Peepers Calling

Breeding male Spring Peepers call during evenings in April to attract mates. This tiny frog makes a loud noise! Peepers are at the peak of their activity right now. Good places to listen for them include Hammond Woods and Nahanton Park. I was at Nahanton Park on Thursday evening, and heard quite a peeper chorus. I caught a male American Toad on his way to the breeding pond. Soon the toads will be calling as well-if they haven't started yet.

Time to see the Woodcock!

The flight display of the American Woodcock is one of our most wonderful rites of spring. As woodcocks only display for about one month in late March and April, now is the time to head for Nahanton Park at dusk to see and hear the birds. Here is a link to a nice NPR commentary on the woodcock. I once found a disoriented migrating woodcock on a sidewalk in downtown Boston. The American Woodcock Initiative by MassWildlife is working to manage and protect habitat for this species in Massachusetts

Our Pheobe Returns!

For the past few years, we have had a pair of Pheobes in our neighborhood. Yesterday, I heard the male singing for the first time this year. The Pheobe is our earliest returning flycatcher, usually returning in the end of March-- a sure sign of spring as the Pheobe feeds mostly on flying insects. Pheobes often nest under bridges or in culverts, near water. Our Pheobes have nested in the rafters under my neighbor's back porch.

Favorite Spots

This is one of my favorite short hikes in Newton, MA. A forested peninsula juts out into the marsh at a bend in the Charles River. The trail can be accessed from the Solomon Schechter parking lot off of Wells Avenue or from the end of Sawmill Brook Parkway. You can follow the trail into the marsh and right out to the river (be careful, this section may be wet in early spring). This is a great spot to cross-country ski. Sometimes you can see Common Mergansers and other waterfowl on the river. I have also seen Leopard Frogs here. The Leopard Frog is relatively uncommon in Massachusetts and can be easily mistaken for the more common Pickerel Frog.
This is a side spur of the Charles River Path, which can be taken to Nahanton Park, Millenium Park in West Roxbury, and beyond. The trail system also links to the Cutler Park trail system in Needham. This large block of open space along the Charles is a real gem. Other noteworthy species which can be found here include the Spotted Turtle, Blue-spotted Salamander, Ribbon Snake, and American Woodcock. If you hike here in March you may hear Red-Winged Blackbirds singing. In May, you may hear Common Yellowthroats and Yellow Warblers, as well as Rose-breasted Grosbeaks. During winter, Golden-crowned Kinglets. I've also seen Bald Eagle and Rough-legged Hawk in winter.

Great Night for Spotted Salamanders!

Male Spotted Salamander swimming in vernal pool, Hammond Woods, night of 3/19/08

More signs of spring

Turkey Vultures

Spotted Salamanders & Wood Frogs on the move


Migratory waterfowl on many of our ponds, including beautiful Common Mergansers & Hooded Mergansers

Spring around the corner!

With the sun climbing higher in the sky, and days getting longer, spring is around the corner. In mid-late February, Red-tailed Hawks will nest and Red-winged Blackbirds will return and begin to sing. With the warmer weather, I intend to reactivate this blog with information about vernal pools, bird migration, spring wildflowers, tree and shrub identification and more.

Dip-netting a Newton Vernal Pool in early spring