Up to 22 active Great Blue Heron nests, many viewable from the pull-off with a spotting scope or binoculars. Disponible tanto para licencias RF como para las licencias RM. Now, these statuesque wading birds can be seen at ponds, lakes, and rivers of all sizes, often in surprisingly urban areas. Amazing view, great for kids and dogs, $5 to park, Excellent place for quiet walks with views of lakes. A fourth heronabout 50 feet to the left of the three herons pictured above appeared to be building or strengthening its nest. I go most every year in search of nesting herons. The image of a second and then a third heron emerged from the camouflage of nearby trees. (Click on the above photograph to enlarge. Before beavers drowned the white pines and death took away their needles and twigs this millennium we knew of no nests here. Boylston). We brought a picnic, and a football to throw around on the top of Holt hill. Victims of a push and fall are probably quickly eaten by scavengers. This might be a good time to put netting over your fish pond. At around 90 days, they become independent and disperse throughout New England and beyond. Better still let the quickly moving spring fires run their courses where no houses are threatened. Once a rare sight in the northeast US due to hunting pressure and pollution, great blue herons have staged a staggering comeback in the past few decades. The most common place to find great blue herons is at the edge of a wetland, where they will stand stock-still, tracking the movements of fish and frogs and waiting for the perfect moment to strike. . After about 0.15 mile, you will see Rock Fire Pond on the left with a viewing bench on the right side of the trail. Hover over the button below to share. 140 south for 1.8 miles to a blinking yellow light. The parents had gone, no doubt spooked by the roar of the helicopters. ), with long legs and sinuous necks. Its wingspan is about 6.5 feet. A Great Blue Heron exhibits mating signs on approach of another. The Rookery can best be viewed from the north side of the River from the James River Park System's Pipeline Walk. However, notable . Saturday, May 23, 2020. Learn more in our Breeding Bird Atlas 2. Double-crested Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus), a relative newcomer to this 60 year old Great Blue Heron rookery, continued to build nests in 2002. THE WATER CLOSET is provided by the Middleton Stream Team: middletonstreamteam.org or 978-777-4584. I had the opportunity to explore the Wollomonopoag Conservation Area that is just outside of Franklin, MA and is the home to a relatively large great blue heron rookery. After 60 years of nesting here, the herons have moved on to new nesting grounds. Migrating great blues arrive in New England as early as the latter part of March, and migrate southward between mid-July and late September. The stream that gave the sanctuary its name has been home to industrious beavers for more than 50 years. The Heron Rookery in Porter County, Indiana, was set aside to protect the nesting grounds of the great blue heron (Ardea herodias).In 1980, the Indiana State Department of Correction transferred 69 acres (28 ha) to the National Park Service in exchange for 33 acres (13 ha) of land at Hoosier Prairie. Although they will happily feed in backyard ponds and rivers in urban areas, the approach of humans tends to startle them, causing them to fly awaywhile uttering a gravelly croak. This blog brings you information on both real estate and local area happenings. 2 take exit 28 (Rt. This whitewash - along with dropped dead and rotting fish - produces an odor not soon forgotten by those adventurous . Learn what NCWF is doing to conserve the heron population. Nesting Great Blue Herons stand about their nest. Couples are thought not to winter together. It is easy to go astray but backtracking works ok. What a great place this is. Donations to Mass Audubon are tax-deductible to the full extent provided by law. The rookery is agog with usually 40+ nests. Babies can be seen on the nests at the Great Blue Heron Rookery at Carter Fields in North Andover. The familiar Great Blue Heron is the largest heron in North America. ), with long legs and sinuous necks. There is a machine that takes card and it is "pay and display.". When observing the rookery, please keep in mind the 1000-foot disturbance buffer zone. Rare Heron Spotted at Pipeline Rapids While out exploring downtown Richmond Wednesday, I was. Nice walks, get great view of ponds, mostly flat. The Turtle Journal team discovered a major great blue heron ( Ardea herodias ) rookery (heronry) this afternoon, April 2nd alongside a fresh water pond in Marion on the South Coast of Massachusetts. The first specimen we spotted (shown above) stood still and tall in a completed nest atop pine tree abutting the lake. Turn left onto Pasture Trail / Midstate Trail and follow it for 0.3 mile, passing Rock Fire Pond en route. and stay for the verdant spring and summer wildlife. The return of beavers to Massachusetts, as well as more stringent protection of both the herons themselves and the wetlands they depend on,resulted in a huge upsurge in heron numbers. Turn right on Goodnow Road, and the parking lot is 1 mile ahead on the left. This is an unequivocally increasing species in Massachusetts. The most recent Vermont Breeding Bird Atlas (2010) showed a 28 percent increase in survey blocks occupied by herons since the first atlas in the 1980s. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. From Rt. 31, Fitchburg/Princeton). North Andover boys endu, Duo charged with stealing Honda Pilot with toddler in backseat, Police identify duo charged with stealing SUV with toddler inside, Haverhill woman charged with making, distributing 30K of pills containing fentanyl, Stem lawsuit against Haverhill to go to trial next year, 2023 New England Wrestling Championships: The Contenders, BOSA restaurant and BOSA BAR to open this summer, Toddler in stolen SUV dropped off unharmed at Lawrence hospital during intense police search, Derry man convicted on multiple counts of sexual assault, Lawrence's Canery named MVC Player of the Year: Coach Jesus Moore honored, MASS. The "blue" for which the species is named is pale and subdued, and often appears gray or black in poor light. The birds' whitewash excrement liberally coats tree branches, trunks and the ground below, frequently killing the trees. Number observed: 12. Windy with occasional snow showers. Temps nearly steady in the mid 30s. Choose from Facebook, Twitter, Digg, Yahoo, MySpace, and more. It is worth returning to in other seasons.One small problem is that the map and signage are not well aligned with each other. Tracy Brook feeds into the 218-acre Richmond Pond. What common skinny eight-pound, four-foot tall, croaky animals are now back at their reproductive sites here? Herons have already begun arriving to the rookery and are currently forming pair bonds, with March being the best time to witness the elaborate courtship rituals of this amazing species. Highly recommend if your in the area and looking for something to do. Sorry, there are no recent results for popular commented articles. The great blue heron is widespread and common, typically found near water. Turn right and follow Rt. It has been here for years. Before the Old Worlders came from across the sea, lightning fires and those purposely set by Indians were valued for the habitats they made. They winter over much of its breeding range, which extends as far south as the West Indies and the Galapagos Islands. DIVISION 1 BASKETBALL: Andino explodes for 21; Methuen boys take first tourney step. As we silently watched and snapped pictures of the herons, a large bird flapped its enormous wings and hovered near another. Quickly this bird took flight with raucous rasping honks in off-beat duet with its amorous companion. The two glided like pterodacyls to the far shore of the pond where they engaged in mating rituals. Hover your mouse over images in order to see captions. They grow up to 4 feet tall and have a wing span of about 6 feet. 62 west and follow it for 4.2 miles to a stop sign. The young do not breed until they are at least two years old. Subscribe to our e-news for the latest events, updates and info. When heron monitoring by the city began in 2003, there were still eight active nests. $3 for nonmember children (3-12) and seniors. Photo by Gloria Z Nagler. It is worth returning to in other seasons. Young herons are able to fly in about 60 days. A great blue heron rookery may be more dependent on a good, nearby source of food than ideal trees. They fly quite far afield in search of food during the breeding season, and can often be seen flying at sunrise or sunset on huge, ponderous wings, with their long legs trailing behind and their necks curled back to tuck their head above their shoulders. Quick Facts Location: Michigan City, IN Amenities 4 listed Heron Rookery Trail 3.3 miles, 12 feet of elevation gain, 0% average grade, 1% maximum grade Hike time: 2 hours The Heron Rookery Trail follows along a portion of the Little Calumet River that once featured over 100 Great Blue Heron nests. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Swamp Road, Richmond, MALimited parkingplease use caution, Open daily, dawn to duskFree,donations appreciated. The Great Blue Heron know to make downtown Richmond their home, must be something to it. Turn left at the light and follow Rt. 31 and Rt. Midstate Trail, Fern Forest Trail, Pasture Trail, Heron Rookery Trail: Region: MA - Central North Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary: Location: Princeton, MA: Rating: Easy : Features: Pond, wetlands: Distance: 1.6 miles : . On a check a few days later Stream Teamer Red Caulfield found the rookery strangely quiet, no herons were to be seen or heard. Watch out for beavers! When applicable, eBird generally defers to bird records committees for records formally considered to be of "uncertain provenance". Winds NNE at 20 to 30 mph. Do not bring motorized vehicles or bicycles onto the site. Exposed bare branches sticking out at right angles from tall trunks are platforms upon which herons build nests of sticks. The Heron Rookery Trail follows along a portion of the Little Calumet River that once featured over 100 Great Blue Heron nests. Chance of snow 80%. These woods remain alive with dozens of birds including kingfishers, woodpeckers and a wide variety of migrating and nesting warblers. to Ware River on 6/10/2001, Midstate Trail, Fern Forest Trail, Pasture Trail, Heron Rookery Trail. Brookline, Massachusetts 584 248 check out the Great Blue Heron rookery Review of Ward Reservation Reviewed June 11, 2017 This is an interesting and demanding urban preserve. Drop it in a box at beginning of trail. Rich populations of countless organisms and scores of different species in the flooded beaver meadows interact in complicated food webs. Hiding a checklist will exclude the taxa on it from all forms of eBird output that show a location (including bar charts, maps, and arrival/departure tables), but the observation will still be accessible to you, and will appear on your lists. Are you submitting a complete checklist of the birds you were able to identify?Yes After 0.2 mile on Fern Forest Trail / Midstate Trail you will reach a junction where Fern Forest Trail ends and Pasture Trail goes in two directions. Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary trail map, Wachusett Mtn. Came in April for a walk with my wife, kids and our dog. There are between 40. Have you already found it and enjoy living here? I have counted over 20 heron's nests and 1 osprey nest. Are you sure you want to hide these observations? 62 (blinking yellow light). Number observed: 3. Partners in Flight estimates a global breeding population of 700,000 and rates the species 8 out of 20 on the Continental Concern Score, indicating a species of low conservation concern. The Philadelphia Inquirer, Eagle Tribune Carrier Route Opportunities, Parenting before politics for Valerie Sununu, Mayor joined by councilors, other city workers , Resilience personified! Provisional species count in official eBird totals. Follow Rt. 140, Sterling/W. The hike up to the summit where the solstice rocks are located is rather short and pretty easy. Nestling and fledgling mortality is attributed to a number of causes including starvation, falling out of a nest, predators (such as raccoons and foxes), and disturbance by people in the rookeries. more. Massachusetts, US on Sun Mar 27, 2022; Same location Behind Home Depot in Seekonk, Bristol County, Massachusetts, US; Hidden away north of the highway is a great blue heron rookery, a collection of huge stick nests where pairs of herons are busy raising young. 140 north for 2.4 miles to the intersection of Rt. The shallow waters below the nests are not easily visited by canoe or wading due to fallen trees and bushes. Great Blue Heron. Learn more. Be careful at this junction because Fern Forest Trail also goes to the left. We hiked for about 4 miles on a warm day, then headed off to North Andover for a late lunch. Tracy Brook Wildlife Sanctuary in Richmond is a wetland surrounded by woodlands. Baby great blue herons pop up from the nest as a parent approaches at the Carter Fields Rookery in North Andover. Baby great blue herons stretch their wings in the nest as a parent stands watch at the edge. Last year the southwest Middleton Pond rookery had 23. Take a left onto Rt. Low 23F. Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. Heron rookery in the conservation area . 150 Great Blue Heron nests were established and most nesting pairs appeared to fledge young. Each March the answer is great blue heron, Ardea herodias. Amazing that you can see Boston from here. The conservation area has several lovely trails to be enjoyed throughout the seasons. Great Blue Herons are protected by the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act of 1918. Learn more. Wider trails have some bike traffic, but I only run into a one or two bikers during my walk. We dont know the mortality rate of vulnerable chicks in such high open penthouses without guardrails. The challenge is to navigate the wetlands, closed roads, and other impediments to locate the heron, but it is so worth the effort! At last count several years ago the aerial village on a forested knoll surrounded by man-flooded Emerson Bog had about 40 nests. All isnt pleasant in human terms below the sunlit villages above. The oldest rookery above the Pond Meadow Pond beaver inundation now has forty two. Before securing it, twist the mylar tape a few times and leave some slack so it moves in the breeze and reflects the light. Remain in the pull-off area on Swamp Roadat all times to protect plants, animals, and yourself, No operating drones or other remote-controlled vehicles. One old Closeteer sadly remembered Viet Nam war documentaries where helicopters he helped pay for flew over abandoned paddies and scorched jungles. Donations to Mass Audubon are tax-deductible to the full extent provided by law. Mass Audubon is a nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable organization (tax identification number 04-2104702) under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Great Blue Heron numbers are stable and increased in the U.S. between 1966 and 2019, according to the North American Breeding Bird Survey. Beyond this point the yellow triangles for the Midstate Trail are mostly only present near trail junctions with Audubon's markings taking precedence over those of the long-distance trail. Great blue herons are easily identifiable with their head plumes and pale orange beaks. Details. Lets hope that someday skies are free of the buzz of tiny drones and roars of choppers. Please check back soon for additional info and dates. From Route 62, opposite Ball Hill Road, look for the trail sign and cross the stone wall onto Midstate Trail which is blazed with yellow triangles (not to be confused with yellow circles). If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. Last week two girl scouts doing a project netted a dozen insect and crustacean species from the leaf-littered bottom water below the southwest Middleton Pond rookery where at least seven herons had returned. They are also great as a tote for your hiking boots and other gear. On returning for another load they turned around over the nests. Development along rivers, reservoirs and adjacent floodplain forests have resulted in habitat loss of the great blue heron. This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. The "blue" for which the species is named is pale and subdued, and often appears gray or black in poor light. This is an interesting and demanding urban preserve. It is illegal to capture, possess, or cause harm to a Great Blue Heron or its nest or eggs. Only the pure white great egret approaches this stature among other Massachusetts birds. Good signage at the intersections and some good hills to hike up, with a really nice view of Boston from the summitt. Other wildlife observed here includes bear, bobcat, and otter as well as a variety of waterfowl and turtles. Do NOT bring injured or orphaned wildlife to Mass Audubon wildlife sanctuaries. We hiked for about 4 miles on a warm day, then headed off to North Andover for a late lunch. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. On later weekly checks that summer we saw no herons in the once very active rookery. The Turtle Journal team discovered a major great blue heron (Ardea herodias)rookery (heronry) this afternoon, April 2nd alongside a fresh water pond in Marion on the South Coast of Massachusetts. The first specimen we spotted (shown above) stood still and tall in a completed nestatoppine tree abutting the lake. . The nests are flat platforms made of sticks and lined with moss, pine needles, and other leaf material. The water at times is a soup of microorganisms and of those that graze on them and so on up food chains. Naturalized: Exotic population is self-sustaining, breeding in the wild, persisting for many years, and not maintained through ongoing releases (including vagrants from Naturalized populations). At the far end of a meadow, turn right onto Heron Rookery Trail. Did all survive the winter somewhere and make it back? Great blue herons are solitary birds except at rookeries. New Listing: 28 Koshivas Drive, Franklin MA (MLS# April Vacation Franklin, MA Area Activities. Home delivery and Digital Access customers of The Eagle-Tribune get deals for restaurants, hotels, attractions and other businesses, locally and across the country. We wondered how many corpses of abandoned young were in the silent nests. By 2006, no heron nests were recorded. By day, you're sure to find many varieties of meadow birds including a growing flock of North American Blue Birds. Part of a wildlife corridor between Pleasant Valley and Pittsfield State Forest, and located within the Berkshire Wildlife Linkage Area. Behind Home Depot in Seekonk, Bristol County, Massachusetts, US on Sun Mar 27, 2022, Behind Home Depot in Seekonk, Bristol County, Massachusetts, US, Another location near Behind Home Depot in Seekonk, Bristol County, Massachusetts, US on Sun Mar 27, 2022, Another location near Behind Home Depot in Seekonk, Bristol County, Massachusetts, US. Please note that there are no trails at Tracy Brook. Last year at this time thick ice and snow were below the rookeries when the herons returned. Hunting, fishing, and trapping are not permitted. At the next junction turn left onto Fern Forest Trail / Midstate Trail and follow that for 0.2 mile. 31 south for 2.8 miles to a steep hill and a blinking yellow light (center of Princeton). Are they fighting, flirting, or just playing? Great blue herons are very tall birds (about 4 feet! They are almost always spotted alone when hunting. Great blue herons feed mainly on fish, but their diet also includes, crabs, insects, frogs, snakes, salamanders, grasshoppers, dragonflies, aquatic insects, and, occasionally, small rodents. This spring and summer, visit local rookeries especially where beavers have drowned pines and nests are clearly seen. At first, the young are nearly helpless, and both parents are kept busy supplying them with regurgitated food. Simon Tracy and his family were some of the earliest local settlers of Yokuntown (now incorporated as Richmond), and they operated a sawmill along the brook. Great blue herons are widespread in North America. Do not pick or collect plants or crops without permission. Although we understand that some checklists need to be excluded from eBird's public output due to privacy concerns or other issues, we strongly recommend against this unless absolutely necessary. Three heron rookeries in Middleton continue after 15 years to be places of great interest. Stay on trails to avoid ticks and poison ivy. Let the rookeries of the world including those of humans again be without frightening machines carrying bombs and cameras. Every late winter and early spring, the Rookery provides essential breeding and nesting habitat for approximately 40 Great Blue Herons and a few pairs of Great Egrets. This puts you on Fern Forest Trail which is also part of the Midstate Trail route. Great blue numbers are stable or rising in the Northeast, according to McFarland. Encuentre mosca de accin la fotografa, imagen, vector, ilustracin o imagen a 360 grados perfectos. It will be considered not public in the eBird database since we cannot approve bird records without accurate location information. Hike time: 2 hours. You have permission to edit this collection. Great blue herons nest communally in "rookeries" or "heronries" containing up to 50 pair. From Route 114 looking southwest across the bushy reservoir we can see but a few nests in the oaks and pines of the Emerson Bog rookery.. Do they remember which nest is theirs? Great blue herons are very tall birds (about 4 feet! Great place for a hike. Cormorants have been nesting in the rookery for the past 7 years, and in 2002 we counted 27 nests, Precipitation Data* October 30-Year Normal (1981 - 2010) Inches: 4.40 2015 Central Watershed Actual: 3.11 November 30-Year Normal (1981 - 2010) Inches: 4.55 2015 Central Watershed Actual: 2.49 December 30-Year Normal (1981 - 2010) Inches: 4.12 2015 Central Watershed Actual: 4.72 January 30-Year Normal (1981 - 2010) Inches: 3.40 2016 Central Watershed Actual: 2.5**as of Jan. 18 Ipswich R. Flow Rate for Jan. 11 (S. Middleton USGS Gage) in Cubic Feet/ Second (CFS): Normal: 52 CFS Current Rate: 64 CFS *Danvers Water Filtration Plant, Lake Street, Middleton is the source for actual precipitation data thru Dec. **Middleton Stream Team is source of actual precipitation data for Jan. Normals data is from the National Climatic Data Center. This is the version of our website addressed to speakers of English in the United States. Please check the links below to get the latest status, closures, and alerts regarding forest roads, trails, and campgrounds. The rookery is agog with usually 40+ nests. Watch the herons from a distance, send no drones, and if you are a fire chief have the helicopters avoid these aerial nurseries. Lets say two make it from hatching to fledging. Two days later roughly ten herons were seen through old cataract-y eyes on nests above Pond Meadow Pond. The Massachusetts Association of REALTORS (MAR) reported yesterday that closed sales were down from the same time last year, however the New Listing in Franklin, MA - Colonial in Dover Farms, Massachusetts Association of REALTORS Reports on February 2014 Sales, Recycling Events and Earth Day 2014 in Franklin, Community Spotlight: Drama Kids of Metro West. We guess the average nests in Middletons rookeries to be about 45 feet high, five building stories without fire escapes. Usually four eggs are laid, and, after about 28 days, the hatchlings emerge. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. ) Within a few minutes we were able to identify at least six (6) herons roosting on nests within about an acre immediately adjacent to the far side of this small pond. We could only distinguish nests and birds near the pond; there could have been numerous other nests hidden from view. With trails ranging from easy to intermediate, it's a great destination for families and folks just looking to get in a nice nature walks. Great blues will fly up to 20 miles away from their . From now on well visit each week to see the increase in returnees and wonder at their noisy antics in the air and on perches around the nests. I go most every year in search of nesting herons. New York's atlas found a similar 20 percent upswing. With John Ogle, WCVE-FM They nest from southeastern Alaska and central Canada, south through Florida and Mexico. Great Park, usually quiet with multiple trails, great if you are looking for a nice walk with or without a dog. The James River Great Blue Heron Rookery is located just west of the 14th Street Bridge in Richmond, Virginia, on a large island. Winds could occasionally gust over 40 mph.. Mostly cloudy skies. When heading east on Route 62, Ball Hill Road will be on the right 2.0 miles from the junction of Routes 62 and 68. The increase in beavers in Massachusetts has resulted in swamps where trees have died, creating ideal habitat for nesting great blue herons. Turn left on Rt. When heading west on Route 62, Ball Hill Road will be on the left 2.3 miles after the junction with Routes 62 and 31. The great blue heron ( Ardea herodias) is a large wading bird that stands about four feet tall. 62 west for 0.6 mile, and you will see the sanctuary sign on the right at Goodnow Road. Exotic species flags differentiate locally introduced species from native species. Turn right to follow Pasture Trail which is still also Midstate Trail. Mass Audubon is a nonprofit, tax-exempt charitable organization (tax identification number 04-2104702) under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. A Great Blue Heron arrives with a stick for some nest fortification. There are thousands of acres of impounded water behind beaver dams in the watershed. I had a great visit to Holt Hill today, taking a hike with my son and dog. The map shown with this attraction is of the Frances Crane WMA in Falmouth MA not the Crane Pond and stay for the verdant spring and summer wildlife. We dont know the rate of accidents or where larger better fed chicks, some hatched earlier, push out weaker brothers and sisters hatched later. Read More. This entry was posted in Natural History , Nature in a minute , Photography and tagged Barry Van Dusen , Great Blue Heron , nature in a minute , Norton , Photography on April 2, 2020 by Sean K. . Now there are many. We especially liked Rubbish Meadow with its Great Blue Heron rookery and other nesting birds. After 60 years of nesting here, the herons have moved on to new nesting grounds. Will newcomers claim unoccupied nests or build anew? The map shown with this attraction is of the Frances Crane WMA in Falmouth MA not the Crane Pond Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews. Turtle Journal usually works along side these magnificent birds during the summer as we do our marine turtle research in the salt marshes of Cape Cod and the South Coast. Its a rare treat to find a great blue heron rookery so close to home base. Hopefully, well be able to document hatching and then fledging of the next generation of great blues. May 18, 2012 Babies can be seen on the nests at the Great Blue Heron Rookery at Carter Fields in North Andover. 31 south for 3.9 miles to a blinking red light. We just visit now and then to marvel at the huge birds comings and goings. Park on Route 62, off the pavement, across the street from Ball Hill Road, being careful not to block access to the nearby driveway. 190, take exit 5 (Rt. Have fun exploring! The huge manned drones scooped up water from Middleton Pond and flew low over the woods and dumped water on the front of the spreading fire. In a typical brood, only two young survive. This is an interesting and demanding urban preserve. Great Blue Herons watch over their hatchlings in the nests. If you are a resident of another country or region, please select the appropriate version of Tripadvisor for your country or region in the drop-down menu. 3.3 miles, 12 feet of elevation gain, 0% average grade, 1% maximum grade. To return to your vehicle, retrace your footsteps: Walk up Heron Rookery Trail for almost 0.2 mile until it ends. At the next junction, keep straight/left on Midstate Trail and follow that for 0.1 mile back to Route 62. Upon return the birds add sticks to the nests on which they raised a family the year before. 15.4K subscribers We went back to The Heron Rookery (June 22, 2019) at Wollomonopoag in Wrentham Massachusetts to see the Baby Herons being fed by their Parents. If that doesn't work, you can place several 18-inch-high stakes around the pond. Eventually, small fish are simply deposited in the nest for the chicks to pick up. Ward reservation is a sprawling range of mixed wood forests, rolling hills and scenic views. First Amendment: Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.