for the newer, larger scutes.

A Regal Visit

This stately Ringed-neck Pheasant dramatically paused on a high stone wall for a few moments. His flamboyant red face mask and iridescent blue neck feathers were clasped by a white neck ring. Completing this regal couture was a train of extravagantly long golden brown tail feathers edged with dark brown bars. After posing gracefully over the rocks, he exited with dignity into the nearby meadow.
I hereby name him, “The Posh Prince”.

Ringed-neck Pheasant, Wachusett Meadow Audubon, Princeton, MA

Hawk Eyes

Red-tailed hawks have excellent vision; they can spot a mouse from 100 feet in the air. Hawks can see the colors that most humans can, as well as those in the ultraviolet range that humans cannot see.

Young Red-tailed Hawks, like the one pictured, have pale yellow eyes. The eyes darken to brown as the birds get older.

Red-tailed Hawk, Princeton, Massachusetts

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

Stopping at the Lodge

Canada Geese are often seen near beaver lodges in the early Spring. The activity of the beavers leads to earlier thawing of the ice, providing the geese with a welcome habitat and food resources. This is an example of a symbiotic relationship in nature.

-Wachusett Meadow Audubon, 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

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.

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

Foxfire

After spotting this elegant pair of foxes on a recent walk at the Wachusett Meadow Audubon in Princeton, MA, I was inspired to create an origami display that featured them. In Scandinavian folklore, foxes were believed to cause the northern lights, so “Foxfire” is the Finnish name for this unique atmospheric display. While Massachusetts is too far south for northern lights viewing, my mini-foxfire origami creation brightens up my holiday table.

Red Fox Kit

I was startled and delighted to spot this red fox kit in my backyard. It didn’t run away until called sharply by its mother, so I had ample time to enjoy its large black twitching ears and black legs, as well as its white-tipped tail, which is a key differentiation between a gray and a red fox.

In mythology, foxes are often described as sly and cunning. This kit, like most young animals, didn’t bring those characterizations to mind. It was completely charming in all its innocence, curiosity and playfulness.

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You Otter Know…

…Spring has finally arrived in Massachusetts! At the Wachusett Meadow Audubon the river otter is sunbathing, the sheep are exploring the melting farmyard and the cardinal is chirruping his heart out high up in the budding trees.

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Begonia Run

One great thing about living in Central Massachusetts is the wide variety of wildlife that can be seen even while on quick errands. During this morning’s short nursery trip in search of a begonia, I noticed a hawk, a turkey, and a coyote.
An added bonus: I found just the right begonia.

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Do You Know Your Frogs?

The knowledgeable staff at the Wachusett Meadow Audubon clarified the types of frogs I had photographed there:
The brownish frog here is actually a Green Frog, distinguished by 2 ridges that run from behind each eye to its back legs. The frog that is mostly green is the American Bullfrog, and he will likely get much larger. Both species often share the same habitat (permanent water). Learn more about the 10 species of frogs found in Massachusetts:
http://www.massaudubon.org/learn/nature-wildlife/reptiles-amphibians/frogs/frog-species-in-massachusetts

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