Fresh Pond Reservation

June 4, 2005

2009-10-13T21:53:00.000-07:00

Backyard/Citizen Scientists

2009-05-07T00:50:00.000-07:00

Toad NUTS (Noordhoek Unpaid Toad Savers) works to save Western Leopard Toads (Amietophrynus pantherinus) outside Cape Town, South Africa.

The Encyclopedia of Life aims to catalog every living thing on the planet. Individuals can contribute images via the EOL Flickr group.

"Imagine an electronic page for each species of organism on Earth..." - Edward O. Wilson

Ninety years of birdwatchers' notes are now online at the North American Bird Phenology Program located in Laurel, Maryland.

Squirrel sightings: http://www.projectsquirrel.org

Bird photos: http://www.audubon.org/Bird/cbc

http://ibc.lynxeds.com/users/josep-del-hoyo

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/citscitoolkit [includes a big list of citizen science sites ... thanks to Rick Bonney and a commenter for the link]

Internet Bird Collection: http://ibc.lynxeds.com

Ant anthologies: http://www.antweb.org/bayarea.jsp

Water quality info: http://www.worldwatermonitoringday.org

Beetle hunts: http://www.hort.cornell.edu/vlb

Firefly tracking: http://sciencecheerleader.com/2009/04/firefly_day_this_saturday

Project BudBurst, in Boulder, Colorado, has the goal of tracking amateur data about plant species as a means of tracking climate change.

Related organizations:

AskNature asks how nature solves the problems of everyday life for all sorts of living things.

The Biomimicry Institute is a not-for-profit organization whose mission is to nurture and grow a global community of people who are learning from, emulating, and conserving life's genius to create a healthier, more sustainable planet.

BIRDS

2009-04-24T21:57:00.000-07:00

All About Birds

http://whatbird.com

Birds of Massachusetts

List of Collective nouns for birds

Friday, June 3, 2005

2009-04-02T11:50:00.000-07:00

These were called helicopters by me and my childhood pals. These were great fun to, for example, take up to the third floor of, say, your grandparents house, and toss hundreds of them into the air. SOME grandparents, however, did not seem to understand just how much fun it was. View all of today's photos HERE.

Thursday, June 2, 2005

2009-04-02T09:57:00.000-07:00

Today seems to be mostly about Cassady's walk along the athletic field hilltop--and one person who found her to be a very scary dog!

Wednesday, June 1, 2005

2009-03-29T00:22:00.000-07:00

Inky Cap mushrooms are busting out all over. Eric deigns to go for a walk with me and Cassady.

Tuesday, May 31, 2005

2008-10-30T11:16:00.000-07:00

Click image to the left to see weather for the month of May 2005.

Click image to the left to see all photos for May 31, 2005

02138:

EDT,Max TemperatureF,Mean TemperatureF,Min TemperatureF,Max Dew PointF,MeanDew PointF,Min DewpointF,Max Humidity, Mean Humidity, Min Humidity, Max Sea Level PressureIn, Mean Sea Level PressureIn, Min Sea Level PressureIn, Max VisibilityMiles, Mean VisibilityMiles, Min VisibilityMiles, Max Wind SpeedMPH, Mean Wind SpeedMPH, Max Gust SpeedMPH,PrecipitationIn, CloudCover, Events

2005-5-1,59,55,50,54,52,32,100,71,41,29.91,29.71,29.67,10,8,2,21,9,26,0.10,8,Rain
2005-5-2,63,54,44,39,32,30,76,54,32,29.99,29.94,29.86,10,10,10,26,14,37,0.04,0,Rain
2005-5-3,59,52,44,39,34,26,82,56,30,30.17,30.03,29.93,10,10,10,21,12,24,0.00,2,
2005-5-4,55,50,45,37,30,25,59,47,35,30.43,30.31,30.19,10,10,10,16,8,20,T,6,Rain
2005-5-5,55,49,42,38,30,28,71,55,38,30.55,30.50,30.43,10,10,10,18,9,21,0.00,0,
2005-5-6,52,48,43,43,38,32,82,68,54,30.49,30.37,30.22,10,10,10,17,10,22,0.04,6,
2005-5-7,47,45,42,43,42,38,93,88,82,30.21,29.95,29.77,10,5,2,40,25,46,0.56,8,Rain
2005-5-8,49,46,42,45,37,36,86,79,71,29.94,29.80,29.73,10,7,2,25,19,38,0.05,8,Rain
2005-5-9,53,50,46,45,44,42,93,82,71,30.09,29.96,29.94,10,8,4,20,10,23,T,8,Rain
2005-5-10,60,55,49,48,43,43,86,77,67,30.12,30.09,30.05,10,10,10,14,8,15,0.00,8,
2005-5-11,76,62,47,53,47,44,86,66,46,30.04,29.93,29.84,10,10,8,17,10,20,0.00,0,
2005-5-12,62,54,45,53,31,10,77,46,14,30.33,30.10,29.84,10,10,10,26,15,35,0.00,4,
2005-5-13,65,52,39,19,17,13,44,29,13,30.41,30.24,30.11,10,10,10,18,11,24,0.00,0,
2005-5-14,59,54,48,47,38,20,83,55,26,30.09,29.96,29.86,10,10,6,13,6,13,0.00,5,
2005-5-15,55,50,45,47,46,40,93,85,77,29.91,29.82,29.81,10,10,5,16,11,21,0.01,7,Rain
2005-5-16,53,49,44,46,42,41,93,84,74,30.02,29.91,29.87,10,9,2,15,8,16,0.27,8,Rain
2005-5-17,61,55,48,48,45,39,93,72,51,30.12,30.04,30.03,10,9,5,20,10,22,0.00,8,
2005-5-18,53,50,46,46,46,44,100,89,77,30.15,30.11,30.07,10,5,0,15,7,18,0.04,8,Fog-Rain
2005-5-19,61,54,46,45,44,39,93,70,46,30.12,30.10,30.06,10,10,7,14,9,17,0.01,6,Rain
2005-5-20,64,56,48,44,43,39,80,62,43,30.06,30.02,29.94,10,10,7,20,10,23,0.00,6,
2005-5-21,54,50,46,46,43,42,93,82,71,29.95,29.93,29.81,10,9,6,23,13,26,0.23,4,Rain
2005-5-22,56,51,46,45,44,41,93,76,59,29.78,29.76,29.69,10,10,10,18,10,23,0.03,8,Rain
2005-5-23,52,49,45,46,42,41,93,84,74,29.73,29.72,29.53,10,6,2,25,12,29,0.06,8,Rain
2005-5-24,47,46,44,45,43,41,93,90,86,29.91,29.74,29.54,10,4,0,36,24,45,0.92,8,Rain
2005-5-25,48,45,41,47,43,42,100,97,93,29.88,29.77,29.67,7,3,2,41,30,51,0.74,8,Rain
2005-5-26,52,49,46,49,46,45,100,92,83,29.72,29.66,29.64,10,4,2,36,15,41,0.54,8,Rain-Thunderstorm
2005-5-27,61,56,51,53,49,48,90,79,67,29.79,29.65,29.65,10,10,8,13,7,15,T,8,Rain
2005-5-28,78,66,53,55,52,44,93,62,30,29.80,29.77,29.73,10,10,2,22,10,28,0.16,2,Rain-Thunderstorm
2005-5-29,66,60,53,54,53,50,93,83,72,29.83,29.72,29.69,10,8,2,13,5,15,0.13,6,Rain-Thunderstorm
2005-5-30,71,63,55,55,53,48,93,69,44,29.95,29.83,29.82,10,9,3,18,6,25,0.04,4,Rain-Thunderstorm
2005-5-31,56,53,50,54,52,46,96,88,80,30.20,30.04,29.94,10,5,0,13,8,14,0.01,6,Rain

Monday, May 30, 2005

2008-10-30T10:41:00.000-07:00

To see all May 30, 2005, photos, click HERE.

Animal Videos

2008-09-14T10:18:00.000-07:00

Egret on the Hood

Sunday, May 29, 2005

2008-08-23T00:51:00.000-07:00

This location is FPR5. The dog on the right is Cassady.

Saturday, May 28, 2005

2008-08-23T00:41:00.000-07:00

This is called FPR3, or, more aesthetically, The Cathedral.

Friday, May 27, 2005

2008-02-11T21:46:00.000-08:00

This is a baby Dryad's Saddle (Polyporus squamosus). They can grow to more than a foot across.

In another photo you will see a baby robin that was knocked out of the nest too soon by an unusual windstorm yesterday. The parents continue to hang around and feed it. There is a possibility it will get caught by a raccoon or a raptor.

Click HERE to see all of today's photos.

Thursday, May 26, 2005

2007-11-13T21:09:00.000-08:00

Click HERE for a slideshow of May 26, 2005 photos.

May 25, 2005

2007-11-11T21:06:00.000-08:00

Click Here to see today's photos

Tuesday, May 24, 2005

2006-12-10T21:37:00.000-08:00

There are two kinds of Witch-hazel at Fresh Pond Reservation. This is the very early blooming variety.

Click HERE to see all of today's photos.

Species at Fresh Pond Reservation

2006-05-17T21:32:00.000-07:00

Dead Man's Fingers - mushroom - fungi - mature

Dog Vomit Slime Mold - Fuligo septica

Dryad Saddle - fungus/mushroom - Polyporus squamosus

May 23, 2005

2006-04-29T06:59:00.000-07:00

Eric and I spent part of the day pulling Garlic Mustard (Alliaria petiolata), an invasive species, on the hilltop behind the soccer field. Feel free to pull this stuff up anywhere you find it--but be sure it is Garlic Mustard and not a look-alike.

Click HERE to see the rest of today's photos.

Citizen Scientist Organizations

2005-12-01T22:47:00.000-08:00

Beach Watchers

Bird Lovers

Hitchhikers (invasive species)

Amateurs Unite - The Society for Amateur Scientists (LABRats: science scouting program)

Kid Sites

2005-11-10T08:08:00.000-08:00

Science for Kids

Raptors In The City

Cool Science

Science Made Simple

Yucky!

Space Kids

http://ga.water.usgs.gov/edu

Fat Lion

Plant Science information

Eek!

Chemistry for Kids

Live Monarch Butterflies

Sunday, May 22, 2005

2005-10-27T08:32:00.000-07:00

Click HERE to see all of today's photos.

Or click HERE to see all of today's photos.

Saturday, May 21, 2005

2005-10-27T08:30:00.000-07:00

Click HERE to see all of today's photos.

Friday, May 20, 2005

2005-10-27T08:28:00.000-07:00

Dead Man's Fingers

Click HERE to see all of today's photos.

Thursday, May 19, 2005

2005-10-27T08:27:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, May 18, 2005

2005-10-27T07:58:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, May 17, 2005

2005-10-27T07:56:00.000-07:00

Monday, May 16, 2005

2005-10-27T07:54:00.000-07:00

Sunday, May 15, 2005

2005-10-27T07:50:00.000-07:00

Click here for a slideshow of today's photos.

2005-08-19T11:53:00.000-07:00

Cambridge Water Department

MEETING NOTICE

The Fresh Pond Master Plan Advisory Board will meet on Wednesday, September 14, at the Walter J Sullivan Water Purification Facility, 250 Fresh Pond Parkway at 6:00 PM.

For more information, please contact: Chip Norton, Watershed Manager, by e-mail at fnorton@CambridgeMA.GOV or call 617-349-4781.

Invasive Species

2005-07-21T21:49:00.000-07:00

Japanese Knotweed, The Boston Globe, July 12, 2005

Invasive Species Weblog

Saturday, May 14, 2005

2005-07-11T07:22:00.000-07:00

60 degrees. Started out overcast. Slowly cleared to mostly sunny. Resting duck at post 903. It rests on a small branch that is just below the surface of the water. The duck rests on top of this small branch--preventing it from moving unless there's quite a beeeze and waves. But it was calm today so he stayed in place with no effort. Probably the lame duck from several days ago. What is the yellow flower at post 114? Large fish spotted in the little pond around post 200. Robin bathing in the little pond at 275. It let me get quite close and seemed determined to have its bath no matter what.

Friday, May 13, 2005

2005-07-11T00:52:00.000-07:00

60 degrees. Clear skies. Light breeze.

Wednesday, May 11, 2005

2005-07-11T00:36:00.000-07:00

Books for kids

2005-07-11T00:18:00.000-07:00

Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children From Nature-Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv

Monday, May 9, 2005

2005-06-07T09:17:00.000-07:00

Pleasant day. Calm waters. Some sun. Some overcast. Never before seen mushrooms at images 3 & 4, opposite post 349, and at the base of an Elm tree (bark). There were a number of smaller ones at the base of the tree in addition to these two. This will likely grow up to be something like this. Cottonwood trees are showing their colors now. Near the end of my walk around I spot a rings of Saturn mushroom. Near it are several other varieties--which I wouldn't have seen were it not for my sitting down and just looking around for a few moments.

Sunday, May 8, 2005

2005-06-07T08:53:00.000-07:00

Saturday, May 7, 2005

2005-06-07T08:49:00.000-07:00

Friday, May 6, 2005

2005-06-07T08:47:00.000-07:00

Thursday, May 5, 2005

2005-06-07T08:30:00.000-07:00

Wednesday, May 4, 2005

2005-06-07T08:26:00.000-07:00

Tuesday, May 3, 2005

2005-06-07T07:57:00.000-07:00

Mushroom walk around the pond with Larry Millman, author of Last Places.

Monday, May 2, 2005

2005-05-24T23:21:00.000-07:00

A nice day with some clouds, some wind, a threat of rain--but nothing. First snail of the year. This is Japanese Knotweed (Polygonum cuspidatum) is an invasive species. Here's a list of edible weeds, several of which are found at Fresh Pond Reservation. Have you seen this work of art? Tree of Heaven (Ailanthus altissima) is one of a number of invasive species found at Fresh Pond.

Click here to see the rest of the May 2, 2005 photos...

About Mushrooms

"Mushrooms are the fruiting structure of fungi. The bulk of the fungus' body is underground as chains of cells (hyphae) called the mycelium. The hyphae absorb nutrients and generate energy for fungal growth. After sexual reproduction occurs between hyphae from opposite mating strains a mushroom forms to produce the reproductive spores. The spores are found in the gills or pores of the mushroom. Most mushrooms belong to the Phylum Basidiomycota."

Click here to see a diagram.

From: Christine L. Case

Sunday, May 1, 2005

2005-05-23T23:54:00.000-07:00

Overcast, a little wind, threat of rain from time to time, then intermittent sunlight near the end of our walk. Clumps of grass or a family of aliens going for a walk? I take their pictures--you decide. There are four or five of these Dead Man's Fingers sites around the pond.

Click here to see the rest of the May 1, 2005 photos...

Friday, April 29, 2005

2005-05-23T23:53:00.000-07:00

Bright and breezy. This "stuff" has shrunk since yesterday but still has the feel of stiff jello. Mushroom? This color appears to be natural. Black helicoptor over Fresh Pond. This dandelion has finally produced some flowers. Duck sleeping at post 902. Thistle is invading Fresh Pond. Caught a baby turtle at post 220. There will be 35mm pictures later.

Click here to see the rest of the April 29, 2005 photos...

Thursday, April 28, 2005

2005-05-19T23:50:00.000-07:00

Cloudy then clearing. Airplane about to disappear into the clouds. Yuki is looking for someone to throw his tennis ball.

Click here to see the rest of the April 28, 2005 photos...

Wednesday, April 27, 2005

2005-05-19T23:44:00.000-07:00

Intermittent rain and wind. Blurred sections of some images are caused by raindrops on the camera lens. Low cloud ceiling and visibility of about half a mile.

Click here to see the rest of the April 27, 2005 photos...

Tuesday, April 26, 2005

2005-05-19T08:22:00.000-07:00

Another beautiful day. In the 70s. A pleasant breeze. Lots of fish sightings (relatively speaking). Nice clouds today along with two helicoptor pictures (see next photo enlarged). Look carefully and you can see a small turtle sitting on a log. And at post 50, ANOTHER turtle. Some first mushrooms. The three leaves are probably saying Poison Ivy.

Click here to see the rest of the April 26, 2005 photos...

Monday, April 25, 2005

2005-05-14T23:33:00.000-07:00

Very windy. Ranger Jean accompanies me during our walk around and commentary on various plants. At 1080 we have a much hacked up Kentucky Coffee Tree. Japanese Knotweed, before the leaves come out, is edible. It can be found at a number of places around the pond. Shagbark Hickory Tree at post 1249.

Click here to see the rest of the April 25, 2005 photos...

Sunday, April 24, 2005

2005-05-14T23:30:00.000-07:00

64 degrees and breezy.

Click here to see the rest of the April 24, 2005 photos...

Saturday, April 23, 2005

2005-04-23T23:07:00.000-07:00

Cooler during the day, getting warmer towards evening. Cloudy. A second day of intermittent rain and wind. This cat doesn't walk around the pond, but lives on a side street running off Huron Avenue. I'm counting it anyway. First mushrooms of the season around post 111. Woodpecker working on a tree at 364. Very noisy geese at post 1084. And my neighbors Gary (Homonid) and Scout (Canine), with a Homonid artist friend, stop to chat for a few minutes. Lots of stuff is falling out of trees here and here.

Click here to see all the April 23, 2005 photos...

Friday, April 22, 2005

2005-04-22T23:03:00.000-07:00

John Marshall died today around 2pm. It was a beautiful day. He started Documentary Educational Resources in 1971. We met in 1993 for the first time when Cynthia started working for him. His and other films about the Kalahari Kung made a lasting impression on me over 30 years ago. I have dedicated our new bridge to his memory. And there's this, writing on a stone monument at the corner of Cushing Street and Huron Avenue:

SUCCESS
To laugh often and much
to win the respect of intelligent
people and affection of
children
to earn the appreciation of honest
critics and endure the betrayal of
false friends
to appreciate beauty to find the
best in others
to leave the world a bit better
whether by a healthy child a
garden path or a redeemed social
condition
to know even one life has breathed
easier because you lived.
This is to have succeeded.

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Nothing special today at Fresh Pond. But a nice day for a walk. Some interesting clouds. These will be the clouds seen on the day John Marshall left this world. So long John. And when its my time, spread my ashes, up ahead there, and just around the corner, on the hillside, where Sammy caught that squirrel many years ago. Or, after recycling any parts that still work, here would be a nice spot.

Click here to see the rest of the April 22, 2005 photos...

Thursday, April 21, 2005

2005-04-21T20:56:00.000-07:00

64 degrees. Brisk wind from the west. A much more comfortable day for Cassady. Someone removed the post on which the wrist, connected to the hand, that held the camera, that took this photo, rested. A bit distressing. Such are the problems of the amateur naturalist. A real naturalist could probably get a grant to have that post embedded in a ton of concrete. The turtles were out again today. Two of them. One three times the size of the other. They are getting skittish. Moving towards the fence to take a pictures caused them to dive into the water causing these ripples. Waiting a bit I could see both of them swimming around a bit away from the fence, with their heads poking just above the water. Slowly they swim around and towards their sunning spot... But nothing came of my wait. They would dive back into the water as soon as I approached the fence. Almost two feet of water have been drained from the little pond. This appears to be a small, but new, bird nest.

Click here to see all the April 21, 2005 photos...

Wednesday, April 20, 2005

2005-04-21T08:26:00.000-07:00

86 degrees. Brisk wind from the west. The more than usual Cassady pictures are because Julie asked me how she was doing. It was a hot day for a walk around the pond, but Cassady is still up for that every now and then. At first I thought this was a squirrel carcass left in this tree by a raptor. Then I saw it lift its head to keep an eye on me--but nothing more. Too hot to move. Turtles, two of them, at post 60, yet again, today.

Click here to see the rest of the April 20, 2005 photos...

Tuesday, April 19, 2005

2005-04-20T22:08:00.000-07:00

102+ degrees (but only because the temperature sensor is in direct sunlight). It will be left as an exercise for the viewer to determine why this contrail disappears, briefly reappears, briefly disappears, then reappears. Turning over a piece of wood in the words, turned up this ant colony and the odd creature to the left and down from the center of the picture. It looks like a centipede that appeared to have several large (relatively speaking) legs at the "front" of its body and no legs over 3/4ths of its length. But they are very tiny and visible in this picture enlarged about 50%. Oddly enough the creature moves as though its head is on the small (left side) end. I tweaked it and it reversed direction, smaller end first. That "farm" smell again at post 1000 again. Ranger Jean tells me there's a community garden just to the east that is using manure from a farm to fertilize its soil. Mystery solved. Fish at post 266--in the little pond. About half a dozen of them in the small spot where I could see into the water. They were about 6 inches long. Someone probably thought they were helping the animals when they dumped all this bread over the fence around the Huron Avenue playground. It will likely attract mostly pigeons--who will prosper at the expense of other species. Apparently someone reported a person trying to get through the fence around post 1100. Here's a hole in the fence that may have been created by a large turtle. A couple of geese, and lots of ducks, were on the golf course opposite post 30 and near Black's Nook.

Click here to see the rest of the April 19, 2005 photos...

Monday, April 18, 2005

2005-04-20T21:23:00.000-07:00

Another beautiful day. TWO turtles at post 50 today. Here and here. These turtles were different from yesterday's turtle. They were flat today. Yesterday's had a rounded shell with a sort of line across the top.

Click here to see the rest of the April 18, 2005 photos...

Sunday, April 17, 2005

2005-04-17T23:11:00.000-07:00

Temperature in the 70s. Another almost cloudless day. It was a long day and a long walk. We also went shopping at Pemberton's over near Porter Square, passing through Danehy Park. Today's big news at the pond was this dead fish between posts 516 and 517 (near the bottom and slightly to the left). This photo of a helicoptor and jet contrail was a coincidence. There was no plan for this to happen or for me to take this picture. There was also little chance of a collision as the jet was probably at 30,000 feet and the helicoptor at about 1,000. Urban anomaly. Drowned tennis ball. This squirrel ran along the fence, just ahead of us for more than 50 yards. Red thingies have been falling from trees for several days. Today some of them are half red and half yellow. Next thing you know we veered off the path, crossed Concord Street, through Danehy Park and arrived at Pemberton's where we met Julia, Meredith, and Sandy, some people from our past and present. Back to FP and these trees which are just starting to show some red/pink leaves. We didn't know, and you can see them, but the Kiowa family is just up ahead on the left, coming towards us. We chatted briefly, including Kiowa's recent surgery. Two thirds of us take a short rest while one third take this picture. You can also see that its been at very busy day at FP. The picture is taken at what I call FP3. Its the third place where I take the same photo each day. Finally, because I'm getting tired, and you don't want to read any more of my yammering, there's this picture of a small snapping turtle at post 50. Look at the center of the picture, then down and a bit to the left.

Click here to see the rest of the April 17, 2005 photos...

Saturday, April 16, 2005

2005-04-17T22:45:00.000-07:00

Warmer. Pleasant. Clear sky. At post 16 I see a smallish Robin, very dark head, gray back, bright yellow beak. Not unusual Robin coloring-but it seems more extreme with the combination in this one bird. Yesterday, near post 1094, I spot a larger than normal Robin. Also, from yesterday, two Mourning Cloaks spotted. One near post 1192, the other near the Raspberry patch. Does anyone other than me notice the "farm" smell around post 1000 when the wind is blowing from the East? How old is this tree? The lost glove season should be ending soon.

Click here to see the rest of the April 16, 2005 photos...

Friday, April 15, 2005

2005-04-17T10:01:00.000-07:00

46 degrees. Cloudless sky. Stiff breeze. Almost cold. Bright sun. Seen worse. Meanwhile, spring continues to have sprung. Image number 2 includes an apple eaten while walking. The intensity of the wind is evident in the waves seen here. Somebody is going to be very unhappy when they get home and discover they've lost their dolly.

Click here to see the rest of the April 15, 2005 photos...

Thursday, April 14, 2005

2005-04-15T00:12:00.000-07:00

Another too cool for spring and too hot for winter day.

Click here to see the rest of the April 14, 2005 photos...

Wednesday, April 13, 2005

2005-04-15T00:06:00.000-07:00

Still caught between winter and spring. Monday morning the temperature was 30 degrees. This is not a Wooley Bear or other type of caterpillar. It fell from a tree near Sousa's Rock. A BIG clouds day. Otherwise things continue to sprout and go from brown to red and yellow towards green.

Click here to see the rest of the April 13, 2005 photos...

Tuesday, April 12, 2005

2005-04-13T23:46:00.000-07:00

46 degrees--plus a strong breeze making it feel colder at times. Similar to yesterday, but overcast. The bubbles and foam were not here yesterday. Cassady and I have a new Hominid companion--but only for today as he's visiting from out of town.

Click here to see the rest of the April 12, 2005 photos...

Monday, April 11, 2005

2005-04-11T16:26:00.000-07:00

45 degrees--plus a strong breeze making it feel colder at times. Most of my walk was accompanied by the sound of military jets flying in circles around and over Boston. Perhaps something to do with Red Sox opening home game. Lots of geese activity on the small pond. Missed a couple of shots, and barely got the geese in the frame in most. The dark spot at the bottom of the just referenced photo (number 3) is the Sun overwhelming the super cheap pixels in the super cheap camera used for these photos. These geese are fighting over mating rights. All the shots are of one goose, or another, chasing a competitor away. In images 7 and 8 you can see a goose on the far right. There's this odd smell that reminds me of growing up on a farm around post 1000. Its strongest when the wind comes from the east. I noticed it a few days ago for the first time. Frustrating day. I really MUST get myself a better digital camera. My routine varied today by making several trips up the switchbacks. Four times up, three times down. Then I forgot to take the last picture available on the camera. So I took a picture of the screen seen just before a set of pictures is downloaded to the laptop--for processing and uploading to the web.

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Sunday, April 10, 2005

2005-04-10T16:04:00.000-07:00

That 70's temperature. Cassady spends our trip around the pond panting. Already too hot for her. What is that? MANY walkers and runners out today. The latter probably doing their last training for next week's Boston Marathon. A side trip around part of Black's Nook finds Cassady almost getting some goose's gander. And a mysterious dead body in the water, opposite post 60. How old was this tree? This was growing out of a 3-4 foot log, maybe 8-10 inches in diameter, that's been lying opposite post 90 (or thereabouts) for months.

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Saturday, April 9, 2005

2005-04-10T00:35:00.000-07:00

Temperatures between 50 and 60. Lots of difference between being in the shade and in the bright sun. No clouds except on the eastern horizon. A stiff breeze from the east. There is definitely no more snow at Fresh Pond--unless there's a pile hiding from me. The last of it was opposite post 606 yesterday.

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Friday, April 8, 2005

2005-04-08T16:55:00.000-07:00

65+ degrees. People continue to lose their gloves. There is STILL some snow near the path and post 600. There was a lot of rain last night--causing worms to abandon their flooded homes. Grass is being cut today. It looks different when seen from the other direction. Keep your eye on this dandelion. I've been taking a picture of it every day.

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Thursday afternoon, April 7, 2005

2005-04-07T23:39:00.000-07:00

70+ degrees. Afternoon. At least one spot of snow remains. Maybe gone tomorrow. Those trees having sex all last week are discharging their surplus into the air and water. Here is one of the braver Robins out and about today. These "ribbons" of silt are in Little Fresh Pond. Somebody is going to be very unhappy when they realize they've lost their Red Sox baseball cap.

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Thursday morning, April 7, 2005

2005-04-07T23:35:00.000-07:00

70+ degrees. Slightly overcast. Pleasant. A short walk for Cassady who has been sick for a day plus. Her nose was hot and dry this morning. By late morning she was back to cold and wet.

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Wednesday, April 6, 2005

2005-04-06T15:26:00.000-07:00

70+ degrees. Sunny, few clouds. Have you heard the rumor about the Starship Enterprise crashing at Fresh Pond Reservation after exiting from a black hole and being reduced to the size of a grapefruit? There's still some snow hanging on. Tree culling (if that's the right word) is happening today. Another diversion from my usual route. Around Black's Nook. There's a path that meanders through the woods and around it. Jodi saw me taking my daily picture at FP3 and stopped to pose. No Cassady companion today--something she ate made her sick.

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Tuesday, April 5, 2005

2005-04-05T21:41:00.000-07:00

62 degrees. Sunny, few clouds, breezy from the westnorthwest.

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Monday, April 4, 2005

2005-04-04T18:12:00.000-07:00

52 degrees. Clouds create an almost complete overcast sky. Today I stepped off my normal path a couple of times. One to walk around the dirt pile on the Lusitania soccer field. Another off into a densely wooded area about 100 yards wide. These off the beaten path excursions explain the previously unseen mushrooms.

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Sunday, April 3, 2005

2005-04-03T15:10:00.000-07:00

52 degrees. LOTS of rain at various times during the day, but not completely overcast, some moments of sun, clear skies on the horizon from time to time. No rain during my trip around. I was going to make a silly remark about this being watermelon season. The object in the photo, which doesn't show up too well, is designed to resemble a Frisbee that looks like a piece of watermelon. But its not. Its a throw toy for a dog. This is the second one I've seen in the last couple of weeks. These mushrooms can be seen at post 93, slightly off the path and on the north side of the tree they call home. Today really looks like "ice out" day. I went all the way around the edge looking for ice and found just this. However, I took today's second picture thinking it was a small patch of ice visible from the top of the switchbacks. But it turned out to be a Mutt Mitt box and a sign describing the fine for not picking up after your dog.

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Saturday, April 2, 2005

2005-04-03T00:18:00.000-08:00

48 degrees. LOTS of rain--till Cassady and I went out. Then it almost stopped. Every now and then a few drops. Elvis, who appears to be half White Lab and half German Shephard, got lost today. He followed us around the pond. Eventually his owner, a young woman who recently moved to Cambridge from Maine (according to Elvis's dog tag), came running towards us out of breath and crying. I told her of my dog, Cassady, having gotten lost here, and how I knew exactly how she felt. Geese making lots of noise today. Ranger Jean says its mating season for them. Today, or tomorrow, will be the last day for ice on the pond till next winter.

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Friday, April 1, 2005

2005-04-01T17:11:00.000-08:00

52 degrees. A beautiful spring day. First butterfly sighting of the year. This is a Mourning Cloak butterfly, seen at post 1246. Lots of crows and seagulls around post 984. One seagull dove into the water for... something. Ranger Jean says seagulls scavange from the water and crows from the land.

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Thursday, March 31, 2005

2005-04-01T17:04:00.000-08:00

48 degrees. Bright, some clouds, breeze--that can be cool in the shade. Chat about Heschy, with Larry, his dad, who reads this blog. Chat with Ranger Jean about the end of the ice, my project to create a set of photos of tree bark for each variety of tree around the Pond. And I've given her two new copies of mushroom photos for distribution to the interested.

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Wednesday, March 30, 2005

2005-03-30T13:17:00.000-08:00

50+ degrees. Sunny. Breeze from the East. The big news today is swans near the north shore of the pond. Buds on trees continue to burst into bloom. What is that pod attached to the fence at post 89? What a beautiful day. There are many people and dogs who agree. Cassady is today's companion.

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Tuesday, March 29, 2005

2005-03-30T13:16:00.000-08:00

48 degrees. Overcast. Almost no wind. Didn't even notice my left hip. Raptor Alert! Three photos today in three different places. Originally I wan't going to bring Cassady. But when I told her no, she got really sad. So I said yes and she immediately cheered up. Near the end a jogger watches me taking the last picture, then volunteers that he's seen three type of Mergansers within a mile of each other. He gave three names as he continued on his way, but none of them stick in my mind.

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Monday, March 28, 2005

2005-03-28T17:09:00.000-08:00

44 degrees. Everything is very damp. The rain may be responsible. A tree full of Robins by the soccer field. A few people. A few dogs. Rain tapers off near the end. Lots of opportunities to witness erosion.

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Sunday, March 27, 2005

2005-03-27T12:58:00.000-08:00

50 degrees. Sunny with some wind. Melting snow is percolating through the soil and into the pond generating streams of fine silt like in the last three images. Cynthia and Cassady are today's companions.

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Saturday, March 26, 2005

2005-03-27T00:25:00.000-08:00

42 degrees. Sunny but cool because of a wind from the east. Saturday is a busy day at the pond--especially on a nice day like today. Near the end of the walk, top of the hill behind the soccer field, from way off to the right of my peripheral vision, a blur comes streaking in at a sharp angle, slows rapidly to reveal a raptor, who then "splashes" into a pile of leaves, pauses for a moment, then leaps into a nearby tree, talons full of leaves and whatever. I get a couple of 35mm photos before it flies off. Pure excitement seeing a raptor hunt.

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Friday, March 25, 2005

2005-03-26T17:24:00.000-08:00

48 degrees. Feels cooler than yesterday. Overcast, sun peeking through every now and then. Goose fight around post 600. Three of them. Probably two males and a female. A raptor, looking like a Peregrine Falcon, on a fenced off area between the parking lot and Kingsley Park. Three boys are inside the fenced in area approaching the bird. Its not moving or giving way as though it might be injured or protecting some food item. I yell at them to leave the bird alone and stay out of the fenced in area. They turn around and head for an exit.

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Thursday, March 24, 2005

2005-03-24T23:26:00.000-08:00

38 degrees. Last night there was a weather prediction of 5-10 inches of snow. We got a dusting and some rain. Dang! Snow is so nice at Fresh Pond. More Robins on the soccer field. What looked like a Penguin sitting on the edge of the ice over near post 1000 is probably a Double-Crested Cormorant, according to Ranger Jean. LOTS of geese flying overhead and landing on the water.

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Wednesday, March 23, 2005

2005-03-23T14:43:00.000-08:00

45 degrees. Overcast, slight wind. Very different atmosphere from yesterday. First Robins of the year. First four photos. At post 660, a Crow, high in a tree, appears to be pruning the tree. Its pulling off small twigs and dropping them. Every now and then it appears to almost fall as it wrestles a twig away from the tree.

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Monday, March 21, 2005

2005-03-21T21:10:00.000-08:00

40 degrees--but it feels warmer. My thermometer reads higher, 45. It was cloudy during my walk but is now sunny. Lots of melting. As Ranger Jean says, welcome to mud season at Fresh Pond. A new crop of Dandelions is on the way, beginning here. Two tiny woodpeckers, black and white stripes on their backs, red crest at the back of the head, seen near post 1000. Its not very clear but this appears to be two male Downy Woodpeckers. This tree, near post 1027, is trying to heal a wound--from being split in half.

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Sunday, March 20, 2005

2005-03-21T17:43:00.000-08:00

The sun was shining brightly just before I left. Temperature in the low 60s. Overcast by the time Cassady and I hit the path.

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Saturday, March 19, 2005

2005-03-20T10:35:00.000-08:00

Definitely Spring temperatures today. These leaves look blurred because, at just the moment this photo was taken, one of Fresh Pond's friendly dogs placed his front paws on my back as I was crouched down aiming the camera. Two male ducks fighting over a female at post 892. Walkers are advised to stop at post 1290 and view the mushrooms growing on a Paper Birch. At post 111, on a Betula papyrifera, there are indications that the local rabits are living off the bark of trees. Ranger Jean informs me that the South side of Fresh Pond Reservation, or Huron Avenue, is still frozen, while the North side is largely thawed. You can see the still frozen here and the mostly thawed here. Normally I find just one lost glove.

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Friday, March 18, 2005

2005-03-19T22:36:00.000-08:00

Nice day. Spring definitely on the way. Small woodpecker at post 658. Heard it. Couldn't see it. It flew away. Came back--saw it. Heard it working on wood--couldn't see it.

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Thursday, March 17, 2005

2005-03-19T22:33:00.000-08:00

Cassady lags behind in our walks around Fresh Pond--until we get halfway or more around. Then she stays out front and tries to get me to hurry on home.

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Wednesday, March 16, 2005

2005-03-17T23:32:00.000-08:00

42 degrees. Sunny, lots of big couds. A very pleasant day. A bit windy. Here we have some Red Osier Dogwood. Green Algae will, from time to time, grow on Elm bark, like this.

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Tuesday, March 15, 2005

2005-03-15T22:07:00.000-08:00

43 degrees. Sunny, some big couds. A very pleasant day. Lots of contact with Fresh Pond Hominids and Canines. This is a small stream caused by snow melt runoff. This is an equally small example of erosion caused by the runoff. The Highbush Blueberries are just starting to come to life for another season. Ranger Jean says they will be covered with Poison Ivy and accessible only to birds. Dang! Blueberries are my favorite berry. And here are some Dead Man's Fingers.

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Monday, March 14, 2005

2005-03-15T13:23:00.000-08:00

40 degrees. Sunny, some big couds that caused the temperature to drop. Today's walking partner was a local Hominid. Cassady was limping slightly so she rested at home. The Witch Hazel tree blossoms/flowers continue to develop. You can find information about this here.

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Sunday, March 13, 2005

2005-03-13T23:34:00.000-08:00

40 degrees. Sunny, some big couds that caused the temperature to drop precipitously. A hawk caught a vole, carried it to a tree, while being chased by three crows. After eating the catch, the hawk and one crow ended up in a tree together. We also went shopping at Bread & Circus. Yesterday, on meeting one of the dog walkers at the pond, he said to his friend, and me, Oh, its camera guy.

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Saturday, March 12, 2005

2005-03-13T11:39:00.000-08:00

33 degrees. Snowing. From the Northeast. Less than a dozen people out walking. Fewer dogs. Very wet snow. Dense. Heavy. A lot of work to get around today. But the left hip feels fine. I've taken a sample of the yellow flowers/buds. Hopefully Ranger Jean and the waterworks people will forgive me. You can see a lifesize version here. A bigger version can be seen here. A REALLY BIG version is here.

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Friday, March 11, 2005

2005-03-11T23:16:00.000-08:00

30 degrees. Wind, and snow, from the East. It started snowing just as Cassady and I get to the Pond. More snow predicted for tomorrow. We like it. Sorry to all you Spring fans. Speaking of Spring having sprung... a tree at post 1026 has burst out with bright yellow flowers/buds.

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Thursday, March 10, 2005

2005-03-10T23:56:00.000-08:00

26 degrees. Sunny. Windy. Some spaceship clouds. Three watches found in the last week. Increase in bird sightings. Here's a better picture of yesterday's mystery fence. And here's the solution to the mystery. This squirrel went to the top of tree--but failed to schedule a helicopter to meet him there. Somebody lost their glasses.

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Wednesday, March 9, 2005

2005-03-09T21:19:00.000-08:00

23 degrees. Probably below zero with the wind chill factor. 40 mile per hour gusts. Last night's snow means more snow drifts! Get over it, I say. Spring will be here soon enough. The temperature and wind have influenced the number of people out today. More than yesterday. The bright, just a few clouds in the sky, probably caused this. A small mystery at the base of the golf clubhouse hill. There's a fence, wood and wire, that separates the golf course and the path, for less than 100 yards. By chance I happened to rest a bare hand on the top of a fence post. Every few seconds there was a vibrating sensation that came and went at sort of regular intervals. I tried other posts. Same results. Horizontal posts had the same vibration. I walked back and forth trying to find the source. Finally, a solution! This writer leaves the solution of the mystery as an exercise for the reader. Here's a picture of that fence (bottom-right of the picture).

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Tuesday, March 8, 2005

2005-03-08T15:06:00.000-08:00

43 degrees on leaving for the pond. 36 degrees on returning. Rain and wind on and off. Reaching the switchbacks, the rain suddenly turned to small pieces of ice. It happened in an instant. On returning home the tiny shards were replaced by larger shards made up of the smaller ones plus some snowflakes. A crow high in a tree at post 882. A raptor of some kind flew over Lusitania field in the direction of Kingsley Park. A flock of seagulls between the hawk and the park parted suddenly as it approached them. A rainy, windy day that depresses some people. A day like this means the mild ache in my left hip is diminished. There were three walkers, myself included, two runners, and two dog walkers. Cassady stayed home today.

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Monday, March 7, 2005

2005-03-07T22:35:00.000-08:00

42 degrees, windy, sunny. Some clouds. Crow at post 1020. Cardinal heard at post 146 but not visible. Yesterday I noticed, for the first time, a slight, VERY slight, increase in the red in the pond's woods. It was barely noticeable. But I can't say it was visible Saturday. It was apparent today, again.

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Sunday, March 6, 2005

2005-03-06T14:26:00.000-08:00

42 degrees, windy, sun later in the day. Overcast, but not very deep. Lots of people and dogs. Kiowa shows up for his several times a week backrub. Ranger Jean shows me the bird boxes made by kids yesterday. There are not enough benches around the pond. They serve the practical purposes of a place to rest--and slow people down. Here's an example of one being used, and another not. I heard, but did not see the Cardinal today. Elsie, who will be Dog Picture Of The Day, noticed my ginger snap cookies (made by Cynthia's mom in Florida), and wanted one. She got a small piece of hot dog (not actually made from dogs) instead.

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Saturday, March 5, 2005

2005-03-05T23:23:00.000-08:00

40 degrees, sunny, no wind. It was, to purloin a phrase, a beautiful day in the neighborhood park. Some people sat on a bench in the sun. There were crows sitting in trees and on the ice. Lots of people today--and their dogs. We meet Shadow, another Leonberger, again.

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Friday, March 4, 2005

2005-03-05T23:19:00.000-08:00

32 degrees. Not as windy and cold as yesterday. Two seagulls fighting high over post 162. Ranger Jean says baby squirrels have probably been born and are being fed sprouting things from the end of Silver Maple branches. The Cardinal was singing around post 190 today.

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Thursday, March 3, 2005

2005-03-03T14:20:00.000-08:00

28 degrees. VERY windy. Wind chill makes it VERY cold. But lots of wind means lots of snowdrift opportunities. There have been crows flying at various places around the pond.

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