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Our Mission
Fells visitors enjoy scenery and tranquility while hiking, walking, birding, and observing or studying natural and cultural features of the Fells. Others also take photographs, picnic, jog, cross-country ski, snowshoe and sled.
Helping to preserve the Fells for these visitors is the Friends of the Middlesex Fells Reservation, an organization whose mission is to enhance the natural and historic resources of the Fells and educate the public about this precious forest.
Helping to preserve the Fells for these visitors is the Friends of the Middlesex Fells Reservation, an organization whose mission is to enhance the natural and historic resources of the Fells and educate the public about this precious forest.
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About Me
- Chairman, Friends of Fells
- Stoneham, MA, United States
- Andrew Celentano
9 comments:
A couple of weeks ago I was on Wenepoykin Hill enjoying a warm Fall day, when a red squirrel came down one of the Pitch Pines with a new green cone in its mouth. The gray squirrels in my yard feast on the new White Pine cones, but I've never seen the red ones eating them. Maybe they prefer Pitch Pine?
Walter
I also saw a red squirrel yesterday (November 18) along the edge of Royte 28 near trhe entrance tot he Sheepfold. I think it's the first red I've seen in the Fells. Quite different in behavior and activity from the gray.
Red squirrels, a squirrel species usually seen only in forests, must have heard that the Middlesex Fells is a forested park. There are way fewer red squirrels in the Fells than gray squirrels, but they have been occasional seen in the last couple of years.
The extensive two winter survey conducted by David Brown in 1998 & 99 did not find any sign of red squirrels.
For a complete list of verified mammals, reptiles, and amphibians in the Fells go to the pdf at www.fells.org/thefells/fandf.cfm
Here's a cool story for you: I saw a few coyote over the past two weekends. Last week on the Vergina trail and this weekend in the same area. I was a little more aware and looking for them this time out. I heard them kind of half bark half howl when I got to where the Rock Circut trail and Vergina Trail meet so I leashed the dogs. Two minutes later three of them started following us for about a quarter of a mile or so looking through the brush at us just out of reach. My dog was trying t get at them. They stayed just out of full view and just out of reach. They were pretty big too about 45-50lbs or so with long gray tails and a redish brown back. I had three dogs with me. A Jack Russell and my two little mutts, Spotty and Daisy (shes's a puppy only 14 weeks old). The little JR & Daisy stayed with me and barked like crazy when they saw the coyotes but Spotty wanted to give chase.
Gives a whole new feeling to the hike knowing that these guys are out there looking at you and you're on the menu. They were as close at 10 yards away at one point. That's when I yelled at them and made a fuss and they just took off into the brush and I didn't see them after that.
They just followed us looking for one of the dogs to break so they could have at it. They reminded me of a ghost the way they moved.So quiet and jut out of site.
Absolutely AWESOME to see them up here only 8 miles form downtown Boston. I admire them for the survivors that they are, but I don't trust them.
They'd make a snack out of my little dogs in a hart beat.I saw three of them so who knows how many there are.
I think they were following to see if they could get the puppy. I've had folks from the Sheeps Fold tell me about little dogs being snatched up at the tree line and eaten.
I'm not sure how long they have been at it following us...could be years and I just never noticed or it could be they just moved in. I never thought they'd be this bold that's for sure!
I remember seeing them Arizona. They would come near camp but they were smaller dogs out west and looked ragged. These guys looked bigger and well fed!
Either way I'm getting a can of mace...be careful not to encourage them or feed them. Even if they arent a real threat to people who knows if they carry rabies?
So when you're on the Vergina Wood Trail keep queit and look around no telling how close they will come to you.
For more info on them you can google Northeastern Coyote. Seems they are new tothe neighborhood and a mix of redwolf and coyote.
The big one looked just like the guy in these pictures...
http://www.wildlifetech.com/pages/necoyote.htm
What's next Cugars ?
Eastern coyotes have been in the Middlesex Fells for at least 10-15 years, maybe much longer. It's a good thing you were able to get your dogs on-leash before they ran off after the coyotes. When there's a fight between dogs and coyotes, or for that matter between dogs and fishers (the largest weasel and probably the most common big predator in the Fells), it's usually because the dog chased the coyote or fisher and the coyote or fisher turned around and fought back.
I'm guessing the incident you mentioned about dogs been eaten up at the Sheepfold refers to a couple of off-leash french bull dogs this last summer that went chasing something in the woods near Bear Hill and only one was found alive. The other was found partially eaten three days later. It's probably impossible to know whether it was a fisher, bobcat (one was seen and photographed in the Fells this summer), coyote, or even a red fox that killed the dog and the animal that killed the dog might not have been the only animal to feed on the carcass.
I said eastern coyote because there were few if any coyotes on the east coast before the 1950's. One school of thought says coyotes migrating through eastern Canada interbreed with wolves. In any case, from what I understand, the coyotes from Maine to Virginia all have some wolf DNA. They are certainly bigger than western coyotes.
The Department of Conservation and Recreation's regulations require all dogs be picked up after and on leashes all the time. Because that doesn't happen, every year people and other dogs are bitten by off-leash dogs. Ground nesting birds and small animals near trails are killed. Then there are the dogs that go swimming in ponds and swamps and bring home a long lasting case of diarrhea.
The animals that really do have something to fear from the coyotes are rodents, rabbits, and roaming house cats.
One can see eastern coyotes in the Fells and mountain lions (aka cougars) for that matter, any time you want - at the Stone Zoo. Seriously, we get a few reports of mountain lion sightings in the Fells every year or two. Probably fishers, coyotes, foxes, maybe bobcats or even house cats. The Fells is a wildland but not wild enough for mountain lions.
The best website on the eastern coyote that I've found is coyote expert Jonathan Way's www.easterncoyoteresearch.com.
Thanks for writing, you had an exciting encounter with nature and I'm glad that's all it was for your dogs.
woodcock peenting in Lawrence Woods now-- checked last night down at Greenwood Park for more woodcock, but nothing yet. dermstan
Hello,
Last night (April 3, 2009) I observed spotted salamanders, fairy shrimp, and breeding wood frogs and spring peepers at a vernal pool near the Long Pond parking area.
Is this pond certified as a vernal pool in MA? If not, it should be, given that it has all 3 obligate species that inhabit vernal pools. I'd love to discuss this with someone - please email marybeth@mysticriver.org. Thanks!
It looks like there are several certified vernal pools near there:
http://tinyurl.com/lpft84
I thought I saw three coyotes this morning, romping through my back yard. They ran by, only about ten yards from where my friend and I were standing in my driveway..... not frightened of us at all. I called 911 to report this and just came in the house (quickly- LOL) and started looking at pictures and have decided they are wolves, being much thicker in the neck and shoulders than coyotes.
Michael Arnott referenced the inbreeding between coyote and wolf and that is likely, but these were very thick in the shoulders and neck.
I live on Washington St. up against the fells and we have heard them howling at night, but this is the first time I've seen them, let alone running through the yard in broad daylight.
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