Tag Archives: birds

May 26, 2017

Eastern Marsh Trail (Salisbury, MA)

Date Of Visit: May 21, 2017

Location: Friedenfels St, Salisbury, MA

Hours: accessible everyday

Cost: Free

Parking: There are 15 total parking spots designated for the rail trail. There are 5 spots in the main parking lot on Friedenfels St at the entrance to the trail. There are also 10 parking spots across the street from the main parking lot. There is a larger parking lot in front of the main parking area that is a private lot. Don’t park there as your car could be towed.

Trail Size/Difficulty: 1.4 miles, flat, easy trail.

Handicapped Accessible: Yes, the main trail is handicapped accessible. The side trails are not accessible due to the rocky trails and steep inclines. There is ramp to the right of the staircase to the trail at the parking area.

Dog Friendly: Yes

Highlights: scenic views, wide and easy trail, side trail, dog friendly, family friendly, benches to sit at, wildlife

Fitbit Stats: 1.8 miles, 502 calories, 4,504 steps (one way)

Website: Eastern Marsh Trail

Once the site of a grand railroad that ran from Boston to sections of Boston’s North Shore and New Hampshire, the Eastern Marsh Rail Trail is a true gem of the coastal section of the north shore (cities and towns north of Boston).

The railroad, which would be extended over time, began operating from Boston to Salem in 1838. It would later be extended to Salisbury and other territories in Massachusetts and New Hampshire in 1840.

Alas, the last train crossed the Merrimack River in 1965, leaving behind abandoned rail lines. Eventually, it was proposed that the rail lines should be converted to rail trails. Now, many decades later, instead of being used by noisy engines often carrying dangerous cargo, the rail lines are being used for exercise, dog walking and just enjoying nature.

The 1.4 mile Eastern Marsh Trail connects to the Clipper City Rail Trail to the south and the Ghost Trail to the north.

The Eastern Marsh Trail, which is part of a system of trails along the coastal north shore which includes Newburyport and Salisbury.

The trails at Eastern Marsh Trail are flat with no significant inclines.

The Stevens Trail is a short trail (about .4 mile) that hooks up back to the main trail. There are some views and a cute bridge along the trail. You may see a few chipmunks along the way. It has some minor inclines but I would classify it as easy. This trail is not handicapped accessible due to the rocky terrain and a bridge that only has steps and no ramp.

The views along the trail are beautiful.

There are still remnants from the original railroad at the beginning of the trail. Maybe some day they will revive the rail!

This mural from the Salisbury Art Stroll held on May 13 was still remaining along the trail. I just missed it by a week. But, I may have to drop by next year to check out the art on display. This mural was a collaborative effort worked on by a group of artists.

There were lots of little critters on and off the trail. I would hear rustling in the trees or bushes in one direction only to be distracted by some other sound of activity in another direction.

Birds

turtles

and chipmunks

are just a few of the animals you may see on the trail.

But, birds, chipmunks and turtles aren’t the only animals who frequent the trail.

The trail is a popular with dogs and their walkers.

I love the “side eye” Peter, a 14 year old Golden Retriever, was giving his human walker in the first photo. All he wanted to do was greet me and say hi.

I love how May’s white fur looked against the background. May is a 6 year old Golden Doodle.

Look at the big smiles on Mako (on the right) and Murphy (on the left)! Mako is 6.5 years old and Murphy is 7 years old. They are both Labradors.

12 Comments | tags: birds, chipmunk, dogs, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, Photography, photos, rail trail, Salisbury, scenic, trail, turtles | posted in birds, chipmunk, dogs, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, photography, photos, rail trail, Salisbury, scenic, trail, trails, turtles, Uncategorized

May 10, 2017

Ravenswood Park (Gloucester, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: May 7, 2017

Location: 481 Western Ave, Gloucester, MA (about 1 hour northwest of Boston)

Hours: Open daily, sunrise to sunset

Cost: Free

Parking: there are 10 parking spots in the lot outside of the park, parking is also available on the side of the road near the park. 10-20 cars can safely fit in the area by the side of the road

Trail Size/Difficulty: 10 miles of trails and former carriage roads. Moderate hiking. Carriage roads are covered with dense crushed stone and are generally wheelchair accessible.

Handicapped Accessible: The main trail and carriage roads are accessible at least for a while. I walked it for over 2 miles and it was an easy, wide trail. The side trails are much more rocky and challenging.

Dog Friendly: Yes

Highlights: wildlife, lakes, vernal pools, easy to moderate trails

Fitbit Stats (distance walked, steps taken and calories burned according to Fitbit watch): 7.8 miles, 17,637 steps, 1,586 calories burned)

Website: Ravenswood Park

Trail Map: Ravenswood Park Trail Map

Although it is more famous for its long stretches of shoreline and its fishing industry, Gloucester is also home to some beautiful parks. Boasting 10 miles of trails and several bodies of water, Ravenswood is teeming with wildlife.

One of the highlight of the park is Fernwood Lake. Fernwood Lake is bisected by a walking path with open areas to photograph the lake and the animals that inhabit. it.

I took the Cedar Swamp Trail and hooked up onto the blue blazed Fernwood Lake Trail. This trail is an easy 3 mile loop with many birds and trees along the path. Of course, I went off trail to get some of my photos and I had to redouble my steps since I got a little lost. So the hike was much more than 3 mile loop. I took this trail partly because I thought it would be less traveled than some of the other trails and it was. I didn’t run into many people taking these trails. It has been a very rainy spring. So there were lots of puddles and the area was very green. The trails can be extremely rocky in some places, especially along the loop I took. I did see a few runners. But, not any cyclists. As a side note, bikes are banned from March 1 until April 30 during the muddy season.

During my hike, I saw evidence of beavers

And I saw these buds which will soon become blueberries.

During my visit, I saw turtles, birds, a few dogs that were visiting as well as some other critters.

Mica is a 5 year old Australian Sheepdog.

From left to right is Masy, a 3 year old Lab, and Riley, a 9 year old Lab.

Lucas is a 9 year old rescue Catahoula.

8 Comments | tags: birds, dogs, Gloucester, Massachusetts, New England, Park, photographs, Photography, photos, snakes, trees, turtles | posted in birds, dogs, Gloucester, Massachusetts, New England, park, snake, Uncategorized

May 6, 2017

Quincy Quarries Reservation (West Quincy, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: April 29, 2017

Location: 77 Ricciuti Drive, West Quincy, MA

Hours: Open daily, sunrise to sunset

Cost: Free

Parking: There is a lot that accommodates about 50 cars next to the reservation. It fills up quickly on nice days. I got the very last spot when I went in the morning.

Dog Friendly: Yes

Handicapped Accessible: Yes

Highlights: rocks for climbers to practice on, easy, gentle trails, graffiti, family friendly, scenic views

Website: Quincy Quarries Reservation

Trail and Rock Climbing Map: Quincy Quarries Rock Climbing And Trail Map

Once the site for swimmers and divers, Quincy Quarry is now a haven for rock climbers, dogs and graffiti artists.

Quincy Quarries Reservation (or as we used to call it “The Quarries”) was originally built in 1825 as a large scale quarry industry, Over the years, however, it has gone through some dramatic changes.

Fun fact: stones from the quarry were used to as the main source of stone for the Bunker Hill monument in Charlestown.

The grassy fields and paves walkways used to be the site of a quarry industry. And water took up most off the area that is now grass and concrete. Business deals (a golf course is located just past where the quarry industries once stood) and a slew of deaths (mostly from diving into the water and some under more mysterious circumstances) at the quarry sparked the debate to fill in the quarries and use the land for business purposes. According to the New York Times, at least 19 people have died there (and who knows how many cars and other objects lied at the bottom of the water). In fact, a post or series of posts could be dedicated to the controversial and mysterious past of the area. So, the quarry was drained in most parts and the area was made into a walking park.

So, where did all the dirt come from to fill in the once watery quarry? Remember he “Big Dig”? Yup, that dirt was used to fill in the drained quarry. There is still some water in the quarry. But, people don’t jump in it anymore. Not only is it very dirty, it is seemingly much more shallow and there is much less of it.

After the last quarry closed in 1963, the area was dormant except for the people, mostly younger kids, who enjoyed diving off the precipitous rocks.

It’s hard to believe this area was mostly just granite and water a few decades ago.

Rocks, paths and grass cover what was once water.

Boy have times changed, The very same quarry that my father used to dive in have largely been filled in and paved over or have become fields. And, instead of jumping off the quarry, people climb up them.

This particular rock was 60 feet high and the path to the top was pretty narrow. But, I made it up.

The groups of climbers all work together to ensure their ascent is a safe one and cheers erupt from the other climbers whenever anyone makes it up.

You can learn a lot when you go on photo shoots. I’ll never complain about my physical obstacles again after watching this climber.

The climbing teams, and it is a team effort, go through great efforts to ensure each climb is safe. The people go over the procedures and safety protocols before each climb. Each person has a role whether it is the person holding onto the line, the device keeping the person suspended or the climber. Still, it’s hard to believe one rope or one board could be the difference between success and failure (although there are other backup safety measures as well). It is very safe if you take the correct measures, though.

Its a long way down.

The funny thing is I am not exactly fond of heights. But, whenever I have my camera with me I get so focused on what I am doing and I don’t really think of the risks as much as getting a good photo.

The views from the rocks are impressive, the skyline of Boston being the highlight of the various views. You can also check on the traffic into Boston from that rock before you leave.

There are several rocks at Quincy Quarry that people use to climb, draw on and just rest on.

The graffiti is one of the first things you will notice upon arriving at the Quincy Quarry Reservation. In fact, it seems to be encouraged.

There was also this creative and romantic proposal scrawled against one of the rocks.

There is also abundant wildlife at Quincy Quarry Reservation. Although they weren’t there (or they were hiding) during my visit, coyotes and deer are known to inhabit the area. I only came across a frog who thought he was hiding from me

a chipmunk

and various birds

I also saw lots of dogs at Quincy Quarry.

Baxter is a 2 year old Border Collie. He may have three legs. But, he is just as beautiful and sweet, if not more, as any other dog I saw that day.

Maddie is a 9 year old mixed shepherd. But, hey, how did she get up there!?

Here is a video from YouTube to give you a sense of how different the quarry looked and just how popular of a spot it was.

video courtesy of Sean Hastings

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8 Comments | tags: birds, dogs, family friendly, Massachuetts, New England, photographs, Photography, photos, quarries, quarry, Quincy Quarries Reservation, rock climbers, rock climbing, scenic, trees | posted in birds, dogs, family friendly, frog, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, photography, photos, quarries, quarry, Quincy Quarries Reservation, Uncategorized

April 30, 2017

Demarest Lloyd State Park

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: April 23, 2017

Location: Barney’s Joy Road, Dartmouth, MA (about 1.5 hours south of Boston and 45 minutes southeast of Providence, RI)

Hours: The park is generally open from Memorial Day to Labor Day. Park hours in season are 10 am to 6 pm weekdays and 8 am to 6 pm weekends and holidays. You can park at the entrance (a gate prevents access in the off season) and walk the roughly half a mile to the beach

Cost: $12 MA Vehicle, $14 non-MA Vehicle, see website for additional fees for boating

Parking: there is ample parking near the beach after you pay at the entrance.

Handicapped Accessible: Yes

Dog Friendly: Yes, but they are not allowed on the beach from April 1st to September 15th, unless they are service pets

Website: Demarest Lloyd State Memorial Park

Located along the southern coast of Massachusetts, Demarest Lloyd State Park has some of the prettiest views of any state park I have visited. Its abundant bird population, scenic views and sandbars make Demarest one of the truly special places to visit and get away from it all.

Demarest is a bird lovers paradise, especially during the off season when there are less people, cars and other disturbances to scare them away.

The views at Demarest are truly breath taking.

I kept thinking to myself, sometimes the world is indeed a very beautiful place. It’s important to have places like this treasure to observe and appreciate pure beauty. Demarest was easy to photograph. The hardest part was deciding which photos to post. All I had to do was check my settings and point and click. The beauty was already there, all courtesy of Mother Nature.

It was low tide during my visit. So, I was able to walk out onto some of the sandbars and get up close to some of the gulls at the park.

There were also several lobster pots and other cage-like devices that had washed up along the shore or were being stored there for safe keeping

If you do walk past the beach area, as I did, you should remember to pack or wear an extra pair of walking shoes (flip flops and sandals won’t be adequate) because the path turns from sand to pebbles and seashells. It is worth the walk, though.

One of the few creepy things at the park were these spiders. And they were everywhere. I must have seen dozens of them. So, if you do lie out there on a beach blanket, I’m just saying…but they have a purpose and place here as well.

Dogs like Demarest as well.

Bartley is a 2 year old German Shepherd.

Ranger is a 5 or 6 year old mixed breed dog.

Sadie is an 8 year old Lab.

13 Comments | tags: beach, birds, Demarest Lloyd State Park, dogs, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, Photography, photos, scenic, views | posted in beach, birds, Dartmouth, Demarest Lloyd State Park, dogs, Massachusetts, New England, park, photographs, photography, photos, scenic, Uncategorized, views

April 24, 2017

Stavros Reservation (Essex, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: April 22, 2017

Location: 8 Island Rd, Essex, MA (about half an hour north of Boston)

Hours: Open daily from sunrise to sunset

Cost: Free

Parking: Parking is very limited. There is not a parking lot for this reserve. Parking is allowed on the grass at the side of the street

Size/Trail Difficulty/Time to Spend: 3/4 mile loop, easy trail with a moderate incline, your visit should last half an hour to an hour at the most

Handicapped Accessible: No, the trails are too steep in some parts

Dog Friendly: Yes

Highlights: stone structure, popular birding destination, scenic views of the water, pretty trees

Website: Starvos Reservation

What better way to celebrate Earth Day then a visit to Stavros Reserve in Essex, MA?

It was a windy and raw day, more like a fall or winter day than a spring day. But, such is the weather for New England. I just considered myself lucky that it wasn’t snowing. This is New England after all.

Stavros Reserve is easy enough to find. Parking, however, is a different story. After driving past the reserve in the hopes of finding a parking area, I turned around and settled on a parking spot on the grass by the side of the road. Several cars (5-10) could probably squeeze in this parking area before the side of the road narrows to accommodate the traffic on Island Rd.

At first glance, Stavros Reserve doesn’t seem like much. The moderately steep roughly quarter of a mile incline features some scenic views, pretty trees

and this creepy looking tree that reminded me of the trees from the Wizard Of Oz.

Once you reach the end of the trail, you’ll see a stone structure that was once a fieldstone base of a 50-foot, three-level tower built by Lamont G. Burnham in the 1880s.

The top of the trail at the reservation has some eye catching views.

Inscribed on the marker under the tree is:

“This land is a memorial to

James Niclis Stavros

For the enjoyment of all who find

Renewal of spirit in nature

Mary F. Stavros

May 17, 1986”

As an aside, I fell in love with Essex while I was there. Antique shops and well manicured colonial style homes line the main streets. It’s an old New England town, incorporated as a town in Massachusetts in 1819, that has kept its charm.

The birds, seagulls specifically, were acting strangely while I was there.

That was enough for me. I saw a flock of seagulls. So I ran. (only people over 40 might get that one)

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7 Comments | tags: birds, Essex, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, Photography, photos, scenic, views | posted in birds, Essex, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, photography, photos, scenic, Stavros Reservation, trees, Uncategorized

April 9, 2017

Norris Reservation (Norwell, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: April 8, 2017

Location: 10 Dover St, Norwell, MA (about 30 miles south of Boston)

Hours: Daily sunrise to sunset

Cost: Free for Trustees members, $5 parking fee for non members

Parking: There is a small lot by the entrance for about a dozen cars. It fills up quickly during the summer and other peak times

Handicapped Accessible: No, the trails are too rocky and they often get muddy after rainy days

Park Size and Trail Difficulty: 129 acres, 2 miles loop trail, 2.5-3 miles of trails if you walk the side trails. Trails are easy and accessible for people of all ages.

Dog Friendly: Yes

Highlights: ponds, streams, boardwalks, old mill site, old boat house, herring and other fish, birds, if you’re lucky you might see a beaver or other type of wildlife

Lowlights: Be careful of ticks (I brought home 3 with me)

Web Site: Norris Reservation

Trail Map: Norris Reservation Trail Map

Once the site of a mill and the current site of an old boat house, Norris Reservation boasts white pine and oak trees, wetlands and a boardwalk teeming with wildlife as well as pretty trees with leaves that look like they’re still in foliage, pretty rock formations and plant life.

Truly a hidden jewel ( be careful driving to the parking lot- I drove past the entrance and had to enter through the exit of the small parking lot), Norris Reservation is a fine park to visit throughout the year. During the winter, trails can be accessed with snowshoes if needed. The flowers and trees are vibrant during the spring and summer and the trees are ablaze with foliage during the fall. During my visit, it was a rather average spring day. It was windy to begin but settled into a pretty standard spring day, albeit a bit on the cold side. You can see the ripples in the water from the wind in some of the photos.

Along the walkway as you enter the reservation along Eleanor’s Path (named after the benefactor of the park, Eleanor Norris), there is a pond and a little waterfall.

I got to break out my new gear, my Canon EOS 8D for this shoot. So, I was very excited to take it on for a test drive. I’m still getting used to the buttons and how it operates. But, I hope the photos are an improvement from my previous shots, especially as I get more familiar with it.

The main trail at Norris Reservation is probably the red trail which eventually takes you to Gordon’s Pond. Gordon’s Pond has a boardwalk with scenic views and a small waterfall. The pond is encircled with trees and it is popular with fishing enthusiasts.

Named after Albert P. Norris, whose wife donated the land upon his death, Norris Reservation hugs the North River which was once the center of pre-Colonial era ship building. Along these side trails, you can find a lot of scenic views and bird life.

Along the McMullan Trail is the old boathouse. I’m not sure if it’s operational for use and you’re not allowed to tie boats or dock there. But, it is a nice place to hang out on the deck and take in the beauty of the area.

There is also a granite block in the Granite Boulders section of the trail.

There is also an abundance of birds at Norris Reservation. I was able to shoot this robin, some black birds and a baby loon at the park.

Norris Reservation is an ideal place to take your pooch for a walk. I saw dozens of cute dogs during my hike at Norris. Below are some of the more photogenic dogs I saw on the trails.

Argos is an 11 month old White Shepherd. I had never seen such a fluffy, cute pure white dog. He really did stand out to me.

Delilah (on the left) is a 2 year old Boston Terrier and Harley is a 10 year old Yorkie and Shih Tzu mix. They posed so well!

Colby is a 7 and a half Bernese Mountain Dog. What a cute smile!

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16 Comments | tags: birds, boathouse, dogs, Massachusetts, New England, Norwell, photographs, Photography, photos, ponds, trees | posted in birds, boathouse, dogs, Massachusetts, New England, Norwell, photographs, photography, photos, pond, Uncategorized

January 16, 2017

Northeastern Poultry Congress (Eastern States Exposition Center, West Springfield, MA)

By New England Nomad

Dates Of Event: January 13, 14 and 15, 2017 (photos taken January 14)

Location: Eastern States Exposition Center (1305 Memorial Ave, West Springfield, MA), Mallory Building, Gate 9

Hours: January 13 3:00 p.m. -8:00 p.m., January 14 9:00 a.m. – 4:00 p.m., January 15 8:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m.

Cost: Admission is free

Parking: Free ample parking is located at or near the Mallory Building parking lot

Handicapped Accessible: Yes, the Mallory Building is handicapped accessible

Dog Friendly: Service dogs may be allowed

Web Site: Northeastern Poultry Congress

Duck, duck, chicken? That is the theme at the Northeastern Poultry Congress this weekend at the Eastern States Exposition Center in West Springfield, MA.

The poultry congress has chickens and other poultry of all kinds.

In fact, there were rows and rows of chicken being displayed and/or sold.

I had never considered the beauty of a chicken, or other fowl, before. They really are beautiful and interesting looking. The chickens and other poultry were available for purchase and somee were being judged. Adults and children could be seen carrying chickens for purchase. I was surprised how the chickens and other fowl didn’t seem to resist or peck when they were being held (always with their face toward the persons body).

There were also chicks in an incubator.

These turkeys made it through the holiday season.

There were also events for children such as an event where the children both judged and exhibkited different poultry.

Concession stands were also available, although I didn’t see fried chicken on the menus.

There were also vendors selling art, nick knacks and other items.

The poultry weren’t the only cute animals at the show. One of the vendors brought her own little pet with her to the show.

The Northeastern Poultry Congress usually only stops by the Eastern States Exposition Center once a year. But, you may be able to catch it at other venues throughout the year (refer too the web site shown above to see if it is stopping by a venue near you). So, don’t be a chicken! Stop by and visit the lovely poultry if you do notice it is in your area.

21 Comments | tags: birds, chicken, ducks, Eastern States Exposition, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, Photography, photos, poultry, turkeys, West Springfield | posted in chickens, Eastern States Exposition Center, Massachusetts, photographs, photography, photos, poultry, Uncategorized, West Springfield

January 2, 2017

Feeding Time At Stanley Park (Westfield, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: December 28, 2016

Location: 400 Western Ave, Westfield, MA (about 2 hours west of Boston, MA and about 20 minutes west of Springfield, MA)

Cost: Free

Hours: Presently open everyday 8 a.m. -4:30 p.m. (hours change depending upon the season)

Parking: There are a few different parking areas. The main parking lot on Western Ave has room for about 200 cars.

Handicapped Accessible: The playground area, fields and picnic areas are but the trails and many of the walkways are not.

Dog Friendly: Yes

Highlights: hiking trails, birds, wildlife, pond, flower garden, statues

Often considered the jewel of Westfield, Massachusetts, Stanley Parkis one of the prettiest parks in Western Massachusetts and it looks even more picturesque after a snowfall.

Due to the recent cold spell and snow, the pond and much of the vegetation at Stanley Park had been iced over so they were eager to get some food. As a disclaimer, most parks do not encourage you to feed birds. But, if you do, there are certain foods you should never feed to ducks. Bread is the biggest no-no on most list. These are some better foods to feed to birds.

At any rate, visitors like to feed the birds at Stanley Park and that gave me an usually good chance to photograph some beautiful ducks.

There were so many birds congregating at the pond waiting for a nibble of food.

Luckily, one of the visitors at the park, Jim, brought some food for the hungry birds.

Jim’s dog took the birds in stride.

I have photographed Stanley Park before and, since it is very close to my mom’s house, I always try to make a visit out there as often as I can.So, you may sees posts about this park from time to time.

Stanley Park, or Stanley as it is more commonly known as, is a popular spot for dogs like Sansa is a 5 month old Siberian Husky.

Below is a video of feeding time at Stanley Park:

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13 Comments | tags: birds, dogs, ducks, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, Photography, photos, pond, Westfield | posted in birds, dogs, ducks, ice, Massachusetts, New England, photographs, photography, photos, pond, snow, Uncategorized, Westfield

December 30, 2016

Emilie Ruecker Wildlife Sanctuary (Tiverton, RI)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: December 14, 2016

Location: Seapowet Ave, Tiverton, RI (about an hour south of Boston and about 30 minutes southeast of Providence, RI)

Cost: Free but donations are appreciated

Hours: Trails are open dawn until dusk

Parking: There is a lot which can accomodate about 5-10 cars

Trail Difficulty/Size: 50 acres of easy but narrow trails, I couldn’t find a description of the trail lengths but it can’t be more than 4 or 5 miles total

Handicapped Accessible: No

Dog Friendly: No, Audubon sanctuaries are not pet friendly

Highlights:easy trails, blinds to hide behind bird watch, wildlife, streams and bodies of water, birds, scenic

Web Site: Emilie Ruecker Wildlife Sanctuary

Trail Map: Emilie Ruecker Trail Map

As a preface, I am trying to post about as many of my trips from earlier this year before the end of the year. So, I may be posting pretty much every day until the new year and into the beginning of the new year to catch up and start fresh in 2017. Lucky you… ( :

Tucked away just over the Massachusetts and Rhode Island border is a serene little trail with lots of surprises.

One of the cutest surprises are these blinds that you can hide behind to photograph or observe birds.

The trails at Emilie Ruecker are easy enough to navigate and they are mostly loops so it is easy to stay on the trail. There are also maps displayed throughout the sanctuary. The trails can be narrow in some areas. Also, if you go on the red trails, it’s easy to go off track. Just keep looking for the color coded trees to stay on track.

One of the cool things are the openings along the trails that allow you to get closer to the water so you can view the ducks and other birds.

You’ll also find the occasional bench to rest at.

Although there is lots of wildlife at the sanctuary, the highlight for me was the beautiful scenic views.

If you look closely, you may see the outline of a deer just behind the branch of this tree. Unfortunately, my camera couldn’t focus in time to get a better photo.

Much like this deer, the birds at Emilie Ruecker were hard to photograph.

The birds in the water proved more easy to photograph.

These birds were very easy to photograph, as long as I kept my distance. They were hanging out on the other side of the road across from the sanctuary on some farm land.

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10 Comments | tags: birds, bridge, ducks, New England, photographs, Photography, photos, Rhode Island, scenic, Tiverton, trail, trails, trees, water | posted in birds, nature, New England, photographs, photography, photos, Rhode Island, Uncategorized

December 29, 2016

PYR 2014 (Boston, MA)

By New England Nomad

Date Of Visit: November 4, 2016

Location: Fort Point Channel, corner of Dorchester Ave and Summer Street, Boston, MA

Cost: Free

Hours: 24 hours a day

Handicapped Friendly: Yes

Dog Friendly: Yes

Web Site: PYR 2014

Highlights: Sculpture of a pyramid in Boston’s Fort Point Channel

If you’re hoping to view pyramids, you don’t have to book that trip to Egypt quite just yet. You only need to make a visit to Boston, MA, to see a pyramid of grand dimensions. The pyramid located in Boston named PYR 2014, which was sculpted by Boston-based sculptor Don Eyles, is said to be a sculpture that marks the past and future history.

The pyramid is made of plastic blocks which have been painted to look like the paving stones of the streets of Boston. It is more of a white shade. But, with the sun and the shade it threw that day, Mother Nature made it look a much darker color in some photos.

But how did they get this sculpture in the channel? Did they use some complicated contraption? A pulley system? Was there a helicopter drop? No. Nothing so elaborate was necessary. This link show how they did it.

Cormorants like the pyramid also.