Marlene's Walk

February 28, 2008
Mass Audubon Wellfleet Bay

It is snowing lightly this morning as I leave the parking lot and there is a
ground cover of about an inch and a half.  Red Winged Blackbirds are singing
loudly from the treetops.  They seem to know that this weather is only temporary
and spring is around the corner.  I scare up some Mallards on Silver Spring Pond
and a Kingfisher skims the unfrozen surface.

The Bay is socked in.  There is no visibility beyond a few hundred yards, and as
I approach Goose Pond the wind is picking up.  The trails are beautiful in the
new snow.  There is a special qaulity of sound -- almost muffled.  My boots
squeak as I walk.  I see mouse tracks across the path near the observation deck,
passing from under pine needles and oak leaves on one side to the shelter of
bearberry on the other.

Today in the starkness of winter with everything stripped bare, I reflect upon
the December storm of several years ago, commonly referred to as the
"wintercane".  The wind touched down in small areas and dropped trees like
dominoes.  This is most observable on the the northeast corner of Fresh Brook
Pathway and the south side of Silver Spring Trail.  Route 6 was closed for
several hours because of downed trees and power lines.  Orleans looked like a
war zone.

Along Goose Pond Trail I smell a skunk -- a sure sign of spring on the way.  I
pause and brush some snow from a bench, sit looking out over Goose Pond toward
the blind, and reflect on how much I love this place any season of the year.

                                                 Marlene Denessen
                                                 Volunteer Naturalist