The Snowy Owls of Duxbury Beach

Posted on January 3, 2015January 3, 2015 by Dusty Roads

I’ve been hearing stories of snowy owls on Duxbury beach for years. I’ve seen photos from my fellow photographers to prove it. I’ve even tried to find them myself.

The Snowy Owls of Duxbury Beach are only seasonal visitors so you need to know where and when to look. Something I have only the vaguest notion of but let me start from the top.

The regal Snowy Owl is one of the few birds that can get even non-birders to come out for a look. This largest (by weight) North American owl shows up irregularly in winter to hunt in windswept fields or dunes, a pale shape with catlike yellow eyes. They spend summers far north of the Arctic Circle hunting lemmings, ptarmigan, and other prey in 24-hour daylight. In years of lemming population booms they can raise double or triple the usual number of young.

According to a Nat Geo program the birds that migrate south are usually the first year youngsters. Fully mature birds stay in the arctic all year long.

Mass Audubon is working to protect snowy owls. Norman Smith, Director of Mass Audubon’s Blue Hills Trailside Museum, has been studying them since 1981. As part of his research, he attaches bands and transmitters to snowy owls at Logan Airport, and then tracks their travels. He releases these trapped and banded owls at Duxbury Beach. So we end up with 2 populations in the winter, the ones that come down to visit on their own and the released owls from the airport.

Why stop at an airport with all it’s noise and activity? As snowy owls migrate north and south, they look for stopping places that resemble their home, the Arctic tundra. To them, the land around Logan Airport fits the bill. It’s low and flat, with short scruffy plants and grasses, and there’s an abundance of small mammals and birds to eat.

Logan airport has the largest known concentration of snowy owls in the Northeast.

The airport owls help by scaring away other birds that might endanger aircraft. Unfortunately, they are large enough to pose a threat themselves. To protect both birds and jets, Smith safely captures and relocates snowy owls each year.

This year I have outfitted myself with uber -warm clothing and a new camera and lenses. Today I booked a day trip with the Audubon Society. Sadly it is a bird watcher’s trip so I was told there won’t be time or spaces for lots of camera gear. I should plan to “Shoot” from the van.

With that in mind I’ll leave the tripod behind this trip and hope I’ll learn the best ways of locating these beautiful birds so I can round up some friends that are photographers and make a return visit with that much more knowledge.

What about a Rail Vacation?

Posted on November 29, 2014November 29, 2014 by Dusty Roads

I’m just sitting here while the tile guy grouts the tiles. He has his radio on for music to work by. Good station. Music to sing along to 🙂 (Maggie May, City of New Orleans, etc. I never was any good with titles of songs)

The problem is I can’t get anything done with him in the kitchen. I can’t finish unpacking boxes so I can’t clean because the boxes are everywhere . The cats are enjoying them..the boxes that is.

I’d be embarrassed to take a nap so I am playing on the computer.

I have many , many errands to run but doesn’t look like he’s going to be done anytime soon. I guess I’ll be really busy tomorrow.

Having spare time online can be very expensive. I ordered some heavy winter clothes online. I hope they fit. I am justifying the purchase because I really need some warm outdoor clothes. I want to be warm if I go out looking for wildlife to photograph. A good example are the snowy owls of Duxbury Beach.

I’ve gone over there a couple of times only to be beat back by the cold wind off the ocean. Every winter the snowies migrate down from the Arctic. Some are just passing through but some stick around. The Snowies that detour to Logan Airport are trapped and released on Duxbury beach so usually it’s a good spot to find them. Most of my photographer friends have had success getting shots but I always let the cold get to me. Maybe now I’ll be able to stay warm long enough to get my shot.

Having just spent way too much money I moved on to other internet searches. When my AAA magazine arrived there was an article about Amtrak Vacations. Using the article as my guide I found the website and the brochure. Some of the trips sound like cruises on land! And they are priced accordingly still the idea intrigues me. Have any of you been on an Amtrak Vacation?

I found one that was pretty reasonably priced and had departure dates that would work with my schedule. Called “Riverwalk to the French Quarter”. 7 days for about $1200.00 per person. It starts in San Antonio where you tour the Alamo and get to visit the River walk. Then you board the train for the trip to New Orleans. So now I just have to be sure I have someone to share the trip with. I didn’t see any single rates.

We’ll see if my sister is willing to give it a try.

A Little River Cruise

Posted on August 24, 2014August 24, 2014 by Dusty Roads

I had to get out. Summer is almost over and I’ve done NOTHING! I know you’ve heard it all before but I really had to try to get out so I bought a ticket on the River Quest Lighthouse Cruise. River Quest runs cruises on the lower end of the Connecticut River. I’ve been on a couple of their Eagle Cruises.

It takes about 2 hours to get there but the cruises are always fun. relaxing and educational. The lighthouse cruise is only done once a year and it’s the only cruise that leaves the Connecticut River and ventures into the Long Island Sound.

So here are a few images from my day:

Good morning!

2 hours later there’s the Goodspeed Opera House!

A Eagle!

Look what happens when you do not get the proper permits!

Bass Fishing

My spare car is a Helicopter…how’d you like to commute with that?

Osprey

and more Osprey

One More Osprey

Oh those poor people who live along the river. (They are all either attorneys or car salesmen)

The rest of the poor people have boats.

I 95 just ahead.

Under I 95.

Let’s go to the town dock for a little fishing.

There’s the Acela train!

This little lighthouse is actually a room for rent.

There’s the first lighthouse.

Lighthouse one and two.

The breakwater lighthouse.

Now that’s what I call “Gone Fishing”

St. John’s Boys School for troubled youths.

Gillette Castle

Jet Skis on the river

Wave to the Becky Thatcher!

Heading back to the dock.

We’re back in Eagle Park. Time for lunch.

Shhh! It’s a Secret.

Posted on June 17, 2014June 17, 2014 by Dusty Roads

I found a very interesting place but it’s a well kept secret. I’d heard rumors about this place for two years before I found it. My best lead came from a chance encounter on a whale watch last summer. That person had the name of the area but couldn’t give me directions.

Slowly I narrowed down the location. It’s such a secret place that even the state game warden I asked had never heard of it. But I kept looking .Unlike so many conservation areas that are being exploited and over run by humans, this one is still largely undiscovered. Back in March I think I finally found it.

Back then it was snow covered but now it’s a walk in the woods.

I did meet some folks along the way, mostly dog walkers.

As I followed the trail I spotted several lady slippers. Not too close to each other, they prefer to stand solitary.

As I skirted a muddy section of the trail I could tell the trees ahead were thinning and then there it was. My destination.

A huge beaver pond spread out in front of me. The signs of beaver were very apparent.

The trail followed the shore a bit and I spotted the beaver lodge but no beavers.

Dead trees towered above the still water.

Almost every dead tree was crowned with a huge nest and perched in each nest was a blue heron chick. They are about a week from fledgling so they are almost as big as the parents. By next week the sky will be filled with all these young birds testing their wings.

The sound was amazing. The chicks were making a chirping that sounded almost like peepers. There were so many chirping all at once that it was quite loud. When some of the adult birds began to come back to feed them the drop off in the noise level was very noticeable just like the way it gets quieter in a human household when dinner is served.

The surface of the pond was covered with either duck weed or algae, I really couldn’t tell which from my vantage point. A family of geese weaved their way among the dead tree trunks.