Diario del proyecto NRT of Easton's Sheep Pasture

Happy New Year to all! As we welcome in 2023, it's a great time to get outside and recharge in nature. Even though we have a long, cold winter ahead of us here in Massachusetts, there's still so much to see if you know where to look!

January is a great time to keep an eye out for our winter birds, who generously choose to stick out the season with us - black-capped chickadees, tufted titmice, and white-breasted nuthatches are common sights in the trees around Sheep Pasture. Cardinals and blue jays add a splash of color against the white backdrop of ice and snow, and you might still hear the scream of a hawk or the gobble of turkeys around the Crafter Field.

Snow and bare ground also mean it's the perfect season for finding animal tracks! Keep your eyes to the ground and see who's visiting our trails - I've been seeing signs of white-tailed deer and coyotes, and I'm looking forward to finding more once the snow really starts coming down.

I also find that winter is a great time to focus in on the little things that can often go unnoticed - lichens, fungi, and mosses seem to pop a little bit more, without all the bright-green leaves of big trees taking up the spotlight!

Wherever this year takes you, I hope you can take some time to appreciate the wonders of nature that surround us all!

Tristan Hayes (he/him)
Environmental Educator
Natural Resources Trust of Easton

As we close out the first month of 2023, we here at Sheep Pasture are looking forward to our upcoming February vacation camp! This year, our camp's theme is all about Animal Tracking - a perfect hobby for the winter months! Even though it's felt a bit more like spring than winter lately - we even have snowbells blooming outside our Carriage House offices!

With February on our doorstep, expect to see more of our wintering songbirds flying from feeder to feeder, storing up their energy reserves to brave the cold with us. We'll also be putting our animal track and sign identification skills to the test this month - we'll have to see who's visiting us here at Sheep Pasture!

Tristan Hayes (he/him)
Environmental Educator
Natural Resources Trust of Easton