Sightings Prior to 2006

December 2003 - Neponset River Estuary. (Bill G.) This morning (Friday), I saw at least 2 seals (species??) popping their heads up in the estuary just before the I-93 bridge. Also, two late-season Great blue herons (overwintering???) and a very content American kestrel. And a Red fox and a Raccoon. All this, from the Town of Milton saltmarsh behind Presidents Golf Course.

2006 Sightings

March - Moose Hill Sanctuary, Sharon. (Paul Lauenstein and his family) We spotted a whole variety of amphibians crossing the road in the rain!

April - Pine Tree Brook, Milton. A group of people spotted White suckers swimming upstream in Pine Tree Brook, in the segment between Blue Hills Pkwy. and Thacher St.

April - Neponset River, Mattapan. (Josh Burgel of Crosby/Schlessinger/Smallridge and Kenneth Fields of The BSC Group) We also spotted a turtle sunning itself on a rock by the shore of the River.

April - Neponset River, Hyde Park. (Josh Burgel of Crosby/Schlessinger/Smallridge and Kenneth Fields of The BSC Group) We spotted the remains of shellfish by the entrance to a mammal's burrow.

April - Fisherman's Path, Milton. (Carly Rocklen) I spotted a whole flock of Wild turkeys foraging along the bank of the Neponset River. I also accidentally scared-up an American woodcock while walking along an offshoot of the Burma Road Path, Milton. Both the Fisherman's Path and Burma Road Path are accessible via the Paul's Bridge canoe launch area in Milton at the intersection of Brush Hill Rd. and Neponset Valley Pkwy.

May - Ponkapoag Pond, Canton. (Carly Rocklen) The drooping, pale yellow-green flowers and slowly unfurling leaves of Bellwort; the round, shiny red fruits of Wintergreen; the slowly uncurling fronds of ferns.

June - Ponkapoag Pond, Canton. Bullfrogs call out from the water. 

July - Ponkapoag Pond, Canton. (Carly Rocklen) The water's surface has become densely spotted with Water lilies. Dragonflies and Darnerflies float over the water, landing on lily pads and the rich green leaves of Pickerelweed. The erect, purple-flowered Pickerelweed dots the edges of the Pond. Swamp azalea is in bloom, lending a beautifully sweet smell to the air along the water-side path. Sweet pepperbush is just about to bloom; you can see its clusters of flower buds getting ready to show white. The butter-yellow flowers of False foxglove light up small areas. Poison ivy is fruiting. Jewelweed is thriving where before Garlic mustard showed white flowers en masse. Spicebush, viburnum species and Highbush blueberry are fruiting. Fish wait in the shallows, by the pond's edge. Red-winged blackbirds still sing and fly about, but in a much less showy manner and in smaller numbers than back in the spring. Wrens are beginning to show themselves. Wood thrushes and Veeries have become quieter.

July - Blue Hills Reservation. Fishers were seen in Blue Hills Reservation!