Horn Pond Happenings

Well, we had our first brush fire at Horn Pond. On Wednesday, April 8th, I looked out my front window to see smoke billowing up from the woods on the back side of the Lagoon. After calling the Fire Department (who arrived within minutes), I grabbed my camera and took a walk over. Luckily the previous week had brought lots of rain, so only the top layer of leaf litter that had dried out caught fire. There were many small fires up the hill and along the top as if someone had just tossed lit matches as they walked the trails. It didn't take long for our firefighters to put all the little blazes out.

One nice afternoon as I was walking along the sewer line trail, I came across a couple of Kayakers. They had come up Fowle Brook then gone across to the Marsh. On their way back the first fellow got his kayak back into Fowle Brook, but the male Mute Swan from the pair with a nest near by, wouldn't let the second fellow back into the brook! He chatted with me while we waited for the Swan to loose interest (which he did) and then the second fellow quickly got his kayak back into Fowle Brook and they continued down stream and out into the Lagoon.

We have four nesting pair of Mute Swans at Horn Pond this year! The original pair nesting in the cattails in the middle of the Marsh across from the Community Gardens, the second pair over in the swampy part of the large pond in the reclaimed sand pit, a pair in the Pond, nesting in the marsh at the mouth of Towne Meadow Brook at Ice House Park, and number four in the back of the Lagoon. This is the pair I had the opportunity to watch one afternoon while they decided to work on their nest. The female sat on the nest and pulled small feathers from her breast to add to the nest. The male sat beside the nest reaching out for pieces of grass which he pulled and passed back to the female.

Love is in the air for more then just Swans. A walk in the woods is far from quiet these days as numerous birds sing to attract a mate. While walking in the woods I heard the most lovely song and spotted a delightful little yellow bird which turned out to be the Palm Warbler.

http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Palm_Warbler/id

I had a lovely surprise on one of my walks this past week. As I walked the sewer line trail I spotted a Great Blue Heron flying upstream on Fowle Brook. He lighted in a tree across the brook almost in front of me! The bird stood on a branch and tugged and pulled at some small branches to no avail. When they wouldn't detach themselves, the Heron took off and landed in another nearby tree. As I followed with my camera, I realized that there was another Heron in the tree that it flew to. The second Heron was in breeding plumage and I realized I was looking at a pair! Wouldn't it be terrific if they nested here at Horn Pond?

The first wildflowers are in bloom up on the same hill where I found the Palm Warblers. Field Pussytoes, Early Buttercups and Early Saxifrage can be found in rock crevices and in the grass.

I had a very pleasant surprise on Friday when I walked out through the Sandpit. As I neared the marshy area where the Swans are nesting, a Great Egret flew in!

If you enjoy walking Horn Pond, come join us on May 2nd for Woburn's 37th Annual Conservation Day! Spend at least 2 hours with us and earn this year's Conservation Day Patch! Spend the whole day (from 9:00am till 1:00pm) and stay for a Volunteers Cookout. For more information about the day see http://cityofwoburn.com/index.aspx?nid=834

This coming Saturday, April 25th, Woburn will celebrate Earth Day at the Woburn Mall! Many groups will be there, including WREN, SCI (Social Capital Inc.), the Woburn Historical Society, the Living History Guild, Woburn Green Energy, TLC Recycles, Mary Cummings Park, Woburn Public Library, Woburn Police (SRO), Marie Coady Book Signing and many, many more including yours truly, Innitou Photo!!!! If you are at the Mall stop by and say hi and let me know how you like this blog!!!

Happy walking!!!