Tag Archives: birds

August 7, 2017

Bare Cove Park (Hingham, MA)

Dates Of Visit: July 28 & 30, 2017

Location: Bare Cove Park Drive, Hingham, MA (about 20 minutes south of Boston)

Hours: open daily, sunrise to sunset

Cost: Free

Parking: There are several parking areas. The main parking area on Bare Cove Park Drive has room for about 40-50 vehicles

Trail Size/Difficulty: 484 acres, easy trails

Handicapped Accessible: Yes

Dog Friendly: Yes

Fitbit stats: 3:16, 985 calories, 10,069 steps, 4.21 miles

Highlights: scenic, water, family friendly, dock house with historical military items, wildlife

Website: Bare Cove Park

I made two visits to Bare Cove Park. The first time I visited the park was July 28th. I got there late on the 28th and the lighting was poor. So, I stopped by two days later, Sunday, July 30.

As you can see by the photos, there are some beautiful sunsets at Bear Cove. Unfortunately, the lighting wasn’t very good, though.

Once the site of a U.S. Naval depot (more on this later), Bare Cove Park now is the home to a variety of wildlife. I found many birds during my visit. There are also supposed to be fox, deer and other animals at the park. I didn’t see any of them. But, I did see evidence of them.

If you look closely at the little bird photo at the end, the bird has his or her lunch.

There was a crisp pre-autumn chill in the air when I made my way to Bare Cove Park. It reminded me of the mornings you whittle away before the college and pro football games start. But, I’d rather spend my day at Bare Cove anytime.

The views are simply amazing.

The thing that stood out to me mostly are the variety of pretty trees and flowers at the park.

Bare Cove is only 484 acres and it’s very easy to get around, even without a map of the park. Trust me, I didn’t even get lost and I always get lost. The trails are easy with hardly any inclines and they are mostly paved if you stay on the main trail.

Because of its proximity to Boston, Hingham was considered an important location for the military to produce ammunition and other supplies during World War II. The magazines, or manufacturing buildings, ran 24 hours, 7 days a week and employed thousands of people at is peak.

The dock house (only open Sunday from 12-2) has a variety of items from World War II that were manufactured in this very same area.

There are also two memorials outside of the dockchouse as well as other items from the days of the hey day at Bare Cove. The ammunition depot was closed in the early 1970’s.

The memorial to the left, lying vertically on the ground, is dedicated to the men and women who worked at the ammunition depot during World War i, World War II and the Korean Conflict.

The memorial to the right standing up is dedicated to naval crew members who were lost when some ammunition exploded on a ship they were loading.

While dogs are allowed at Bare Cove the park is not considered a “dog park” per se. All dogs are expected to be leashed or respond immediately to voice commands. In my visits there all of these dogs fit into both or either category.

Here are a few of the cute four legged visitors at Bare Cove that I ran into during my visits.

Hickory is a 7 year old tree walking coon hound.

Bronn, named after a Games Of Throne charcater, is a 9 month old Newfie. His mommy was teaching to fetch.

Gracie is a super friendly 2 year old pitbull.

Tundra (on the left), a 2 year old Golden Retriever, just got finished with his swim and was getting ready to go home. His sibling, Piper (on the right), didn’t want to leave..

During my first visit, on the 28th of July, I met a very nice lady with three dogs.

America is a 10 year old mixed breed dog who got that name because the dog is a mix of many breeds, kind of like how America is a mix of all kinds of people.

Sophia is a 6 year old chihuahua.

Lily is a 10 year old Lab and Collie mix.

Bruiser is a 6 year old part pitbull.

Below is a video of fireflies at Bare Cove Park. The lack of light and various animal aand bird noises give it a little bit of a spooky feel.

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Today’s featured link is a link to a 30 minute documentary that explains the history of Bear Cove Park. The documentary was put together by Scott McMillan, the very same man who gave me a detailed tour of the dockhouse.

12 Comments | tags: Bare Cove Park, birds, dogs, flowers, Hingham, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, Photography, photos, scenic, trees | posted in Bare Cove Park, dog, flowers, Hingham, historical, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, photography, photos, scenic, trees, Uncategorized

July 23, 2017

Windsor Lake (North Adams, MA)

By New England Nomad

9 Comments | tags: birds, boating, flower, lake, Massachusetts, New England, north adams, photograohs, Photography, photos, plants, rafting, trees, water | posted in birds, lake, Massachusetts, New England, north adams, photographs, photography, photos, Uncategorized, water

July 16, 2017

Oak Knoll Wildlife Sanctuary (Attleboro, MA)

By New England Nomad

Dates Of Visits: May 20 & June 19, 2017

Location: 1417 Park Street, Attleboro, MA

Hours: Trails are open daily dawn to dusk. Office hours are:

Summer:
Mon-Fri, 9:30 am-4:30 pm
Closed Sat & Sun

Spring, Fall, Winter:
Tues-Sat, 9:30 am-4:30 pm
Sun, 10 am-4 pm
Closed Mon

Cost: Free but a $2 donation is suggested for visitors who aren’t members of the Mass. Audubon Society

Parking: There is ample parking inthe main parking lot for about 40 to 50 vehicles.

Trail Size/Difficulty: 1.5 miles, easy

Handicapped Accessible: The nature center and rest rooms are handicapped accessible. The trails at Oak Knoll are not.

Dog friendly: No, most Audubon trails are not pet friendly

Highlights: wildlife, pond, easy trails, geo-caching, summer camp for children, nature center

Website: Oak Knoll Wildlife Sanctuary

Trail Map: Oak Knoll Wildlife Sanctuary Trail Map

Located about a mile and a half from Attleboro Springs Wildlife Sanctuary, Oak Knoll is a fun trail with with scenic views, abundant wildlife and a few other surprises along he way.

Spring was in the air and a rebirth of sorts was happening on the trails. During my first visit, I found these two Northern Water Snakes getting friendly. To be honest, I wasn’t really sure what I was looking at. But, I did think at the time I did hear the faint sounds of Al Green in the air. The naturalist at the nature center told me you could tell they were mating by their interlocked tails.

The Northern Water Snake can be dangerous. Although they usually tend to avoid confrontations, if they feel threatened the snake can bite their predator or perceived predator and their bites can require medical attention. This is why I always tend to keep my distance (these photos were taken with my telephoto lens) and from behind in most of the shots I took except for the one front facing photo.

During my second visit in June, I noticed this turtle on the trail. Since it is unusual for a turtle to be in the trail and its even more unusual for a turtle to not flee when they see a human (I could have pet the turtle I was so close although of course I never would at least not int he wild), I notified the naturalist since I thought maybe the turtle might be injured. The naturalist told me the turtle was most likely laying her eggs as they often do this away away from the water and it was that time of the year when turtles will lay their eggs.

The naturalist also informed me that turtles also tend to lay their eggs on warm areas, such as the side of paved roads. This is one of the reasons why turtles often get hit by cars on the side of the road. So, be careful while your driving this time of the year!

The trails at Oak Knoll are easy with some boardwalks that pass over red maple swamps and freshwater marshes. There are a few very slight inclines. But the trails are primarily very easy.

The main trail at Oak Knoll is a loop that leads to and circles around Lake Talaquega (say that 5 times fast). There are some pretty views of the lake along the way.

I also spotted this geocache off the trail. Apparently, a regular visitor at the sanctuary installs these geocaches from time to time.

There are a wide variety of birds and other critters at the sanctuary. This colorful insect is a six pointed tiger beetle. I think they call him Ringo.

There was also butterflies, garter snakes and a variety of birds.

The nature center at the entrance to the trails has amphibians in tanks that are being taken care of while they are rehabbed or are there for educational purposes, particularly for the children who are attending the summer camp they host. They also have some pretty flowers and trees on their grounds.

Today’s Nomad link of the day is the North Attleboro Fish Hatchery by Trails And Walks In Rhode Island. Trails And Walks offers informative and detailed summaries of different trails in and around the Rhode Island area. I appreciate the short but sweet synopsis of each trail and the posts always include one pretty photograph of the area. I may have also used the website to find some places to visit!

19 Comments | tags: Attleboro, birds, Massachusetts, New England, Oak Knoll Wildlife Sanctuary, photographs, Photography, photos, sanctuary, snakes, trail, turtle | posted in Attleboro, birds, lake, Massachusetts, New England, Oak Knoll Wildlife Sanctuary, photographs, photography, photos, snake, Uncategorized

July 15, 2017

Attleboro Springs Wildlife Sanctuary (Attleboro, MA)

By New England Nomad

Dates Of Visits: May 20 & June 19, 2017

Location: Park St, Attleboro, MA (behind the La Salette Shrine at 947 Park St) (45 minutes southwest of Boston, MA, and 15 minutes northeast of Providence, RI)

Hours: Open daily sunrise to sunset

Cost: Free but donations are appreciated

Parking: There is room for about 10 cars in the lot next to the trail. You may also be able to park at the Lasallette Shrine in front of the trail.

Trail Size/Difficulty: 3 miles total (.5 handicapped accessible), easy with a few gentle inclines

Handicapped Accessible: Yes, .5 miles of the trail are handicapped accessible with boardwalks, along the pond and vernal pool. The rest of the trails are dirt, narrow and rocky and not handicapped accessible.

Dog Friendly: Dogs are not usually allowed on the Audubon trail but they are allowed in certain sections of the trail at Attleboro Springs (on the reflection trail I believe)

Website: Attleboro Springs

Trail Map: Attleboro Springs Trail Map

Highlights: wildlife, vernal pool,

Fitbit Stats: 2,712 steps, 242 calories, 1.19 miles

Often overshadowed by the more well known cities and towns south of Boston, Attleboro, MA, is one of the more underrated sections of Massachusetts. It is also the site of two beautiful Audubon sanctuaries (Attleboro Springs and Oak Knoll) . I decided to visit Attleboro Springs first.

Attleboro Springs is a little hard to find. Basically, look for the La Salette Shrine on Park St. The path to the trail is the very next turn after the shrine.

From the entrance to the park, one word comes to mind – charming. A pavilion and map of the trail are located on the trail at the entrance.

The main trail at Attleboro Springs is the Reflection Trail. The Reflection Trail encircles a pond. A vernal pool with a vernal pool are also on the trail. It is the easiest trail to take, although there are additional side trails.

Birds, frogs, tadpoles and other kinds of wildlife are abundant along the trail, particularly at the pond and vernal pool.

I love side trails and going off the beaten path. So, of course I tried them. There wasn’t much to see except a brook and a cool bridge on the side trail.

The Reflection Trail is very easy with few inclines or rocky terrain which makes it ideal for jogging on or taking walks on, particularly since it is a short trail (about 3/4 of a mile).

I know I write this often. But, what the heck. I could spend all day here. The trails are easy. The pond is a popular spot for birds and aquatic life (naturally). And there are seats to watch all the life around you. As an added bonus, it’s free to visit. It’s usually the smaller, charming places that stick with me. In fact, I liked it so much I visited it twice.

The Nomad’s link of the day is a blog post by WordPress blogger and fellow New Englander Kristen. Kristen’s blogs are peppered with book reviews, pretty photos and interesting observations. Kristen posted about place that is very close to this trail and is one of the more popular places in Attleboro, La Salette is a popular place to visit year round. But, it is especially busy during the winter each year when they host a holiday light display. You can find Kristen’s wonderful blog post here.

6 Comments | tags: Attleboro, birds, frogs, heron, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, Photography, photos, tadpoles, trails | posted in Attleboro, Attleboro Springs, birds, frog, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, photography, photos, trail, Uncategorized

July 1, 2017

Pope John Paul II Park (Dorchester, MA)

By New England Nomad

Dates Of Visits: June 17 & 18, 2017

Location: There are several entrances at Gallivan Blvd. and Hallet St., Dorchester, MA

Cost: Free

Parking: There are multiple parking lots at the entrances

Hours: Open from sunrise til one hour before sunset

Trail Size/Difficulty: 2 miles, easy with moderate inclines

Handicapped Accessible: Yes

Dog Friendly: Yes

Highlights: wildlife, scenic, easy trails, ball fields

Website: Pope John Paul II Park

With its rolling hills, abundant wildlife, pretty trees and flowers and beautiful views, it’s hard to believe it once was the home to a drive in (remember those?) and a land fill.

Connected to Senator Joseph Finnegan Park, Pope John Paul II Park is part of the extensive Neponset River Greenway.

Pope John Paul Park is not only beautiful for it’s natural beauty, there are also two murals at the park.

There are a variety of birds at Pope John Paul Park (but I didn’t see any cardinals which was unusual).

This bird had a meal for his or her babies,

There are many pretty trees, plants and rolling hills along the paths.

The paths at John Paul Park are easy with some moderate inclines.

The paths are perfect for running, riding your bicycle or rollerblading with your dog.

There are some wonderful views along the Neponset River which separates Dorchester from picturesque Quincy, MA.

People like to use the river to cruise along with their jet ski, boat or other aquatic vessel.

There is also a stream that flows under the bridge at the park.

There are also soccer and lacrosse fields as well as pavilions and benches for people to sit and watch the games.

Pope John Paul Park is a great place to bring your dog. Zoey, a 5 year old mixed breed dog, brought her ball with her to the park.

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4 Comments | tags: birds, dog, Dorchester, Massachusetts, murals, Neponset, Neponset River Greenway, New England, Park, photographs, photohgraphy, photos, scenic, views | posted in dog, Dorchester, Massachusetts, Neponset River Greenway, New England, park, photographs, photography, photos, Pope John Paul II Park, scenic, Uncategorized, water

June 30, 2017

Senator Joseph Finnegan Park (Dorchester, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: June 17, 2017

Location: corner of Taylor St. and Water St., Neponset area of Dorchester, Boston, MA

Hours: Open sunrise to sunset

Cost: Free

Parking: Parking is available by the main entrances on Water or Taylor St. You can also park at Pope John Paul II Park on Hallet St or Gallivan Blvd as the trails for each park are connected

Park size/trail difficulty: 15 acres/easy

Handicapped Accessible: Yes

Dog Friendly: Yes

Highlights: scenic views, cycling/walking paths, wildlife

Website: Finnegan Park

Bigger isn’t necessarily better.

Part of the Neponset River Greenway, at a scant 15 acres Finnegan Park is one of the smaller yet more charming parks to open in the Boston area.

Dedicated in May of this year, Finnegan Park is a small yet popular destination for anyone looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of the city it borders.

Some of the park’s more appealing features are the scenic views and birds that inhabit the area, if you find that sort of things appealing that is. In the background you can see some of the residential buildings in the lovely Quincy, Massachusetts neighborhood. Egrets and Canadian geese are common visitors at the park.

There are also blocks of what looks like granite with words like “Charity” as well as the history of the area and descriptions of the wildlife in the area engraved on them.

One of the really cool things about the park is the train that passes by. The very same train I take to work.

Named after former state senator and representative Joseph Finnegan who worked hard to revitalize the area, Finnegan Park is a great place to ride your bike, play hopscotch or take your dog for a walk.

Gladys had a fun time walking along the trails at Finnegan Park.

Finnegan Park is only one segment of the Neponset River Greenway. In a future post I will be showing off another beautiful part of this project.

6 Comments | tags: birds, Boston, dog, Dorchester, Finnegan Park, Massachusetts, Neponset River Greenway, New England, photographs, Photography, photos, scenic, train | posted in birds, Boston, dog, Dorchester, Finnegan Park, Massachusetts, Neponset River Greenway, New England, park, photographs, photography, photos, scenic, trains, Uncategorized

June 25, 2017

Stodder’s Neck (Hingham, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: June 15, 2017

Location: 467 Lincoln St, Hingham, MA (30 minutes southeast of Boston)

Cost: Free

Parking: There is ample parking for about 50 cars

Trail Size/Difficulty: .7 mile loop, easy trails with some gentle inclines and some side trails.

Handicapped Accessible: Yes

Dog Friendly: Yes

Highlights: wide trails, picnic tables, water fountains for Fido, harbor views, wildlife, well maintained trails and grass for dogs to play

Website: Stodder’s Neck

Trail Map: Stodder’s Neck Trail Map

Once the site of a gravel pit, Stodder’s Neck is now one of the most popular dog parks in the South Shore (south of Boston). In fact, as the photo below shows, the park was designed as a dog park, although humans can also use it for birding, observing other dogs or just taking a leisurely walk.

The park has a water fountain with a spigot at dog’s level.

There is also a board for people to hang lost dog tags (on hooks at the side of the board) and photos of dogs (many of whom have passed on) who enjoy the park as well as other notes of importance.

Even the entrance to the park has been designed to help prevent dogs from running ahead into the parking lot by having a narrow entrance. I believe you may also open the gate at a different point if you need more room to enter or exit.

The dirt trails at Stodder’s Neck have benches and picnic tables dotted along the way for you to sit and give your dog a chance to rest.

The views along the trail are impressive.

But, the best part of the trails has to be the Weymouth Back River that forms the peninsula the park sits on.

And dogs seem to like the river as well.

There are also a variety of birds and other animals at Stodder’s Neck. Egrets also nest there during the spring and summer. I came across this Egret hunting.

I guess I got too close and scared him or her.

And what would a dog park be without, you guessed it, dogs!?

Moose is a 5 year old Lab.

Harley, 7 years old, is part German Shepherd, Great Pyrenees, Malinois.

Kylie is a 5 year old poogle

Mindy is a 4.5 year old rescue.

Mya is a 4 and a half year old Shepherd and Lab mix.

Macy is a one and a half year old pitbull and boxer mix.

Yuki is an 8 month old American Eskimo. Yuki, for those of you not in the know, means “snow” in Japanese.

Tank is a one and a half year old Field Springer.

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4 Comments | tags: birds, dog park, dogs, egrets, Hingham, Massachusetts, New England, Park, photographs, Photography, photos, Stodder's Neck | posted in birds, dog park, dogs, egrets, Massachusetts, New England, park, photographs, photography, photos, Stodder's Neck, Uncategorized

June 5, 2017

Wickham Park (Manchester, CT)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: May 30, 2017

Location: 1814 Tolland St, Manchester, CT

The address on the website is for the back entrance which is locked Do not enter this address into your GPS. The best way to go is to follow the instructions on their website or try using the address listed above. I had to pull into a Dunkin’ Donuts to get directions.

There is also limited free parking on a side street (Vernon Rd)

Cost: $5 per car

Hours: open daily, sunrise to sunset

Park Size/Trail Difficulty: 250 acres/easy trails with some gentle inclines

Handicapped Accessible: Yes.

Dog Friendly: Yes

Highlights: scenic views, ponds, wetlands, wildlife, art, well maintained grounds, disc-golf field, bird sanctuary, nature center, gardens, flowers,hiking trails, picnic areas, ample parking

Website: Wickham Park

Map of Wickham Park: Map Of Wickham Park

Wickham Park has a little a bit of everything for everyone. There are gardens, wetlands and hiking trails for the nature lover. There is a nature center and bird sanctuary for animal lovers to learn more about the inhabitants of the grounds. There is also a play area for children and a beautiful scenic outlook for people to sit and enjoys beautiful views of the Hartford area. There’s even tennis courts, pavilions and a disc golf field. It is also one of the most beautiful parks I have visited (I know – I say that about all of the parks I visit).

If you have limited time or you don’t want to walk around too much, I would suggest going to Lot B first. But, you can drive from lot to lot so tall of the areas of he park are very accessible.

Lot B is across from the Japanese themed Lotus Gardens, Irish Garden and other natural beauties.

There are also pretty structures and statues along the paths.

Knot Garden has a maze (it’s not as easy as it looks), statues and beautiful flowers.

There is a wide variety of birds, mammals and other animals at Wickham Park.

I caught this bird taking a dust bath.

These frogs were busy. So I left them to their privacy, as much as there is at a park.

There is also a bird sanctuary at Wickham. All of the birds at the sanctuary were either injured or unable to survive in the wild on their own. And, it looks like more are on their way.

Not all of the animals at the sanctuary were birds. This sneaky fella found a way to score some choice feed.

There is also a fun and educational nature next to a playground. The animals are the nature center were much easier to photograph.

Wickham Park also offers stunning views of the Hartford and surrounding area.

There is also a disc golf field and easy to moderate hiking trails.

Wickham is worth the visit just for the art and architecture and nature alone. The trails and gardens are just an added bonus.

Dogs are allowed at Wickham Park. I was able to click a few photos of Holly as she hunted for a rabbit.

The only bad thing about my trip to Wickham Park was getting there. The website has the address listed as 1329 Middle Turnpike West, Manchester, CT. This is the back entrance and there was a gate preventing entry this way. The main entrance is actually on Tolland St.

If you do use the address on their website (1329 Middle Turnpike West, Manchester, CT), to get to Wickham, drive west onto Burnside Ave and take a right onto Long Hill Drive (at a set of lights after about a mile (a Dunkin’ Donuts and strip mall will be on your left). Then, take the next right onto Tolland St. or Tolland Turnpike. The main entrance to Tolland Park will be on the right after about a mile.

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14 Comments | tags: birds, connecticut, CT, dogs, flowers, frogs, Manchester, New England, photographs, Photography, photos, scenic, travel | posted in birds, connecticut, dog, family friendly, frog, Manchester, CT, New England, photographs, photography, photos, scenic, Uncategorized

June 1, 2017

Puffer’s Pond/Factory Hollow Pond (Amherst, MA)

By New England Nomad

Dates Of Visits: May 24 & 29, 2017

Location: Mill St, Amherst, MA (about half an hour north of Springfield, MA and an hour and a half southwest of Boston, MA)

Hours: Open daily, sunrise to sunset

Cost: Free

Parking: There is a designated parking area for handicapped accessible vehicles. All other vehicles should park on the side of the road on the right hand side of the road. There is room for a dozen or more cars to park on this road.

Handicapped Accessible: Yes. There is a paved path and designated parking for handicapped accessible vehicles.

Dog Friendly: No. But, dogs are allowed on the Robert Frost trail that circles the pond.

Highlights: wildlife, fishing,trails,pond

Website: Puffer’s Pond

Once the site of a village inhabited by the Norwottuck tribe, Puffer’s Pond (also known as Factory Hollow Pond, is now a popular destination for fishing enthusiasts, nature lovers and hikers.

Puffer’s Pond is a small yet charming pond. It is only 11 acres large and the water is an average depth of 5 feet deep with a maximum depth of more than 20 feet.

There are several access points to the pond. The easiest most straightforward way to the pond is to park on Mill St and enter through the main entrance on that street. There is also an access point farther up on Mill St with a wooden walkway.

The pond is home to herons, mallards, turtles, frogs, a variety of birds and an otter or two among other animals.

Walking through the park, we noticed a disturbance in the water and a head peaking above the water.

It appears to be an otter because when the mammal dove back under water the tail didn’t look like a beaver’s tail.

The views from Puffer’s Pond are beautiful.

The pond is also a great place to fish. This particular fisherman didn’t have any luck (score one for the fish!). Better luck next time.

However, this fisherman had better luck.

Or, you can go there to look out on the pond with a special someone.

The Robert Frost Trail, a 47 mile trail that runs from the Connecticut River in South Hadley,MA to Wendell State Forest in Wendell, MA, runs past Puffer’s Pond. Although it is a very long trail, the section of the trail that runs past the pond is very short (about .8 miles each way). While dogs are not allowed in Puffer’s Pond they are allowed on the walking trails around the pond.

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Leave a comment | tags: Amherst, birds, ducks, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, Photography, photos, pond, Puffer's Pond, turtle | posted in Amherst, birds, ducks, Massachusetts, New England, otter, photographs, photography, photos, pond, Puffer's Pond, Uncategorized

May 29, 2017

Leverett Pond/Echo Lake (Leverett, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: May 27, 2017

Location: Depot Rd, Leverett, MA (about 40 minutes north of Springfield, MA)

Hours: Open everyday from sunrise to sunset

Cost: Free

Parking: There is free street parking available on the shoulder of the road across from the lake. There is room for about 5 cars.

Handicapped Accessible: Yes

Dog Friendly: Yes

Highlights: pond, poetry box, wildlife, boat launch

Website: Friends Of Leverett Pond

Located in the center of town inconspicuously on the side of the road, Leverett Pond (also known as Echo Lake) is a 100 plus acre pond with amazing views and abundant wildlife. In fact, the wildlife is so abundant it threatens the pond itself. Beavers, specifically, seem to be clogging the dam at the nothern end. It costs the organization $20,000 to fix this issue and they do not receive funding from the town. So, the organization relies solely on donations. But, still, the Friend of Leverett Pond are keep working to solve this problem.

Despite the ecological issues they may face, the pond still looks beautiful.

The pond is popular with boaters and fishing enthusiasts. I saw two boats in the pond during the short time I was there.

During the winter, the pond is used by skaters.

While there were signs of wildlife, I was only able to see some fish in the water and a bird.

While the lake is a gem itself, one of the hidden treasures is the poetry box located on a tree by the lake. If you weren’t looking for it you might just miss it. Just to the left of the boat launch, the box is attached to a tree.

Inside the box sits a binder with poems, stories and memories left behind by visitors. There are also a few pencils in the box for people to leave their thoughts and poems. Some of the poems dated back to 2012. It was not only nice to see this collection of art. It was also nice to see it has been preserved and no one has stolen or disturbed the poetry box.

Behind the tree is a table for people to sit and read the binder or write their own addition to the binder. The poems and other writings ranged from the comedic to the serious. Some were written by children. Others were written by older people. Sometimes you could not tell who wrote the poem or what age they were.