50 Birds

4/28/07 - With the sighting of a brown-headed cowbird today, I have now observed 50 bird species in Newton during 2007. I'm a casual birder, so there are many birds I missed. In the next 2-3 weeks the spring bird migration will peak, with many spectacular birds returning to breed (e.g. yellow warbler, northern oriole), or passing through (e.g. northern parula). Join Cris Criscitiello and the Newton Conservators on a Nahanton Park bird walk on Sunday May 13, 8-10 AM.

Newton List
1/1/07 - 4/28/07

Species
cooper's hawk
red-tailed hawk
belted kingfisher
hooded merganser
black duck
bufflehead
canada goose
common merganser
ruddy duck
ring-necked duck
wood duck
mallard
great blue heron
green heron
killdeer
turkey vulture
brown creeper
rock dove
mourning dove
blue jay
american crow
northern junco
white-throated sparrow
house finch
song sparrow
northern cardinal
american goldfinch
chipping sparrow
common loon
northern rough-winged swallow
red-winged blackbird
brown-headed cowbird
common grackle
ring-billed gull
herring gull
wild turkey
northern mockingbird
black-capped chickadee
tufted titmouse
red-bellied woodpecker
northern flicker
downy woodpecker
house sparrow
american woodcock
white-breasted nuthatch
european starling
golden-crowned kinglet
carolina wren
american robin
eastern pheobe

The Bats are Back

Every spring and summer, I observe bats feeding at dusk over my back yard in Newton Center. I observed three bats feeding last night (4/22/07). I am not sure what species, but, according to the Massachusetts Audubon Society bat page, the most common bats in Massachusetts are the Little Brown Myotis and the Big Brown Bat. Apparently, the Big Brown Bat is more common in urban areas. According to the Wild Mammals of New England, Big Brown Bats do not live in large colonies, and generally use the same feeding grounds each night. Big Brown Bats are active in early spring, whereas Little Brown Myotis tend to become active a bit later. Both species mate in the fall and give birth in June. It would be very interesting to know whether both species occur in Newton? For a list of the bats of Massachusetts, click here.

Enjoying Vernal Pools

On Sunday, April 22, about 20 people of all ages met at Newton Community Farm to explore vernal pool life. The weather cooperated, and we had a terrific walk along the Charles River Path. Vernal pools are ponds that tend to dry up at least occasionally and therefore do not support fish. Many amphibians such as spotted salamanders and wood frogs breed almost exclusively in these pools where there are few vertebrate predators to eat their larvae. Vernal pools are incredibly productive ecosystems supporting a diversity of species, including many invertebrates. In Newton, relatively few vernal pools remain, but pools may be seen at Webster Woods, Cold Spring Park, and Dolan Pond.

Upon arrival at a vernal pool, we were greeted by a loud chorus of Spring Peepers. We observed Green Frogs, Wood Frogs, and Spotted Salamander eggs. Invertebrates that we observed included fairy shrimp, predaceous diving beetle, backswimmer, water boatman, dragonfly larvae, fingernail clam, planorbid snail, and much more. I urge you to follow the links to see photos of some of these wonderful creatures. There's a lot out there...

Loon at Crystal Lake

4/19/07 - Observed a Common Loon in full breeding plumage on Crystal Lake. I have been a casual bird-watcher in Newton for many years, and have not observed this species in the City before. According to the Birds of Massachusetts (Veit & Petersen, 1993), this species is an uncommon migrant inland (common coastal migrant).

Spotted Salamander

April 14, 2007, south Newton

Wild Turkey

April 14, 2007, Wiswall Road

Urban Wilds

As a conservation biologist who has always lived in urban and suburban settings, I have long been fascinated by urban forest patches and open spaces. For me, there is something particularly spectacular and rewarding about seeing a spotted salamander swimming under the ice in an urban vernal pool, even though this species can be readily observed in more rural settings. The same can be said for a great-horned owl, red squirrel, or short-tailed shrew (all still found in Newton).

Seeing these species begs the questions why are they still here while other species have disappeared, and how long will these species persist here? Due to their sometimes extreme isolation and small size, urban wilds provide research opportunities for scientists interested in understanding the effects of habitat loss and fragmentation. For example, Richard Primack, a life-long Newton resident, conducted a study in the Middlesex Fells Reservation, documenting a dramatic loss of native flora.

Most importantly, urban wilds provide a vital opportunity for city-dwellers to connect to the natural world. Increasingly, human populations are concentrated in cities. Our future depends, in large part, on these city-dwellers advocating for protection and sound stewardship of land, open space, and natural resources. The challenge is that this environmental ethic comes most readily from direct experience with the natural world. Organizations such as the Newton-based Urban Ecology Institute have recognized that urban open spaces provide a key link between city-dwellers and the natural world. In a recent paper on this topic, Mark Schwartz suggests that Conservation Biologists need to help develop "social capital" for biodiversity by engaging urban dwellers in scientific inquiry and stewardship of urban habitats. According to Schwartz,

"Social capital for biodiversity begins with embracing a personal
responsibility for protecting the diversity of life on Earth.
The task of personalizing nature for humanity is large, yet
critical to long-term success."

Here in Newton, the Newton Conservators, Newton Community Farm, Parks & Recreation Department, Conservation Commission, the Public Schools, and others provide opportunities for residents to connect with nature and develop that personal relationship that Schwartz discusses. However, there is real cause for concern about a growing disconnect between our residents and the natural world-- particularly our youth.

I hope that you will join me in enjoying and appreciating Newton's open spaces, in exchanging information about what's out there, and in finding new and exciting ways to engage more Newton residents in nature discovery, research, and stewardship of Newton's open spaces. (This is the first of two articles describing the purpose of this website)

Spring Nature Walks

Click here for a list of upcoming walks sponsored by the Newton Conservators.

Join Newton Community Farm for a vernal pool walk – We will meet at the farm, walk along the Charles River Path and explore several vernal pools. Vernal pools, or small ponds lacking fish, provide important breeding habitat for a number of amphibians, and support a unique and diverse array of invertebrates such as fairy shrimp and predaceous diving beetles. We will dip net in some pools and are likely to observe spotted salamander egg masses. Note: This excursion includes a fairly lengthy walk along the Charles River. We can arrange to meet people at Saw Mill Brook Parkway who would like to skip the longer hike, but participate in the vernal pool investigations. Contact Jon Regosin to arrange this.

Date: Sunday April 22
Time: 9:45 AM
Location: Meet at the Winchester Street entrance to Newton Community Farm
Please RSVP to Jon Regosin at 617-244-0736 or berkowitz.regosin@verizon.net

Wood Frogs Calling

4/7/07 - Heard Wood Frogs calling in Cold Spring Park. It was very cold and they weren't calling much. Although abundant throughout Massachusetts, the Wood Frog is extremely rare in Newton, apparently only breeding in Cold Spring Park (see upcoming article on Newton vernal pools). Interestingly, in my experience, Wood Frogs seem to be less likely than spotted salamanders to persist in urban forest fragments-- even when suitable breeding pools are present. This could be for a number of reasons: (1) Wood frogs need forested wetlands (often with streams) for feeding, vernal pools for breeding, and forested uplands for overwintering. Spotted salamanders just need forested uplands and vernal pools. With past ditching of streams and wetland filling, there aren't that many smaller forest fragments with all three habitat types; (2) Spotted Salamanders are longer lived-- populations of this species are less likely to go locally extinct as a result of stochastic processes (e.g. a few bad breeding years in a row).

Spotted Salamanders Breeding

4/7/07 - Observed Spotted Salamander spermatophores and very fresh egg masses in Hammond Woods (see photos). The Spotted Salamander migrates to vernal pools on rainy nights in early spring. Once in the pond, males and females form mating aggregations called "congresses" and males deposit spermatophores on the pond bottom. Females deposit gelatinous egg masses, usually attached to submerged woody debris. Although common to abundant throughout Massachusetts, this species is uncommon to rare in Newton because of our urban environment and lack of vernal pools (see upcoming article on Newton's vernal pools). The egg masses I observed on Saturday were very fresh. Given the large size of the zygote, I was actually able to observe a cleavage furrow with the naked eye, as these fertilized eggs were in the process of dividing into 2 celled embryos!

Spring Peepers Calling

4/5/06 - Heard our first Spring Peepers of the season at Webster Conservation Area. The Spring Peeper is a small frog (approx. 1 inch) with a big voice. Frogs were active and calling with air temperature of 36 degrees. Spring Peepers will likely be calling for another few weeks. American Toads are not calling yet.

Early Spring Migrants

In the midst of long New England winters, Newton birders look skyward for signs of spring as early as late February. In late February or early March Red-winged Blackbirds and Common Grackles return from the southeast and begin to sing.

During mid to late March, our earliest flycatcher, the Eastern Pheobe returns. We saw our first on March 31. As this species feeds primarily on flying insects, spring weather must in fact be around the corner...

Woodcocks Take Flight

On 3/25/07 a group from Newton Community Farm visited Nahanton park to observe the mating flights of the American Woodcock. With the decline of agriculture, and associated wet meadows, old fields, and thickets, the American Woodcock has become less common in Massachusetts. In most years, small numbers of woodcock breed in Nahanton park. At dusk in early spring, these birds can be observed doing dramatic flight displays as part of their mating ritual.

First Butterfly of Season

3/31/07 - Observed first butterfly of the season - Mourning Cloak on Greenlawn in Newton Center.

Birds of Garland Road

Garland Road is a residential street in Newton, Massachusetts, approximately 8 miles west of Boston. Landuse is high-density residential with single family houses on 1/8 - 1/4 acre lots

We are tracking the birds seen and heard on our house lot on Garland.

1/1/07 - 3/31/07 Species observed (21):

american crow
american goldfinch
american robin
belted kingfisher
black-capped chickadee
blue jay
carolina wren
common grackle
downy woodpecker
eastern pheobe
european starling
house finch
house sparrow
mourning dove
northern cardinal
northern junco
red-tailed hawk
song sparrow
tufted titmouse
white-breasted nuthatch
white-throated sparrow