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They were spotted over behind Taskers Chance a week ago, yesterday near Rt. 15 in Waterford where the photo below was taken. Hope they settle for the winter in a safe spot.

I watched the largest fox grab a squirrel behind my fence a couple of days ago. Wow. How quick is was!! 

We have also been seeing hawks so hopefully the vole population will continue to be under control.  Our wonderful mower Dwight mowed under the trees near Carroll Creek one more time. We really appreciate that. A lot of work for not a lot of money. We are lucky.

Detention center crew Thursday cleared invasives from about 300 feet along Carroll Creek, going south from the new bridge. Great work. We will pick up the piles later. Hope they can come back soon.

Ginny

Saturday was a fantastic day. The crew from Bartlett Tree Experts donated a volunteer day. They pruned back branches overhanging the paved path – most importantly the walnut branches that were pelting us with nuts this fall. They also cleaned out the leaning cherries at the Meadowdale entrance among other chores. We owe this amazing donation of skill and time to Dan Yates of Bartlett, an FWP board member. Dan spent the day with saws structurally pruning trees. Seven FWP volunteers pitched in as needed at various times of the day.  A couple of photos below.

We also found the most wonderful design in a box elder log. This tree often has red veins or markings, but see if you agree this pattern is gorgeous. Dan cut the log into 16 slices that I hope to have sealed after they dry so the worker bees can have a gift from the forest.

Sunday when folks walked to the shed for our worker bee session, they were greeted by spray paint on the path, electrical boxes, a birdhouse, the downstream bridge, etc. It appears that the vandal (s) came from Waterford, went a little way east on the path and stopped. Or they started around the electric boxes and then went into Waterford. Either way, we are so glad they did not paint any of the turtle area. 

Let’s hope when this cold snap comes soon, the people looking for mischief will not venture out in the park at night.

Happy December.  If you are a member but have not gotten your holiday card and newsletter, let me know.

Ginny

Click here for the Winter 2017/2018 edition of “The Parks Reporter” newsletter.

First, I hope your holiday is filled with good times and food.

Our turkeys were on the ramp going toward Rt. 15 yesterday morning, but I traveled there twice after getting the report and saw no evidence of harm.

A team from Astrazeneca worked in the park Monday, planting young trees, including several hollies. I hope to get more evergreens in the park. We had a great session. This is the 3rd or 4th time they have come to help us out.

Worker bees have begun our winter task of pulling as much honeysuckle as we can while the ground is soft. All the little green plants in the woods now are honeysuckle, viney or bush. A few larger native shrubs are still green – cranberry and blackhaw viburnum, oakleaf hydrangea for example.

Turkey is from Nov. 20. Might be Dad, looks pretty big. (I did see mom with the three kids a couple of days ago in the old sewer line.)

Deer is from a backyard in Taskers Chance this morning. Think he’s looking for our females? Hope no harm comes to him.  All our urban park dwellers are in at risk of course. We hope for the best.

Ginny

First, wildlife: Three foxes have been spotted together. Did our pair have a youngster?  One fox likes to roam in the afternoons east end of Waterford. Also, the three turkey kids are roosting away from the lighted part of the park. All is well. Moma or papa turkey has been at the west end of Baker Park. Turkey flew into a tree near a great blue heron, and the turkey won out. Heron flew off. Also west end of Baker Park, a fox has been there several times. Was seen catching a squirrel. Wow, wish the fox would come to my yard and get some. Also hope the foxes get groundhogs.

We just have to hope these critters crossing over to Baker Park do not go up to Rt. 15. The culverts  under the road at the south end of the park do provide passageways. One is normally dry, just has water when there is a storm. Thanks to the folks who send me these updates.

News-Post article on best fall color trees. We have all of the native ones (save one that won’t grow here) in the park including black gum, bald cypress, red maple, no scarlet oak (needs acidic soil) but the red oak/pin oak hybrid on the hill looks pretty good.

Listed as shrubs, these are native: dogwood, sassafras, fothergilla (now at the Key bench area), smooth witherod (park ones have not flourished, but the three in front of my house are wonderful), oakleaf hydrangea (new bench coming in 2018 will have 4 more surrounding it).

GInny

Finally, a freeze. Now the worker bees get to work on the tasks we do not do in the summer. The native plants have died back while invasive honeysuckle is still green, easy to see.

Hood environmental club was here Nov 4 and Astrazeneca green team comes Nov. 20 to help. Bartlett Tree Experts will be pruning Dec. 2.

Newsletter is ready for the printer. Members, City officials will get it and the holiday card early December.

I took a few pictures of beautiful fall colors last week, also rejoiced because the buck’s antlers are now white – no more tree rubbing! Our fencing efforts were pretty successful this year but he got rid of his velvet somewhere!

-Ginny

persimmon tree loaded with fruit:

sassafras on the hill has great color:

bald cypress was beautiful this year:

the buck has been in camera view many nights lately:

The Hood Environmental Action Team (HEAT) put in a great morning’s work Nov. 4. From left to right: Liana Sales, Thomas Nieto, Camila Alvarez (President), Jordan Reed-Estes (Secretary), Jenna Hilton. Thanks!

Astrazeneca employees recently joined Friends of Waterford Park members in donating volunteer hours mulching trees in Waterford Park.  Astrazeneca volunteers are pictured below. (L to R) Paul Ogola, David Boswell, Mike Shaw and Stacey Smith.  

The first 9.5 minutes of this video are interviews with Tim Davis (shared use path project manager, below right)) and Kelly Russell (City alderman).  Tim is being interviewed at the tunnel entrance. Kelly is being interviewed while sitting on the bench at the turtle area.The person who made the video, as I understand it, goes around the country making videos related to pedestrian safety. FWP, FOBP and the parks get very positive comments. Thanks to Tim and Kelly for those. Long live the turtle!! – Ginny