Category Archives: Blog

Posted May 1, 2021 Written by Dale Scott, WLT Board Member EONS OF PLODDING TIME WISE TRUTHS GUARDEDLY KEPT BOX TURTLE REVEALS dgs Keeper of secrets, our colorful Eastern box turtle (Terrapin Carolina Carolina) has origins that stretch back 250 million years to the time of the great reptiles. They are mostly creatures of the… Continue Reading

The Wareham Land Trust is looking for volunteers!  There are so many different ways to get involved with the WLT, whether it’s working on the trails, helping with educational programming, or contributing to our newsletter. If you would like to get involved please fill out this short form so that we can connect you with… Continue Reading

Posted September 4, 2020 Written by Kyla Isakson Hoping to enjoy the quiet beauty of the forest and marsh along Buzzards Bay? Check out Marks Cove Conservation Area on Nicholas Dr. in Wareham! Owned by the Wareham Land Trust, Wildlands Trust, the Town of Wareham, Massachusetts Audubon Society, and the Buzzards Bay Coalition, this property… Continue Reading

Posted August 26, 2020 Written by Kyla Isakson Coyotes (Canis latrans) are canines native to North America, and their populations are well established in Massachusetts, except on Martha’s Vineyard and Nantucket. The color of their coats is based on where they live. Coyotes do not hibernate, and they mate each winter (January through March) with… Continue Reading

Posted August 12, 2020 Written by Kyla Isakson Peaches (Prunus persica) are edible fruits that were introduced to North America from China and East Asia. Peach trees can grow to be 15 to 25 feet tall, and their branches can grow to be a similar width. In April, the trees bloom with white to deep… Continue Reading

Posted August 5, 2020 Written by Kyla Isakson Piping plovers (Charadrius melodus) are small shorebirds native to North America. These birds breed in the northeastern U.S. during the summer, and they migrate to the southeastern coast of the U.S. and Gulf of Mexico in the winter. Piping plovers usually change mates during the next mating… Continue Reading

Posted July 23, 2020 Written by Amy Pettigrew We have come to that bittersweet time during the year when we have to say good-bye to our wonderful TerraCorps service members. This year was definitely one for the records, as our town, state, country, and world faced major events of historic proportions. But despite all the… Continue Reading

Posted July 21, 2020 Written by Mike Perrin A Farewell to Wareham This Friday is the last day of my TerraCorps service year with the Wareham Land Trust, so I am taking this opportunity to reflect on my experience. Over the past 11-months, I have seen sunrises and sunsets over Buzzards Bay, I have seen… Continue Reading

Posted July 16, 2020 Written by Amy Pettigrew Ruby-throated hummingbirds (Archilochus colubris) are not just Massachusetts’ only commonly seen hummingbird, but they are also our smallest breeding bird. They are migratory, coming to our area typically in late spring, breeding (up to 2 broods per season with 1-3 eggs each time) and leaving again come… Continue Reading

Posted July 12, 2020 Written by Kyla Isakson Interested in composting, but not sure how to get started? Check out our new DIY Compost Bin tutorial, created by TerraCorps Service Member Kyla Isakson! Composting is a great way to reduce waste sent to landfills and save money on disposal costs and fertilizer because it can… Continue Reading

Posted July 8, 2020 Written by Kyla Isakson Mid-summer is the perfect time to look for blueberry bushes with fruit. The lowbush blueberry (Vaccinium angustifolium) is native to the northeast, and is widespread in Massachusetts. Lowbush blueberry grows in acidic soils, and it produces white flowers that bloom in May. As its name suggests, the… Continue Reading

Posted July 3, 2020 Written by Mike Perrin With technological advances and the mass use of citizen science, many modern-day birders are attentive to forums, email listservs, and Facebook groups that inform us of rare birds in our areas (state, county, country, etc.). These alerts are often an inspiration to chase “life birds,” or birds… Continue Reading

Posted July 1, 2020 Written by Kyla Isakson Mute swans (Cygnus olor) are large waterfowl that are found in a wide range of aquatic habitats. Mute swans are a nonnative species that was originally imported from Europe in the late 1800s and early 1900s to beautify large estates, zoos, and city parks. They are now… Continue Reading

Posted June 24, 2020 Written by Kyla Isakson Atlantic white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) are cartilaginous fish that migrate to the western North Atlantic Ocean during the spring, summer, and fall. These animals are considered opportunistic predators, which means that they eat what is available including gray seals, fish, squid, and other sharks. Gray seals are… Continue Reading

Posted June 17, 2020 Written by Kyla Isakson This Saturday, June 20th is the Summer Solstice, marking the astronomical start of summer. This day represents the longest day of the year when the sun is at its most northernmost and highest point in the sky. Summer signifies the emergence of damselflies and dragonflies, and fireflies… Continue Reading

Posted June 14, 2020 Written by Kyla Isakson Safety notes: Be aware of your surroundings! Watch out for poison ivy, check for ticks, do NOT taste anything, avoid disrupting animals and plants, and don’t touch things with which you are unfamiliar. With summer right around the corner, animals are becoming more active and plants are… Continue Reading

Posted June 10, 2020 Written by Kyla Isakson Atlantic white-sided dolphins (Lagenorhynchus acutus) are toothed whales, known as odontocetes, that are native to the North Atlantic Ocean. These dolphins typically live for 25 years and are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act. These animals form large groups, called pods, and they are cooperative feeders,… Continue Reading

Posted June 6, 2020 Written by Mike Perrin This weekend is a big weekend for outdoor recreation: today, June 6th, is National Trails Day promoted through the American Hiking Society and this weekend is Free Freshwater Fishing Weekend through MassWildlife. In efforts to combine these two wonderful events, Wareham Land Trust is promoting trails for… Continue Reading

Posted June 3, 2020 Wareham Land Trust Volunteer Trail Work Wareham Land Trust is happy to announce that Volunteer Trail Work Days will return in June! As many people are utilizing outdoor spaces for peace-of-mind during quarantine, we need stewardship volunteers and trail work days now more than ever! Necessary tasks include clearing trials, pulling… Continue Reading

Posted May 30, 2020 Written by Mike Perrin In recent blog posts and videos, I have discussed migration and the wonderful warblers that come with it. Migration also brings another element to birding in May: rarities. Rarities are birds that are unexpected in a certain area due to range or habitat limitations or birds that… Continue Reading

May Virtual Birding Walk For birders, the month of May means migration. From late April into late May, some of Massachusetts’ most exciting birds arrive from wintering grounds in Central and South America to establish breeding territory or to fuel up for continued migration extending into northern New England and Canada. These birds include species… Continue Reading

Posted May 20, 2020 Written by Kyla Isakson In late May, apple trees will start to bloom with pink blossoms. Since apple seeds take a long time to grow into a tree, and the variety of apples grown from the seed is uncertain at times, farmers turn to grafting. Grafting is when a branch from… Continue Reading

Posted May 15, 2020 The results are in! Congratulations to Kathryn Farnham and Bob Scully on winning our 2020 Photo Contest! Keep an eye out for their photos in our 2020 Annual Newsletter. Thank you to everyone who submitted photos! Continue Reading

Posted May 13, 2020 Written by Kyla Isakson The pink lady’s slipper (Cypripedium acaule) is a perennial, flowering plant in the Orchid family. This species is native to the eastern U.S. and most of Canada. Pink lady’s slippers typically flower from late April until July, and they produce flowers that range in color from whitish-pink… Continue Reading

Posted May 6, 2020 Written by Kyla Isakson As the weather gets nicer, more people will be looking for a reason to get outside. Why not try fishing? It’s simple, relaxing, and requires minimal equipment. Some common freshwater fish species you might catch include bass and yellow perch. Adult largemouth bass feed on fish and… Continue Reading

Posted March 16, 2020 Updated May 4, 2020 Written by Kyla Isakson Looking for something to do at home to pass the time? Wareham Land Trust TerraCorps service member Kyla Isakson decided to test out a window greenhouse. Follow along with her progress here and download your own observation sheet to setup your own window… Continue Reading

Posted May 1, 2020 TerraCorps (AmeriCorps) Position Available with the Wareham Land Trust and Mass Audubon Great Neck Wildlife Sanctuary TerraCorps, an AmeriCorps affiliated environmental nonprofit, has selected the Wareham Land Trust and Mass Audubon to be a Service Site for the 2020-21 TerraCorps program year. This partnership will allow the Wareham Land Trust and… Continue Reading

Posted April 29, 2020 Written by Kyla Isakson Deer ticks, a common species in Massachusetts, have a two year lifespan. They lay eggs in the spring, which hatch into larvae in the summer. This larval stage is the first feeding stage of the deer ticks. The larva transforms into the nymph in the fall, which… Continue Reading

As spring migration is heating up, one of the exciting songbirds you may be seeing is the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher. Gnatcatchers breed in Wareham during the summer and migrate south to Florida and Central America in the winter. As their name suggests, these tiny and energetic birds have grayish-blue backs and wings, white underparts, and a… Continue Reading

Posted April 23, 2020 Written by Mike Perrin 3 Tips for Bird Photography Submissions for the Wareham Land Trust 2020 Photo Contest are due May 2nd at 5pm. We encourage anyone with photos of Wareham’s natural landscapes and wildlife to participate. One of the most thrilling yet infamously difficult wildlife subjects to photograph are my… Continue Reading

Posted April 19, 2020 Updated April 20, 2020   Wareham Land Trust 2020 Photo Contest Deadline: Saturday, May 2, 2020 *The Wareham Land Trust recognizes that during this time of concern about the spread of COVID-19, it is critical to limit your contact with others and practice good hygiene. In order to practice social distancing… Continue Reading

Posted April 13, 2020 Written by Kyla Isakson March 24, 2020 at the Walter Newton Trail-Rainbow Falls in Plymouth, NH The recent spread of COVID-19 has changed everyday life for a few weeks now, and it seems that things will continue to change. In an effort to make the most of this constant change, my… Continue Reading

Posted April 8, 2020 Written by Kyla Isakson With nicer weather on the horizon, there’s no better time to get outside and enjoy nature! Whether you spend time doing yard work at home, take a walk around the neighborhood, visit your favorite trail, or explore a new property, you can find peace and relaxation in… Continue Reading

Posted April 6, 2020 Show some love for the WLT and nature! With the recent health concerns, it can be difficult to focus on anything else. Take a moment to reflect on your relationship with The Wareham Land Trust and the local environment. We value your input and hope that you will take the time… Continue Reading

Posted April 3, 2020 The Wareham Land Trust takes pride in providing safe and healthy options for passive recreation for Wareham residents and visitors alike. It is wonderful to see more people using the trails!  As stewards of the property, we ask for your help to make sure that we preserve these conservation properties for future… Continue Reading

Posted April 1, 2020 Written by Kyla Isakson It’s raining frogs outside… APRIL FOOLS! No, it’s not raining frogs, but here is some cool information about spring peepers! Spring peepers are small frogs that are common in and native to eastern North America. They are best known for their “peeps,” or high-pitched calls. As their… Continue Reading

Posted March 27, 2020 Written by Kyla Isakson March 22, 2020 at the Center Hill Preserve in Plymouth, MA Despite the cold and windy weather, I took some time to be mindful of nature and practice social distancing at the Center Hill Preserve in Plymouth, MA, with my mom and sister. We decided to go… Continue Reading

Posted March 25, 2020 Written by Kyla Isakson Springtime means more animals are becoming active, and that includes slugs! Slugs are classified as invertebrates because they have soft bodies and no bones. They are also classified as gastropods, which translates to ‘stomach foot’. Slugs have a large muscular foot that spans the length of their… Continue Reading

Posted March 20, 2020 Written by Mike Perrin During this time of crucial social distancing leading to many hours indoors, it is easy to lose touch with the rejuvenating, refreshing, natural world. Substituting time indoors with time outside in natural areas is an excellent way to escape your home. But what about when you get… Continue Reading

Posted March 2, 2020 Written by Kyla Isakson Looking to experience coastal forest and salt marshes? Check out Marks Cove Conservation Area on Nicholas Dr. in Wareham! Owned by the Wareham Land Trust, Wildlands Trust, the Town of Wareham, Massachusetts Audubon Society, and the Buzzards Bay Coalition, this property offers three short loops of trails,… Continue Reading

Posted February 25, 2020 Check out this clip of the latest Wareham Community Television‘s Good Morning Wareham Episode, where Terracorps service members Mike Perrin and Melyssa Millett, talk about upcoming Wareham Land Trust events! Continue Reading

Posted February 12, 2020 Written by Kyla Isakson Have you ever seen imprints in the mud or snow and wondered what made them? Here’s a quick guide to identifying animal tracks. The pattern of tracks can tell you what that animal was doing; a stretched gait could indicate that the animal was running. Deer have… Continue Reading

Posted February 5, 2020 Written by Kyla Isakson When the weather gets colder, some animals hide away and rest for the winter. Before finding a warm place to rest, animals eat large amounts of food to store as fat. They can use this stored fat as an energy reserve to keep themselves warm. Once they… Continue Reading

Posted January 23, 2020 Written by Kyla Isakson Before the harsh conditions of winter set in, animals prepare in a variety of ways. Some animals, like warblers, migrate to places that are warmer and have food more readily available. Whales migrate to warmer areas in winter to breed and give birth, and they return to… Continue Reading

Posted January 8, 2020 Written by Kyla Isakson The northern cardinal (Cardinalis cardinalis) is a songbird that lives in most of the United States. They typically live in evergreen trees and thick bushes, which is where they establish their territory, or the area that they live in year round. Since northern cardinals stay in their… Continue Reading

Posted January 1, 2020 Written by Kyla Isakson The eastern chipmunk is a type of ground squirrel, which means they build their nests on the ground instead of in trees. Eastern chipmunks typically have dark brown fur with lighter stripes down their backs, but the coloration and pattern on their fur can vary depending on… Continue Reading

Posted December 18, 2019 Written by Kyla Isakson White-tailed deer are one of the most abundant of the five deer species in North America. They have a widespread distribution; they are found in woodland areas in Canada, the United States, and Mexico. Deer typically forage at dusk and dawn, and they are strictly herbivores, meaning… Continue Reading

Posted December 4, 2019 Written by Kyla Isakson Gray squirrels are among the most common species of squirrel in North America. They are diurnal mammals, meaning they search for food during the day and sleep at night. Gray squirrels live in nests called dreys, which are typically made up of twigs, leaves, grass, and bark.… Continue Reading

Posted November 27, 2019 Written by Kyla Isakson Have you ever wondered what it would be like to find your own food and use natural resources to make everyday items? For thousands of years, the Wampanoag people in this region did just that. During the winter months, the Wampanoag people lived further inland to avoid… Continue Reading

Posted November 13, 2019 Written by Kyla Isakson We have incorporated terms used by Wampanoag people into our current language. “Wampanoag” is defined as “People of the Dawn,” which alludes to how living on the eastern coast made them the first people to see the sun rise every morning. Wareham’s native name is “Nepinnae Kekit”,… Continue Reading

Posted November 2, 2019 Written by Kyla Isakson Hoping to combine history and nature on your hike? Tweedy and Barnes on Blackmore Pond Road in West Wareham is the place for you! Named after the Tweedy and Barnes Cranberry Company that once stood on the property, the trails follow where railroad tracks once ran. The… Continue Reading

Posted October 25, 2019 Written by Kyla Isakson Did you know that the hurricane season lasts for most of the fall season? For the eastern U.S., hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30, but storms can occur outside of this time period as well. Hurricanes develop in warm, tropical regions. The eye of… Continue Reading

Posted October 21, 2019 Written by Kyla Isakson Ever wonder why leaves change color in the fall? Plants have a green coloration because they contain a pigment called chlorophyll. Leaves have a large amount of chlorophyll to capture light energy that can be converted and used to produce the energy necessary for the plant to… Continue Reading

Posted October 7, 2019 Written by Kyla Isakson In Wareham, and many surrounding towns in southeastern MA, fall signifies the time for cranberry harvests. First cultivated from a wild variety in the early 1800s, cranberries grow in wet, acidic soils on vines that make up the bogs. The harvest consists of a dry harvest by… Continue Reading

Posted September 21, 2019 Written by Kyla Isakson Trying to hold onto the last few days of warmth? Looking for a place to catch a glimpse of an osprey before they migrate for the winter? Want a small place to introduce your kids to the wonders of the ocean? Just searching for somewhere to get… Continue Reading