eBird Report - Memorial Forest, Sudbury, MA, 4/30/10

Sudbury Valley Trustees' largest reservation, the General Federation of Women's Clubs of Massachusetts Memorial Forest (in short, Memorial Forest) is by far, so far, my favorite property to visit that is owned and maintained by SVT. I had spent about 4.5 hours hiking around the majority of the trails on the property, from 10:45 AM to 3:15 PM.

I certainly wasn't entirely sure what I would see today, but seeing 7 EASTERN TOWHEES was definitely a pleasant surprise! Most of them (4 of the 7) were found along Pipeline Trail, while the rest were found along Desert Trail. They were singing and calling ("drink-your-tea" and "chewink"), music to my ears! Other highlights were the RED-SHOULDERED HAWK found by its vocalizations at first ("kee-yer")....simply gorgeous, especially with the sunlight showing its translucent crescents in its wings! PINE WARBLERS were heard everywhere, but I could only get on a few of them, and fantastic looks too! The PILEATED WOODPECKER I struck upon was heard first, off of Pipeline Trail near Cranberry Brook, caught a brief glimpse whilst it made its irregular, Flicker-like call numerous times. RED-BREASTED NUTHATCHES throughout, but particular along Desert Trail and Loop as well as Ocean Bypass. I have never seen a BROWN CREEPER sing before, and its song has always been a fave of mine!

A fine day indeed (and the weather couldn't have been better!) Happy birding to all!

Location:     Memorial Forest, Sudbury, MA
Observation date:     4/30/10
Number of species:     27

Canada Goose - Branta canadensis     2
Mallard - Anas platyrhynchos     2
Great Blue Heron - Ardea herodias     1 (near boardwalk spanning Cranberry Brook on Heron Spur Trail)
Turkey Vulture - Cathartes aura     1 (seen soaring over area near jct of Desert Trail and Pipeline Trail)
Red-shouldered Hawk - Buteo lineatus     1 (flying over Cranberry Brook near Heron Spur Trail)
Red-tailed Hawk - Buteo jamaicensis     2
Mourning Dove - Zenaida macroura     6
Downy Woodpecker - Picoides pubescens     2
Pileated Woodpecker - Dryocopus pileatus     1 (off of Pipeline Trail near Cranberry Brook)
Blue Jay - Cyanocitta cristata     4
American Crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos     5
Tree Swallow - Tachycineta bicolor     7
Black-capped Chickadee - Poecile atricapillus     X
Tufted Titmouse - Baeolophus bicolor     X
Red-breasted Nuthatch - Sitta canadensis     6 (observed birds seen off of Desert Trail and Desert Loop)
White-breasted Nuthatch - Sitta carolinensis     5
Brown Creeper - Certhia americana     1 (off of Heron Spur Trail)
American Robin - Turdus migratorius     8
Yellow-rumped Warbler (Myrtle) - Dendroica coronata coronata     1
Pine Warbler - Dendroica pinus     3
Eastern Towhee - Pipilo erythrophthalmus     7 (along Pipeline Trail & Desert Trail)
White-throated Sparrow - Zonotrichia albicollis     2
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) - Junco hyemalis hyemalis/carolinensis     4
Northern Cardinal - Cardinalis cardinalis     2
Red-winged Blackbird - Agelaius phoeniceus     15
Common Grackle - Quiscalus quiscula     26
American Goldfinch - Carduelis tristis     7

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/massaudubon/)

And here are the directions to SVT's Memorial Forest: From Sudbury Center (the intersection of Concord Road and Route 27), take Hudson Road west (staying left on Hudson rather than following Route 27 north) for 2.0 mi to Dutton Road on the left. Take Dutton Road 1.8 mi, staying on Dutton Road by bearing right at intersection with Garrison, to an unpaved access on the right into a parking area under pine trees. There is an SVT sign at the entrance to the parking area.

Invasive Plants - Early Detection

The text and information below is from an email I received from Laura Mattei to all volunteers of SVT. I thought it would be beneficial to share this information as any and all help is needed. Sadly, I cannot attend any of the training dates due to other volunteering obligations (Wildlife Care every Saturday for Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary in Lincoln, MA). FYI, Laura Mattei is the Director of Stewardship for Sudbury Valley Trustees.

Framingham -  New England Wild Flower Society is seeking volunteers to help with the Sudbury-Assabet-Concord River Watershed Cooperative Invasive Species Management Association (CISMA)’s EARLY DETECTION INVASIVE PLANT SURVEYS.

The goal of the project is to develop a prioritized list of invasive plant populations for management by means of documentation, mapping, and control of early detection invasives plants that are just starting to enter the Sudbury-Assabet-Concord (SUASCO) River watershed area.

WE NEED YOUR HELP IN STOPPING THESE INVASIVE SPECIES BEFORE THEY BECOME WIDESPREAD AND UNCONTROLLABLE!

Volunteers receive one day of training in early detection invasive surveys, then are assigned to survey for the target species. The training sessions run from 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m., and include a powerpoint presentation on the early detection species with a discussion of their identification, habitats, impacts, and control.  The rest of the morning includes a discussion of survey and documentation methods, locations, use of GPS, and how/where to report findings.  The afternoon training is primarily in the field, doing practice surveys and documentation. CISMA plans to start controlling some of the populations within this field season.

After the training session, volunteers are assigned to specific sites in their hometowns (and further afield, if they prefer) to look for the invasive plant species listed below.  CISMA plans to survey in each of the watershed’s 36 towns.

To volunteer for the training and survey work, please contact Ted Elliman, Vegetation Management Coordinator for New England Wild Flower Society at telliman@newenglandwild.org, or by phone at 508-877-7630 x 3203. 

Four CISMA training dates have been set. Volunteers can choose any one of the sessions. They are: 

• Saturday, May 15 - Southborough Fire Station, 21 Main Street Southborough, 01772  Saturday, May 22 - Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge, 73 Weir Hill Road, Sudbury 01776
• Sunday, May 23 - Bedford Town Hall, 10 Mudge Way, Bedford, 01730
• Saturday June 5 - Bolton Town Library, 738 Main Street, Bolton 01740

The eleven early detection species that are the targets of the CISMA survey, taken from the Massachusetts Invasive Plant Advisory Group list, are:

• Flowering Rush (Butomus umbellatus)
• Giant Hogweed (Heracleum mantegazzianum)
• Japanese stiltgrass (Microstegium vimineum)
• Kudzu (Pureraria montana)
• Mile-a-minute vine (Polygonum perfoliatum)
• Reed mannagrass (Glyceria maxima)
• Tansy ragwort/ stinking willie (Senecio jacobaea)
• Brazilian waterweed (Egeria densa)
• Great yellowcress (Rorippa amphibia)
• Hydrilla (Hydrilla verticillata)
• Parrot-feather (Myriophyllum aquaticum)

This is an extremely important project for the 36 towns which comprise the Sudbury-Assabet-Concord River watershed area. It is most important that these invasive plants populations be documented, then removed to protect our native plant populations and their habitats.

All volunteers under 18 must have a permission form signed by a parent or guardian. Send us an email for a copy.

Glossy Ibis in Concord | Sudbury Valley Trustees

I wanted to share some photos of the very same Glossy Ibis Kirk and myself observed today at Nine-Acre Corner in Concord, MA. This link sends you to the Sudbury Valley Trustees Nature Sightings section of their website that features any and all sightings of Glossy Ibis, and many many other wonderful wildlife! This particular set of photos were taken by Ron McAdow on the 12th of April, 2010! Enjoy!

Glossy Ibis in Concord | Sudbury Valley Trustees

Red-shouldered Hawk at Memorial Forest in Sudbury! (03/18/10)

Just a quick little note here folks! While assisting Sudbury Valley Trustees with installing a bench that sits atop the boardwalk that spans Cranberry Brook, Dan and myself were graced with the presence of a beautiful Red-shouldered Hawk! This lovely buteo was soaring overhead, just above the treeline over the marsh area around us. It was flying in tight cirlces, giving its characteristic "kee-yer" call quite often. Sibley and Peterson weren't kidding when they stated that the Red-shouldered is very vocal! A lifer for me, and had great looks at it for about 7 minutes or so. Also, at least 3 Red-breasted Nuthatches were heard calling back and forth to each other. Sadly, I could not get on them amongst all those tall pines there. Happy birding everyone!

eBird Report - Memorial Forest, Sudbury, MA , 3/5/10

Here are some directions copied from the Sudbury Valley Trustees website:

From Sudbury Center (the intersection of Concord Road and Route 27), take Hudson Road west (staying left on Hudson rather than following Route 27 north) for 2.0 mi to Dutton Road on the left. Take Dutton Road 1.8 mi, staying on Dutton Road by bearing right at intersection with Garrison, to an unpaved access on the right into a parking area under pine trees. There is an SVT sign at the entrance to the parking area.

Location:     Memorial Forest, Sudbury, MA
Observation date:     3/5/10
Notes:     A vast and glorious pine forest at Memorial with some wetlands and several brooks running through the property. Numerous Black-capped Chickadees (seemed to be BC Chickadee central!) and Tufted Titmice. The highlights of course was the lone Eastern Bluebird and the Red-breasted Nuthatch. My inclination is that there were probably more RB Nuthatches around, but I find they tend to be more seclusive than their White-breasted brethren. If anybody decides to check out Memorial Forest, you'll need waterproof boots with good grip (still packed ice and snow along trails) and the loop south of Trout Brook is partially flooded (you'll have to do some trekking around it).
Number of species:     9

Ring-billed Gull - Larus delawarensis     3
Mourning Dove - Zenaida macroura     4
Downy Woodpecker - Picoides pubescens     1
American Crow - Corvus brachyrhynchos     3
Black-capped Chickadee - Poecile atricapillus     X
Tufted Titmouse - Baeolophus bicolor     X
Red-breasted Nuthatch - Sitta canadensis     1
White-breasted Nuthatch - Sitta carolinensis     4
Eastern Bluebird - Sialia sialis     1

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/massaudubon/)

eBird Report - Memorial Forest, Sudbury, MA , 1/27/10

Location:     Memorial Forest, Sudbury, MA
Observation date:     1/27/10
Notes:     Saw and heard the 2 Ravens while walking back to the parking lot when walking over the boardwalk that crosses Hop Brook (near the confluence of Hop Brook and Trout Brook in Memorial Forest.
Number of species:     6

Downy Woodpecker - Picoides pubescens     2
Common Raven - Corvus corax     2
Black-capped Chickadee - Poecile atricapillus     3
Tufted Titmouse - Baeolophus bicolor     4
White-breasted Nuthatch - Sitta carolinensis     1
Dark-eyed Junco (Slate-colored) - Junco hyemalis hyemalis/carolinensis     3

This report was generated automatically by eBird v2(http://ebird.org/massaudubon/)