Salt Pond

The other night when I got home from work, I decided to give something new a try. I thought it might be good for me to try to spend time in a different conservation area in Falmouth each week for as long as I could keep it up. Further, I thought it would be a good idea to take some pictures and share the area on the blog. After work last night I took a look at The 300 Committee Land Trust's website list of town lands and decided to start simple with Salt Pond. This 35 acre parcel is tucked between the Shining Sea Bikeway, Salt Pond and Elm Road. I park (usually) at a tiny parking area on Elm Road near the bike path. Parking is available at other locations which can be found on the map via the above link.

The entrance to Salt Pond's trails at Elm Road. I started at noon in a bit of a fine mist/drizzle, 50°F and barely a breeze. After a night of moderate to heavy rain the trails were saturated and some puddles were present. Not too bad though.

The trails are wonderfully well maintained and are flat. This area is popular with birders and is one of my favorite places in the spring. Today I counted 23 species in my 47 minute walk.

Kiosk along the main trail. The side trail I am on leads directly to the bike path.

 Salt Pond looking towards Mill Road and Surf Drive.

 Cedar trees heavy with berries.

 Floating osprey nest platform on shore for the winter.

Male hooded mergansers in the pond. Salt Pond is one of many coastal ponds in town known to be a good for wintering ducks. Sometimes there are large 'rafts' of lesser and greater scaup that often contain the odd, er, duck. It's always smart to look carefully through the masses for other birds.

Bird list for Salt Pond:

Black-capped chickadee

House finch

White-throated sparrow

Northern cardinal

Yellow-rumped warbler

Cedar waxwing

American robin

Song sparrow

Mallard

Hooded merganser

Bufflehead

Carolina wren

Mute swan

Black duck

Greater black-backed gull

Common goldeneye

Herring gull

Ring-billed gull

Lesser scaup

Blue jay

European starling

Gray catbird

American crow

Even though this was a short walk, I certainly enjoyed being out. I also stopped along Surf Drive to play with the camera a bit.

There were a lot of shells washed up including many scallops. These two came home with me.

Jetty and Nobska Point in the far off from Surf Drive.