Sunflower and Spider

We grew the tallest sunflower we have grown this year- a Russian Mammoth.

We also hosted a large orb weaver spider for a while who remade her web ever night after wrapping up her catch.

Chickadee Juvie Demands Dinner

Brandts and seaweed at dusk- wolly beach

More seaweed than usual after stormy weather.

Window Birding

we modified the bird's house gourds that we grew last year by drilling holes of different sizes, cleaning them out, and hanging three in different places around the yard. we noticed the one closest to a window was getting some attention from a chickadee the day after we put it up!

the gourds...we put the holes in different spots and made the holes various sizes to attract different birds such as chickadees, wrens or nuthatches.

location 1

location 2

location 3

the day after we hung them.....

so far there are no signs that anyone moved in for nesting this year but we feel optimistic that it will make a nice spot for the right birds in the future.

Clam Digging

Often, when the tide is low, small groups of clam diggers can be spotted on wollaston beach. Whether or not they should be eating those clams I don't know. But it makes for some nice shots.

Geese Tracks Mystery Solved!

The tracks on the beach previously posted were indeed from our resident population of Brants. Here are some shots of the real thing. (http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Brant/id)

A Walk from the House part 2

On this cold winter day we took a walk from the house very close to our previously posted walk. There is a whole network of trails around the salt marshes in the area. We walked along a road and into the Marina Bay development. From there we had access to a piece of land that was built up in the salt marshes to use as a road when the area used to be a Naval Air Station. (There is an old airport-turned park close by that we will document in the future.) The Quincy Environmental Network is hoping to get a grant to build a bridge that would better connect this piece of land so that it is not a dead end, but instead helps to form a loop of trails in the area. At this time, a part of this walk requires jumping over a small water channel (which you can see on the map below).


The walk started on the beach where we noticed these footprints- either of Canada Geese or perhaps some of our local Brant population.
(http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Brant/id)

At the beginning of the spit of land that goes into the salt marshes- there were no tracks made from humans.

But there were these tracks- of our local coyotes, or "coywolves"- a hybrid of coyotes and wolves!
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UfuXdHoJCqE)
(http://www.opengreenmap.org/greenmap/quincy-green-map/eastern-coyotes-2692)

On the right is one of the old bunkers from the Naval station...

This is where the trail ends today and where there will hopefully be a bridge in the future. There were many salt marsh birds keeping well hidden in the grasses.

Marsh with Marina Bay building in background...

Another bunker at the school bus depot.

What Have We Here....

a mouse in the house! an accidental pet mouse now lives with us at 49 Ocean. he/she was found in the basement either abandoned by the mother mouse or brought in through an open basement door by a cat. we definitely have a mouser in the neighborhood as we have come upon 2 other dead mice recently. we weren't sure what to do with this wee fellow and were considering putting him outside until he starting nuzzling in my hands. oy. we went to petco soon after for supplies.

a few days later...