Here is what the entry looked like before:
I have opened up a second entry trail, to provide a slightly more direct route from the Dothan Brook School parking lot into the woods. The new trail follows the line of pine trees. Both entry trails will remain open for the foreseeable future. Here is what the entry looked like before: ... and here are two views of the new entryway:
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On May 30, we had the privilege of hosting a community bird walk, led by distinguished ornithologist George Clark. George helped us to hear and/or see over 30 species of birds on the Dothan Brook Trails property:
A new alien invasive plant, Narrowleaf Bittercress, has appeared in some areas that were washed out in Hurricane Irene and subsequently repaired with the addition of dirt fill brought in from elsewhere. If you see this plant anywhere, pull it out before it goes to seed. It has spread rapidly through woodlands in other parts of the country, and is thought to be even worse than Garlic Mustard in that regard. As its Latin name (Cardamine impatiens) suggests, it uses exploding seed pods to throw its seeds some distance from the plant.
All the trails are still covered in snow and ice, but mud will be here soon. In the woods, the top of the snow pack looks green, because is covered with tiny hemlock fragments, which blew down in the strong wind storms that we had back in mid-February. Tracks like these in the snow indicate that a porcupine lives nearby, most likely in the hollow base of this tree. If you are walking your dog, it would be wise to keep moving.
Don't miss the excellent "Outside Story" article on the winter habits of porcupines in today's Valley News: "Porcupines Waddle Through Winter" The main road is blocked by a mudslide. The slide must have occurred sometime in the past few days, as rain and snow-melt have saturated the soils, and a steep slope gave way just South of the brook crossing. We will clear some of this away eventually, at least enough to allow foot traffic, but probably not until the ground dries out a bit. For now, while the ground is so soft and muddy, it is best for all the trails not to have any motorized vehicle traffic on them.
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November 2023
AuthorsTom and Patricia Norton have owned this land since June 2013. We love coming to Dothan Brook frequently to explore the trails, to watch the Brook, and to see how many different species of plants and animals we can find. We are pleased to welcome you to this beautiful land. Categories |