It has been a year of continued high precipitation, higher average temperatures, and intermittent severe weather events in central Massachusetts. Looking back on 2023, the state experienced its seventh-wettest year on record, with more than 57 inches of precipitation dropping on the region, which is nearly 9 inches above average.
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Michael Rawlins, associate director of the Climate System Research Center at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, noted that the precipitation data was influenced by extreme weather events, where storms would dump inches of rain at a time on the region. In general, wet climates, such as the Northeast, are expected to get wetter, while dry climates are projected to get drier.
“A warmer atmosphere is producing more frequent extreme precipitation events,” Rawlins says, with some data providing possible “evidence that the water cycle is intensifying as a result of warming.” Late winter and early spring 2024 brought plenty of precipitation, too. As early as April a long-range forecast by the National Weather Service predicted a hot and rainy summer, and this prediction came true. Gardeners rarely have had to do any supplemental watering. Plant life has burgeoned. Wildlife species have benefited from ample food supplies. Insect life has flourished. |
2023 marked the warmest year on average in Massachusetts, according to new data from the University of Massachusetts Amherst’s Climate System Research Center. CONTRIBUTED GRAPHIC/UNIVERSITY OF MASSACHUSETTS AMHERST
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WATER AND WILDLIFE
These Spotted Sandpiper chicks photographed on 3 July 2023 were found on the rocky shore of Quabbin Reservoir. From August to December 2023, Reservoir water levels ranged from 96 - 93% of capacity. Wachusett Reservoir during the same period ranged from 94 -91% capacity. In 2024, Quabbin levels rose to slightly over 100% capacity in April and May and remained high thereafter.
Water levels remained high in ponds and streams even in late summer 2023. This spotted Sandpiper in Barre on 19 August is sporting its basic/winter plumage. Photo by Alan Rawle
Yet another rain event left a puddle suitable for bathing by birds like this Chipping Sparrow, observed on 30 September 2023.
Even though their lives are spent on land, terrestrial snails need moisture. This unidentified snail found in Hardwick on 1 July 2023 is one of about 725 species of land snails that inhabit North America.
On 6 January 2024, it was wet and warm enough that there was still soft mud to be found in spots exposed to the sun. These raccoon tracks confirm that they remain active in winter if temperatures remain above freezing. If temperatures drop, they enter a prolonged period of torpor, sleeping in dens with their tails wrapped around their body for warmth.
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Hardwick's Sandhill Crane family found enough water for cooling off in a small farm pond.
The two colts were well-grown by the time this August 2023 photo was taken by Alan Rawle.
Bill Platenik's backyard trailcam in Brimfield caught these two raccoons visiting and wading in the birdbath one summer night.
Beavers were still active in an unfrozen pond near Quabbin Reservoir in Hardwick on 9 December 2023. Photo by Alan Rawle.
Dragonfly species such as this female Slaty Skimmer (Libellula incesta) depend on plentiful freshwater for reproduction. July 30, 2023 photo by Alan Rawle.
This White River Crayfish (Procambarus acutus) was found close to Muddy Brook in Hardwick on 18 July 2023. Typically found in open waters of sloughs, swampy areas, sluggish, lowland streams and ditches, this individual was on dry land in the floodplain. These crayfish will frequently burrow into sediments to escape drying or freezing. These burrows also provide protection to females with eggs.
On a rainy December day a Tufted Titmouse took a bath in Bill Platenik's yard in Brimfield.
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There was plenty of water for cooling off available for these Cedar Waxwings on 19 August 2023. Photo by Alan Rawle.
Precipitation in the form of wet snow coated trees in Brimfield on 14 February 2024. Large numbers of Common Grackles (pictured here) and other blackbirds overwintered in parts of central Massachusetts and flocked to birdfeeders as one food source. Photo by Bill Platenik.
River otters (Lontra canadensis) near Quabbin Reservoir. The main requirements for these mammals are a steady food supply and easy access to a body of water. Otters are adapted to hunting in water, feeding on aquatic and semi-aquatic animals. Photo taken 23 October 2023 by Alan Rawle.
Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) pair in breeding plumage 2 April 2024.
Visitors to ponds or lakes in spring or summer will invariably encounter Eastern Kingbird (Tyrannus tyrannus), a species drawn to water. On their breeding grounds, kingbirds can often be seen attacking and chasing much larger birds that make the mistake of flying through their territories. Interestingly, the Eastern Kingbird becomes downright gregarious during migration and winter. Photo by Doug Wipf, 4 June 2024.
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Alternating freezing and thawing periods throughout winter gave Muskrats (Ondatra zibethicus) a chance to forage in the open instead of under the ice. In harsher winters, muskrats spend lots of time in their winter homes and their shacks — eating food from their autumn caches plus other marsh plants foraged under the ice. They can dive for up to 15 minutes to gather plants because their heart rate decreases under water, and oxygen is drawn from stores in muscle tissue. Thick, waterproof fur keeps them dry and warm. This muskrat was observed on 18 February 2024 in Hardwick.
Found in a variety of wet habitats, Northern water snakes (Nerodia sipedon sipedon) can often be found basking on beaver dams and lodges or other locations exposed to sunlight. Usually solitary animals, these snakes are only social during the fall and spring after overwintering. They can be found in groups at basking sites coiled together. A close look at this photo taken in Hardwick on 17 May 2024 revealed at least three snakes. Photo by Alan Rawle
This Great Blue Heron in high water appears to be swimming, but instead it's using its specially-adapted feet to maintain grip and balance. Its toes are long and slender, with sharp, curved claws that provide traction on slippery surfaces. There is partial webbing between the toes, allowing the heron to move easily through shallow water. The heron’s large, flat feet distribute its weight, enabling it to stand in deep water without sinking. Bill Platenik photographed this individual in early spring, 2024.
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HEAT + HIGH PRECIPITATION = > SEED + FRUIT
Eastern White Pines (Pinus strobus) produced a massive cone crop, which in turn provided abundant seeds sought by a wide variety of birds including Common Grackle ( (Quiscalus quiscula). Photo October, 2023.
Fox grape (Vitis labrusca), the precursor to the cultivated Concord grape, is a powerhouse plant supporting a wide range of wildlife. Unlike some plants, it can thrive in moist soils. Photo 27 August 2023.
A Dark-eyed Junco (Junco hyemalis) in Brimfield found plenty of late-fall aster seeds to add to its diet. Juncos are primarily seed eaters, with seeds making up about 75% of their year-round diet. Photo by Bill Platenik
Pine Siskin (Spinus pinus) is one of a few species that are considered "irruptive winter finches" because of the high variability of their movements based on the success of crops from year to year. Large numbers of siskins, attracted to the abundant white pine cone crop invaded the region from late summer 2023 through the spring 2024 breeding season. Photo 24 November 2023 by Alan Rawle.
An American Robin feasts on ripe berries on 19 November 2023.
The invasive Multiflora Rose (Rosa multiflora) produces hips that many bird species eat. This White-throated Sparrow found plenty of hips in early December. Rose hips (and leaves) are very rich in vitamin C, and the hips are also rich in carotene and a good source of essential fatty acids.
American Robin is one of numerous bird species--many of them thrushes--that flock to staghorn sumac fruit. Although this sumac species doesn't tolerate wet soils, it will grow fast if soil is dry or well-drained. It can be managed for beauty and as a wildlife food source by removal of suckers and shoots as well as hard pruning. This sumac species is fast-growing, so it will fill in an empty space in your landscape very quickly.
The cone crop lasted through most of the winter and many wintering bird species like Red-breasted Nuthatch (Sitta canadensis) took advantage of it. Photo 18 February 2024.
A native plant that grows to a very large size when mature, pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) produces berries that are poisonous to humans but enjoyed by many bird species. Birds are unaffected by the poisons in the berries, and eat them, dispersing the seeds. At least 30 different species feed on the berries, including thrushes, catbirds, and woodpeckers.
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Northern Mockingbirds (Mimus polyglottos) eat mainly insects in summer but switch to eating mostly fruit in fall and winter. They eat a wide variety of berries, including from ornamental bushes, as well as fruits from multiflora rose. This individual was in Hardwick 1 October 2023.
Can you find the Pine Siskins foraging among the pine cones? There are at least 16 birds in this photo taken 17 November 2023.
Another irruptive species that descended upon a large portion of the state beginning in late summer 2023, and staying to nest here, was Red Crossbill (Loxia curvirostra). The movements and occurrence of this species are linked very closely to the availability of conifer seeds, its primary food source. They typically nest in late summer (June–September) when the seeds of most conifer species mature, but may nest at any time of year if they locate an area with a suitable cone crop. Photo 6 January 2024
Some years abundant crabapples are produced, but high volume of flowers/fruits doesn't necessarily mean the fruit will be eaten by birds. To be useful as a winter food source for birds such as Cedar Waxwings, crabapples must be susceptible to softening by fluctuating freezing and thawing temperatures. Native American crabapple (Malus coronaria) is attractive to birds. Home gardeners choosing a crabapple also might consider a cultivated variety known to soften in winter rather than hold onto hard fruit. Photo by Bill Platenik 7 January 2024.
Poison ivy berries are a significant source of sustenance for numerous bird species. As birds consume the fruits, they inadvertently aid in the dispersion of poison ivy seeds by depositing them in different locations through their droppings. More than 60 species of birds eat the fruits from poison ivy, contributing to the survival and distribution of the plant. Just like its leaves, poison ivy berries are rich in an oil called urushiol that can cause a serious allergic reaction in humans. But bird aren’t sensitive to urushiol.
More than 60 species of birds, including Yellow-rumped "Myrtle" Warbler (Setophaga coronata) eat the fruits from poison ivy, contributing to the survival and distribution of the plant. One of the most versatile foragers of all the warblers, Myrtle Warblers eat insects in season, using a variety of hunting techniques, and eat many kinds of berries and seeds, and will sometimes visit birdfeeding stations. Photo 18 October 2023 by Alan Rawle.
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GALLERY
Bumblebee on bottle gentian (Gentiana clausa) 1 September 2023. Photo by Doug Wipf
Ruby-throated Hummingbird with Red-spotted Purple butterfly Hardwick, 5 September 2023, Photo by Alan Rawle
Gray Fox (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) kits, Brimfield, summer 2023. Photo by Bill Platenik
A species of leaf-footed bug. October 2023. Photo by Alan Rawle.
Turtlehead (Chelone obliqua) New Braintree. 6 September 2023
Bobcat on 13 April 2024, captured on one of Jim Morelly's Quabbin trailcams.
Groundhog (Marmota monax) in Hardwick, early spring, 2024. Photo by Alan Rawle.
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Eastern Cottontail (Sylvilagus floridanus) Muddy Brook WMA, Hardwick, 30 August 2023 Photo by Alan Rawle
Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon), summer 2023.
Photo by Bill Platenik
Porcupine in Hardwick. 24 October 2023
Brown Thrasher ((Toxostoma rufum) with Red-winged Blackbird. Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary, Princeton, 23 April 2024. Photo by Doug Wipf.
Arctic Skipper (Carterocephalus palaemon) on bluet (Houstonia caerulea) in Barre, 24 may 2024. Photo by Alan Rawle.
Trout lily (Erythronium americanum) photographed in early spring, 2024 by Doug Wipf.
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Northern Parula ((Setophaga americana) in Rutland, 28 April 2024. Photo by Anne Greene
FINE WEATHER FOR FUNGI
The fungal genus Strobilurus belongs to Physalacriaceae and contains approximately eleven species worldwide. Species of this genus grow and reproduce on cones of various conifers, seed pods or fruits of Magnolia and Liquidambar, and branches and wood of conifers.
Waxy caps (Hygrocybe flavescens) in Barre, 12 August 2023
The slime mold Fuligo septica shows up in warm, humid conditions and spreads across the top of decaying, often woody, material. It starts out with bright colors and a feathery appearance, but in a few days it deteriorates. Found at Prince River Preserve, Barre, 12 August 2023.
Bearded hedgehog mushroom (Hericium erinaceus), also known as lion's mane, is an edible mushroom belonging to the tooth fungus group. Instead of gills, these fungi have spore-producing tooth-like structures . Petersham, 4 November 2023
Underside of hedgehog mushroom showing pendant, tooth-like or spine-like projections.
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White coral fungi (Ramariopsis kunzei) is an edible species of coral fungi in the family Clavariaceae. It is so-named because of the branched structure of the fruit bodies that resemble marine coral. Prince River Preserve, Barre, 12 August 2023.
Also found at Prince River Preserve in Barre on 12 August 2023 was golden spindle (Clavulinopsis fusiformis). The species is common in North America and in Europe and can be found in many locations worldwide.
Polypore species, Petersham. 20 August 2023
Fly agaric (Amanita muscaria), a colorful poisonous mushroom, is one of the most recognizable and widely encountered in popular culture. Hardwick, 1 September 2023
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