Birds of Allens Pond

 Welcome to Allens Pond!

These 8 letterboxes are planted on MassAudubon land. While I tried with no response to get specific permission to plant boxes on this property, the land management of this particular Audubon property does not specifically prohibit letterboxing according to their website. Regardless, please take special care while enjoying this bird sanctuary, and re-hide all letterboxes to appear as camouflaged and natural as possible.

Here is a link to both the interactive digital and regular trail maps: https://www.massaudubon.org/places-to-explore/wildlife-sanctuaries/allens-pond/trails

If you are interested in seeing a variety of birds, plan to visit from May-October. While I planted these boxes in November, probably one of the least picturesque months, it is also one of the driest, and the details of the photo clues I have included are easy visible this time of year.

I have organized this series so that you can choose the kind of hike that works best for you. From the Stone Barn parking area to the lot across from 2nd St near the Bayside restaurant, the walk is 2+ miles. If you don't want to retrace your steps, and if you don't have two cars to leave one at each parking area, then I suggest breaking the series into two loops: boxes A-D from the Stone Barn lot & boxes E-H from the southern lot. There is a tiny logbook in box C. The main logbook is in box E.

Stone Barn entrance: 786 Horseneck Rd, Dartmouth, MA

Wildlife Sanctuary entrance: 1280 Horseneck Rd, Westport, MA

Thank you to all of the carvers who helped make this series possible!

----

I have labeled a section of the trail map with pink circled letters to indicate the approximate locations of each box. Once you are near that area on the trail, look below for the corresponding photos showing the specific locations of each box.

Box A: Birds of Allens Pond

Box B: Canada Goose - (there's a bench just ahead)

Box C: Blue Heron + small logbook - (I suggest sitting down on the rock and leaning forward to avoid branches)

Box D: Least Tern

Box E: Crow + large logbook

Box F: Common Goldeneye Duck

Box G: Snowy Egret

Box H: Osprey - (Slide out the small mossy rock I added. Box is behind a piece of bark.)

Picturesque Puzzle

Happy St. Patrick's Day 2020... Zombie Apocalypse Panic Month... Covid-19 Hide Under A Rock Day... or whatever you want to call it. Here's a little something to entertain while we all remain socially distanced.

Word List:

PICTURESQUE

SPRING

SUMMER

AUTUMN

WINTER

JANUARY

FEBRUARY

MARCH

APRIL

MAY

JUNE

JULY

AUGUST

SEPTEMBER

OCTOBER

NOVEMBER

DECEMBER

SATURDAY

SUNDAY

RAIN

SNOW

WIND

SUN

ICE

After you find all of the words in the list, look for the words that intersect. Each shared letter is part of the clue to figure out the location of the letterbox. Unscramble these letters to form the location in Newton, MA where the box resides.

Once you've solved the location, you'll need to follow these instructions to find the box:

Explore the area (it's not big, maybe 5 minutes walk from end to end).

Find the boardwalk. At the 3-way intersection on the boardwalk, head East.

When you get to the banana, continue 15 steps farther East. Stop and look to the right.

See a multi-trunked tree (I counted 8 trunks) behind some cut logs? 

Walk to the tree, then look West towards some water.

Do you see a rough-barked old V tree?

Make your way behind the V tree, careful to avoid the wild rosebush thorns. 

Tucked in behind the tree, under bark, leaves, sticks, & a rock, you will find a small letterbox.

Please please please cover it carefully when you are finished so that wandering dogs, bored teenagers, and wild animals are less likely to discover it!

While you are here, explore! There are a few families of ducks who live on the premises. I also spied an old rubber duck in a marshy spot... let me know if you spot it as well. 

In with the new...

My old Dolphins' Clues is attached to an old account... Here's the link to get you there: http://dolphinsclues.blogspot.com/

- veganf and the dolphins