Dana 11/15

My friend Karin and I took a walk to Dana center, from gate 40, on Sunday afternoon, the temperature was very mild, warm, almost hot! ... well for November. I don't hear Fox Sparrows singing too often, occasionally during the spring. I was surprised to hear a strange song soon after we were under way, which sounded like a Fox Sparrow. I bush-whacked a hundred feet in through heavy White Pine saplings and made a spishing sound. Up Popped a "boat load" of Dark-eyed Juncos, White-throated Sparrows and 3 Fox Sparrows. While heading toward the center I heard 2 more Fox Sparrows sing a different spots, they must have been fairly wide spread in this area.

A poor and blurry digi-bin shot of a Fox Sparrow.


I scanned Pattapoag Pond, through the trees, and saw an assortment of waterfowl, which included Canada Geese, Black Ducks (no Mallards that I saw) and Ring-necked Ducks.


We inspected the old foundation (at Dana Center), made from smallish round stones, one would think were "harvested" from the Swift River. While most of the dramatic New England fall colors have passed, there are still some to be seen, you just have to look a little harder.

This "guy" was crossing the road, when placed the camera on the pavement, it looked up.

Some subtle colors near the road.

Christmas Count Season is coming!

On the walk out Karin noticed the marker on this old tree, about 1/2 to 3/4 of a mile from Gate 40.

The Tree

The Marker

Any of you "Quabbineers" know the significance of the tree and marker? Answer is below:

Good day Tom,
That is part of a UMass Arborist study on tree cavity use by birds in managed and unmanaged street trees. Looking to see the effect of pruning dead branches out of live trees has on nesting cavity production... I haven't heard the findings yet...

Dave Small