As we were walking, we met a couple whose property backs onto the trail. They were very appreciative of the Greenway for preserving this land and thought that the work on the trail has been spectacular. Since they walk the property regularly (with their dog on a leash!), they said they’d be happy to report anything they see that they think we might be interested in. They told us they’d seen a fox on the property and that the Mercer County Wildlife Center released 3 baby screech owls on the property. They asked us to keep an eye out for them or their id tags, should that be all that remains of them.
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
As we were walking, we met a couple whose property backs onto the trail. They were very appreciative of the Greenway for preserving this land and thought that the work on the trail has been spectacular. Since they walk the property regularly (with their dog on a leash!), they said they’d be happy to report anything they see that they think we might be interested in. They told us they’d seen a fox on the property and that the Mercer County Wildlife Center released 3 baby screech owls on the property. They asked us to keep an eye out for them or their id tags, should that be all that remains of them.
Monday, April 20, 2009
Just as beautiful as any other place you could see, anywhere
Shelf fungi with one of our earliest spring flowers - those of the red maple. This one was nibbled by a squirrel, I believe. Elsewhere, the forest floor was covered with fresh buds of ash or sugar maple.
Ants do a better job hiding their junk than we do. This balloon was one of three I found on my preserve this weekend. I really dislike these things.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Omick Preserve
Omick Preserve is a patch of woods on the north slope of the Sourland Ridge, east of Rte. 31, a little south of Ringoes. There is access from Rte. 31 via a 50' ROW just south of Ms. Omick's house. The southern edge is theoretically accessible from Rocktown Rd. via a trail easement, but there is no place to park. Basically it is undeveloped, but has a stream, a former farm pond turned into a bog, a logging road including a bridge over the stream, and a few deer stands.
I've been messing around in there for a bout a year now, mostly attacking multiflora and the red maples invading the bog. We are trying to restore the bog area, which has interesting vegetation. Jared and I plan to do a PSI this May.
Jared, I wanted to add photos, but don't see how. Maybe next week.
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Handler / Maple Leaf Ridge
Handler is a 12 acre plot in the Sourlands, on Ridge Road near Amwell. I built a trail there this summer while interning at the Greenway. This was my first return since school began. It was great to get out there again, remembering how much I enjoyed this sort of work. The trail needed work, too - many sticks had come down over the winter, which I cleared away, and two trees have fallen across the path, which I did not clear away but might be doable with a chainsaw. The patches of multi-flora rose we cut down earlier seem to have sprouted only a few new shoots before the winer. Where I could, I pulled out the roots and stumps - most of them seemed pretty loose with the wet ground, maybe also shriveled from the RoundUp.
There weren't many signs of human use at the site - I didn't see anyone walking around, but on the positive side there was no atv or bike damage, no trash on the trail or along the roadside. I did see signs of animal life, mostly scat from deer. The trail might need a little more work in straightening sections (especially the rocky, uneven end stretch) or adding more markers.
I will head back as spring unfolds to see what fills in the spots where oriental bittersweet and multi-flora rose have been removed. Hopefully I'll have the chance to see many of you at our next SS gathering!
Dry Run Creek Trail
Friday, February 20, 2009
Drake's Corner in February
My first visit to the site since the inaugural-walk-through with Jared on Jan 6th 2009. Not much has changed – but I wanted to take a look around and get the feel of the space. It was an extremely cold and windy day – but good to be out there.
This is a 14 acre plot in a corner of Princeton that is otherwise becoming overgrown with large homes and it is almost an island within that. Like many islands (which it seems to be) it has a bit of everything - the good and the bad, and plainly the habitat has stood up to a lot.
There is a meadow, a stream, and a range of different woodland types all in this small area. Some of the land seems to have been just left untouched for many years, other parts have a number of invasive species roaring in and doing very well.
There are some lovely native trees and so for this visit I decided to focus on a few of the bark textures.
Here is a trunk of Persimmon (left) – a lovely native tree that seems to be doing well on this site, on the right
is hornbeam also called muscle-wood – and you can see why!
I’ll be back up there soon- it is a true oasis! Mary.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Salvage
I was inspired by the encouragement of Jared to blog anything, not just reports, and, by an experience that I had on Sunday morning at the SS gathering. I therefore present, in poetic form:
Salvage
Spring ephemeral
Entwined in wineberry root
Release, replant, rise