Sunny November day in Quabbin

November is a time of extremes here in Central Ma; below freezing nights and cool days interspersed with snow squalls and balmy 60-degree afternoons. Today was one of the latter. A gorgeous frosty morning unfurled to a beautiful late fall day as friends Jeff Johnstone and Bob Mallet joined me for a few hours of birding at Quabbin. Juncos seem to be the most abundant bird in our roadside forests these days. The plethora of white pine seeds is the most likely cause. The last big pine seed year in 2001 Juncos descended on central New England with record numbers observed on several area Christmas Bird Counts. Other birds of interest today included a couple immature Bald Eagles, several Common Loons,  Common Mergansers, Horned Grebes and a first year male Long-tailed Duck. And 5 Otters feeding and playing in the reservoir...

This Horned Grebe was observed off the Gate 35 Road
in the Petersham area of Quabbin

To many of my good friends November is a time for hunting. Whether following a spaniel through Grouse cover or staking out a deer run from a tree stand with bow and arrow many sportsman and women await the changing of the calendar to December and the traditional start of the Massachusetts Shotgun Deer Season. Its been awhile since I have walked the woods with gun in hand. Not because I'm against hunting, quite the contrary, I still purchase my Sportsmans license each year and enjoy a little venison shared by my successful hunting friends. It is more that it is not as high a priority in my life these days. I "hunt" throughout the year; whether stalking that rare bird or laying in wait along a babbling brook with net in hand watching for that elusive snaketail to get just close enough... Deer hunting for me is about the management value of hunting in reducing and maintaining the number of deer browsing the vegetation in our forests. As a manager at the Quabbin I have been intimately involved with the controlled deer hunt since its inception and believe it to be a very effective tool in restoring the reproductive processes in the forest. But it is work for me with longer hours and a responsibility to keep everyone safe while providing a quality experience for participents. So for now I'll hunt vicariously through my friends and hope they all have a successdul and safe season... And if your freezer is overful I'll be happy to provide some space in ours...

8-point Buck in the company of several does Quabbin 11-22-2009

Everyone should be reminded to wear blaze orange clothing whenever venturing out in the woods over the next month. Some form of deer hunting will continue through the rest of the year (excluding Sundays in Ma) and we should allow folks to persue this New England tradition.

Autumn Meadowhawks still flying 11-22-2009

dave@dhsmall.net

http://www.pbase.com/dhsmall