I've written several times about visits to the Ipswich River Audubon Sanctuary. It has become one of our very favorite places and we keep going back. I have been wanting to make a winter visit to see it in the snow. When I learned they were having a Groundhog Day celebration for kids yesterday, I signed up immediately.
The program was really good. There was a short presentation indoors at the start where the kids learned lots of cool facts (there are only three true hibernators in Massachusetts: groundhogs, jumping mice and little brown bats; hibernating groundhogs lower their heart rate to 6 beats per minute and their body temperature to 37F and cannot be woken up; bears are torpid in the winter but are not true hibernators). Then we went out in the snow in search of Topsfield Tim (the local version of Punxsutawney Phil). We found him in a snow burrow and he told us even more about groundhogs. When we were done talking to Tim we went to some other snowbanks and the kids took a stab at building their own burrows. We ended by visiting the bird garden and learned about small animal tracks in the snow, and we were joined by a gorgeous red-bellied woodpecker.
Of course after the program we knew we were going to try to hike to The Rockery. The snow is pretty deep so we weren't sure we could get there in just boots. We fueled up with lunch in the car and then headed out. Fortunately the many snowshoers had packed the trail enough that we could walk without sinking.
The Rockery was pretty cool in the snow. Audrey made snow slides between the boulders and did some trail-breaking through deep snow. Charlotte was quite a trooper and enjoyed the snow that was half as deep as she is tall.
After the Rockery we made our usual loop around Rockery Pond. We came across a deer that had been recently devoured. It was just a rib cage and spine plus two complete front legs and two stripped to the bone rear legs in a tramped down area of blood-stained snow. The stomach had been left nearby, along with segments of the tail. It was sort of gruesome but also fascinating. Charlotte has no qualms about such things (she closely examined the chipmunk Tessa killed last summer) and wanted to look for a long time. Audrey, on the other hand, was pretty traumatized by the scene. I think she was partially fearful that the coyotes (the presumed predators) would do the same thing to her. Understandable.
Not too long after that we encountered two women who were feeding birds from their hands and they kindly gave Audrey some seed. They saved our day. The joy of having chickadees and nuthatches land on her hand diminished the trauma of the deer carcass.
As we hiked back toward the car I picked Audrey up to hug her like I often do. All that pillowy snow beside the trail gave me an idea and I threw Audrey into it. She loved that, so it became a game and I tossed both girls into the snow many times each (see the video).
The girls also decided they would like to try snowshoeing. Carol and I have snowshoes. Now we'll have to get some kids' models. It's great that they are getting old enough to try things like snowshoeing!
Ipswich River is really a magical place for me personally. Every time I go there I feel calm and joyful and wonderful. It's a combination of the natural beauty and feeling good about getting the girls out in nature. I always come away from our visit with a glow. Yesterday that effect was even stronger than usual.
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