Black Friday Shopping or Cold Friday Hiking ..........

No decision really…. Just thought is sounded good! Headed over to Gate 35 at first light. My hike today would start at the water to watch the sun rise, then I would hike over to Gate 31 boat launch to pick up the shoreline back to Gate 35. Dawn on the calm water is always a treat. No wildlife on the move this morning. Would be a good morning for a fire in the standing fireplace at Basset Pond. You can begin to feel winters grip settling in. The shoreline hike back did reveal a pile of bear scat. Upon return to my truck I met a fella that has seen several bears in the past week or so in the area. Surely the bears travel range will tighten up with these cold days and minimal food sources. I would think bear sign and sightings are just about done for this year. I did see a red tail hawk perched way off on top of a white pine tree The hike today put 5.5 miles on the ole hiking boots. j
Jim

Bald Faced Hornet

With the fall foliage completing its cycle, the number of beehives or should I say bald faced hornet hives are everywhere. By everywhere I mean in central Massachusetts,  driving through the towns of Rutland, Oakham , Barre , Hardwick & Petersham  nests are easily seen .To quantify the increased hive activity, a late fall hike in Quabbin I counted 24 bald faced  hornet hives over a twelve mile stretch. The hives were built as low as four feet from the ground and were as high as forty feet in a variety of trees. I don’t believe I have ever seen twenty four hives of any type in my lifetime, never mind in one season. That’s what has me so inquisitive. Why are there so many hives in central Massachusetts this year, Was the winter of 2012 mild enough where temperatures  minimized the death toll of the queen bald face hornets. The queens will typically protect themselves from the winter by borrowing into a rotten log or under bark. Is there something more to the increased bald faced hornet activity? My next questions were, how do they build their nests, what is there purpose, do they pollinate like the honey bee?

The bald face hornet uses their saliva mixed with the wood that they chew in fabricating the paper that makes the hive. I have not figured out there purpose.  They do pollinate but it doesn’t appear with the intensity of a honey bee. Bald faced hornets are aggressive and will attack other small insects.

I have always found hives catch most peoples eye and make for an interesting conversation piece. Taking a hive in the late fall has no impact on the inhabitants or the hive. The drones have all died off with the female seeking winter cover elsewhere in hopes of making it to spring where she will start a new hive with a small cone.

Jim

Cold & Windy !

Wind made hiking a challenge this morning. We had more snow in Rutland than the Quabbin region. On my ride to Quabbin I was hoping the snow was consistent in central Massachusetts. Not the case at all. When I reached Long Pond there was barely a dusting. Oh Well! We will just have to make the best of a cold wind day

Sun was just hitting the tree tops and I was on my way. It wasn’t long before catching movement.

Continuing on I was thrilled to find this bobcat track in the trace of snow.

Dressing in layers made for a comfortable hike this morning

Jin

Cold, Windy & Eventful

A bit nippy this morning. Even though the wind was brisk I did find several opportunities to snap a picture. I spotted a doe and yearling feeding in the dawns early light

As I approached the shoreline before the morning sun touched the tree tops. Looking up, this immature eagle was soaring just inside the sun’s rays.

On the hike back to the truck I could hear geese heading my way coming off the reservoir.  Standing very still offered this picture.

Put 8 miles on the ole’ boots this morning. Made for a GREAT way to start a Saturday

Jim

Interesting Day !

I had the opportunity to tag along on a MA Wildlife visit to Prescott Peninsula .  A wonderful opportunity to say the least. The day started out with spotting a mature eight point buck bedded close to the road.
A shoreline visit revealed several pole ends that once supported the   hack-site with the introduction of eagles to Quabbin  Reservoir. A short distance out into the reservoir sits a small island named Loon Island.

A loon could be heard off in the distance before heading out. The ride out took us by Lily Pond.

where I spotted an old hand crafted ladder . I am guessing it may have been used to reach a photography platform  overlooking Lily Pond several decades ago.

Jim

Gate 50 to Gate 48

This mornings hike took me over Goodnough Dike through Gate 50 destine to find the entrance to Gate 48. .

 Several attempts to locate the Gate 48 driving the road didn’t work out.

Crossing Goodnough Dike a mature eagle flew in camera view.

  On the hike to Gate 48  cart road  ( 49-2) had several old foundations that looked interesting.

Several old maples lined the roads edge. I'll bet the foliage last month would have been nice.

 Just over three miles hiking I arrived at the entrance. The cement poles were still in place with no signs or  identifying marks.

 No wildlife to speak of this morning. I did hear three pileated woodpeckers and seen the usual winter birds.

Jim

"Still Morning"

This morning’s hike took me along the NE Shoreline. Overcast to start with the sun shining on the return hike.

 I enjoy walking the shoreline with anticipation of getting a picture of an eagle, listening to the loons and watching for tracks in the mud.

No shortage of coyote and deer tracks on the shoreline. I did locate a set of bobcat tracks that were close to a large outcrop of boulders.

Jim      

Several Milestones Reached Hiking The Quabbin Woods

Interesting day yesterday hiking Quabbin. There were several personal milestones within my reach. I was twenty five miles away from reaching a total of one thousand miles hiked inside the boundaries of Quabbin Reservoir carrying a camera. The second milestone was reaching the most miles hiked in one day.

 Putting twenty-five miles on the ole’ hiking boots yesterday and breaking the one thousand mile marker made for a rewarding day. The day started at Gate 43 with light snow falling. My hike today would take me out Shaft 12 Rd to Fitzpatrick Rd, over Lyman St, down to East St, exiting Gate 50 onto Goodnough Dike. From their I hiked out to Quabbin Park, then up to Enfield Lookout.

Wildlife was scarce with only seeing an eagle and one immature red-tail hawk. Beehives were everywhere. I kept track of the number of hives on my hike back to the truck. In the 12.5 miles there were 24 nests. I don’t think I have seen 24 beehives in my entire life.  

When I reached the truck the first thing  I did was to pull my GPS out of the pack.

Jim

Close No Cigar

The light rain this morning made it perfect for walking through the woods quietly .Moving slowly along an oak ridge I spotted movement about fourty yards away. It was a six point buck moving away from me with his nose on the ground in pursuit of a  doe. I attempted to get a picture through the many trees.

You can see his front leg and neck  on the left hand side of the picture. He was moving along and out of sight no time.
Also , since the leaves have fallen I have seen more bee hives  . Just in my hike this morning I counted three.
Jim

Deer Activity This Morning

With the rut just about in full swing deer should be moving pretty good. That was the case this morning. The problem was, I spotted them just a little too early and  had to  quickly set the camera on ISO 6400 with barely got this picture

A little while after this picture I did spot a small spike horn and several does.
 Before calling it a day I took a second hike at a NW gate  in hopes of maybe catching a few more deer out and about.

No luck!

Jim

 

Jim

Cold & Windy Morning

What a difference a day makes. Bit of a snap in the air this morning. I ventured out to the the Shaft 12 Road  I hiked to the intersection of Fitzpatrick Road ,where I took a right down a short cart road to the reservoir. I questioned my shoreline decision when the sharp wind  convinced me to put my hood on. It was worth the discomfort when this eagle glided by,

Continuing on, moose , raccoon  , coyote and deer tracks where consistent in the mud. The call of a loon put a nice finish on the morning .
I took a ride over to Quabbin Park. The reservoir looked beautiful from Enfield Lookout with a touch of sun.

Jim

Hike To Dead Eagle Site

It's been just about a year since I found the remains of a young eagle on a shoreline hike. . I thought it might be an interesting morning to visit the area and see what if any activity is evident. I parked on Rte 32A  and hiked Carted Rd to Hell Huddle Rd then to the reservoir where I followed the shoreline east.  The reservoir is down but not as low as last year. Moose ,deer and raccoons have been visiting the waters edge frequently.

When I reached the area ,the pace slowed looking for any sign left by eagles. With the bones and shells that were found last year, one might conclude that an eagle visited regularly consuming it's catch.

 Rounding the next corner was a broken mussel. A little further lay a painted turtle shell.

 I found a similar  turtle shell last year in the same area.  One could conclude with the few parcels located this morning that eagles use the area regularly when feeding.

Jim