Highlights

OCTOBER 2019- Interlachen, Bioreserve Walk

INFO ALERT - Interlachen

Join Watuppa watershed forester Mike Labossiere and historian Bill Goncalo as they lead a tour of Interlachen on
October 5th, Saturday, 10 a.m.

The splendor of fall foliage makes a perfect backdrop to explore Fall River’s island forest at the
Watuppa Reservation. At almost 60 acres in size, Interlachen is home to the familiar Arctic Ice
and Cold Storage ice house ruins and the also the Col. Spencer Borden mansion remains. The
site offers broad views of North Watuppa Pond and its rambling farm walls and other landscape
accents evoke visions of times past.

The Meridian Street, Fall River, gate will open at 9:30 a.m. and parking will be on-site.  The walk will be from
10-12 and is free to all. For more information call (508) 324-2749.

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ACTIVITY ALERT - Walking in the footsteps of Metacomet (Philip) and Weetamoe (Tattapanum) - October's Walk Exploring the Southeastern Massachusetts Bioreserve

 
Shortly after the start of King Philip's War, on July 8, 1675, the militia under Captain Benjamin Church engaged in battle with King Philip and his warriors in a Tiverton pease field. After the battle, Philip and his followers withdrew to the interior of the Pocasset Cedar Swamp in north Tiverton. The militia followed and on the evening of July 18, 1675, they entered the swamp and were ambushed by a joint force of Indians under the command of both King Philip and Weetamoe.

Escaping during the night the Indians fled to the remote Watuppa area, now part of the Bioreserve, and after three days of rest and recuperation headed northwest to Tabadacason's Indian owned ferry at Winslow's Point, Assonet, for safe passage across the TauntonRiver heading for Nipmuck country in a search for allies. 

October's walk will follow the only section left of the old Indian path that Metacomet, Weetamoe and their followers took as they hurried to catch the ferry at Winslow's Point.

Take a walk. Foliage should be turning. 
October 12, Saturday, 9 a.m. 
We will meet at Fighting Rock Corner, east end of Wilson Road, Fall River, MA.  

Length of walk approximately 2 1/4 miles. A little bushwhacking so wear appropriate shoes/boots for hiking off trail. Water and snack always a good idea.

Since we don't have a protective coating of bear grease covering our bodies as the Indians and militia did, insect repellent containing DEET or picaridin is a good idea when in the woods until the first frost in late October.

Rain cancels walk.

Want more local history on the war? Mary Rowlandson was taken captive in 1675 and wrote about it. 

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INFO ALERT - Tired of gray and rainy fall days? Not these guys! 

Nature, in every season, always has something new and fascinating to show us if we pay attention.
 


Massachusetts is on the northern edge of marbled salamander range and the best place to see one is in an autumnal pool, before it fills with rain.

Hiking in area woodlands in spring one will, if alert, note slight depressions in the forest floor that fill with spring rains and dry out during the heat of summer. These are vernal pools and in our neck of the  woods they provide critical habitat for unique animals like spotted salamanders, wood frogs, fairy shrimp, fingernail clams and various other ephemeral aquatic invertebrates.

After dry summer, In the rainy fall, many of these same vernal pools now become autumnal pools and in some of these pools, during September and October, female marbled salamanders are guarding their eggs waiting for them to hatch. Once the eggs hatch, mother marbled salamander leaves the pool to spend the winter in her home burrow hibernaculum.
 

Want to know more about the marbled salamander in Massachusetts? Click on this: https://www.mass.gov/files/documents/2016/10/vb/ambystoma-opacum.pdf
 
"What I know of the divine sciences and holy scriptures, I learned in the woods and fields. I have no other masters than the beeches and the oaks."
- Saint Bernard of Clairvaux
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ACTIVITY ALERT - October's Exploring the Southeastern Massachusetts Bioreserve Walk following what is left of the old Mowry Path that Metacom, Weetamoe and their followers took to reach Tabadacason's ferry at Winslow' Point to cross the Taunton River.
 
 
After a week of rain and gray skies this past Saturday dawned with the same gray skies, but without the rain. Instead, waves of intermittent cold drizzle. Once we started walking the drizzle wasn't all that bad, although what should have been a completely colorful fall forest, at this season of the year, did have occasional dark and somber sections.

On our November walk we will continue to follow the path Metacom, Weetamoe and their followers took as they sheltered in the forest by King Philip's Spring before they set out, heading northwest, to reach Tabadacason's ferry. 

November's walk will be November 9, Saturday. We will meet at 9 a.m. on Blossom Road at Brightman Trail. Since the north end of Blossom Road is vehicle destroying your approach should be from the Westport end of Bloom Road. More info on November's walk will be emailed out at the end of this month. Watch for it!

Here are a few photos, courtesy of Liz, from this past Saturday's walk:
 
Pointing out Winslow's Point on the Freetown side of the Taunton River.



Starting out down Mowry Path.



A neat glacial erratic in the forest alongside the path.
 
 

Walking down the trail and despite the cloud cover and drizzle we were walking in autumn beauty.

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INFO ALERT - Hurry! October 2019 is almost over

Come on, you don't want to miss it! This only happens once a year. Walk in beauty.
"In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks."
- John Muir

The following photos were taken in the Southeastern Massachusetts Bioreserve on October 24. Go for a walk and take some of your own.
 
 
 
 
 
 

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