Highlights

April 2018 - Bioreserve Walk, BFR Ride, Woodcock

 

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ACTIVITY ALERT - April's Exploring the Southeastern Massachusetts Bioreserve Walk and May's Walk


Finally a spring day. This past Saturday dawned sunny and mild. A perfect day to hike, bike or just sit at the base of a forest tree and watch the spring day unfold while listening to the first spring migrants flying in from South America.

This month's walk found us exploring the headwaters of Mill Brook and its surrounding watershed in the far northwest corner of the Bioreserve. Due to the downed tree limbs ...and occasionally complete trees blocking our trail ...we had to bushwhack and crawl over or under to make our way through a few areas. Terrain varied from very wet near the brook and adjacent swamps to dry and ledgy as we made our way along the north slope of Breakneck Hill.

Didn't you feel great after our morning in the forest? Here's an article on shinrin-yoku. See why you should be spending more time in just beating around the woods or simply sitting under a tree. https://www.outsideonline.com/1870381/take-two-hours-pine-forest-and-call-me-morning

The following photos from April's walk. Thanks to Liz and Barry:

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


 
May's Walk will be May 12, Saturday, 8 a.m. Note summer starting time. From May through October we meet at 8, winter walks at 9. 
 
May is also the time we suggest you start carrying insect repellent, preferably containing DEET,when in the forest and wearing walking/hiking pants you've treated with permethrin.

 

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Bike Fall River - Saturday, April 14 - East Bay Bike Path

The day was perfect and 12 Bike Fall River cyclists had a great time riding the East Bay Bike Path.  20 miles, from Warren to East Providence and back.

Here is the group getting ready to start in Warren, RI:

Margaret  and Paul up in East Providence:

Paul D. ,Lisa, on her first ride with the group, and Jim:

Kevin and Ron:

Part of the group took a break at the Providence overlook in E. Providence, RI:

 

Incoming articles of interest so far this month

 
 
 
 
 
 
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ACTION ALERT - Fall River City Council Committee On Health And Human Services


Fall River's misguided digital billboard proposal and Fall River caused Burrillville water woes on Monday's agenda.
 
 
 
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A few more incoming links to interesting environmental articles this April:

 
 
Environmental groups have forgotten how to fight. Unfortunately, very true. http://mountainjournal.org/american-conservation-movement-has-lost-its-edge
 
 
 
Not "carbon neutral."  https://bangordailynews.com/2018/04/24/energy/pruitt-wades-into-a-fraught-science-debate-declaring-biomass-burning-carbon-neutral/

 

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Activity Alert - Watching the Woodcock

Saturday gave us a beautiful spring evening to watch and listen to the woodcock call, sing and do his impressive sky dance. And, we did see a woodcock or two do just what they have been scripted to do. Unfortunately, we couldn't get close enough to any of the performers to watch one of them, up close, bopping about while giving their well known "peent" call. We did get some good views of their sky dance, but from a distance.
 
We did not see any woodhens fly in to join a calling male and fly off together and that was probably due to the fact it is late in the mating season and the woodhens were probably off in the brush at the edge of the meadow incubating their eggs or tending newly hatched chicks. In the past we have inadvertently flushed nesting woodhens off their nests on late April/early May walks. When that occurs the flushed woodhen does not go far and immediately goes into her "broken wing" routine intended to lure the "predator" away from her nest.
 
 

Master Woodcock Watcher Tom, with binoculars and folder, welcoming woodcock viewers.

 
 

Full moon spring night. If both aligned, perfect conditions to see a sky dancer silhouetted by the moon.

 
Photos - Liz Garant
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