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Month: March 2017

King Eider (Somateria spectabilis)

King Eider (Somateria spectabilis)

Saturday I was lucky enough to see a King Eider (Somateria spectabilis) among a large flock of Common Eiders (Somateria mollissima) along the Cape Cod Canal.  King Eiders are an arctic duck, and are uncommon this far south, so seeing this individual was a fairly rare opportunity.  This particular male King Eider in the Canal was in his full breeding plumage: a spectacular looking bright red bill topped with an orangey-yellow swollen knob, combined with a blueish-grey head, a yellowish…

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North American Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum)

North American Porcupine (Erethizon dorsatum)

This post is a little delayed, but I figured it was still worth sharing. Fittingly for the last day of winter (March 19), I was able to take a snowy walk in the vicinity of the Quabbin Reservoir in Petersham, MA.  Unlike Cape Cod that received mostly rain from the “blizzard” the previous week, there was still 8+ inches of snow in Petersham, despite warmer temperatures and some melting over the previous few days.  The snow, in addition to providing…

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Oak apple gall

Oak apple gall

This time of year, with the leaves still absent, it’s hard not to notice the tan spheres attached to the ends of some oak branches.  These ball-like objects are oak apple galls, and can range in size from 1 to 2 inches in diameter (approximately golf ball sized).  A “gall” is a general term for a plant deformity caused by an insect or a fungus.  These oak apple galls are caused by gall wasps in the family Cynipidae. Female wasps…

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Geology: Basalt and Titan’s Piazza

Geology: Basalt and Titan’s Piazza

In an effort to connect with and learn from expert naturalists, I am participating in a year-long natural history course: Hitchcock Center for the Environment’s Nature All Year Program.  Divided into monthly classes, the course will cover topics ranging from vernal pool ecology to plant identification to mammal tracking. This month’s class focused on the geologic history of the Connecticut River Valley led by Nikki Hill. Although it’s hard to imagine given the relatively short human lifespan, over geologic time…

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Swamp azalea (Rhododendron viscosum)

Swamp azalea (Rhododendron viscosum)

In recent walks through the forested wetlands surrounding the Quashnet River in Falmouth, as well as along the edges of the marsh fringing Allen’s Pond in Dartmouth, I came across a handful of shrubs tipped with large bright yellow and red buds.  Although most plants are not flowering yet, the buds of many trees and shrubs are enlarged. These particularly noticeable buds belong to the swamp azalea. The swamp azalea (Rhododendron viscosum), also called the clammy azalea, is a medium…

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Book Review: The Hidden Life of Trees

Book Review: The Hidden Life of Trees

I was given this book, The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate – Discoveries from a Secret World by Peter Wohlleben, as a gift from my aunt who over the years has introduced me to many of my favorite books. This one was no exception. This fascinating work turned out to be an unlikely world-wide best seller. For one thing, it was originally written in German, a language in which few people outside of Germany are…

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