The Great Avalonia Trail Trek 2021

A peaceful early autumn trail.

It’s September and finally the weather has turned, to encourage outdoor activities.  We have waited patiently for these less humid, blue sky, comfortably cool days when a hike or any other minor exertion doesn’t leave you sweating and out of breath!

I would expect most of us don’t really need any other reason to head onto a trail but this is also the time when we are planning the second annual Trail Trek to benefit Avalonia’s mission to preserve, protect and manage open space here in southeastern CT.  

No two trails are the same.

At this point in time, Avalonia cares for almost 4,500 acres and the number of towns in which these preserves are located, is continually growing.  If you are anywhere between the Thames River and the RI Border, or south to Little Narragansett Bay and Fisher’s Island Sound, and north to Griswold and the Pachaug Forest area, there is an Avalonia preserve near you ( https://avalonia.org/preserves/).

All of our preserves are open but not all are trailed. The Avalonia website is linked to the CT Trail Finder app and those preserves with trails are easy to find and well described.   Last year folks hiked, ran or did a bike loop connecting as many preserves as possible. You can bring your four footed friends along on most preserves ( there are a couple of exceptions) as long as they are on a leash and run along beside you. 

At Knox Farm, you can pull up in
your kayak and go for a hike.

 This year an added attraction will be a kayak component. Many preserves in Stonington and Groton have water access or are visible from the water.  Several years ago, I posted a blog with some directions and ideas. A Blue Trail. http://avaloniaetrails.blogspot.com/2016/08/avalonia-by-kayak.html   Now we have some freshwater access in Griswold and soon may even have access from the Wood/Pawcatuck River to our new Sheets Preserve in North Stonington.

At least one preserve will allow mountain biking for part of the event.

The TriTown Ridgeline Forest trails
are more challenging.

Last year Trail Trek helped complete our funding for the Tri-Town Ridgeline  Forest.  This preserve is Avalonia’s largest, most diverse and ecologically unique property. There are majestic trees, rocky ledges, clear streams, pre-colonial stone structures and even a true mountain!  It now has literally miles of well marked trails, some easy and some challenging, and all beautiful. They are perfect for hiking and trail running. Everyone had fun last year, and we exceeded our fund raising goals with great gratitude to all who donated. 

Those of you who have come to know me, through the blog or otherwise, know that I need no extra incentive or reason to be outdoors.  It is a passion, and some might say an obsession. A healthy one.  I don’t always need to be on a trail.   Boundary work gives me a good excuse to go off trail and check out more remote corners.   This is my favorite time of year for kayaking.  The water is warm and really clear, and the colors of autumn reflect so beautifully with the September-blue sky.  I hope I can launch my little boat during the trail trek week but surely will be out hiking.  This year “my team” will be the Stonington Stewards, dedicated to all the people who help me here in town, build bridges, pull invasives, mow trails populate the work parties, and who support all the projects we are involved in.

Please support Avalonia in all aspects of the good work that is being done.  More land preserved, more trails maintained,  more outreach and education.  It is all good.

Thanks,

Beth

A bike route may take you past untrailed
properties that you didn't know about!

Some trails open up to amazing views!

A bench welcomes tired trekkers.

Purple Martins 2021

 

The adults declare territory
and build nests.

This year started slow.   Our purple martin colony at Knox Preserve seemed to take a long time to get occupied and established, but, once it got going, it was amazing!   

It was late April when the first scouts arrived on the site, but it was into May before there were others coming in to make their happy chorus. The songs of happy purple martins are unmistakable.   Chattery and bubbly.      As the month of May progressed, the adults were busily constructing their nests.   Each year when I set them up, I put a nice layer of dry pine needles into each gourd. A little welcome mat. It’s always interesting to notice the difference in the follow up techniques though.  Most martins use moderately thick grass stems, some work up to straw blades, and then others carry in small twigs.   In some years, the birds will actually bring in mud to reinforce the nests. Some have speculated that it may help insulate the nest. So far this year, there was no mud used in our colony.  The nests are pretty neat. If I discover a really messy nest that fills up the entire gourd, I know it is a house sparrow and remove the material to discourage nesting. House sparrows are invasive and will fight and even kill martins (and blue birds and tree swallows) to get access to favored nesting sites.    This year it seemed that the martins got the upper hand and once I evicted a couple of sparrow pairs, the martins were quite effective at defending their territory.    By the first of June, most nest building was complete.  A sure sign that egg laying is imminent is a lovely layer of green cherry leaves that line the cup of the nest.   Some birds bring in just a few, others are quite enthusiastic in their layering. There is some thought that cherry leaves help deter or kill parasitic mites that can harm the young.

A perfect nest lined with green leaves
and filled with five eggs.

Once egg laying begins, the female will lay one egg a day, at sunrise, until her clutch is complete. Average is 5 eggs but this year we had one with 7!    Each week we checked the nests and counted eggs. There is a formula to use to calculate when eggs will hatch based on when they are laid. Most of the clutch hatches in one 24-hour period.   Once in a while a random female will ‘dump’ an egg into an established nest. Sometimes it works out quite fine. Sometimes they hatch much later, and the young bird is quite handicapped by its smaller size in the nest and feeding position and it will not survive.

 

This year promised to be the best in our 9-year history.    At the highest count we had the potential for about 87 young and eggs were still being laid!  As in other years, some of our birds started early nests, while other pairs were late starters.   There would be quite an age span as we started our monitoring over the next phase. 

So wonderful to
share this experience!

  I was able to bring my grandson out to check the nests with me one day. I let him peek first, into a nest I knew would have young birds.  His expression of awe and excitement was priceless!   From that point forward he insisted that he look in first, make the count of eggs and/or young and only then could I look in to confirm. Most of the time he was right!  Occasionally I had to sort out a jumbled pile of little birds in order to get a good count. 

Things were going well until that last few days of June when we had the terrible heat wave.  That was followed by the sudden drop in temperatures, into upper 50’s with rain for several days.   It is impossible to know what was worst: the heat, the cold or the rain.  In cold rain there are no insects flying and the parents couldn’t support their rapidly growing young ones. 

Today, July 5^th, I was able to get out and check the colony. I was fearful of what I might find.    The first set of gourds seemed to be ok. A few birds seem weak or thin but were alive.   In the second set of gourds, I found such sadness.  Two full nests were lifeless, including the one with 7.   Those poor parents couldn’t keep up with the demand.  There were individual birds dead in other nests.  We lost a total of 13 young.  There were others that looked weak but hopefully will survive in the coming days of better weather.   We fared much better than some of the inland colonies where the temperature soared higher and mortalities were far higher as well. 

The gourds were set up at the end of April.

We can never really predict how a colony will do in a given year. The purple martins rely on human help for their housing, but only nature can truly provide the right conditions and food sources.  Erratic and extreme weather, combined with declining insect populations  is not a good scenario for survival for this and other species.

We still have the potential for a good year and good numbers in 2021, but we never know what conditions are in our near future.  And we certainly do not know what is in store in the next decades.

Hatching Day!

About 11 days old.

Musings on a snowy morning

Delicate pine needles held and 
then captured the even
more delicate snow.

We haven’t had a lot of snow yet this season. There are pros and cons to that and many would argue over whether it is good or bad. I myself am not fond of a lot of snow, but I would much rather see normal snowfall, in the proper time frame, to keep plants and animals in sync with their natural seasonal responses. In recent years we have had delayed starts to winter, we have had less snow cover to protect plants during winter. We have had warm spells way too early which trigger sap flows and bud swelling, only to be followed by late snow and deep freezes that wreak havoc on every one and every thing. 

 But awakening to a beautiful January snowfall this past Wednesday was a well-timed gift. I don’t think anyone can deny the beauty of a light, fluffy snow; pristine in the morning hours, still coating every small branch. There is a pull to get out the door. Not necessarily to get the walkways and driveways clear, but maybe to be the first to set foot in the untouched snow on a favorite trail. 

I was not the first creature to 
set foot on the trails

Things just look so different in the snow, not just because of the whiteness, but because of the way some details are covered up and others stand out. Stepping into the woods, all the distracting details of leaves and browns and grays of rocks and wood, were covered. Instead the trees looked draped in lace with intricate patterns of delicate white threading through the branches. It was still early and there was no wind, no melting to disturb the snow on even the smallest twig. But when there was a motion of falling snow, it was an easy way to notice a bird or squirrel over head. 

I wasn’t the first creature on the path that morning. Several deer had walked through the woods before me, following their own trails. They seem to follow the same patterns of travel month after month, season after season, through these woods of the Woodlot Sanctuary. Then I found the tracks of a squirrel. It was fun to note where it had left the ground and jumped into a tree and also to note where it tried to uncover a hidden stash of seeds or acorns, by 

digging several holes in an area. At one point set of canine prints joined the trail. They were most certainly coyote tracks and it appeared that the animal was very comfortable using the same trail that I was now. It stopped and investigated where the squirrel had been digging. Snow allows us to see things that would be otherwise invisible. A month ago I wrote of needing to search for rabbit pellets on bare ground. They are so much easier to see with snow! 

I never would have noticed the 
stairstep patterns on this rock
if not for the snow.

But walking in the snow wasn’t just about tracking things. The snow made certain shapes and designs stand out in ways that we wouldn’t ordinarily notice. Against the snow white background, lichens on the rocks stood out more distinctly. The soft brown leaves on the beech trees took on a greater brilliance in the snow. Designs were created by ordinary objects when covered irregularly by the light snow. 

It’s fun to take photos and then look at them later to see what the camera has captured. But, always make sure you spend more time stopping, and looking with your own eyes, to fully appreciate a beautiful, fleeting, snowy morning. Be in the moment and cherish it. 

by Beth Sullivan

The soft brown beech leaves took on
a warmer, more outstanding glow.

The details of this lichen
just jumped out into
view against the 
background of pure white.

Some things are just a lot
easier to see in the snow!

Where a rock, covered in lichen and moss, retained
some heat from the ground, the snow receded
and left it in view.

Looking for Color in Winter by Beth Sullivan

 

A few deep blue berries on greenbriar are welcomed by birds.

We are at the darkest days of the year. The woods can look pretty drab and it even makes me appreciate  just a bit of snow to brighten the scenery.  But take a walk and look closely and you will find some welcome color.

We all know our pines, spruce, firs, and cedars the bigger evergreens of the woodlands.  They provide great protection for birds and other small creatures when the winter winds blow and snows fall.  Their cones hold nutritious seeds, high in fats and proteins that the wildlife need to help them through the cold season.

Mountain laurel thickets keep us green all winter.

Look a little lower, the shrub layer in many of our woodlands is dominated in places by our State Flower: Mountain Laurel (Kalmia latifolia).  Drive along many of our roads where the scenery is rocky and rough and you will welcome the sight of gnarled branches and leathery green leaves of this lovely shrub. While it doesn’t provide a food supply, the usefulness as nesting sites for forest birds is often revealed in winter.  (Tefftweald in North Stonington, Hoffman Preserve in Stonington)

Wintergreen holly loses its leaves
and the berries are standouts! 

Our native hollies provide winter interest. Our native evergreen     American holly, ( Ilex opaca) the familiar Christmas decoration,  has    spikes on the leaves  to deter deer but the berries are feasted upon by many birds  through the winter, as long as they last. Robins, Thrushes, Cedar Waxwings and Bluebirds in particular will find a bush and claim it!

Our other native holly, Winterberry (Ilex verticillata)is deciduous, but its berries glow red on bare branches during this season.   These berries often do not fully ripen until they have been cold for a long time, then they actually ferment and the birds love them.  This is true of many berries that remain on the bush through the winter: Viburnum and crab apple in particular. Those birds know how to wait until the vintage is perfect!

Look in the most tangled thickets to find dark blue or purple berries of viburnum, greenbrier and Virginia creeper. All of these are sought after by birds.  At Knox Preserve the field cedars/junipers have blue fruits prized by many birds through the winter.

Club moss emerges
above the snow.

Club Mosses (Lycopodium sp.), such as Princess Pine and Ground Cedar ( they have multiple common names), will populate the ground in patches. Years ago they were harvested irresponsibly for Christmas decorations and the populations were nearly decimated.  Garden Clubs have protected the species by refusing to pick it or sell decorations using the club mosses.

Many species of true mosses seem to become more intensely emerald at this time of year.  Others take on softer tones. They are all welcome sights amid the brown and grays on the ground. They are especially lovely peeking through the snow. 

Partridge berry hugs the ground.

There are a few evergreen plants, still holding leaves: Christmas Fern for one, each ‘leaflet’ on a frond
  has a “toe” creating a “stocking”.  Partridgeberry is a sweet vining plan with delicate evergreen leaves. The occasional red berry remains on the plant as an invitation to a ‘Partridge’ who may favor the berries. Sadly our native partridge or quail, the Bobwhite is considered extirpated from Connecticut.  Only to be remembered in Christmas song, being in a Pear Tree!

Many people truly look forward to the pure and dazzling white of a pristine snowfall.  But, since we haven’t had but one this season, enjoy finding bits of color on your woodland walks.

A Cedar Wax-wing knows when the berries
are at the peak of their sugar content.

The brightest emerald in the woods!

Looking forward with 2020...in 2021

 by Beth Sullivan

The littlest ones will always need a 
guiding hand.

Happy New Year. A new year, a new decade, possibly a new way to think. Most of us try to start a new year with resolutions, or at least good intentions to do something different. It might be to exercise more, eat healthier, or lose weight. It also could be to take a class, start a project, or learn a skill. For others it is cleaning up, clearing out, purging papers, and reducing clutter in our lives.

I got thinking about a different path. Maybe it’s because ‘2020’ is also linked with good vision. We are able to look forward clearly but also be in the present clearly, consciously.
Our vision for the future is entirely entwined with our children, the children of the world. Think of what we can teach them. What can we show them, both beautiful and inspiring, and not so beautiful but hopefully inspiring in a different way? All parents know you cannot force a toddler or a teenager to comply with our every wish, but what we can do is gently and patiently open their eyes to their potential and guide them on a 2020 path of clear sight to improve our world and make a positive difference. It’s just one year, concentrating not on ourselves, but having a greater vision and understanding that as one person, we can truly make a difference. Maybe it will become a new habit. 

Some contacts don't need masks.
Encourage them.

That is what I wrote for the first blog of 2020.   Who could have known what we would go through and witness with our “2020 vision”?  But I read those words several times and realized there was a lot of truth to them, but maybe not exactly what we imagined.  “A new way to think”: That’s for sure.  We all had to change how we thought about almost everything.  So many things we took for granted, now became focal points. People we may have taken for granted, were now recognized as essential.   Hugging and touching, basic human contacts became actions we had to pre-think and even avoid.  We were all finally getting on the right track to avoid plastics, disposables and bringing our own bags to the grocery store. Unfortunately, I am afraid the pandemic put some of the ecological thinking on the back burner for a while. Much of the large scale, international, and certainly national efforts to clean up the environment and reduce emissions became secondary to the pandemic affecting lives all around the world.

Maybe our new exposure to such places
will increase our desire to preserve
and protect them

 But think about the rest of it: there really were ways we  grew, and many more opportunities to observe and appreciate what we have. One of the most obvious side- impacts of 2020, had to do with people being more aware of the natural world. It was truly unfortunate that many people had to give up jobs, or work from home, and kids were out of school, but it created opportunities for many of us to turn to Nature for recreation, exercise, education, companionship and respite. As an outcome, just possibly, children may have come to greater curiosity, understanding and love for Nature and with that will come a caring for the environment, habitats and ecosystems in the future.

So, my hope for 2021 is that we have learned from 2020 insights.  We have learned the importance of people and services that are truly essential. We need to trust science in matters of health, and environment.  We will never take for granted a hug, a handshake or even a smile.   We have come to know our outdoor havens and how good nature is for the soul.  Let’s please resolve to keep other important things in our vision for 2021 to remain safe and grateful for the good in the world.

Wishing a Happy, Healthy New Year to all.  Beth

There are many mysteries to be unraveled this winter

The ultimate sign of hope that the winter
ahead will end.

Maybe when the bloodroot blooms this spring,
things will be a lot better.

Natural intricacies are not changed by human concerns.

 

Embracing Changes

By Beth Sullivan

This time of year always seems to sneak up on me, and the changes catch me by surprise. One would guess after all these years I would be better at remembering, anticipating, and preparing.

Of course in our early years we always knew school was coming, and that marked the change. We got ready by buying pencil boxes and new crayons. Later it was binders and notebooks and calculators.   Then we had our own kids, and we were again buying those same things. The seasonal changes seemed to blend into the expected activity.

Over the years I have also gotten used to hearing the school buses go by, but I mark my seasonal changes by watching the birds and plants and thinking about family birthdays all clustered at this time of year.    Some things don’t change, but it seems like everything else has.   When I think of the changes, I can get really depressed, but I have decided to try  to pay attention to the positive, to try and remember the good in people and the consistency in nature, even in the face of change.

A little bit of dirt never hurt anyone.

Allow your inner child a chance to have a little fun, too.

 

Grandchildren

Almost exactly six years ago I wrote a blog dedicated to my first grandchild, Emerson. I couldn’t wait to be his nature teacher (not that his parents couldn’t do it!).  In the following years we have done everything I hoped and more. We have explored woods, played in brooks, walked and talked about all sorts of things from insects and birds and mushrooms to the magic of acorns.  When he was two, we discovered “birdies on the phone”, the Audubon Bird ID app. How much fun we had learning the birds and their sounds.   Never doubt that the lessons learned at an early age can last a lifetime. He still knows his way around that app better than I do.

Two years ago we welcomed a granddaughter, Ava.  From day one, or maybe two, we walked outside.  The best way to soothe a crying infant, and let a tired mom get some rest, was to bring her out to see the sky and trees and feel the breeze.  A favorite place was under a maple tree where we could watch the leaves move and see the play of light through them.  That summer was a good summer to be outside. This little girl learned early about animals of all sizes - dogs, goats and even horses. She is comfortable out in nature, and even enjoys pointing out ‘buggies’ where her bright little eyes find them. She will run barefoot over any kind of surface, hop in puddles with glee, and keeps her mom busy with laundry and trying to match socks she has discarded along the way.  Her first word, or command, was “OUTSIDE!”  and is still tops on her vocabulary list.

Now we have a third grandchild, Clara. She is almost one. Such a wonderful age.  Of course every age is wonderful.   She is following in the footsteps of her brother, literally, as she is learning to climb and explore. She, too, has a fondness for leaves, rocks, acorns, and water.   She knows how to use a few words of sign language and ‘birdie’ is one of her favorites. She can spot them high and hear them from afar. 

Yes, things have changed. I can’t be with my little ones as much as I would like. But we can still communicate, share treasures, photos, and adventures.   Being close to children now is so important; they are such sponges for information and needy for opportunities to connect and learn.   They are also fonts of joy and hope. 

Emerson now can teach Clara all the secrets he has learned.

Independence, self confidence, and joy are all possible outdoors when you are six.

Learning to be with animals is a gift that will last a lifetime.

 

Go outside with children

As the season changes, the children especially will need ways to stretch away from computers, to get rid of masks for a bit if possible.  Adopt a child to nurture, or at the very least, adopt a childlike nature for yourself, and take some time to stop the speeding madness and take in the true beauty of this time of year.   Embrace the changes as they arise, and do your very best to begin an outward ripple of positivity and hope.  Kids do that without even thinking. 

OUTSIDE! is where Ava wants to be.

Sometimes I feel like this when I am outdoors.

Why bother with toys when a leaf is just perfect.

 

Photographs by Beth Sullivan and her family.

Some New Energy-Summer Hiking Series

By Beth Sullivan

While I am personally so indebted and amazed at all the work our volunteer stewards get done, it is a fact that we are all getting just a tad older. We are, however, the ones with more time in general, have fewer home obligations like small children, and have chosen our paths in terms of where and how we want to spend our time and efforts.

But every once in a while I get wishing I was younger, had a bit more energy and had more limber joints. For years I was a champion frog and snake catcher for school kids on field trips; now it takes me a little while to think of how ( or if ) I am going to quickly drop down to capture something far faster than I am.

A look at a flock of turkeys was one highlight at Preston Preserve.

Enter the next generation. This summer we were so lucky to have two enthusiastic and energetic college students come to us and ask how they could help. Avoiding temptation to all pile onto them and overwhelm them with our gratitude and ideas, it was quickly evident that having them lead hikes and field trips through the summer would be an excellent use of their knowledge, time and energy, and be a great way to reach out to our members and possibly recruit new ones.

Amanda Dostie

Amanda Dostie is currently completing her final semester at UConn Avery Point, for a BS degree in Marine Sciences. She is also currently working as a research tech and outdoor educator for New England Science and Sailing in Stonington Borough. With her goal of creating a niche for herself in the environmental field, having her as a field guide this summer was a perfect fit.

Amanda caught a toad. What a great way to learn.

She enlisted Joe Warren who is a second year Masters Student in Marine Chemistry at Avery Point. His undergrad degree was in Environmental Chemistry. He is also a lover of nature and has led other outdoor explorer series in the area. A self -proclaimed lab-rat, he did a great job in the field.

Joe Warren

Together the two of them led a series of hikes through this summer on five different Avalonia Preserves. They contacted local Avalonia stewards and naturalists to get some ideas of the lay of the land and any special features to be explained and shared.

Hikes are always a surprise. They can be paced depending on the age, skill and interest level of the participants. Some like fast paced exercise hikes, but as it happily evolved, these hikes became opportunities for some close encounters with nature and chances to learn a bit more up close and personal.

They started with a small group at the Hoffman Preserve in early July, and while they covered a fair amount of territory they were able to stop and explore in depth with the added expertise of naturalist Bruce Fellman who joined each hike in the series.

Knox Preserve allowed glimpses of water.

The Hoffman and Avery Preserves are mature forest areas in contrast with Henne Preserve which is highlighted by a beautiful wetland swamp complex with very different wildlife. The Preston Nature Preserve and Knox Preserve are examples of open meadows and shrub lands. Over the course of the summer, the hiking fans grew in number and had a great opportunity to experience a wide variety of habitats on Avalonia Trails.

At Hoffman Preserve, the group looked at a big burl growth on the base of a tree.

Amanda and Joe got high praise for their leadership. Everyone is grateful for their time and energy and enthusiasm. They are planning a fall series of hikes and hopefully even a guided kayak paddle; so keep an eye on our Avalonia website and Facebook for a schedule.

As you can see from the photos, a good time was had by all, young and young at heart.

Thank you Amanda and Joe, and welcome to Avalonia.

Photographs by Bruce Fellman and Rick Newton.

Sail away with Avalonia Land Conservancy  

This is the third year we've held this popular sail aboard the Argia.  Come join us.