PRINCETON — The Princeton Open Space Committee has organized a series of nature walks for this spring. The series will feature Princeton naturalists and will take place on a variety of Princeton locations.
All of the walks are provided free of charge, and attendance will be limited to keep the group sizes reasonable.
To find out more about each of the walks, and to register, visit the town website, Open Space Committee Page, and click on the Nature Walks link: https://www.town.princeton.ma.us/open-space-committee/pages/nature-walks.
A varied set of topics will be covered with these walks
Birding 4 Corners and Boy Scout Land, 7:30 to 11 a.m. Saturday May 25. Meet Bobbye Samdahl and park in the designated area in the field by the kiosk on Gates Road. The many habitats in the Four Corners Area proves how diversity is great for wildlife. Fields, both dry and wet, mature woods, great views. This time of year is the most birdaceous, with migrants coming through and breeders here to nest. Dress adequately for the weather, bring water, snacks, binoculars. We bird by ear, as well as sight. Easy to moderate hike. Good footwear is advised. Max group size should be 12.
Vernal Pools and Spring Wildlife at Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary, 10 a.m. to noon Saturday, May 25. Sanctuary staffer Cindy Dunn will lead a walk-through of varied habitats to explore the seasonal ecology of birds, mammals, reptiles and amphibians, with a special focus on vernal pools and amphibian migration. This hike will be at an easy pace, but will include uneven ground and some off-trail sections. Bring water, sunscreen, insect repellent and sturdy footwear. This program welcomes adults or families with children prepared to be walking for 2 hours. Group size 15.
The Geology of Princeton’s Landscape and Buildings, 6 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 28. Meet at the trail head to Goodnow Park and join Laura Reynolds for a tour through the geological history of Princeton and the urban geology of the historical buildings in the town center. Walk a short loop through Goodnow Park, and explore some of the historical structures near the town green. Group size for this walk is 20.
Young Forests for the Birds: Forestry for Wildlife and Water Supply at Wachusett, 9 a.m. Friday, May 31 (rain date 9 a.m. Thursday May 30). Meet with Brian Keevan. You might not realize it, but bugs, bats, and birds depend heavily on young forest and open habitats. Take a hike with DCR foresters and wildlife biologists into some larger-than-typical patch cuts on forested water supply lands and hear about the Commonwealth’s strategy to provide suitable young forest habitat for many declining wildlife species across the state. The group will definitely be getting off-trail and walking around in some logging debris, so wear boots and long pants and expect the usual mosquitoes, blackflies and ticks. Bring binoculars if you want. Group size is 20.
Evening Bird Walk, Rhodes and Greene Roads, Bickford Pond, 7 to 9:30 p.m. Wednesday, June 12. Meet at Harrington Farm with Bobbye Samdahl, and then walk around Harrington Farm and the Rhodes/Greene Road intersection. Dress adequately for the weather, bring water, snacks, binoculars. Good footwear is a must. Group size 10.
Moth Night in Princeton, 8:30 p.m. Friday, June 14. Meet with Matt Charpentier and Adam Kohl at Krashes Field to see what’s out after dark. Adam has equipment for attracting moths and other nocturnal insects, and he will identify and discuss what we find.
Pollinators and Native Plants on the Thomas Prince Nature Trails, 1 to 3 p.m. Saturday, June 22. Meet with Dot Odgren and Karen Pellegrini to check out the relocated butterfly garden, now a pollinator garden, then walk some of the TPS nature trails and observe the flora and fauna. Both the garden and nature trail support pollinators and native plants, essential to each other, the environment and people. Come enjoy some of the outdoor learning spaces used by K-8 students, and available to the Princeton community. The new pollinator garden is accessible on the west side of the school building, and the nature trail is a relatively easy, flat walk through laurel bushes, open forest, and a field that is growing back into forest. Group is limited to 15.
Note: The birding walks are beginner-intermediate level birding trips relying on a lot of birding by ear skills, which Bobbye would love to help walkers to increase their knowledge.
Besides the natural science education provided by the walks, a goal is to introduce local residents to various natural resource areas in town, and to our nature leaders.
This program is being sponsored by the Princeton Open Space committee, the Princeton Environmental Action Committee, and the Princeton Land Trust.
