The Lincoln Squirrel – News, features and photos from Lincoln, Mass.

nature

Drumlin hosts caterpillar activities on Sept. 12

Caterpillar Celebration_GenJoin renowned biologist Samuel Jaffe at Drumlin Farm a day of exploration and discovery with his “Caterpillar Lab” on Saturday, Sept. 12. Through a combination of photographs, art, scientific study and live animals, visitors will marvel at the variety, beauty and behavior of these creatures. Take a look at giant caterpillars as they inch their way along branches and even get a chance to hold them! All activities are free with admission ($8 for adults, $6 for seniors and children age 2-12, free for Mass Audubon members).

Schedule of free drop-in activities (weather permitting):

  • 10 a.m. — Curious Chickens: Did you know that chickens eat insects? Learn about the ecology behind our egg-mobile and pastured chickens.
  • 10:30 a.m. — Meet a Pond Turtle: Turtles love ponds because of the water and tasty insects that live in them! Join us for an up-close look at one of our native turtles.
  • 11:30 a.m. — Busy Bees: Check out one of our new beehives and learn some of the science behind these fascinating pollinators.
  • 12:30 p.m. — Meet a Screech Owl: You probably know that owls are nocturnal, but have you ever thought about the food that’s around at night for an owl to eat? Join us to find out!
  • 2:00 p.m. — Meet a Songbird: Meet one of our resident small birds and learn why being an “insectivore” is important for the environment.
  • 2:30 p.m. — Cockroaches, Meal Worms, and Crickets, Oh My! Check out the creepy critters in our insect collection and find your favorite.
  • 3:30 p.m. — Exploring Compost and Worms: Do you know the difference between a worm and a caterpillar? Come find out as we explore the world beyond the dirt.
  • 3:45 p.m. — Meet a Kestrel: Watch out, crickets and grasshoppers, here comes New England’s smallest raptor!

Ongoing throughout the day:

  • Sam Jaffe’s Caterpillar Lab (11 a.m. to 4 p.m.)
  • Caterpillar/Butterfly Crafts
  • Insect Scavenger Hunt

 

A bevy of birds (Lincoln through the Lens)

A suspicious-looking finch and female cardinal pair, a male cardinal (are they hiding from him)? and a great blue heron were photographed in recent weeks by Harold McAleer.

A suspicious-looking finch and female cardinal pair, a male cardinal (are they hiding from him)? and a great blue heron were photographed in recent weeks by Harold McAleer.

Readers may submit photos for consideration for Lincoln Through the Lens by emailing them to lincolnsquirrelnews@gmail.com. If your photo is published, you’ll receive credit in the Squirrel. Photos must be taken in Lincoln and include the date, location, and names of any people who are identifiable in the photo. Previously published photos can be viewed on the Lincoln Through the Lens page of the Lincoln Squirrel.

Letter to the editor: be on the lookout for the Lindentree robin

letter

To the editor:

At the end of one of the June rains, I found a very “dead” little juvenile robin in our storm drain—except that he wasn’t, as I discovered when fishing him out. I dried him off, scraped off the unseemly gob of blood and something smooshing together the toes on his right foot, and took care of him. He willingly survived and became a personality at the farm for adults and children alike as they fed him worms, stepping around him as he hopped on the ground doing robin-like things. He was named Albert.

On the night of July 3, several days into his adolescent freedom stage, he disappeared, and we hoped he wasn’t part of someone else’s meal. However, I received a call from our neighbors several days later describing the visit of a robin who landed on their guest’s head, causing consternation and entertainment as he stayed for awhile. And then he moved on—so we are hoping that he’s appeared elsewhere in Lincoln.

Albert’s habits may change as he grows older and more birdlike; however, he is prone to landing on heads and shoulders and seemed to be comfortable with people.  If he visits you, we all here at Lindentree Farm would love to know where he has been—sort of tracking him. He has deformed toes on one foot and slightly bent ones on the other where one of them has healed up. Please drop us a line at lindentreecsa@gmail.com if you should happen to see him. Thanks!

Sincerely,

Moira Donnell (co-owner, Lindentree Farm)
10 Old Concord Road

Letters to the editor must be signed with the writer’s name and street address and sent via email to news@lincolnsquirrel.com. Letters must be about a Lincoln-specific topic, will be edited for punctuation, spelling, style, etc., and will be published at the discretion of the editor. Letters containing personal attacks, errors of fact or other inappropriate material will not be published.

Watching ’em like a hawk (Lincoln through the Lens, 6/22/15)

A hawk was seen keeping watch atop the wind vane of the First Parish Church.

A hawk was seen keeping watch atop the wind vane of the First Parish Church.  Photo by Harold McAleer

Readers may submit photos for consideration for Lincoln Through the Lens by emailing them to news@lincolnsquirrrel.com. If your photo is published, you’ll receive credit in the Squirrel. Photos must be taken in Lincoln and include the date, location, and names of any people who are identifiable in the photo. Previously published photos can be viewed on the Lincoln Through the Lens page of the Lincoln Squirrel.

Red sky at night (Lincoln through the Lens, 6/21/15)

Sailor's delight... A sunset sky xxxxxx.

Sailor’s delight… A sunset sky over the Sudbury River on June 17.  Photo by Harold McAleer

Readers may submit photos for consideration for Lincoln Through the Lens by emailing them to news@lincolnsquirrrel.com. If your photo is published, you’ll receive credit in the Squirrel. Photos must be taken in Lincoln and include the date, location, and names of any people who are identifiable in the photo. Previously published photos can be viewed on the Lincoln Through the Lens page of the Lincoln Squirrel.

Brush fire blackens several acres in Lincoln

Views of the burned area in photos taken by Noah Eckhouse (top) and Peter von Mertens (bottom).

Views of the burned area in photos taken by Noah Eckhouse (top) and Peter von Mertens (bottom).

A brush fire just south of Route 2 burned several acres of wooded area but did not damage any structures or result in any injuries.

The May 24 fire damaged about 12 acres of conservation land between Flint’s Pond and Orchard Lane, according to Peter von Mertens, co-chair of the Conservation Commission. Firefighters form Lincoln, Wayland, Weston, Concord and the state Department of Conservation and Recreation responded. Crews used chain saws, shovels and a leaf blower to build a fire break and contain the fire, and they also attacked it with water pumped from Flint’s Pond, said Selectman Noah Eckhouse. Workers patrolled the area during the following week to put out spots that were still smoldering.

Officials concluded that the blaze was probably caused by a careless smoker walking through the area. A gusty wind and extremely dry conditions on the forest floor allowed the fire to spread quickly and scorch a number of trees. Those trees will be evaluated over the next year and some that are critically damaged will need to be taken down, von Mertens said.

Virtually all of the underbrush and ground cover was burned out, and commission members will be taking photos in the area periodically to evaluate the regrowth in the area. Lincoln Fire Chief Stephen Carter and the Conservation Commission strongly advise people to stay out of the area until the threat of falling trees can be determined and dealt with.

Trails get new stone benches

The new stone benches near Flint's Pond.

The new stone benches near Flint’s Pond.

Thanks to the generosity of the Ory family and the help of the Lincoln Department of Public Works, some new stone benches have been placed along Lincoln trails by the Lincoln Conservation Department. The first two to be installed are in the Upper Pump House Field with views out to Flint’s Pond and across the small meadow above the pump station on Sandy Pond Road.

For those unfamiliar with this area, the trail comes from the schools, crosses the Muster Field and the Lower Pump House Field, and enters the wood to the north of the field. It  goes up a small hill, crosses the Upper Pump House Field and then drops down into the pine woods behind the Carroll School. To make a full loop, you can continue to Adams Woods, exit onto Granville, cross over to Land’s End and follow the trail back to the schools.

The birds and the bees (Lincoln Through the Lens)

 

Some of Harold McAleer’s recent photo subjects include a hummingbird, a dandelion and bee, and a bluebird and her nest.
hummer

bluebird-adj

dandelion2

Readers may submit photos for consideration for Lincoln Through the Lens by emailing them to news@lincolnsquirrrel.com. If your photo is published, you’ll receive credit in the Squirrel. Photos must be taken in Lincoln and include the date, location, and names of any people who are identifiable in the photo. Previously published photos can be viewed on the Lincoln Through the Lens page of the Lincoln Squirrel.

Photo contest entries show an eye for nature

Shutters are snapping as entries come in for the Lincoln Garden Club’s nature photo contest.

Anyone who lives in Lincoln is encouraged to submit photos by May 26. The event will help the garden club finance a horticultural intern at the New England Wildflower Society who will design and install a native plant garden at Lincoln’s Station Park.

Photos submitted to the contest will be displayed at the Pierce House during the Lincoln Garden Club’s champagne reception on Sunday, June 7 from 5-7 p.m. Those in attendance will vote for their favorite pictures and elect one winner for each of three categories—landscape, fauna and flora. Winners will be notified by email by June 9. For more information on the contest, see this Lincoln Squirrel news acorn or the contest rules.

Also on June 7 is the garden club’s self-guided Garden Tour from 1-5 p.m. Those who purchase a Garden Tour ticket will get admission to the champagne reception, which in addition to the photo exhibit will feature live music, food prepared by Lincoln Garden Club members and a silent auction. Tickets are $45 per person in advance or $50 on June 7. For more information, visit the Lincoln Garden Club website.

Photo by Daniela Caride

Photo by Daniela Caride

Photo by Linda MacNeil

Photo by Linda MacNeil

Photo by Bob Mortiz

Photo by Bob Wadsworth

Photo by Mark Hopkins

Photo by Mark Hopkins