Stuctures & Things

I spent some time this morning organizing photo's of Quabbin structures along with odds & ends. The photo above was taken on the west side of the reservoir hiking along the shoreline. You can find other things found hiking on the link below.

http://hikingcamerawildlife.smugmug.com/Other/Quabbin-Structures/47761518_Xtr8df#!i=3903902996&k=S7Wc8vJ

Jim

Quabbin Eagles / Many Tracks

A beautiful bright morning hiking a favorite NE Gate. Not to often I see three  eagles on a morning hike. Reaching the frozen reservoir a pair ( shown above ) flew off into the distance. On the hike back to the truck a single adult eagle flew overhead.

Coyote tracks wandering across the ice

Deer are moving using the same trails,

Also tracks of several moose. Food being scarce this time of year, it was good to see the many tracks suggesting the deer and moose are moving to feed and avoiding predators.

Jim

Quabbin has a number of vantage points which provide nice views of the reservoir. Several of these lookouts can be reached with a car. Most will require more effort requiring hiking. To reach these lookouts make for a nice day in " The Quabbin Woods"

Jim

http://hikingcamerawildlife.smugmug.com/Nature/Quabbin-Lookouts/47643460_Gj9nCj#!i=3892304099&k=xL8bD6s

I am dating myself with the lyrics Signs Signs  Everywhere There Are Signs sung by
Five Man Electrical Band.

A variety of signs are scattered amongst the trials and roads of Quabbin.

http://www.smugmug.com/photos/new_add.mg?AlbumID=47523148

Jim

No Vehicles Today

Arrived at Quabbin Park early this morning  in hopes the gate would be closed. Not to often this happens . It was a real treat to hike to Enfield Lookout and nearly back to Goodnough Dike entrance before seeing the first hikers of the morning. The solitude was priceless, enjoying nearly three hours of Quabbin Parks Wildlife hearing only few mechanical sounds off in the distance.

Deer were plentiful seeing ( 5/3/2) while hiking.

No doubt the " Dead of Winter" has its grip on the reservoir. I did see one red tail hawk and one eagle in my travels.

These five deer where on the move looking for food.

Jim

Gane Camera Came Close

A favorite Northeast Gate has been a regular haunt to a few bobcats . Heading off the beaten path today to pick up my game camera  I came across two sets of bobcat tracks.

One of the bobcats walked about twenty yards behind the camera.
  The game camera was put out early January before the heavy snows. I pulled it in today in hopes of capturing  a pic . Unfortunately no pics.
Hopefully I can the camera back out sometime this  month.
Jim

Most gates are yellow with several others being odd colors and some gates not gates at all.

Using the Quabbin Map published by New England Cartographic

 I began a quest to locate all the gates. . My goal was to find record and hike the gates that were referenced on the map. Sounds relatively easy, right, not in all cases. The gates on the west side of the reservoir can all be  reached with a vehicle. Not all gates are painted bright yellow and numbered.

Several of the gates on the east side where challenging. Two in particular required me to hike from inside out. I would start hiking at a known point inside the boundaries of Quabbin, and then follow the cart road out reaching a known location. This worked out well with the exception of one SE gate. This gate took several attempts, but I was finally able to figure it out.

Just another way to enjoy Quabbin Reservoir.

Below find a link to an album showing what I believe to be all the  gates referenced on the map

http://hikingcamerawildlife.smugmug.com/Other/Quabbin-Gates/47180175_XhvJ7b#!i=3846614499&k=5XgJpNP

Jim