Kingfisher Chatter

(a blog about Assabet River National Wildlife Refuge)

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Click on the photos below for larger views

20 Dec 2013

My Refuge is snow covered and very interesting now. 

Figure 1  Winterberry Way

Figure 2  Opening in snow-covered ice near footbridge on Winterberry Way

By the footbridge on Winterberry Way the water was alive with tadpoles and even small Blue-gill sunfish.  The tadpoles were very large (~4 In. in length) so it is suspected they are Bull Frog.   Some tadpoles will go two to three years before their metamorphosis.  There are many factors including water temperature, oxygenation, food availability, overcrowding, to name a few.  As the ice gets thicker and oxygen levels drop there may be mass mortalities as evidenced last winter.  But for now they are wriggling and providing me (Kingfisher) and cousin Heron with a ready food source.   Yum!

Figure 3a  At footbridge on Winterberry Way the water was alive with tadpoles and fish.

Figure 3b    Here is a magnified view of one of the tadpoles from photo 3A.  A polarizing filter would have helped

The Bald-faced Hornet’s nest that was photographed last summer and again in the fall (after being ravaged by critter(s) unknown), is now further torn apart. The comb center is now clearly visible in the photo below:

Figure 4  Bald-faced Hornet's nest showing comb cellcenter.  Taylor Way near FEMA

There are still plenty of other signs of life around me as evidenced by all the imprints and scat in the snow.

Figure 5 Canidtracks along Winterberry Way. Coyote?  Dog?

Figure 6  Closeup view of canid track

Great Blue Heron tracks were seen on the ice on either side of Otter Alley.

Figure 7  Great Blue Heron tracks on the ice adjacent to Otter Alley Trail

Figure 8  Great Blue Heron tracks between Otter Alley and Taylor Way

Two Herons were spotted.  One flew off and landed  behind the cattails.  One of the Herons can be seen If you look closely at the annotated picture below:

Figure 9  Great Blue Heron (within hashed circle)adjacent to Taylor Way taken from Otter Alley

There was a dead Blue Jay on the trail near the footbridge on Taylor Way.  It had but one leg.  There were no signs of a struggle (neither loose feathers nor blood).   It is suspected that the leg was missing well before it died.

Figure 10  Dead Blue Jay on Taylor Way near footbridge

There’s a new bench by the footbridge on Taylor Way.  Hurray!  This is one of the most interesting wildlife watching areas on the refuge.  It is tied with Otter Alley for the best birding throughout the year.  It’ll be a nice place for breakfast, lunch or snack while watching nature.  Please pack out what you pack in!  Keep my refuge litter free. 

Figure 11  New bench near footbridge on Taylor Way

There were very few ducks seen.  Generally this time of year they hang out in the open water in the marsh between Taylor Way and Otter Alley.  Only Canada Geese were seen there this time.  Numerous duck did fly by but none landed in the open waters within the marsh.

Figure 12  Canada Geese on the ice in marsh between Taylor Way and Otter Alley.  Taken from Taylor Way

Here is a complete list of birds seen/heard:

• Blue Jays (Winterberry Way & Taylor Way)
• Canada Geese (marsh between Otter Alley and Taylor Way)
• Great Blue Herons (Otter Alley)
• Eastern Phoebe (Taylor Way near footbridge)
• Goldfinch (Taylor Way near footbridge)
• Cedar Waxwing (Taylor Way near footbridge)
• Sparrows (spp?)  in thicket and unable to identify
• White-breasted Nuthatch
• Red-breasted Nuthatch
• Pileated Woodpecker (heard drumming...not seen (Taylor Way near footbridge)
• Red-bellied Woodpecker (Otter Alley)
• Mallards (fly-by only above Taylor Way footbridge) 
• Flycatcher (sp?) (yellowish breast.  Too distant to identify or photograph)
• Northern Cardinal

Hope to see you on the Refuge and wishing everyone a very happy and healthy 2014!

                  - The Kingfisher