June 1, 2011
Report and Photos by Andrew Hrcyna
I had fun looking at birds this morning, and can't resist making the following observations about how the excellent management of the Reservation contributed to some of those birds' presence:
PHOTOS
1. Near Little Fresh Pond I saw some very photogenic Waxwings, checking out the not-quite ripe Juneberries on the Amelanchier bushes along FP. Some of these plants even still had their nursery tags on them. This is a good example of how native vegetation planted recently by tax dollars directly supports wildlife. (Waxwings, as you guys know, are fruit specialists and those berries are an important early summer fruit.)
2. Near little Fresh Pond, also, two Green Herons flew up to trees near the golf course, flushed from the edge of FP where the water was quite shallow. An argument for continued protection of the shores around the main pond and the smaller ponds, and for having a variety of vegetation of different heights near wetlands.
3. The Flicker in the hole in the snag near the shore at LFP poked its head out.  An argument for   leaving some standing dead trees, as per current practice.
4. Here [is an] April picture of the Flicker excavating that hole, earlier in the spring.                    
I'm having a tremendous amount of fun exploring parts of the Reservation I hadn't patiently explored before. Trouble is it takes longer and longer to make it around the whole loop. As you stop and notice, the place gets bigger and bigger…. (Like Thoreau's line, "I have travelled a great deal in Concord…")