{"id":6972,"date":"2010-08-01T08:41:19","date_gmt":"2010-08-01T13:41:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/?p=6972"},"modified":"2010-11-14T13:54:28","modified_gmt":"2010-11-14T18:54:28","slug":"exploring-mass-audubons-allens-pond-wildlife-sanctuary-in-late-july","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/?p=6972","title":{"rendered":"Exploring Mass Audubon&#8217;s Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary in Late July"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-004-840.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6979\" title=\"allens pond 004 480\" src=\"http:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-004-480.jpg\" alt=\"allens pond 004 480\" width=\"480\" height=\"555\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-004-480.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-004-480-259x300.jpg 259w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><em>Common Tern Foraging in Allens Pond<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"TEXT-ALIGN: justify\">Turtle Journal explored Mass Audubon&#8217;s Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary\u00c2\u00a0in Westport this week.\u00c2\u00a0 We hadn&#8217;t visited the sanctuary since March 21st when we discovered piping plovers who had just returned to Buzzards Bay for spring nesting.\u00c2\u00a0 See <a href=\"http:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/?p=5535\" target=\"_blank\">\u00e2\u20ac\u0153They\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re Back!!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u201d Piping Plover Pair Sighted on Buzzards Bay Shore<\/a>.\u00c2\u00a0 Our aim was to search for signs of diamondback terrapin nesting in the sandy dunes abutting the pond, but instead we spent most of our time enjoying the wonderful shorebirds that are protected at this sanctuary.<\/p>\n<p><script type=\"text\/javascript\">\/\/ <![CDATA[\n   google_ad_client = \"pub-6174531794045772\"; \/* TJ adds, 336x280, created 11\/14\/10 *\/ google_ad_slot = \"5313686105\"; google_ad_width = 336; google_ad_height = 280;\n\/\/ ]]><\/script><br \/>\n<script src=\"http:\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/show_ads.js\" type=\"text\/javascript\"><\/script><\/p>\n<p style=\"TEXT-ALIGN: justify\">\u00c2\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-001-840.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6974\" title=\"allens pond 001 480\" src=\"http:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-001-480.jpg\" alt=\"allens pond 001 480\" width=\"480\" height=\"265\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-001-480.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-001-480-300x165.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"TEXT-ALIGN: center\"><strong><em>Common Tern (Sterna hirundo)\u00c2\u00a0Foraging Frenzy<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"TEXT-ALIGN: justify\">As we reached the stream that connects Allens Pond to Buzzards Bay, we encountered dozens of Common Terns (<em>Sterna hirundo<\/em>) diving into the\u00c2\u00a0ebbing waters to snatch minnows streaming out with the receding tide.\u00c2\u00a0 While their name is &#8220;common,&#8221; Common Terns are rare enough to be\u00c2\u00a0protected in Massachusetts as a species of special concern.<\/p>\n<p><object classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" width=\"480\" height=\"385\" codebase=\"http:\/\/download.macromedia.com\/pub\/shockwave\/cabs\/flash\/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" \/><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\" \/><param name=\"src\" value=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/v\/gp6GXD-glkA&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1\" \/><param name=\"allowfullscreen\" value=\"true\" \/><embed type=\"application\/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"480\" height=\"385\" src=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/v\/gp6GXD-glkA&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\"><\/embed><\/object><\/p>\n<p style=\"TEXT-ALIGN: center\"><strong><em>Common Terns Diving on Fish<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The tidal current gushed into the bay, carrying millions of small bait fish with it.\u00c2\u00a0 We were hypnotized watching terns in their aerial ballet,\u00c2\u00a0hovering over the stream, taking careful aim at the center of the fish mass,\u00c2\u00a0and then plunging into the fast moving current.<\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-008-840.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6985\" title=\"Allens Pond 007 480\" src=\"http:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/Allens-Pond-007-480.jpg\" alt=\"Allens Pond 007 480\" width=\"480\" height=\"333\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/Allens-Pond-007-480.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/Allens-Pond-007-480-300x208.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"TEXT-ALIGN: center\"><strong><em>Least Tern Glides over Allen&#8217;s Pond Barrier Dune<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"TEXT-ALIGN: justify\">In the still waters behind the barrier dune we found pairs of Least Terns (<em>Sternula antillarum<\/em>).\u00c2\u00a0 Like the Common Tern, Least Terns are listed as a protected species in Massachusetts within the category of species of special concern.<\/p>\n<p style=\"TEXT-ALIGN: justify\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-009-480.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6987\" title=\"allens pond 009 480\" src=\"http:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-009-480.jpg\" alt=\"allens pond 009 480\" width=\"480\" height=\"673\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-009-480.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-009-480-213x300.jpg 213w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"TEXT-ALIGN: center\"><strong><em>Least Tern Surveys Nesting Exclosure Area<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"TEXT-ALIGN: justify\">A very large nesting exclosure area has been marked by Mass Audubon with symbolic fencing to protect terns and plovers.\u00c2\u00a0 Fencing emcompasses several acres of barrier beach walling off Allen&#8217;s Pond from Buzzards Bay.<\/p>\n<p style=\"TEXT-ALIGN: justify\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-022-480.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6995\" title=\"allens pond 022 480\" src=\"http:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-022-480.jpg\" alt=\"allens pond 022 480\" width=\"480\" height=\"443\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-022-480.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-022-480-300x276.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"TEXT-ALIGN: center\"><strong><em>Piping Plovers Forage behind the Barrier Beach<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"TEXT-ALIGN: justify\">Protected by the barrier beach from the sometimes turbulent Buzzards Bay, piping plovers forage in the shallow, calm water undisturbed by frenetic terns or equally\u00c2\u00a0frantic human beach goers desperately seeking that one\u00c2\u00a0perfect spot to spread their beach blankets in summer seclusion (sic).<\/p>\n<p style=\"TEXT-ALIGN: justify\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-023-480.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6996\" title=\"allens pond 023 480\" src=\"http:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-023-480.jpg\" alt=\"allens pond 023 480\" width=\"480\" height=\"433\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-023-480.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-023-480-300x270.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"TEXT-ALIGN: center\"><strong><em>Piping Plover Savoring a Perfect Summer Day<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"TEXT-ALIGN: justify\">The piping plover (<em>Charadrius melodus<\/em>) enjoys both federal and state protection as a threatened species, and this largely secluded area of the Allens Pond offers a wonderful sanctuary for these tiny, pint-sized critters.<\/p>\n<p style=\"TEXT-ALIGN: justify\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-021-480.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6994\" title=\"allens pond 021 480\" src=\"http:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-021-480.jpg\" alt=\"allens pond 021 480\" width=\"480\" height=\"535\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-021-480.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-021-480-269x300.jpg 269w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"TEXT-ALIGN: center\"><strong><em>Piping Plover Foraging in Shallow Tidal Pool<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"TEXT-ALIGN: justify\">The Turtle Journal team enjoyed a few moments watching as plovers crisscrossed the peaceful tidal pool looking for food.\u00c2\u00a0 To our eyes, they seemed a great deal more at ease than when we first saw these birds in March at the end of a long springtime migration.<\/p>\n<p style=\"TEXT-ALIGN: justify\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-030-480.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6997\" title=\"allens pond 030 480\" src=\"http:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-030-480.jpg\" alt=\"allens pond 030 480\" width=\"480\" height=\"424\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-030-480.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-030-480-300x265.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"TEXT-ALIGN: center\"><strong><em>Semipalmated Plover (Charadrius semipalmatus)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"TEXT-ALIGN: justify\">We were delighted to find\u00c2\u00a0 semipalmated plovers foraging the same tidal pool as the piping plovers at Allens Pond.\u00c2\u00a0 According to Massachusetts Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Program, &#8220;The Semipalmated Plover does not breed in Massachusetts but is present on sandy beaches and intertidal flats from late July to early September during its southward migration.&#8221;\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"TEXT-ALIGN: justify\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-031-480.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6998\" title=\"allens pond 031 480\" src=\"http:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-031-480.jpg\" alt=\"allens pond 031 480\" width=\"480\" height=\"392\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-031-480.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-031-480-300x245.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"TEXT-ALIGN: center\"><strong><em>Semipalmated Plover Foraging at Allens Pond<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"TEXT-ALIGN: justify\">To us, the semipalmated plovers appeared a tad larger than the piping plovers, yet equally hungry and intent on getting the most nutrients from these rich tidal flats.<\/p>\n<p style=\"TEXT-ALIGN: justify\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-006-480.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6983\" title=\"allens pond 006 480\" src=\"http:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-006-480.jpg\" alt=\"allens pond 006 480\" width=\"480\" height=\"518\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-006-480.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-006-480-277x300.jpg 277w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"TEXT-ALIGN: center\"><strong><em>Greater Yellowlegs (Tringa melanoleuca)<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"TEXT-ALIGN: justify\">No trip to the shoreline would be complete without spotting a greater yellowlegs.\u00c2\u00a0 This one decided to join the Common Terns working the bait fish stream\u00c2\u00a0flooding out of Allens Pond with the ebbing tide.\u00c2\u00a0 While the terms dive bombed the fish from the air, the yellowlegs waded by the edge of the stream and scooped up stray fish that scattered shoreward\u00c2\u00a0during the tern attacks.<\/p>\n<p style=\"TEXT-ALIGN: justify\">\u00c2\u00a0<a href=\"http:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-010-840.jpg\" target=\"_blank\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6989\" title=\"allens pond 010 480\" src=\"http:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-010-480.jpg\" alt=\"allens pond 010 480\" width=\"480\" height=\"311\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-010-480.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-010-480-300x194.jpg 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"TEXT-ALIGN: center\"><strong><em>Blue Crab (Callinectes sapidus) in Allens Pond Stream<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"TEXT-ALIGN: justify\">The small salt marsh stream that flows through culverts under the Allens Pond dirt road hosts a nice population of blue crabs.\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0Individual crabs seem a bit undersized from my Chesapeake Bay days, but they are\u00c2\u00a0healthy, active and &#8230; as always &#8230; feisty.<\/p>\n<p><object classid=\"clsid:d27cdb6e-ae6d-11cf-96b8-444553540000\" width=\"480\" height=\"385\" codebase=\"http:\/\/download.macromedia.com\/pub\/shockwave\/cabs\/flash\/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0\"><param name=\"allowFullScreen\" value=\"true\" \/><param name=\"allowscriptaccess\" value=\"always\" \/><param name=\"src\" value=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/v\/NXgHYxn2QNk&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1\" \/><param name=\"allowfullscreen\" value=\"true\" \/><embed type=\"application\/x-shockwave-flash\" width=\"480\" height=\"385\" src=\"http:\/\/www.youtube.com\/v\/NXgHYxn2QNk&amp;hl=en_US&amp;fs=1\" allowfullscreen=\"true\" allowscriptaccess=\"always\"><\/embed><\/object><\/p>\n<p style=\"TEXT-ALIGN: center\">\u00c2\u00a0<strong><em>Watching Blue Crabs in Allens Pond Stream<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"TEXT-ALIGN: justify\">Beyond\u00c2\u00a0seering\u00c2\u00a0flashbacks of steaming\u00c2\u00a0crabs dumped on\u00c2\u00a0our table at the Crab Claw in St. Michaels, Maryland, the evening air so thick with the smell of Old Bay seasoning that even cold beer tasted like sparkling Chesapeake water; beyond those faraway, long ago memories, the dance of blue crabs through the murky shallows of Allens Pond brought our day of discovery to a perfect close.\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n<p style=\"TEXT-ALIGN: justify\"><a href=\"http:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-011-480.jpg\"><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" class=\"alignnone size-full wp-image-6991\" title=\"allens pond 011 480\" src=\"http:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-011-480.jpg\" alt=\"allens pond 011 480\" width=\"480\" height=\"649\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-011-480.jpg 480w, https:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/07\/allens-pond-011-480-221x300.jpg 221w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 480px) 100vw, 480px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p style=\"TEXT-ALIGN: center\"><strong><em>Blue Crab Gives Rise to Thoughts of Seafood Dinner<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<p style=\"TEXT-ALIGN: justify\">I guess it must have been the flashback to the Crab Claw, because after quick good-byes to the sanctuary director, we sped away from Allens Pond to the nearby Back Eddy Restaurant in Westport for an outdoor seafood feast.\u00c2\u00a0 Now, that&#8217;s a perfect close to a perfect day!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Common Tern Foraging in Allens Pond Turtle Journal explored Mass Audubon&#8217;s Allens Pond Wildlife Sanctuary\u00c2\u00a0in Westport this week.\u00c2\u00a0 We hadn&#8217;t visited the sanctuary since March 21st when we discovered piping plovers who had just returned to Buzzards Bay for spring nesting.\u00c2\u00a0 See \u00e2\u20ac\u0153They\u00e2\u20ac\u2122re Back!!\u00e2\u20ac\u009d \u00e2\u20ac\u201d Piping Plover Pair Sighted on Buzzards Bay Shore.\u00c2\u00a0 Our aim [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[654,824],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6972"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=6972"}],"version-history":[{"count":33,"href":"https:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6972\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":7029,"href":"https:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/6972\/revisions\/7029"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=6972"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=6972"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.turtlejournal.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=6972"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}