One often thinks that he or she needs to go to Africa or
Yellowstone to see “real” wildlife. While the wildlife (especially megafauna)
of both locations is spectacular, one can also see nature and wildlife here, in
the greater Boston area.
On Wednesday, Intern Ingrid, Volunteer Bruce, and I (Intern Cait) went
into the field to do water quality testing (for more information on water testing, see Ingrid's blog post). At our first stop, we met a family of swans, seven Cygnets and a
Parent Swan. (Young swans are called cygnets or swanlings). This was not the
first time I had come across this swan family. I first saw them mid-May while running on Forest
Grove Road in Waltham, Ma. The swanlings, who were swimming in a line behind their parent, were very small and fuzzy. The Parent Swan seemed to be concerned with the safety of his or her
children as he or she would stop every so often, turning around to make sure they were
all in the line.
In June, on our water testing day, the swans were still grey, but were bigger. This time, instead of only swimming behind their parent, the Cygnets played with each other. They
splashed each other and seemed to try to cut in front of their swimming siblings. Like most baby animals, they were cute. I hope to follow this swan
family throughout the summer and fall, watching as the the Cygnets trade their grey
feathers for adult plumage.
Swans were not the only wildlife that we saw. There were
jumping fish, ducks, geese, swanling-less swans, and squirrels. If we had
stayed longer, or looked closer, we would have seen many other animals,
including insects, frogs, and other amphibians. There were also many different
plant species and fungi. One only need travel to his or her backyard or the
Charles River to see wildlife.
While it is sometimes difficult to visit a specific type of
nature (like a specific river), here is a list of local, easily-accessible
nature spots that, in my opinion, are worth visiting:
- Ponkapoag Bog in Canton (http://www.yelp.com/biz/ponkapoag-trails-canton
- The Blue Hills Reservation in Milton (http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/metroboston/blue.htm)
- Walden Pond in Concord (http://www.mass.gov/dcr/parks/walden/)
- The Boston Harbor Islands (http://www.nps.gov/boha/index.htm)
- Storer Conservation Lands in Waltham (http://www.stonehurstwaltham.org/news_events.htm#quests
- Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge in Concord (http://www.fws.gov/northeast/greatmeadows/)
- Cold Spring Park in Newton (http://www.newtonconservators.org/14coldspring.htm)
- The Arnold Arboretum in Boston (http://arboretum.harvard.edu/visit/directions/)
- Boston Common (http://www.cityofboston.gov/freedomtrail/bostoncommon.asp)
- Jamaica Pond in Jamaica Plain (http://www.yelp.com/biz/jamaica-pond-jamaica-plain)
Cait
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