Great Meadows Concord

Tuesday, March 15, 2011

Almost Spring

With a free morning dropped in my lap, I hurried over to Great Meadows to see how things had changed in the last couple days. The nice thing about the start of Daylight Savings Time is that you don't have to get up so early for the good light. The traces of winter are rapidly disappearing. Most of the impoundments are ice free. The snow has largely disappeared except for under the shade of the evergreens along the Timber and Edge trails.

I think this photo captures typifies the mood. In the foreground you have the gulls huddled on some of the last remaining ice - morning the loss of easy fishing. In the middle of the photo, notice a pair of ducks with their realtor contemplating moving into a new duck box. In the background, the trees are bare, but the tops are red with new buds.

Light Chronicle | Photography: GM20110315 &emdash;

A sure sign of spring, a Red-winged Blackbird greeted the day in song, from a tree near the tower, while I surveyed the scene and planned my morning. With not much activity near the tower, I decided a walk to the other end of the lower impoundment was in order. Along the way, I encountered this mink, who appeared to be in a hurry. He was probably frustrated that his commute was talking so long as he had to keep switching between walking on the ice and swimming.

Down by the lower impoundment outflow, a large number of Ring-necked ducks swam to and fro, never getting close enough for a close-up photo. I think this Bufflehead was feeling slightly overwhelmed and decided to seek some of his own kind.

While it was sunny, it was still very cold. I hadn't planned in advance to come, so some important equipment was safely stowed at home...namely my gloves. The coffee in the car was calling my name. Who was I to resist. Along the old railroad bed were many of our winter friends. If you always wondered why you have to wear safety goggles, but woodpeckers don't; then look closely at the photo of the female Downy Woodpecker. Notice the partially closed nictating membrane protecting her eye.

This White-breasted Nuthatch entertained my camera for a while. Most birds tend to climb up tree trunks. I've always liked how they walk down tree trunks head first.

The impoundments are still overflowing their banks, but the dike is slow starting to emerge. The path is still flooded up to the kiosk. The Grackle thought this was a great place to forage. At the other end, by the bend in the path, Wood Ducks were stealthily swimming among the trees and reeds. This is another one of those creatures who has eluded my attempts to capture a good photo of them. Most ducks are seriously skittish, but this Mallard was part of a pair that practically posed.

Walking along the path, I nearly stepped on this little guy. He was quite photogenic. However, as I was kneeling down to take his photo, he disappeared from the view finder. Lowering the camera I couldn't see him anywhere. But then he popped up. This is my favorite shot of the day.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Wetlands

Saturday afternoon, I was back at GMNWR. Practically overnight, the impoundments went from frozen from shore to shore to half filled with open water. The sea gulls were having a grand time out there fishing.

Light Chronicle | Photography: GM20110312 &emdash;

Personally, I had hoped that the eagles were back. My plan was to wade out using some knee high boots to see if I could get some closer shots. Well, the eagles had been back in the morning, but they had moved on. That's okay, my plan was flawed. The dike path that seems so flat, really has quite a pitch to it. The water was quickly 18 inches deep. The next step I took, would have flooded over the tops of my boots.

The geese started to return en masse. Easily forty or fifty Canada Geese marked their arrival with much honking and a lap around the lower impoundment before settling onto the open water.

The photo foray group wandered out along the old railroad bed and down the edge trail. This picture of the sign pretty much describes the refuge's state - Wetlands! A little further on this path we noticed a pine with a widow maker leaning against it. Scanning up the trunk further, you'll see a very dangerous limb suspended vertically resting on a nub of a branch.

One advantage of the flooding is that is pushes the wildlife closer to shore. This muskrat, was posing for portraits along the side of the road. It must be a female - no male would be caught with pink nails!

I also liked this chipmunk living the a hole in the bottom of a tree. To bad he isn't meticulous in the care of his front lawn. The random twigs and blades of grass made it tough to get a clean photo.

Friday, March 11, 2011

Sometimes It Pays To Show Up

After completing my errands, I figured I would run over to Concord, poke my head by Great Meadows to find how high the water was, and then continue on to find the kayak launching spot in town.

The water level was a bit higher than Wednesday and the flooding has filled in more of the low lying areas. The parking lot is still safe.

As I arrived a father and daughter were excitedly viewing a couple of Bald Eagles feeding on the impoundment. The birds were too far away for anything more than a "record" shot. From the looks of them one was probably mature, while the other was probably a 4 year old.

Light Chronicle | Photography: GM20110311 &emdash;

The beavers from the lodge near the tower were out and busily swimming and feeding. At one point we counted three distinct beaver. There are also several muskrats that are starting to swim near the tower too.

A couple of mink were having a bit of a territorial dispute near the base of the tower. They were running around chasing each other, finally swimming away.

Another day was drawing to a close. It was fun to watch the interplay of fog, light, land and clouds. Nancy also stopped by on her way from work to enjoy photographing the sunset.

Executives returning from work were flying back into Hanscom. Ducks and Geese were returning from another day of foraging to sleep on the open water. The Red-winged Blackbirds started their evensong chorus.

Here at the refuge all is calm and peaceful. Elsewhere in the world hundreds of people are dead and lives of thousands more totally disrupted due to the force of an earthquake and tsunami. Our thoughts and prayers go out to them.