Kingfisher Chatter

10 Aug 2013

 

My friends Gary and Paulette walked my land starting at North parking area (off White Pond Rd. in Stow) progressing to Taylor Way and Winterberry Way as far as the bridge.  Backtracking they made their way to Otter Alley and Harry's Way to White Pond Road and back to the North parking lot.  Walk started late morning.  The woodsy parts of the trails were heavy with mosquito but overall enjoyable and no Off was used.

 

Wildlife sightings were low but there were some interesting finds.  Brown Creepers were seen in the parking lot. Their colorations make them masters of disguise (click on photos for larger size images):

 

 

 

There were lots of locusts/grasshoppers.  Carolina Grasshopper were the most abundant species. 

 

 

Look for black/dark brown wings fringed with tan when they fly.  Many Robins, Goldfinch, Grackles seen along the way.  At the North Marsh (gotta give the marsh and stream areas better names...soon), there were Great Blue Herons, one Green Heron, Kingfishers (me included), Cedar Waxwings, Eastern Phoebes to name a few.  It was not as birdy as usual.  Tent Caterpillars were also seen indicating that autumn is not far off.

 

 

 

Along Winterberry Way a couple walking a dog was observed.  Shame on them!

 

Busted!



 

Remember, dogs are not allowed on the Refuge. 

 

 

This year's crop of Canada Geese look very mature now as do the Mallard chicks.  Along Otter Alley a Poison Ivy Sawfly was seen. 

 

 

These insects lay their eggs on Poison Ivy (itchy just thinking of it). 

 

Enjoy Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge.  Hope to see you there.  

 

- Kingfisher