Snapping turtle seen at Rocky Pond
Snapping turtle
Wild Times at Big Muddy!
By Dave Jenne
I made a trip yesterday to Muddy Pond via the Park and Carriage Trail in search of some interesting photos. What a day! If you are interested in wildlife watching, stop and watch for a while at either Rocky Pond or Muddy Pond as you cross the power line on the Carriage Trail. There are some amazing critters there! Here’s a little summary of my morning (click on the images for a larger version):
I arrived at my location and was set up by 7 am (about an hour later than I wanted, but shlepping my 60+ lbs of gear up Pond Road was a good workout!) I no sooner got myself concealed and sat than the bird I had most wanted to see came to me right over the pond and carrying a large stick.
It’s possibly a young Osprey just starting to learn the skills of nest building… what he was building yesterday is best termed avant-garde sculpture!
After a couple attempts at sculpture, the Osprey glided over to the opposite side of the pond and sat in a tree for two straight hours presumably waiting for breakfast to swim under his perch.
Once my heartbeat slowed to a pace to where I could concentrate again I noticed that I had set up my blind about 10 feet away from a little dead tree snag that was being used by a Song Sparrow to announce his territory.
After an hour or two I discovered that this wasn’t just a territory, it was already home for a family. His mate soon dropped by with some breakfast for the nestlings which I couldn’t see from my location.
I had heard and suspected there would be some ducks with chicks at the pond and wasn’t disappointed. The first bird to swim past me was a female Hooded Merganser. There weren’t any chicks in sight, but maybe they’re still in the nest. I’ll be checking back in a week or two so maybe we’ll see some then.
To the left of my location was another larger (30ft or so tall) dead tree. I hadn’t pointed my camera in that direction because the light was bad from that angle, but true to form, about every species of bird at the pond decided that THAT was the place to hang out! One of them was this Northern Flicker that stayed just long enough for me to get off 4 frames… and then it “Flicked” off across the pond.
Muddy Pond is home to at least 2 broods of Wood Ducks. I counted one group with 8 ducklings and another with 5. Its always amazing to me how fast young birds can grow. Some of these guys are already looking pretty big, so probably will be just about ready to fly by the next time I see them.
I came to the pond intending to get some photos of some of the beavers there, but there was no sign of them… although they left plenty of evidence of their presence. Be careful around the pond— especially on a windy day. Some of them are really large trees that are about ready to go!
Broken Handlebar Gets Some TLC
Broken Handlebar now has an uphill option as well as a downhill only option. We are calling it Broken Handlebar South and North. Broken Handlebar South is the techy XC two way section and Broken Handlebar North is ONE WAY downhill. Both start at intersection 30A and come out at intersection 42. Thank you very much to this year YES plan groups who have made this possible.
Thank you Volunteeers !
Pine Hill Partnership held a community work day in Pine Hill Park, Saturday, May 14th.
Thank you National Guard for Army Reserves and Fair Haven Girls on the Run along with all the other volunteers who helped move 18 yards of bark mulch and finished the repair work on Exit Strategy that is now open.
Here are a few photos of some incredible volunteers at work.
Again, thank you !
Macro Magic
Beginnings
Sap on a stump
Snapping Turtle, Yikes !
Evidence of bugs
3D raindrops
Just looking at things in the park with a little different perspective.
Trails are now open!
April 18th update: Trails are open to bikes. Voldemort, Carriage Trails and lower loop on the Redfield trails are still closed. PLEASE RESPECT TRAIL CLOSURES. The rut in this pic was from the past weekend. We just repaired all those drainage’s last week and someone just had to ride through them.
April 14th update: Trails are open to all bikes. Trails that are closed-Underdog, Voldemort, Carriage Trail and Redfield trails. Please respect those trail closures. Thank you for your patience.
April 7th update: Trails are closed to all bikes. We are monitoring the trails daily and they are soft from 3″ of snow last Monday and an 1″ of rain today. Please be patient.
We are closing the trails for a few days with the cold night temps moving in the frost has come in with those temps. Hopefully by the end of the week we will be able to open the trails to mountain bikes.
April 2nd update: Most trails are open today and tomorrow April 2nd and 3rd. Trails will close Sunday at 5pm due to cold weather moving back in. The freeze thaw cycles raise havoc with the trail tread with frost issues. Underdog, part of Droopy, Lichen Rock, Exit Strategy, Voldemort are closed in Pine Hill Park. The Carriage Trail and Redfield trails are closed and will remain closed until we get some significant drying weather.
April 1st update: We are going to open the trails for Saturday and Sunday, April 2nd and 3rd. They will close Sunday late afternoon. The weather is going to get really cold with some snow and we’re trying to protect the trails the best we can. Underdog will be closed to bikes this weekend. Please set Pine Hill Park as a favorite on TrailHUB for up to date information on the trails.
March 31st update: The freeze/thaw cycles are wreaking havoc on the trails. Please DO NOT ride any type of bike in the park.
Our weather gods do not appear to be cooperating next week to be able to open trails up either.
Here is a very good explanation on why not to ride during freeze/thaw cycles.
Reasons why trails are closed right now
First community work day is Saturday, April 30th at 9AM.
Saturday, March 25th at 10AM there will be a volunteer work day to clean drainage’s and repair ruts left from the bikes last weekend. Meet at front entrance.
Unfortunately we have had to close our trails due to the freeze/thaw cycles we are experiencing. Please be patient while trails dry out and firm back up. No bikes-this includes fat bikes.
We opened most of the trail system Thursday, March 17th. Redfield, Carriage Trail and Voldemort are closed to all users(pedestrian, bikes, fat bikes, etc) due to very soft conditions. We would greatly appreciate all your cooperation on staying off these trails.
We have had some vandalism in the park. Pulling ‘you are here’ signs down, cutting small sapling trees along the edge of the trails, plus pulling down trail blazes. If you see vandalism occurring please report the activity to the Rutland Police Dept at 802 773 1820. If the destruction has already occurred please report it to Rutland Recreation at 773-1822. If you see someone trying to start a fire please call 911 and report it to the police and fire dept. Spring is a nasty time for wildfires. Pine Hill Park is a Rutland City Park, means no fires, no smoking, no camping and pets on a leash.
Exciting Plans for 2016 Outlined
We had great Annual meeting on Monday, March 28th. A group of 30+ members heard first hand about some of our plans for 2016, but more importantly a discussion session led to lots of great ideas. Hopefully we can move forward with some of the great suggestions and enthusiasm that was present in the room!
This ye
ar, the board tried a different approach with the meeting. Keith Wight gave a quick presentation of last year’s accomplishments:
Volunteer Days and Hours:
2015 Volunteer Days 57 days
2015 Volunteer Hours 2390 hours
Groups providing volunteer hours: Community Work Days, Fair Haven Girls on the Run, Youth Mountain Bike Group; RHS Cross Country Team; RHS YES Plan-6 Days; Youth Works-13 days; PHP individuals
The meeting then moved on to an open discussion of 2016 plans.
Upcoming programs in 2016:
- Women’s Mountain Bike Clinic
- Youth Mountain Bike Group
- Intermediate/Advanced Mountain Bike Clinic(new this year)
- Summer Sunset 5K Race
- Droopy Pedal Mountain Bike Race
- Senior Olympics Mountain Bike Race
- 10K Leaf Chase
- Nature Hikes with Tom Estill
- Full Moon 5K race
2016 Goals:
- Expand Redfield Trails
- Broken Handlebar Extension
- New Pine Hill Park map
- Potential RRMC trail project
- Webpage
- Maintain and expand membership
- Sponsorship Ideas
- Tyvek maps
- Coasters with logos
The current PHP board has been working on redefining the goals for the organization and President Andy Shinn shared some of their thoughts. The board reached out to those present and to the overall membership for help in steering the group forward. In addition to the usual annual tasks like trail maintenance, the board is hoping to recruit folks to help with some new projects.
The partnership has developed a new logo and designs for coasters, t-shirts and plans to produce tyvek maps for next year. Much of the discussion centered around how we could increase awareness and enthusiasm for the work we do, and how we could translate that enthusiasm into more paid memberships and volunteers to help the board accomplish our goals.
Discussion Topics and Ideas:
- Ask if member? Do you want to be a member? At activities have a table or something to sign people up.
- Set up a membership table at the trail head on busy weekends
- Maps – good idea to make some money – Thanks to private landowners with permission
- Get coasters to local pubs and restaurants
- 59 paid members this year; where do we want to be next year? Membership drive?
- Get list from Cindi of 600+ emails to get them to sign up for Pine Hill Partnership.
- Think about Lower membership cost to increase numbers
- “Trails brought to you by Pine Hill Partnership” signs in park
- Does everyone know that Pine Hill Partnership exists? Most people think it is the City, but do not realize that Pine Hill Partnership actually maintains the park, Carriage and Redfield Trails
- Start promoting activities on Front porch forum – City, Rutland Town…
- Business card or similar item to hand out to visitors with Pine Hill Partnership info (hand out coasters?)
- Web site eventually will become pinehillpartnership.org – phasing out pinehillpartnership.org
- We need more social media presence – Instagram, Facebook, Front Porch Forum
- Partner with a store similar to EMS to bind together to provide discount to someone who pays a membership; example, Alpine Bike Shop
- Might need membership card ?
- List of local discounts available to members with a card (similar to Perk card)
- Trails are all the same and some users want a variation on trails – more difficult terrain. Make Broken Handlebar Extension be something more than just a roller. Optional routes giving the chance to take a more technical or rocky trail. Something different. Broaden the trail system.
- Raise ridership through the broadening of the trail system
- Mailing list on maintenance? People find out a week after the items happen.
- Post a list of tasks that need to be done; bring you own tools; Pick up and sign out tools somewhere
- Expectations for volunteer efforts, duties, time span – clear expectations will make people more likely to step up
- How things are presented is important – make it fun or at least sound fun; add something like a barbecue or ride or similar. Need someone to organize B-B-Que for a work day.
- Evening work times? Get more people for a shorter time. Need someone to step up and lead these groups.
- Put it out that we need X many people, leader, etc.
- Trail building 101? Teach some leaders how to do trail maintenance and lead a group.
- Short videos of how to clean a drainage ditch (or similar)
- Make the park more inviting – more important things that reporting dogs in park; make it fun and exciting
- Need help for what? Need more members, more people involved, not just trail work, but membership drive, marketing, social director
- Why are the trails closed? Educate as to why the trails are closed because people may not understand this especially given the mild winter.
After the discussion the final piece of business was to elect next year’s board of directors. Our board of directors for 2016 are: Joel Blumenthal, Andy Shinn, Keith Wight, Shelley Lutz, Claus Bartenstein, and Dave Jenne.
If you would like to help the board with any of our upcoming projects, or have some new ideas of your own, let us know about them! Email us at pinehillpark@gmail.com
If you shop online and use Amazon please consider using www.smile.amazon.com. Amazon will make quarterly contributions to Pine Hill Partnership if you enter us as the non-profit.
Big thanks for your support this year in our continued efforts to make these area trails so special.
Sincerely,
Keith Wight, Andrew Shinn, Joel Blumenthal, Dave Jenne, Claus Bartenstein, and Shelley Lutz
Board of Directors
Wild Times at Pine Hill Park
Winter 2015/16 Summary
By Tom Estill
In general, the winter of 2015/16 was relatively mild. While both Rocky and Muddy Ponds were beginning to ice over by mid-November in 2014, it wasn’t until the very end of December 2015, that the ponds were just starting to ice over. By the end of Jan. 2016, the ponds had finally completely frozen over. The first major winter storm didn’t occur until the last day of 2015.
Typical birds commonly seen towards the beginning of winter included white-breasted nuthatches, black-capped chickadees, crows and hairy woodpeckers. By the second week of Jan., only a few inches of snow covered the ground. I was surprised to see so many deer and small rodent tracks throughout the whole park. While walking along the Carriage Trail on Jan. 17th, I came across beaver tracks leading from Muddy Pond to Rocky Pond. It got me wondering? More on that later in this summary.
Pileated woodpeckers were heard and seen throughout the forest on a regular basis all winter long. So glad to see their population is holding strong. Only occasionally would I hear or see the tufted titmouse, and dark-eyed juncos. During the third week of Jan., I heard hairy woodpeckers “drumming” for the first time in many months, signaling a change in their territorial behavior. About the same time I followed some coyote tracks up to a small den which I know in the past was occupied by porcupines. Didn’t want to peek inside for fear of disturbing any occupants. By the end of January, warm temperatures had melted so much snow that patches of bare ground could be found throughout the whole park. On Jan. 31st, a golden-crowned kinglet landed on a branch close to where I was sitting, and a tufted titmouse could be heard singing its “peter, peter” song, another bird establishing its breeding territory. One week later, a cardinal was heard singing its territorial/courtship song, a titmouse was heard singing its “Jway” call, and a barred owl could be heard “hooting” deep in the forest west of trail marker #24.
By Feb. 6th, snow was pretty much gone from the park, except for a few isolated and sun-protected spots. Signs of recent beaver chewing activity along the shores of Rocky Pond could be seen from the Shimmer Trail. I also watched three male gray squirrels chasing a female up and down numerous trees until finally, the lead male seemed to get the attention of the female by making various calls to the female, while the other two males sat quietly on nearby branches.
Feb. 14th saw a record cold temp. for that day of -17F, with a -40F wind chill temp. recorded near midnight. While walking through the forest that day, I was amazed at the amount of cracking, snapping, and popping sounds I heard as the sap and trapped water in the trees would freeze, expand and then snap the branches and tree trunks. The second week of Feb. also found me being enchanted by the haunting rumblings emanating from beneath the ice at Rocky Pond, as the ice was shifting and moving with changes in water level, and movement of the water below the ice. Record low temperatures were once again recorded on Feb. 14, while record high temperatures were recorded two days later on 2/16. By 2/17, all signs of snow were virtually gone from the park. On 2/17, I was surprised to easily see from the Shimmer Trail a large, recently built, active beaver den on the West side of Rocky Pond. That explained the beaver footprints leading to Rocky Pond from Muddy Pond I had seen weeks earlier, and all the recent beaver chewing activity seen along the shores of Rocky Pond. Many tree branches were seen poking out of the ice near the den where the beaver had been storing food for the winter months.
First robin was seen at the park on Feb. 20th. And a week later, I received a report of a bald eagle flying near the power lines on the Carriage Trail near Rocky Pond. During the first week of March, mourning doves were heard “cooing” near the trailhead, streams were running ice free, a large beaver was seen for the first time feeding on a downed tree at Rocky Pond, and chipmunks were seen scurrying among the downed trees along the middle Giorgetti Trail. March 13th saw the first butterfly of the season, a Mourning Cloak, one of the first butterflies to emerge from their winter hibernation under the bark of trees, and the first Eastern Newts swimming in large numbers along the shores of Rocky Pond. Both ponds were free of any ice, and moss plants were beginning to grow reproductive stalks. During Feb. and March, I had noticed the water level of Rocky Pond slowing creeping upwards so was not surprised when, walking along the Carriage Trail; I saw a new beaver dam being built at the outlet of Rocky Pond. I’ve been wondering just how big that dam will become in the future?
By mid-March, Canada geese, common mergansers, mallards, wood ducks and kingfishers could be easily seen from the Carriage Trail on Muddy Pond. The last day of winter, I went on a hike through the forest and for the first time in three and a half years, I didn’t see or hear a single bird in the forest, but I did see painted turtle sunning themselves at Rocky Pond, and received a report of a pair of barred owls seen near the intersection of the Carriage Trail and the Redfield Farm trail.
The forest is still relatively quiet, and I wait with great anticipation for the arrival of our spring migrant birds, and the first spring wildflowers.
As a reminder, please respect the No Trespassing/Private Property signs and stay on the trails. Now, go enjoy the arrival of spring at Pine Hill Park.
Night hike for night critters
Join local naturalist Tom Estill on a night stroll along the Carriage Trail as we search for the “night critters” of Pine Hill Park. We’ll especially be listening to the call of owls, foxes, coyotes, and frogs, and observing the night work of beavers at Rocky Pond. Wear comfortable shoes and dress for the weather. Bring along water, a small snack and a flashlight, also.
Difficulty: Easy to Moderate Walk
Ages 11+ – Giorgetti Pine Hill Park
April 16th, 7-9pm
All trails are closed
Update: as of March 24th trails are still closed and will continue to be closed through next week.
As of Sunday March 20, all trails are closed to mountain bikes, including fat bikes. The heavy freezes at night and warm, sunny days are wreaking havoc on the trail tread. PLEASE BE PATIENT and do not ride. We will keep a close eye on the trail conditions during the week.