Tag: sheep

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

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!

Daylight Savings

There are many early indicators of a seasonal shift from Winter to Spring at Wachusett Meadow Farm in New England — an increase in snowshoe travel, strong shadows and patterns, running streams, melting snow patches on stone walls, diminishing icicles, sheep wool thick enough for shearing and diverse creatures sunbathing and feeding.