Friday, May 25, 2012

Beavers and Blackbirds at Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary, Natick, Massachusetts


This morning I woke up feeling a bit off kilter but I’ve always found nature to be the best cure, so I headed to Broadmoor Wildlife Sanctuary to spend a few relaxing hours walking around in the woods, camera and binoculars in hand. I was still hoping I might catch a glimpse of the Pielated Woodpecker pair which have been sighted at the sanctuary, but alas no luck – I did however have some other really great sightings, including several instances of interaction between different bird species, which I always find fascinating. As soon as I got out on the trail I noticed how soft the ground felt beneath my feet (from days of intermittent rain), a cool breeze and the interplay of shadow and sunlight on the marsh. Birding or observing wildlife outdoors is an activity that I enjoy intellectually, but it also has an important meditative quality for me – when I am in the forest I find myself more focused and relaxed, and I try to let go of any of the negative distractions inherent to life in the modern world. Of course like all mediation, sometimes this is easier to do than others, but today I could feel a certain softness, a kind of ease, in the atmosphere so tried to move through the landscape with that same sense of ease, keeping my senses open to whatever might be revealed.

Copyright Daniel E. Levenson 2012.

I could hear and see Red-winged Blackbirds from the boardwalk, but there were no ducks or other waterfowl to be seen. Usually there are at least a few Mallards and often Wood Ducks in this part of the sanctuary, but today the water was quiet. I stopped several times along the trail to the wildlife observation platform to scan the water for ducks and wading birds, but aside from Common Grackles, Tree Swallows and  Red-winged blackbirds only a few dragonflies, frogs and turtles made themselves known. When I reached a small wooden bridge I heard a commotion in the trees to my right and I looked over to see two American Robbins chasing a Blue Jay, obviously not happy to have this interloper in their territory, soon after an Eastern Phoebe landed nearby.    


Copyright Daniel E. Levenson 2012.

After the Phoebe left I stopped to take some video of one of the small waterfalls that dot the property, vestiges of another time when the land was actively used by people.

Copyright Daniel E. Levenson 2012.


When I arrived at the wildlife observation platform there was little movement in the water or out in the field beyond. I saw quietly, watching the water for ripples or other signs of life.  Not long after I arrived I noticed something stirring in the water and the tops of several aquatic plants began to shake, as if something swimming beneath the surface were knocking into them. I traced the pattern of quaking plants with my binoculars and was delighted when a beaver stuck its nose up from the water, then emerged on land and began to eat some woody vegetation just at the edge of the water. It seemed totally unperturbed by my presence, allowing me to take several decent photos and some video. After it was done eating the beaver got back into the water and swam back and forth in front of the platform several times. It was amazing to actually finally get a good look at an animal which was once extirpated in  Massachusetts and is now making a comeback.I normally leave my cell phone off when I'm outdoors, but I was so excited I couldn't resist texting my girlfriend Joanna to tell her about what I had seen.
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Copyright Daniel E. Levenson 2012

Copyright Daniel E. Levenson 2012



The Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife has set up a page with some very interesting information relating to the natural history and management of Beaver populations in Massachusetts, which you can check out here.


After the beaver disappeared from sight I turned my attention to a Great Blue Heron hunting further out in the marsh. I watched as it moved with stealth and grace, neck bent keenly forward. A few moments later my attention was drawn to another Great Blue Heron which landed perhaps fifty feet from the first, apparently quite close to a pair of Red-winged Blackbirds which were none too pleased to see this predatory wading bird. I’m guessing they had a nest nearby because both the male and female were very riled up and drove the Heron away. Later, the first Great Blue Heron made the same mistake and was dive-bombed by the male Red-winged Blackbird and the Heron fled to a safe distance, where I was  later able to get a photo of the bird.

 Copyright Daniel E. Levenson 2012
 
This area proved to be great not only for the Beaver sighting, but also rich with bird life. In addition to the Red-winged Blackbirds, Great Blue Herons, an Eastern Phoebe, a very brightly colored male Baltimore Oriole, Tree Swallows, Chimney Swifts and Eastern Bluebirds, I also saw a female Wood Duck with 4 ducklings making their way quietly across the waters of the marsh. 

After spending some time watching the Tree Swallows and blackbirds I turned back and headed toward the nature center, taking the trail that leads through the large open field which used to be an orchard. This section of the sanctuary is a wonderful place to be as the daylight is fading – it offers a vast, expansive view of fields of native grasses with a bright green line of trees framing the scene. Dead trees stand in place throughout the fields, offering convenient perching places for Eastern Blue Birds, Song Sparrows and European Starlings.

Copyright Daniel E. Levenson 2012

As I came back out of the forest and stepped onto the boardwalk I turned my attention once again to the water, searching for signs of ducks. Ironically, I finally found a few Mallards – sitting on the boardwalk near the nature center.

 Copyright Daniel E. Levenson 2012
 
The sanctuary was quiet as I came around the bend and walked past the bird feeders. Pausing by the fields something caught my attention in the distance - at first I thought it was a dog, but through my binoculars I could see it was a  White-Tailed Deer feeding in another field, it's ears and tail twitching to keep the bugs away. Soon it was joined by another, smaller deer, and I watched as the two fed in the fading light. Definitely not a bad way to spend an afternoon, for the deer or me.

Copyright Daniel E. Levenson 2012.


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