Monthly Archives: May 2020

May: It’s All About Birds

Mass Audubon’s Birdathon May 15-16 was a grand success by any measure.  Broadmoor’s team – more than 80 people in 32 groups – stayed close to home, minimized our carbon footprint, involved lots of new families and individuals, and got everyone outside on a beautiful day to focus on nature.

Bald Eagle

Bald eagles were seen by 6 teams.  The total list for the sanctuary was 186 species.  To date, $9,491 have been donated to support Broadmoor’s Team, a phenomenal record and much appreciated this year in particular. 

A quote from one team summed it up:   As you can see we rose to the challenge of birding locally and on foot and had the best time doing it together.

Plans are in progress to reopen trails to visitors and we can’t wait to welcome you.  Meanwhile, the box nesting birds have been busy.  Of the 55 nest boxes 45 have been occupied.  One brood of Eastern bluebirds hatched and left the nest.  The parents are already on a second clutch.

Eastern bluebird nestlings about to fledge and trying to be invisible

These Eastern bluebird nestlings are almost fully feathered and about to fledge.  The nearest one couldn’t resist a peek to see who was opening the nestbox.

Nestboxes are visited only once a week to record data as part of long term monitoring spanning more than 30 years.

So far this year, 165 eggs have been laid by tree swallows, Eastern bluebirds and house wrens. 

All of us at Broadmoor wish you good health and lots of time exploring nature.  Please visit our website for updates on trail reopening.

Nature in Your Neighborhood: Really Close to Home

On a trip in southern Mexico many years ago, I bought a life-sized hollow jaguar head. carved from wood.  Today it’s mounted on a wall of our front porch.  A few weeks ago I noticed some pieces of grass sticking out of the mouth.  Looking more closely, it was obviously stuffed full of dried plant material.  Then I caught a brief glimpse of a wren perched on one of the ears.  Two days ago, the bird appeared again with food in its bill.

What would the jaguar think of this?
Incoming food delivery

Carolina wrens were once found only in southeastern US but have moved north and are seen year round in Massachusetts.  Their loud “teakettle, teakettle, teakettle” song carries long distances although the birds can be secretive.  They are well-known for nesting near people.  Mailboxes, hanging planters, and door wreaths are popular locations.

Last November I brought a hanging plant into the garage from our porch when frost was predicted overnight.  When I put the planter on the floor, two wrens shot out.  They had been sleeping in the planter and  quickly exited when the garage door was opened.

Nature in Your Neighborhood: Early flowering native

One of my favorite early flowering plants is the Shadbush, a native that grows as a shrub or even a small tree in the oak-pine woods of eastern Massachusetts.  When you see a flash of white, looking like stationery snowflakes in the woods in April and early May, it’s likely Amelanchier canadensis.

Shadbush blooming on the edge of a wetland

Shadbush goes by many names:  Juneberry (although, it blooms more commonly in April-May here, the berries ripen in June; Serviceberry and  Shadblow are just a few.

It’s a native that produces beautiful flowers for early pollinating insects and, later, berries edible by birds, and, if you beat them to it, people.  They taste a little like blueberries.

On some of the Lake Champlain Islands and in northern New England, they grow into good sized trees.

In Fall, the leaves turn a beautiful rust color.  Looking for an attractive native to plant in your garden?  Consider the shadbush.  Why the name?  It blooms when the shad run up  the Charles River here in Eastern Massachusetts.

Next time you’re out walking in woodland, see if you can spot a shadbush.