sanctuary Archives

A few days ago I started telling you about a new Wildlife Sanctuary, well new to me anyway…Allens Pond in Westport. So much happened between my first post about Allens Pond and this installment that it’s hard to believe its been less than a week.

Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary is 595 acres that includes a coastal salt-pond, a salt marsh, a barrier beach, shrublands , forested wetlands and grasslands.

The sanctuary consists of 6 miles of trails where you can wander along the Buzzards Bay Shoreline, cross an old pasture or climb among giant boulders.

On my visit the sun was shining but the wind off the bay was blustery and made it cold in spite of the sunshine. Because of this I only explored half of the Beach Loop trail which was only a tiny part of the trail system.

The section I explored took me along a dirt road with Allens Pond on my left and Buzzards Bay on my right. Most of the time I could see the pond but the view of the bay was blocked by the shrublands or what I would call shrubland. These low but thick bushes are nesting areas for several protected species of birds. Piping Plovers and a couple of species of terns are known to nest here and the area is clearly marked as protected.

As you first encounter the pond from the trail you will see an Osprey nesting platform. To my right were smaller nest boxes more suitable for Eastern Bluebirds or other small, grassland birds. I saw plenty of ducks including a merganser with its fluffy looking head of feathers but no action at the Osprey Nest while I was there.

A bit farther along it was clear that the swans were here. About 6 white spots floated on the blue water just beyond my camera’s range. In the soft sand in the road I spotted the distinctive split hoof print of a deer.

It must have passed through just before I came along because the way the wind was blowing the print wouldn’t stay visible for long. In fact by the time I had turned back it was gone, filled in by the sifting, blowing sand.

By now I was pretty wind burned but it had been a nice little walk. I didn’t walk back along the shore because the round rocks were pretty unstable underfoot and I was only wearing sneakers so I retraced my steps back along the road.

There are many more trails to explore so I bet I will be back and maybe next time I’ll see that deer!

After a busy morning followed by a pleasant lunch with my friend Nancy, I was looking forward to a busy afternoon as well. I thought your days off from work were supposed to be a chance to relax and regroup before it was back to the “old grind”. Sure they are …NOT!

I made my first afternoon stop at Ritz Camera in Hingham where I ran into the manager, Sean. I asked him if he had managed to get over to the Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary on Monday and he said yes while grabbing his camera to show me what pictures he got. Monday was windy so he has caught some really cute shots of little a Titmouse with its feathers being blown by the wind. The detail was exquisite.

After my visit I headed out to drop in at work. Yes I know it was my day off but there was a guest in my department that I wanted to meet face to face. We’d been talking on the phone and sending text messages for over 4 years, not always in the most cooperative manner, if you get my drift. I felt it was time to meet. Unfortunately the day was warm and the sky was blue and I had to drive right by the exit to Daniel Webster Wildlife Sanctuary to get to the office. I think you know where this is going. 🙂

I really only intended to stay at the Sanctuary for a few minutes but no sooner did I started down the trail than I met a returning man with a camera around his neck. He said the deer were out in the “Secret Meadow”. Cool! I wasn’t dressed for a hike but I headed that way anyway.

On the way I had to pass one of the “blinds” and decided to stop in. If past experience is anything, those deer weren’t going anywhere.

The “Blind” is a little wooden shack that sits on the banks of one of the ponds in the sanctuary. There are windows and a bench where you can watch the birds and animals in any kind of weather. There was another photographer there, this time a woman, and she had a big lens and a really solid tripod. I admit that I felt a little intimidated with my flimsy $20.00 tripod and even my 300-500 lens looked tiny next to hers. She whispered to me that there was a bittern that was in the reeds . I’d scared it with my entry into the blind ( Oh Oh not a good start) but maybe it would be back.

I tried my best to be quiet as I set up but I confess I was all thumbs. I’m used to being alone and the presence of another photographer with such expensive equipment was doing a number on my nerves. I thought about leaving but felt that would be worse so I “toughed” it out.

Lots of Canada geese, some swallows swooping over the water and at the far end of the pond some ducks…too far away to ID.

I went for something closer to get a handle on my nerves..a couple of turtles.

I could hear her camera clicking away and the motor on her burst mode humming. I was set on single shot but I didn’t feel any need to change that setting. Then I spotted the bittern.

It was right near the blind so I pointed it out to my companion. She hadn’t spotted it yet. That one small thing seemed to break the ice. Now we were a team sharing observations and tips, no longer separated by experience or quality and expense of equipment.

The bittern looked like it was listening carefully.

It would tilt its head and then freeze. Satisfied with whatever it heard it would wiggle it’s tail feathers and backside much like the way a cat wiggles it’s tail and rear when it’s stalking a mouse or other prey. Then a forward step or two and it would freeze again.

It was a slow process but we watched every second sometimes having to remind ourselves to breathe. Finally he found what he was looking for. His head pulled back until it was sitting on it’s “shoulders” than flew forward getting buried in the water and muck.

When it first came up it looked like all he had was a big clump of weeds but he carried these “weeds” over to a clump of reeds and began dipping the weeds in the water.

I thought of a raccoon washing his meal. As we watched the weeds slowly dropped away and there was a frog. It wasn’t a huge frog but then the Bittern isn’t a big bird. The next 5-10 minutes were taken up with maneuvering.

The bird had to get that frog in position so it could eat it. It didn’t put it down and peck it to death rather it seemed to reposition the live frog in its beak by carefully making minute movements.

Then all of a sudden the head went up! We saw the frog head downward , legs in the air and then it was in that bird’s gullet! He bobbed his head a few times like he was swallowing , we could see the bulge of the frog in it’s skinny throat and then it was over. The bird, back to normal now, slipped back into the reeds. WOW!

It was intense. I don’t know how long that little drama took to play out. It didn’t seem like it was too long but when I glanced at the time It was 5 pm! I’d spent over 2 hours in the blind!

I packed up my gear and said goodbye to my fellow photographer. As I left the blind I felt as thrilled as if I’d been on a safari. I met another photographer just coming in. He asked me what was out and I passed on the deer info and told him what we’d just witnessed. It’s the first time I’ve seen other photographers here even though I know it’s a popular place for photos. Now I feel like I’m part of the community too.

I never made it to the office but I could not have asked for a better day!