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

nature

“Tales of the Night” on Oct. 24 and 25

halloween_sceneMass Audubon’s Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary is once again hosting “Tales of the Night,” a special Halloween-themed celebration with tricks and treats appropriate for the whole family. Tales of the Night will take place on October 24 and 25 from 6:30 to 9 p.m. Visitors are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance.

Tales of the Night activities target everyone from young toddlers to teens. “Parents love our ‘Tales of the Night’ event because it provides something for everyone,” said Drumlin Farm Sanctuary Director Christy Foote-Smith. “We offer fun activities that provide the thrills older kids are looking for and a Nursery Rhyme trail for little ones on the lower end of the “fright-o-meter” as well.”

Visitors can enjoy a special haunted hayride, get up close to insects in the Creepy Critter Mansion, or meet their favorite storybook characters on the Nursery Rhyme Trail. Witches’ brew, spider cider, and tasty treats can be purchased and enjoyed while perusing a display of more than 100 jack-o’-lanterns or learning about nocturnal wildlife from Drumlin Farm teacher naturalists.

Tickets are $11 if purchased on or before October 23. Tickets purchased on the days of the event are $13 and may be bought online at massaudubon.org/drumlin or by calling (781) 259-2218.

Drumlin Farm ribbon-cutting for accessible trails Oct. 5

icepondOn Saturday, October 5 at 10 a.m., Mass Audubon staff and volunteers will celebrate the opening of two universally accessible trails at Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary at a ribbon-cutting ceremony to mark the completion of the two-year project.

The Ice Pond Trail and Farmyard Loop Trail are designed to allow persons of all abilities to experience nature and learn about sustainable agriculture. The new trails feature an accessible garden bed, tactile exhibits of animal casts, post-and-rope guide system, an interpretive audio tour, and Braille signage.

There will be refreshments and a guided tour of trails and “sensory” features. This project was made possible in part by the Institute for Museum and Library Services. 

Harvest Weekends at Drumlin Farm start tomorrow

scarecrowOn October 5-6 and 12-14, Drumlin Farm Wildlife Sanctuary will be bustling with special activities, games, and pick-your-own opportunities. Join us on a hayride and enjoy cider, apples and cider donuts from Shelburne Farms or pizza from Vesta Wood-fired Pizza, and don’t forget to stay for one of our live animal demonstrations.

The farm will be open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with special activities from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Admission is $8 for adults, $6 for children 2-12  and seniors, and free for Mass Audubon members. Pick-your-own (see below), which involves an additional cost, will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. or while supplies last. For more details, see the Drumlin Farm website.

Pick your own:

October 5  and 6: Pumpkins and gourds – pick out your favorite from our display in the field!

October 12- 14: We’ll check with our farmer to see what is ready to harvest and post it on the Drumlin Farm website before the weekend!

Hit the woods for two events this weekend

Enjoy the trails of Lincoln on two occasions this weekend.

OLYMPUS DIGITAL CAMERALand Stewardship Day

The Lincoln Conservation Commission and the Lincoln Land Conservation Trust are having a trail and land improvement day on Saturday, October 5. We know how busy people are at this time of the year and so there will be activities from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. If you can only stop by for an hour or two, that would be a huge help. If you can stay longer or even all day, that would be fabulous.

We will gather at the Codman North Field on Codman Road. Please go into the Codman House entrance (west of Codman Farm) and go to the left to park. This location is adjacent to the alpaca field. Light snacks will be provided.

Work will be along field edges and trails in the woods. Dress accordingly. Please bring gloves, loppers, rakes or shovels. For more information, please contact the Conservation Department at 781-259-2612 or Peter von Mertens at 781-259-8942.

History hike in Adams Woods

hike2Join the Lincoln Historical Society and Jason Felsch of the Lincoln Junior Hikers as he leads a “history hike” through Adams Woods starting from 126 Old Concord Road on Sunday, October 6 at 2 p.m. A map and essay are attached. Free and open to the public.

The hike will be about about 2½ miles round trip with breaks along the way. The walk will probably take about two hours, but families can go at their own pace. Parents are responsible for the supervision of their children.

To get to our trail head, go to the intersection of Route 126 (Concord Road) with Old Concord Road located 0.2 miles northeast of Codman Road. Turn left (northwest) onto Old Concord Road and follow its curve 0.2 miles. Turn left to go northwest onto a private way marked with a roadside sign. Kind private residents have given us permission to park  for today only at their home at 126 Old Concord Road, the site of the former Burnham-Adams mansion. Please be courteous and do not to block the way.

Scarecrow Classic 5K run/walk to benefit LLCT

logo_scarecrow-classic-2The Lincoln Land Conservation Trust is hosting the inaugural Scarecrow Classic, a fund-raising 5K road race or walk through Lincoln on Sunday, October 20 at 9:30 a.m. The race-walk starts at the Mall at Lincoln Station and goes down Codman Road to Rt. 126 to Baker Bridge Road to Woods End and finally through conservation land and back to Lincoln Road.

All ages are welcome to participate. You can run, walk, or do a little of both. There will be  raffle prizes, T-shirts, music, food and refreshments. Registration is $30 ahead of time or $35 on race day, when registration opens at 8 a.m. Those who register by October 6 will get a free Scarecrow Classic T-shirt.

To register and learn more about the race, sponsors, raffle prizes, etc., go to scarecrowclassic5k.com.

Join in Trail Improvment Day

boardwalkThe Lincoln conservation groups are organizing a trail and land improvement day on Saturday, October 5 from 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.

Even if you can only stop by for an hour or two, it would be a huge help. If you can stay longer or even all day, that would be fabulous. We will gather at the Codman North field, past the entrance to the Codman house  along Codman Road before you get to Rte. 126. Light snacks will be provided.

Work will be along field edges and trails in the woods. Dress accordingly. Please bring gloves, loppers, rakes or shovels. For more information, call Angela Kearney at the Conservation Commission office 781-259-8942.

Artist aims to help us connect with animals

Miranda Loud

Miranda Loud

By Alice Waugh

Do animals have feelings just as people do? Do they communicate? Do they deserve our consideration and respect as fellow species? Lincoln native Miranda Loud answers a heartfelt “yes” to these questions through her story-telling work in video and photography, including the photos and stories of dogs that have been hanging in the Lincoln Public Library this summer.

[Read more…] about Artist aims to help us connect with animals

Junior Hikers walk on Sunday

hiking-smFamilies are invited to join the Lincoln Junior Hikers this Sunday, June 16 at 2 p.m. for a walk to Pigeon Hill, starting from the horse riding enclosure on Weston Road. Babbling brooks, shady trails, and an abandoned stone cabin make this a popular trail to explore.

To get to the trail head, go to the intersection of Weston Road and Silver Hill Road. The horse ring is about 100 yards south of the intersection on Weston Road, adjoining Browning Fields.

We will hike about 1.5 miles round trip with breaks along the way. The walk will probably take about an hour and a half, but families can go at their own pace. Parents are responsible for supervising their children.