|
|||||||
|
|
|
|||||
|
|
|||||||
Vol. 3, No. 4
Friday, May 25, 2002
[Home]
Contents | Dolan Pond News | Home
Welcome to the Dolan Pond News, an email publication of Friends of Dolan Pond, a local organization that promotes the protection and preservation of the Dolan Pond Conservation Area in West Newton, MA. Visit our website at www.dolanpond.org.
Contents | Dolan Pond News | Home
Mama and the babies are doing very well so far. Early in the week, they seemed to be spending more time in Dolan Pond. They liked the small cove to the right which made it a little harder to see them. A partial view of this cove is possible from near the Cumberland Road entrance. The last few days have seen them most often in Quinn Pond, the large pond closer to Stratford Road and Auburndale Ave. The ducklings appear a little bigger than before. They seem to be a little more independent from Mama. Sometimes the chicks spread across the pond away from her, but most often they stick together as a group. They often hang out near the reeds at the back of the pond or sometimes on the right. The lucky thing is that there are still 13 ducklings, the same number as when first seen. Watching them grow up should prove to be an entertaining show.
Contents | Dolan Pond News | Home
It's been a busy week for the birds at Dolan Pond. The weather has been very cooperative this week with mostly clear skies and pleasant weather. Last Sunday morning, we had a birdwalk, with a total of 8 attendees, including two inquisitive and knowledgeable youngnaturalists equipped with field guides and binoculars. Our group did catch sight of the Wood Duck family from the stump path at Dolan Pond after hearing the mother's cries while being harassed by a cat. She led them away across to the other side of the pond in front of us. All in all, it was a very successful morning with a total of 31 species. Among these were eight warbler species including a calling Northern Waterthrush near Quinn Pond.
Redstarts were in abundance most of this week. The male is black with orange highlights (kind of a "Halloween bird"), while the female is lighter with yellow highlights. On Monday morning, while birding with Deb and Frank Howard, we were delighted to see a Swainson's Thrush and a Veery (another type of thrush) together on the lawn to the right (under the big Hemlocks) as you go down the road from Webster Park. In midweek, I was surprised to see a Hummingbird near the intersection of the paths. On Friday, at the far end of Quinn Pond, a Green Heron was stalking tadpoles seemingly unperturbed by the numerous wood ducklings cavorting around him in the reeds. There are several places in the park that leaves appear to be white-washed (near the main path intersection and again along the Cumberland Path) under some bare branches. One can surmise that a somewhat larger bird (perhaps a heron) let go of the whitewash material from above.
The following is a list of birds (48 species) reported over the past week (since Sunday, 5/19) including those from the walk on that day. Many of these are fairly common, while others, such as most of warblers, are usually only seen in migration. The list gives you some idea of the important role of such conservation areas in providing habitat for our feathered friends.
As the leaves get fuller, it becomes more difficult to actually see the birds. This is why birders like to keep an eye on Oak trees since they fill in a bit later than the maples. Luckily for birders, there are a good number of oaks in the park (and outside too - the Webster Park loop is mostly surrounded by Oaks). In many cases, the distinctive songs become important in the identification process. Indeed it is often the song or the bird's chip note that gives them away. One birder's maxim - learn to recognize the sounds of the common birds - then you will be able to tell when there is one you don't know and focus on that.
Contents | Dolan Pond News | Home
It was surprising to hear the trill of the American Toad one day this week. Usually we hear it consistently for several days much earlier in the season. Today, the Green Frogs were fairly persistent with their banjo-like call. They seemed to be talking to each other from different parts of Dolan Pond. On Friday morning, a baby raccoon was noted lying in the middle of Webster Park loop. In general, it's best to let sleeping raccoons lie, due to the possibility of rabies.
One additional yellow flower noted in the park this week was the Hedge Mustard. There was only one specimen on the side of the small path to the edge of Banana Pond. The Creeping Buttecups have gone into full bloom at the bog bridge along the Auburndale Path. They almost look like miniature yellow roses before they come out fully. Mary Loew, who was at last Sunday's bird walk, pointed out that Celandine stem has yellow fluid in it. However this fluid can be a skin irritant, so caution is advised. You probably have this four-leaved yellow flower in your yard as well.
You may be wondering about the small purple flower seen close to the ground in Dolan Pond as well as in your own backyard. This is commonly known a "Gill over-the-ground", a member of the mint family. Try squeezing one of the leaves between your fingers and then sniffing it for a very pleasant scent.
But what has been the most common flower seen at Dolan Pond? It's a small white flower and it is almost everywhere along the paths. It's known as Garlic Mustard. Not all flowers at Dolan Pond are desirable. It is highly invasive and is one of the scourges of the park (along with knotweed and multiflora rose). It seems to be easily pulled out and if done before or while flowering this could help prevent its spread. We hope to provide more information about the good and the bad plants at Dolan Pond on our website and eventually on the Dolan Pond bulletin boards after the renovation.
Contents | Dolan Pond News | Home
If anyone also happens to visit Norumbega Park (many dog-walkers frequent there), you may get a little preview of the kind of signboards that will be installed at Dolan Pond later this year. Two were put in there last weekend as part of a Boy Scout Eagle project (of Adam Federschneider) by Troop 355 of West Newton. One is on the Islington Road loop and the other inside the gate near Commonwealth Vet.
Martha Horn, Newton's environmental planner paid a visit to the Dolan Pond Area this week. She related that contractor bids were due this week for mowing maintenance of Dolan Pond for the coming year. The unsightly broken traffic stop at the end of Stratford Road was removed this week. It may turn out that some of the bog bridges that will be removed to make way for the new boardwalk could be recycled for use at Flowed Meadow if structurally intact. At the moment however, anyone that visits Flowed Meadow will discover that the flowed meadow is more like the overflowed meadow and is currently mostly under water with the level the same as the Charles River.
Upon a visit to the exceptionally fine exhibit at the Jackson Homestead on Newton's Naturalist, Charles Johnson Maynard, it was interesting to learn from curator Susan Abele that on occasion he visited Dolan Pond to go birding. We hope to be able to find and publish here some of his journal entries on Dolan Pond and environs in the near future excerpted from his "Walks and Talks with Nature" series of books. It's a great time to visit the Jackson Homestead, not only for the Maynard exhibit, but also the exhibit on mapping Newton and the new exhibit on the role of the Newton Conservators in helping to preserve Newton's open space (with many fine photos and maps of Newton's conservation areas).
Contents | Dolan Pond News | Home
Some of you may recall the Newton's first Biodiversity Day, held at Dolan Pond where teams tried to identify the living things present there. This year the event will be held at Cold Spring Park on Sunday, June 2. Please read the information below for more information:
Newton will be participating in this year's third annual statewide Biodiversity Days and you are invited. A series of free nature events sponsored by the Newton Conservators, are being held this coming Sunday, June 2nd, for the purpose of involving citizen naturalists in tabulating what species of living things inhabit Newton. and educating citizens as to the variety of life around them. This year our Newton Biodiversity Day will be on Sunday, June 2nd with the focus on the natural environment of Cold Spring Park. This "central park" of Newton contains a number of diverse habitats including upland, open, and brushy areas, and even some vernal pools.
At 8:30 AM, a bird walk through the park will be held looking for the sights and sounds of late migrants and nesting species such as Indigo Bunting, Rose-breasted Grosbeak, Scarlet Tanager, and Carolina Wren. Bring binoculars if you have them and wear a comfortable pair of shoes as we traverse the natural areas of the park. Cold Spring Park local Cris Criscitiello (617-244-6397), who has been birding the park since 1965, will be leading this opening walk for Newton Biodiversity Day.
At 10:00 AM will be a reprise of last year's very popular "Creatures of the Forest Floor" with Dan Perlman. We will explore the diversity of creatures that inhabit the leaf litter that covers the forest floor. Using coarse-meshed shaker bags and boxes, we will search for millipedes, centipedes, sow bugs, snails, springtails, worms, nematodes, ants, beetles, and other creatures. If we are lucky, we will find glowing firefly larvae and the tiny but fierce pseudo-scorpions. Be prepared to sit on the ground; you may want to bring a plastic bag if the ground is damp. You may also want to bring a field notebook for your notes or drawings. The leader will provide magnifying glasses and other equipment. Trip leader Dan Perlman (617-969-3047) of the Brandeis University Biology Department, taught conservation biology at Harvard for nine years, has created "Conserving Earth's Biodiversity," a CD-ROM with Prof. E.O. Wilson of Harvard, and has lead hands-on science programs in elementary schools.
At 11:30 AM, we will have an "All Species Hunt" where citizen volunteers will be focusing on all fungi, ferns, trees, shrubs, wildflowers, bugs (including butterflies and dragonflies), amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. While numbers will not be counted, evidence for the presence of species will be checked. Bring your favorite field guides along with bug boxes, magnifiers, nets, and notebooks. This information will provide a glimpse of just what we have here in Newton and may be used by the state to map out ranges for both rare and common life forms in Massachusetts.
Experience is not necessary. It is hoped that a new generation of naturalists may be encouraged. Many children today know far more about dinosaurs than the wonders that can be found in their own backyard. Newtonians may also send species reports (time and location) from their own neighborhood over the period May 31-June3, especially any unusual mammals, birds, butterflies, or other creatures (email to dolanpond@aol.com).
All events are free and no preregistration is necessary. We will meet near the Duncklee Street entrance to Cold Spring Park. Going south on Walnut Street from Beacon Street (Bread and Circus), Duncklee is the fourth right. Follow Duncklee to its end within Cold Spring Park. Look for the Newton Conservators table a short distance beyond. If you wish further information, please contact Newton's Biodiversity Days coordinator, Ted Kuklinski of the Newton Conservators (617- 969-6222, dolanpond@aol.com) or visit the Newton Biodiversity Days web page at www.newtonconservators.org/biodiversity.htm.
Contents | Dolan Pond News | Home
Friends of Dolan Pond is a loose organization that has a website, www.dolanpond.org and an email address, "info@dolapond.org". If you are interested in the organization, please contact Ted Kuklinski at 617-969-6222, write to Friends of Dolan Pond, 24 Henshaw Terrace, West Newton, MA 02465, or send email to info@dolanpond.org. If you wish to be removed from this list, simply reply to this email with the word remove in the subject or body of the reply.
This newsletter is primarily published and distributed by email. If you wish to receive the newsletter or request to discontinue receiving the newsletter by email, please contact us as above. It is also posted in paper form on clipboards at the major entrances to the area. If you have any information, material, photos, poems, writings, etc. concerning Dolan Pond that you would like to share, please send them along. Please forward the email version along to anyone you know who might be interested in receiving it or ask them to send us an email to join our subscription list. Hope to see you at Dolan Pond soon!
Contents | Dolan Pond News | Home
Contents | Dolan Pond News | Home
Hope to see you at Dolan Pond soon!