Eagle Lake Wildlife Sanctuary

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By 9:15 am on this cool and bright day, a dozen volunteers were gathered at the former Lundquist property that recently was added to Eagle Lake, ready to work clearing a new trail and spreading brush piles to reduce a fire hazard. Our team split into two groups and started at the ends of the proposed trail, clearing undergrowth and small trees. Before 10:30 am, the two groups met in the middle!

After a short break for snacks and a group photo, we set out again to clear another part of the new trail. Along the way, we discovered a dead hairy woodpecker, which provided a rich interpretation opportunity for Ron Wolanin, Mass Audubon property manager and teacher extraordinaire. He told us all about the woodpecker’s extremely long tongue and gripping claws, and made educated guesses about what may have caused the woodpecker’s death and what did certainly not. After again finishing the proposed work in record time, the team took a natural history walk along our newly cleared trail, with Ron leading the way. First, we examined some great horned owl pellets that Ron had found and discovered bones from the owl’s recent meals—mouse, vole, rabbit, and muskrat. Next we learned about tiger beetles on the beach and their strong biting jaws, wintergreen and the delicious minty scent of its crushed leaves, the middens of red squirrels that gather their food into store piles, the towering pine trees along the path, and much more. By noon, we had cleared a quarter-mile of trail, spread 10 brush piles, piled 5 truckloads of logs, and learned a great deal about this beautiful property and its natural history. A terrific time was had by all!

Birds heard or seen during the morning: Tufted titmouse, black-capped chickadee, blue jay, pine warbler, palm warbler, hairy woodpecker, yellow-rumped warbler, and broad-winged hawk.