Author Archives: Karen Stein

The Great Solar Eclipse and a Star Gazing Night: August 2017

Posted on September 26, 2017 by Karen Stein

Thank you to Craig Austin for this Star Gazing post. Craig is often present during Moose Hill’s Star Gazing Nights, along with a few members of the Astronomical Society of Southern New England, and other local amateur astronomers. Moose Hill is grateful to everyone who volunteers their time to share their scopes and knowledge with anyone who is interested in learning more and seeing the night sky from our open field.

August was a particularly busy month for astronomy enthusiasts at Moose Hill Sanctuary

Solar Eclipse Day Viewing Event, August 21

Over 200 (!!) people attended the solar eclipse viewing event at Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary. Astronomers from the Astronomical Society of Southern New England and other local astronomers set up in the meadow where the star nights are held, to provide a safe viewing environment to see the solar eclipse. A small number of solar filter glasses were available (participants were fantastic at sharing these with each other), as well as telescopes that projected or filtered the sun-moon image in a way safe for viewing. At the peak, about 66% of the sun was covered by the moon.

Check out some of the local press that Moose Hill saw because of the eclipse event:

Wicked Local Sharon

Wicked Local Walpole

I wasn’t able to attend the event at Moose Hill, because I was near St. Louis, Missouri in the path where the moon completely covered the sun in a total solar eclipse. Here are a few pictures that I took during totality:

totality, photo by Craig Austin

the “engagement ring” picture, photo by Craig Austin

Words are difficult to describe the event. It was wonderful, yet eerie, as the light changed from a bright sunny day to something that was like twilight, yet wasn’t. It was great to witness such an event even the total eclipse was for just a little over a minute where we were. During the event, the cicadas ramped up the volume all around, and the crowd cheered the eclipse. And it was great to be among family and friends while witnessing it.

Star Gazing Night, August 26

It was going to be hard for the star gazing night following the eclipse to have as much drama, but the night turned out to be a challenge for astronomers. About a dozen astronomers set up telescopes and binoculars and thirty people arrived to see what the astronomers were finding in their scopes.

The moon was just over the trees in the west as it was getting dark. Saturn was the main feature of the night. The rings were tilted toward us, providing a nice collar to the planet. Other objects, however, were hard to see, even in the larger telescopes. Only the strongest constellations were visible, I guess after the eclipse we can only say better luck next time. That’s the fun of astronomy – while there is always great stuff in the skies, we cannot always see it through the clouds.

We hope you will join us for the next Star Gazing Night on Friday, September 29.

Learn more about Moose Hill and check out the line-up of Fall Programs – register early to be sure these great programs run!

Bats! – August 6: an evening walk at Moose Hill

Posted on September 1, 2017 by Karen Stein

Moose Hill was delighted to have Maria Armour, Bat Biologist and Instructor at Bridgewater State University present a bat lecture and walk in early August. Our thanks to her for taking the time to share her passion with us – we loved it!

Maria began the evening with a talk about bat ecology, behavior, and conservation. Participants learned about white nose syndrome and its effect on bat populations. They also learned about the endangered bats of Massachusetts: Little Brown bat, Indiana bat, Northern Long-Eared bat, Tricolored bat, and Eastern Small-footed bat. During the talk, a variety of bat specimens from the Bridgewater State University Natural History Collection were available.

The enthusiasm that Maria shares about bats had everyone ready to take their new-found appreciation of these flying mammals and head out on the trails to see what might be found at Moose Hill. At early dusk, everyone turned on their headlights and enjoyed an easy walk to the Bat Barn.

Throughout the early evening, over fifteen individual bats were observed flying just above our heads; feeding on moths and mosquitoes. Yes, mosquitoes – what a great natural way to bring down the mosquito population! Did you know that a bat will consume half it’s body weight each night in insects, but they also eat plants (fruit and nectar).

We discovered that Maria has learned that Moose Hill’s most abundant bat is the Big Brown bat.

Big Brown bat caught at BSU this summer

Our hope was to observe the Little Brown bat, but we were saddened to not find any that evening. We did document the Eastern Red bat, Hoary bat and the Tricolored bat (so exciting as this is an endangered species in MA)!

Tricolored bat; photo by the National Park Service

And, the group used a spectrogram to record the voiceprints of the bats – helping in the identification process!

image of a recording taken on a spectrogram

Partnering with Bridgewater State University has been great and we look forward to learning more about our bat population and habitat use from the acoustic surveys that are being conducted on the sanctuary.

Be sure to look for more bat programs at Moose Hill in the future, and, check out our program catalog for more opportunities to join us as we explore Moose Hill after-hours.

Moth Evening – July 22: A National Moth Week Event

Posted on August 15, 2017 by Karen Stein

Moose Hill was delighted to have Steven Whitebread provide an evening all about the moths just a few weeks ago. This was the sixth year that National Moth week has been held and events like this evening help to engage “moth-ers” of all ages and abilities to learn about, observe and document moths while celebrating the beauty, life cycles and habitats of moths.

Thank you to Steven for sharing a little about the evening and some great pictures – we had no idea that there could be so many moths. It really is amazing what you find, and learn, when you take the time to look:

Moth Evening at Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary by Steven Whitebread

Most people think that moths are those drab annoying things which come to porch lights at night and hide behind curtains during the day (and probably eat them). The first part of the evening was a presentation which gave a more complete overview of the world of moths (and mothing) demonstrating that moths are not all drab and are much more diverse and interesting than most people realize.

Next on the program was a tour around nearby tree trunks that had previously been treated with a sugar bait to attract moths. Christine Whitebread made some cup-cakes for the participants based on the ingredients used in the sugar bait (these were enjoyed by all)! Unfortunately, no moths were found on the bait, possibly because we were a little early in the evening and maybe the bait had dried out too much.

Two mercury vapor lights had been set up earlier on the South side of the main building, one against a vertical sheet together with a ‘black light’ and another in a ‘live’ trap. Moose Hill had a Family Camp-out happening that evening and after the families had returned from their walk, many joined us at the lights. The children especially enjoyed seeing not just the moths, but the other insects which were attracted by the lights: beetles, flies, wasps, ants, caddis flies, and plant hoppers to name just a few.

The last participants left about 11pm, by which time many species of moths had been seen. However, between 11pm and 1am many more species arrived especially several Sphinx moths and two species of silk moth – two Luna Moths and one Polyphemus Moth.

The night was forecast to be completely dry, but a few sprinkles started after about an hour and then, after midnight, a couple of showers passed through. The lights were therefore packed away by 2am.

So far 119 species of moth have been identified, with probably about another dozen still to be identified. Two species appear to be new to the Massachusetts list, but need confirmation – both feed on Hickory. Here are a few that we saw that night:

: Waved Sphinx

: Red-streaked Mompha

: Polyphemus Moth

: One-eyed Sphinx

: Luna Moth

: Harris’s Three-Spot

: Blind-eyed Sphinx

And, to round out the evening, around midnight, a Barred Owl slowly passed by to the South, calling occasionally.

Mark your calendars now for National Moth Week 2018: July 21-29, and be sure to look for events like this so you too can become a “moth-er”.

Bird-a-thon a Flying Success!

Posted on June 9, 2017 by Karen Stein

What’s the first thing that pops into your head when I say Mass Audubon? I am guessing that for most people it will be birds and while Mass Audubon does an incredible number of things – conservation, education, and advocacy – you would be right, we always go back to the birds and for great reason.

Birding, the observation of birds in their natural habitats, continues to grow in popularity. Many people start with just bird watching – the feeder in the back yard or the occasional turkey in the fields.

male turkeys on display

Then they get hooked and want to know more and the true hobby of birding begins with the quest to increase the number of birds you have seen (life lists) to being ready to go on a moments notice when a rare bird is reported in hopes that you too will see it.

Every year, Mass Audubon takes this hobby and highlights it during Bird-a-thon. Since the event began in 1983, it has continued to grow and today Bird-a-thon is Mass Audubon’s largest fundraiser. The centerpiece of Bird-a-thon is a competition where teams representing wildlife sanctuaries and programs attempt to identify the most species of birds in a 24-hour period. And while this competition is a great way to feed our need to bird, it also serves as a reminder of the variety and abundance of wildlife that surrounds us and our role in protecting their habitats.

Over the years, the team here at Moose Hill has continued to grow in team members and increase our standings among the teams within Mass Audubon. With a great team leader, Vin, who not only is an amazing birder but a fantastic strategist, Moose Hill has been in the top 5 for the last 4 years, coming in second place for the last 2. And then Bird-a-thon 2017 came…

The Brewster Cup for most species seen

This year Moose Hill had another full team of 50 birders of all ages and experience as we prepared to spread out across the state to see if we could finally take the cup as the team that identifies the most species in 24-hours. The weekend came, May 12-13, and off we went. Reports were sent to our team leader throughout the 24-hours and Vin reported back to us with words of encouragement and updates on sightings; he was excited about the variety of birds we were seeing. We finished the weekend, turned in our identifications, and waited to hear the results….which came on a Friday evening announcing the winner. To our surprise and excitement, Moose Hill WON!!! Our team had identified 229 species of birds in the 24-hour time frame, and this year, that was more than any other team. We couldn’t have been more excited.

Last week we had our wrap-up cookout to share our birding stories and spend time with each other. For those who were able to make it, the cup was passed around. As there hadn’t yet been time to have our name officially added to the cup, we made our own plaque and we enjoyed all that goes with winning!

some of Team Moose Hill 2017 with the Brewster Cup!

With all the excitement of winning, we cannot forget that this competition is a fundraiser and while we have increased the amount Moose Hill raised this year, there is still time to support this winning team. Donating is easy – every dollar counts and goes to the conservation and education we do at Moose Hill. You can donate online or send us your donation today!

We have already marked our calendars for next year (May 11-12, 2018) – let the strategy sessions begin!

Enjoy some happy team members and their time with The Cup!

Vin, team leader

Leslie and John

Liam and Maili

Zack and Kay

Ryan and Mathew

Pete

Hans

Tom

Jeff

part of the winning crew proudly displaying a winning shot!

The Moose Hill Camp Difference

Posted on May 24, 2017 by Karen Stein

Summer camps all around Massachusetts are getting ready to start in June as we roll into the end of May. Schools are winding down, and the weather is starting to more reliably feel like summer. Gardens are going in, and the biting insect population is becoming more evident. Yes, summer is coming soon. Thousands of kids all around the greater Boston area will be heading to a wide variety of day and resident camps of all kinds and sizes. Parents are awash in a variety of choices of where to send their kids for summer. We here at Moose Hill offer a unique option for kids’ ages 3-16, Moose Hill Camp.

What makes Moose Hill Camp different from the numerous other camps in the area? Our focus on Nature, Connection, and Community.

We spend our days in Nature. While many other day camps also spend a good deal of time outdoors doing all kinds of activities, we spend our days immersed in Nature and our programming revolves around the natural world. Our campers experience Nature up close and personal. They not only learn about many aspects of the environment – plants, animals, trees, and natural cycles – they also learn what nature looks, smells, tastes and sounds like. Our goal is to connect our campers to the natural world through direct personal experience.

The natural world is full of connection. We are connected to the trees and plants through the exchange of oxygen and carbon dioxide with our breathing and the plant’s photosynthesis. We are part of the of the energy cycle in the food we eat. And weather and climate have influence on our daily lives. Everyday our world is full of connections. At Moose Hill Camp we strive to not only build connections between campers and the natural world, but also to help campers build positive connections to other campers. Connections made at camp can and do last for years. And our connections, help build the foundation of our community.

Our community consists of our place – Moose Hill, our campers and staff, and our camper families. Moose Hill offers an amazing place to spend time together with other people. Our campers will have the opportunity to explore wetlands, forests, and fields every day. They will get to do this with their age groups, as part of the whole camp, and on their own.

Campers and staff get the opportunity each week to build small age-similar communities and experience mixed age community activities as well. Our staff also act of mentors to our campers in terms of learning new skills, nature connection, and environmental knowledge. Camp staff are in a unique position to interact and mentor campers. They are not the camper’s parents, nor are they school teachers. They are passionate, caring, skilled, and responsible adults and young adults who are here for the campers.

We start and end each camp day with a camp circle. We sing songs, perform skits, ask questions, check in with each other, and enjoy our community. We also invite parents, caregivers, and other family members to join us on our Friday closing circle to end each session at camp.

In addition to nature, connection, and community, we also focus on having fun! Camp is built on making sure that each day we have fun. The simple act of playing together, singing silly songs, getting dirty, and laughing together is a crucial part of our day. The power of play cannot be underestimated. Just as a bobcat kits learn how to be adult bobcats by playing and trying new skills, our campers learn valuable life skills such as cooperation, listening, self-efficacy, and planning through play.

The author David Viscott once wrote: The purpose of life is to discover your gift. The work of life is to develop it. The meaning of life is to give your gift away. We at Moose Hill Camp want to help your camper discover their gift or gifts, give them some tools to help develop those gifts, and then help build their self-efficacy so they know how to give those gifts to others. I know that this all sounds fairly lofty and maybe even a little out there. But, in my thirty plus years of working in camps and the outdoors, I know that camps can produce real magic in terms of helping to grow good kids.

I want to end with one of my favorite Henry David Thoreau quotes since this year is the 200^th anniversary of his birth. If you have any questions about our camp program, please contact me, Shawn Moriarty, at [email protected].

I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived. –Henry David Thoreau

There are still spaces available in our camp – learn more about our program, what a day at camp looks like, our philosophy and credentials, and register today!

We look forward to reconnecting with our returning campers, and welcoming new campers into our community.

Star Gazing Nights – January 2017: Clouds, clouds, go away

Posted on February 24, 2017 by Karen Stein

The forecast stated that cloudy skies would clear by eight and so we opted to go for this star gazing night. Unfortunately, the clouds stuck in there after eight, and families started filing out, happy to have had time to run around, but without the extra benefits of viewing the skies through the scopes.

For those who stayed to the very end (8:30 pm), you were rewarded with among the best skies for stargazing that I can remember, even if we had a mere half hour before the clouds covered the view again. A short, but great window into the night sky!

Once the clouds opened up, and as I was pointing out the winter constellations to people who remained, it became apparent that the conditions had been worth the wait. Telescopes were pointed to several objects, including the famous Orion Nebula, Andromeda Galaxy, Double-Cluster, and the Pleiades.

One of the ways that you can tell how dark and transparent the skies are is by looking for and counting stars in constellations rich in stars, i.e. with lots of stars in them. The constellation

Constellation Orion

Orion is one of these rich constellations and it is often used to determine how dark and transparent a sky is for observing. The most recognizable parts are the hourglass arrangement of stars that form the shoulders, knees, and belt of Orion. However, there are other parts to Orion, as well – the sword hilt hanging off the belt, the head, the raised arm usually depicted holding a spear, and the shield. The arm and shield are particularly faint – not usually visible in urban or suburban skies, but they stood out on this night.
On the next clear night, find Orion where you are – one of the most recognizable constellations in the night sky. What do you see?

After the January cloudy evening, Moose Hill has been watching the skies for the February 24 Star Gazing Night and the forecast has not been good – that evening has been cancelled! But, join us for the next night, April 21– we can’t wait to share the stars with you!

Nature Detective Notes: Mid-late January 2017

Posted on January 21, 2017 by Karen Stein

Welcome to the New Year—2017!!

Before I share some observations as of late, let’s reflect upon the year 2016 just a bit. One of the warmest years on record here in MA (based on weather records from the 1880’s or so); This translated into:

A relatively snow-free Winter 2015-2016 (early Dec-early Mar), with the “white stuff” not staying on the ground too long,
An average-early Maple Sugaring season at Moose Hill (late February-3^rd week of March)
and a very “good year” for Blacklegged ticks (i.e. deer ticks, Ixodes scapularis) from late March-parts of December.
It also proved to be one of the driest years in recent memory, as observed by:
- An infestation of the European Gypsy Moth (Lymantria dispar) in isolated locations within our area and points east and west.
- Greatly reduced volume of our Vernal Pools/swamps/ponds at Moose Hill (and elsewhere); and although most streams within the wildlife sanctuary are “intermittent” in nature (flowing only during the Winter-Spring months), they were exceptionally low this year, even the cascading stream flowing through the Lower Sugarbush and down into Beaver Brook.
  Wolomolopoag Pond – usually water is up to the shrub line
- Less mosquitoes throughout AND poor survival of both obligate & facultative species inhabiting those Vernal Pools. For Moose Hill that meant obligate Yellow spotted Salamander nymphs to facultative Predaceous Diving Beetle larvae.

Now, as we transition into the middle of Winter and the coldest time of the year, many questions come up (I am sure) with regard to, “what will the remainder of the year be like?” or are we “out of the drought?” And again, if you are curious about that sort of thing like I am—a Teacher Naturalist-Forest Ecologist by trade, and a contadino (farmer/worker of the land) by default, PLEASE check out the Climate Prediction Center’s website. It is updated daily and provides weather forecasts/predictions for various periods of time (i.e. temperatures and precipitation over 10 days, 14 days, 3 months…).

To quickly shed some light on that second question, the answer is “maybe”. Our southeastern area of MA (we are actually on the “edge” here at Moose Hill, receiving both the moisture and moderating effects of a nearby Ocean—25 to 30 miles—AND some precipitation from weather systems originating farther west, “lake effect” included) has received copious amounts of rainfall since leaf senescence in November and even a bit of snow as of late. The Climate Prediction Center forecast over a 3 month period is that the drought will persist to some degree, even WITH warmer temps predicted AND an increase probability of precipitation most likely in the form of rain (or “snow to rain” during the Winter months—basically, what we have already been experiencing over the past few months).…..NOT what we contadini want to hear, but that is life and we must adapt our practices. With a good deal of snow/ice melt that occurred due to sunshine and warmer temperatures earlier this month (not to mention at least ½ inch of rain), we may be in luck for the short-term, though.

With all of those reflections and predictions taken into consideration, now I will move forward and into the sunshine (ahhh!) on this lovely day. Here are some observations I have made over the past few weeks and guaranteed to “brighten your day” a bit more:

Increasing Daylength!! Here we are on January 13^th, the middle of Winter with its usually cold and dark days; while the cold takes a break till Saturday, January 14, our daylength is actually increasing and will continue to do so, ever so slowly, till the middle of February when the sun climbs noticeably higher in the sky and we gain even more daylight. There is not much difference to be noted in the morning yet (sunrise is at 7:12 am, an increase on 1 minute since January 1), but we have gained 9 minutes in the afternoon (with sunset at 4:32 pm). By month’s end, we will have gained 14 minutes in the morning and 22 minutes in the evening, so a 36+ minute increase since January 1 and the Winter Solstice (which was December 21). So, 6:59 am sunrise and 4:57 pm sunset—close to a 10 hour day!! The sun feels so good this time of year and I am hopeful!!
Prior to the Snowstorm on Saturday, January 7, frozen soil, frozen wetlands. With fluctuations between colder than average temperatures and warmer than average temperatures, the soils throughout our forests-meadows-wetlands have only “partially” frozen…OR at least the top layer has gone through numerous “melt-freeze cycles”. Being interested in the “Average Frost Depth” across the lower 48 States, I was able to determine how deep soil freezes in our area of southeastern MA – between 25 and 30 inches each year, on AVERAGE. With variable topography causing micro-climates, soil at the Bluffs will freeze to one depth, while soils in the “hollows” along the lower Kettle Trail will freeze to another. The same goes for our wetlands and bodies of water—one day, a thin layer of ice on top, the next, melted due to increased temperatures and rain.
Evergreen Shrubs and Herbaceous Plants. There are a small handful of these plants living in our forests, and they are wonderful and unique in their own way:
- The Northern Bayberry (Myrica gale)—found occasionally on the edges of forests and roads….especially along the Access Trail, open to the Wetu Field (from the Old Pasture Trail), and along the lower parts of Moose Hill Street (going south and just before the Upper CSA Field, on the left).
- Pipsissiwa (Chimaphila umbellata)—I was really excited to find this herbaceous evergreen in the same vicinity of some Northern Bayberry, going south on Moose Hill Street; NOT a common plant in these parts. Note: the two main roads that cut through our sanctuary are great and wonderful for discovering a number of things AND totally under rated for hiking. However, both Moose Hill Street and Moose Hill Parkway can be busy at times, and with some limited sight lines (especially on the curves), please be careful if you go exploring!
- Spotted Wintergreen (Chimaphila maculata)—a close relative to Pipsissiwa and much more common throughout our acidic, Oak-Red Maple-Pine forests.
- Wintergreen (Gaultheria procumbens)—also related to the last two species (and a member of the Heath, Ericaceae family of plants), but this is the one that yields the “wintergreen oil”; NOT so common at Moose Hill, as well and found in isolated locations such as on Wood Thrush Way, at the intersection of Old Pasture Trail and Summit Trail, and in a few other, isolated locations.
- Partridgeberry (Mitchella repens)—a creeping, prostrate herbaceous evergreen that is found throughout our forests, IF you know where to look – it really does just lay prostrate on the forest floor – not a climber.
- Ferns—not too many grace our forests during the Winter months, but IF you look closely, you may find Evergreen Woodfern (Dryopteris sp.) growing in their usual clump (along the “pine forest” of the Vernal Pool Loop) or even Common Polypody (Polypody sp.), covering a few rocks “off the trail” at Hobbs Hill
  Evergreen Woodfern
  
  Common Polypody
- Club Mosses (Lycopodium sp.)—the most common in our forests is Tree Club Moss (with its bristly “branches” and noticeable strobili), but you also may find Princess Pine/Running Ground Pine (with its scaly, flattened “branches”) and even Staghorn Club Moss (similar to Tree Club Moss, but with numerous “branches”). Both of these were found growing next to each other along the Vernal Pool Loop, as you cross over a pile of stones on the trail and just before descending to the small bridge—at the intersection of the Vernal Pool Loop and the Kettle Trail.
  Tree Club Moss
  
  Princess Pine Moss
  
  Staghorn Club Moss
- Sap Mushrooms sure are tough! Pinwheels in early January and last seen on a very warm (high 50’s) Thursday, January 12. HOW such a soft and mushy little organism can be “active” and growing one day and quite dormant the next is quite amazing to me. Nature is awesome and makes every day out an adventure, full of discoveries just waiting to be found.
  Pinwheel Mushrooms
Birdsong! Black-capped Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, White-breasted Nuthatches, Blue Jays, and House Finches – I have heard all singing to some degree, but only on warmer, sunnier days. That will change when we get into parts of February or March when the birds respond even more to those ultimate environmental factors, along with the proximate ones. We saw a Tree Sparrow at the feeder the other day, which was nice, considering it’s not the harshest of Winters. No Fox Sparrows, Redpolls, etc. yet, but a few Pine Siskins have been observed from time to time.
Walking the “back 40” of the Hayfield (the big field where we do our Star Gazing Parties) on the afternoon of Friday, January 13, I was happily surprise to see a flock of Eastern Bluebirds gathering food in the meadow, flying from tree to tree as I strolled along, and even perched upon our nest boxes. Not something I am used to seeing in mid-January, and it reminds me of my Winter down on the NC-SC border back in 2005 while I was pruning trees on Bartlett’s Arboretum—more Titmice, Cardinals, and Carolina Wrens than we have here, and Mockingbirds, Towhees, and Bluebirds, of course, in great abundance.
Snowstorm on Saturday, January 7 into Sunday, January 8:
- “Drifting” and “metamorphosis of snow—When I first drafted this edition, I was considering adding a whole bit about the properties of snow like I did last Winter. With these wonderful, powdery and fluffy flakes piling up to 8-10 inches in our area….for just a few days, I have decided to omit any lengthy discussion. IF you are interested in learning more, then please refer to Surface Features from Winter 2015-2016); Any amount of snow falling and collecting, be it light and fluffy with temps in the 20’s like this past storm, OR heavy and loaded with moisture, should be cherished this year check out the blog post from last year done in late January 2016.
- Glistening snow and refraction. Only fresh snow that is powdery and has defined flakes (large, visible crystals or tiny versions clumped together) will produce any amount of refraction and hence, a “glistening” effect; the combinations of changes in temperature, moisture, wind, etc. will cause this new-fallen snow to “decompose” (compact, melt, evaporate, and even sublimate) rather quickly—destructive metamorphism, that is.
- Yellow Birch seeds and bracts on the snow’s surface—wherever birch trees grow, you can count on their 1”, oval strobiles to disintegrate during the Winter months, peppering the snow’s surface with tiny seeds and bracts (which hold seeds within the strobilus). Check out the Lower Summit Trail, Woodthrush Way, or lower parts of the Bluff Trail after a snowstorm to see this sort of thing.
- The overall importance of SNOW to plants and animals in our forests-meadows-wetlands of New England—Like our Wha-he-stah-he-stah legend (told to Grades K-2 during the Native American Life school program), I cannot emphasize how important snow is for plants and animals that choose to live in New England during the Winter months. It is that blanket protecting tree roots and burrowing animals, that source of water that slowly melts and percolates through the soil, or goes through various melt-freeze cycles and adds volume to our Vernal Pools, providing life for those that require it, etc. And when the snow remains on the ground for just a short time, the temperature fluctuations at the soil surface (and below) become quite drastic for all those who need more consistency during these lean months. Add a good dose of rain, and those burrows not sealed up so well will get wet, leading to potential death due to exposure by chipmunks and other ground dwellers…regardless of their food stores. On the other hand, more southerly animal species (especially our feathered friends) do benefit from the lack of snow, being able to find more food resources on the ground and in the trees.
- Clear skies following the passage of a cold front and storm system that provides snow—this phenomenon is NOT something we usually saw growing up in VT, unless a very strong cold front invaded the area; lots of clouds much of the time up there, so our weather post storm down in southeastern New England is a bit more pleasant – and just calls for you to get out, on the trails, and explore in the beauty of the day.
- Animal Tracks in the powdery snow—I did see the usual squirrel, fox, and coyote tracks, along with a raccoon pattern that wandered across them. Again, I will save a more “snow-focused” set of Nature Detective Notes for February….that is, IF we ever get more snow that sticks around more than a week.
- Melting Icicles—they sure formed fast and provided some great refraction of sunlight, especially if you have a south-facing window at home. So interesting to watch them form—melting, freezing, clumping up, and even becoming something of a “column”, as in cave stalactites and stalagmites
The unusual, “extended”, Winter Thaw from Wednesday, January 11 through Friday, January 13. “Here today, and it’s gone….tomorrow, it’s here and gone so fast….”, to quote an often forgotten song from the Beach Boys (really Brian Wilson), Pet Sounds album of 50 years ago. Most years do not bring temperatures (in mid-Winter/January) that last more than two days, so unusual and something we may need to live with periodically over the upcoming years. The positives of this thaw, and the accompanying melting of most of the fluffy snow pack (ONLY large, iceberg-like piles and snow found in cooler, shaded, northern slopes remain), ice in the soil, and increased rainfall have allowed water tables to increase a little bit. The fact that we have been in a drought may be relative during this time of year, really, as we ALL know that evaporation rates are quite low…till March, at least.

So other than a few changes I have noticed while hiking the trails of Moose Hill or walking the “back 40” of the Hayfield (as mentioned above), we are back to where we were a month ago when I typed up my last set of Nature Detective Notes—the earth tone hues of our Oak-Red Maple-Pine forests set against a blue (or gray) sky, the sweet smell of the Earth…wanting to wake, yet content to sleep some more, the rustling of the oak leaves and comforts of the wind, drowning out I-95, a mere mile to the west, and the twittering of our resident (and visiting) birds.

Be well, stay warm, and keep in touch,

Michael P. D. Scutari Acciavatti

Nature Detective Notes by Michael, Moose Hill’s full-time teacher naturalist who often heads out on the trails to stretch his legs and observe what is happening. His enthusiasm and knowledge make for wonderful updates about the nature of Moose Hill. We hope that you will be inspired to head out on our trails as well and enjoy the changes that each season, or better yet, each month brings to Moose Hill. We look forward to seeing you here!

Star Gazing Nights – December 3: Breaks in the Clouds

Posted on January 13, 2017 by Karen Stein

More than a dozen people came to the December Star Night, meeting with a dozen astronomers who had binoculars and telescopes. Clouds overhead partially obscured the view, but where the clouds broke, people were able to see several winter sky objects. Here are some highlights.

The Pleiades (M45 as designated in Messier’s Catalog) is an open cluster (a loose, irregular grouping of stars that usually have a common origin) in the constellation Taurus. The stars in the Pleiades are in a shape like a small pan. In mythology, the Pleiades are known as the “Seven Sisters,” nymphs who were the daughters of Atlas. Orion pursues them, even to this day in the night sky, but Zeus, in the form of Taurus the Bull, blocks and protects the nymphs from Orion.

image from Wikimedia Commons

The Andromeda Galaxy (M31) is a spiral galaxy very similar to the one that our sun resides in, the Milky Way. It was difficult to see with the naked eye that night, but thankfully we had binoculars and telescopes on-hand to aid our viewing.

Andromeda Galaxy as seen by NASA’s Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer

The Orion Nebula (M42 and M43) is a cloud-like fan-shaped object that is made of dust clouds in our galaxy. It is visible with binoculars as a small, fuzzy cloud. Most telescopes also resolve the four stars (referred to as “The Trapezium”) within it.

image from Wikimedia Commons

Recently, I heard on Science Friday on National Public Radio (NPR) a list of science-related books. The Glass Universe, by Dava Sobel, is a book about women who, as human “computers”, i.e. math whizzes, devoted stargazers, aided Harvard Observatory in Cambridge, MA. They made significant contributions, including the creation of a system to classify stars that is still used today. Also, the movie, Hidden Figures, about minority women “computers” at NASA, was just released. If anyone has read the book or seen the movie, drop a line to Moose Hill and give your review!

Finally, ever curious, I decided to take apart the eyepiece assembly and telescope mounts on one of my scopes to understand how they fit together. The telescope itself was not touched – this should only be done by those who know what they are doing (I don’t!). The photo below are the unassembled components. Now I just need to put it all back together in time for the next Star Gazing Night….

…which is January 27 at Moose Hill. This free program is cancelled if sky conditions are cloudy/milky or in the event of deep snow/extreme cold; call Patti at 781-784-5691 x8103 after 6pm the night of the event for a recorded message concerning the status of the program prior to attending. We look forward to, hopefully, clear skies and to seeing you there – dress warmly!

Please note that some information was taken from A Field Guide to the Stars and Planets, by Mentzel & Pasachoff.

Thank you to Craig Austin for this Star Gazing post. Craig is often present during Moose Hill’s Star Gazing Nights, along with a few members of the Astronomical Society of Southern New England, and other local amateur astronomers. We are grateful for those who share their scopes and knowledge with anyone who is interested in learning more and seeing the night sky from our open field.

It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye

Posted on December 20, 2016 by Karen Stein

As the end of each calendar year approaches, it’s hard not to look back and reflect on the many wonderful experiences, sometimes a few challenges, and the continued successes that propel us into our next year. kay

This year, one of our reflections is to look back over the time that Kay Andberg (Mrs. A) has spent at Moose Hill. After 23 years of leading Moose Hill’s camp and school and group programs, Kay has decided to retire. With grandchildren calling her name, the timing just seemed right.

Over the last 23 years, Kay’s passionate, positive, and supportive role as Camp Director has connected children of all ages with the wonders of the natural world around them. When you have an education coordinator who finds wonder in everything around her and then wants to share that with everyone, and we do mean everyone, that she meets, well, let’s just say it makes it hard to say goodbye.

When we reflect on our programs, it’s easy to see how Kay’s guidance has provided campers, camp-2014-week-11-098 students, teacher naturalists, counselors, volunteers, and even visitors with a place (Moose Hill) where they can feel at home. It has become a place where those teaching can find equal value in watching and engaging with the campers or the students; play becomes a natural way to engage with the world around you and to discover and learn so much more.

But, while Kay may not be with us on a daily basis, she will continue to be involved here at Moose Hill – with advice, with stories, with ideas, and with grandchildren, family, and friends in tow as she introduces them all to this great big backyard of exploration.

So what happens next? Moose Hill is actively seeking our next Education Coordinator and Camp Director who should be with us as spring of 2017 begins to arrive. In the meantime, our incredible education staff and teachers will still be here, channeling Kay’s inner voice and continuing to provide the engaging, fun, and educational programming expected by our campers, our students, and our visitors.

Kay’s last day will be Friday, December 30, 2016. She will, appropriately, be spending that last week with vacation week campers.

Wished you had a chance to say goodbye? Don’t worry, you can! We will have a goodbye gathering for Kay on May 21, 2017, when the weather will be more cooperative. Come and have a chance to share your stories and memories with Kay. More details to come in April, so watch our enewsletter, News from the Hill, for updates.

Catching Up With the Past

Posted on December 20, 2016 by Karen Stein

MH100_fullcolor It’s hard to believe that 2016 has come and has almost gone. After 100 years as Mass Audubon’s first wildlife sanctuary, one year seems like a short period of time, yet despite the quickness by which this year has seemed to go by, what a year it has been.

Celebrating 100 years kicked off in March as Moose Hill celebrated 44 years of maple sugaring. With programs for schools, groups, and visitors to learn about the process of turning sap into syrup, this time honored annual event continues to connect people with a truly New England crop – maple syrup -oh how sweet it is. Join us at a program or for Maple Sugaring Weekends in 2017.

George and Martha, our 250 year old maple trees, are ready for sugaring season.

On April 7 as we welcomed back David Clapp for a Fireside Chat. David grew up in Sharon, was one of the very first campers Moose Hill ever had, and later became one of the sanctuary directors here. An evening of stories, shared memories, and even some great pictures and other keepsakes was enjoyed!

The celebration continued on April 9 with a “100th day of the year” celebration. All Mass Audubon sanctuaries were open for free that day – some with programs that visitors could attend, some with cookies or cakes, but all with the opportunity to share our wonderful sanctuaries with visitors – those that had never been to a sanctuary before and those that enjoy the sanctuaries all the time. It was a great day for greeting old friends and making new ones too!

Lotor, the raccoon knows where to hang.

Here at Moose Hill, we had the pleasure of meeting one of the sons of a former sanctuary director, Al Bussewitz. His son, Al, stopped by on April 9 and shared photos and stories, and we even took a tour of the old nature center – the home in which Al had lived when he was younger. It was great to finally hear the truth behind some of the stories that we have heard and to learn what it was like to grow up at a wildlife sanctuary.

staff and volunteers gather for Statewide Volunteer Day in April

With 100 years to celebrate, Moose Hill wanted to provide as many opportunities for people to visit and experience our great sanctuary as possible. On April 30, Moose Hill was one of the host sites for Mass Audubon’s Statewide Volunteer Day. With staff working by their side, volunteers joined us to spruce up our gardens, spread wood chips, weed the fields for our Community Supported Agriculture program, and scrub down the camp garage. Laughter, along with a lot of much appreciated work, was done! We look forward to next year’s volunteer day so we can do it all again.

June brought camp – 67 years strong – back to Moose Hill. Our summers just wouldn’t be the same without campers exploring the trails, discovering the farm fields, catching frogs, experimenting with science, dabbling in art, and venturing new places. Building appreciation for the natural world, providing hands-on science learning, and helping children develop important life skills, such as teamwork, leadership, and self-expression remains our focus. Registration for summer 2017 begins soon! barn-display2

As summer ended and campers headed back to school, it was time to turn our attention to fall and Halloween Prowl. With another visit from a former director, Mike Shannon and his wife, Margie, we discovered that so much of this event follows the traditions that Mike and Margie created when they started this event 34 years ago. Each year, the costumed characters change, but since this was our 100th year as the first sanctuary, we decided to bring back our favorites to have on the trails and the opossum, great blue heron, dragonfly, and dung beetle did not disappoint. Of course the luminary lit trails started with a druid and ended with a celebration fire followed by hot chocolate, camp fire songs and even S’mores to finish off the night! Guess we’ll do it again next October; we just have so much fun.

Welcome Mass Audubon staff!

But we didn’t limit our celebrations to events, visits from past staff and campers, and programs, Moose Hill also hosted the Mass Audubon Board of Directors for a meeting in June with a tour of our fabulous sanctuary and organic strawberries from our farm. Then, in early September, we were delighted to be the gathering site for the Mass Audubon annual staff outing, sharing the sanctuary and a few of the surrounding attractions with our colleagues from across the state, and the islands.

And to top it all off, every visit provided everyone the opportunity to explore our Gallery. The four shows this past year all reflected in some way on Celebrating 100 years:

Looking Back…Moving Forward – highlighting artists who have exhibited at Moose Hill before, showcasing their creativity and individual expressions of nature with pastels, oil, watercolors, and photography.
What Have We Got to Lose? – an opportunity to capture the potential loss of our natural resources through the impacts of climate change through an artist’s eye.
Hidden Treasures at Moose Hill – a return of the innovative photographs by Fred Martins that were featured in Moose Hill Art calendars from 2006-2011. Each photograph explored the many hidden treasures of the sanctuary and invited visitors to get out on the trails and explore the wetlands, vernal pools, streams, and pine forests at Moose Hill.
Birds of Prey – noted for their keen vision and powerful talons, birds of prey intrigue and fascinate and were the perfect ending on the year – after all, any exhibit that features birds reminds us of the story of Mass Audubon.

It truly has been a wonderful year and we thank everyone who visited, shared stories, pictures, memories, and time with us. It is the land, the staff, the volunteers, and all of you that make Moose Hill still as vibrant today as it was 100 years ago!

We look forward to seeing you on here in 2017 as we begin the next 100 years of Moose Hill Wildlife Sanctuary.