Author: Kimsmithdesigns

Documentary filmmaker, photographer, landscape designer, author, and illustrator. "Beauty on the Wing: Life Story of the Monarch Butterfly" currently airing on PBS. Current film projects include Piping Plovers, Gloucester's Feast of St. Joseph, and Saint Peter's Fiesta. Visit my websites for more information about film and design projects at kimsmithdesigns.com, monarchbutterflyfilm.com, and pipingploverproject.org. Author/illustrator "Oh Garden of Fresh Possibilities! Notes from a Gloucester Garden."

COYOTE ATTACKS DOGS

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

Note to Readers: Coyotes are guarding their dens at this time of year. Please keep dogs on leash at all times.

Photo credit: Sherman “Pat” Morss, Jr.

 

From the Concord Patch

By Lisa Redmond

CONCORD, MA – Chief Joseph O’Connor and the Concord Police Department would like to advise residents to be vigilant while at the Estabrook Road trail after several dogs were attacked by coyotes this week.

From April 18-20, Concord Police received multiple reports of coyote attacks on dogs in the area of Estabrook Woods.

Three separate incidents occurred where people, who had their dogs off-leash, encountered a coyote near the beginning of the trail on Estabrook Road.

Approximately 600 yards in and on the left hand side, reporting parties noted that their dogs approached what is believed to be a coyote den containing pups.

The dogs flushed the adult coyote, which then bit each of the dogs in their behinds and tracked the canines until they left the area.

The coyote is described as medium to large in size, approximately 60 to 80 pounds.

Concord’s Animal Control Officer has consulted with the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, which stated the coyote is in its own habitat and people should stay away from the area.

The Concord Police Department advises that dog walkers avoid that section of Eastbrook Woods.

Late April through May is weaning season for coyote pups, which means protective adults will be on the alert.

To prevent coyote attacks in areas like Estabrook Road and at home, Concord Police recommend that residents follow safety tips from the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife:

  • Leash pets at all times if outdoors. Small cats and dogs are seen as prey and larger dogs, competition.
  • Do not approach, feed, pet, or try to interact with coyotes.
  • Don’t hesitate to scare or threaten coyotes with loud noises or bright lights.

At home:

  • Cut back brushy edges, as these areas provide cover for coyotes and their prey.
  • Secure your garbage. Coyotes raid open trash materials and compost piles. Secure your garbage in tough plastic containers with tight-fitting lids and keep them in secure buildings when possible. Take out trash when the morning pick up is scheduled, not the previous night. Keep compost in secure, vented containers, and keep barbecue grills clean to reduce attractive odors.
  • Keep bird feeder areas clean. Use feeders designed to keep seed off the ground, as the seed attracts many small mammals coyotes prey upon. Remove feeders if coyotes are regularly seen around your yard.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BRvaELNlQCw/

PEARLY PINK MOURNING DOVE EGG

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

Working today from my home office and I was so delighted to hear the Mourning Doves cooing. There has been a great deal of dove activity on our porch lately, and a bunch of half-built nests. One sat on our mail table for the longest time this morning. Look what she left behind! I hope the pair of Mourning Doves returns to incubate the egg. Time to make a temporary mail bin 🙂

https://www.instagram.com/p/BTKRO85FP7T/

STILL TIME TO VOTE FOR BACKYARD GROWERS BECAUSE–MONEY DOESN’T GROW ON TREES!

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

Love this funny video from Backyard Growers, featuring Willa Brosnihan ~

IF you haven’t already, please vote for Backyard Growers to receive a $35,00.00 grant from the b.goodfamilyfoundation.

Vote here: http://www.bgoodfamilyfoundation.com/35k-grant-vote/

Voting ends at 11:59 tonight, so please don’t procrastinate. It takes all of ten seconds to place your vote.

BACKYARD GROWERS THANKS YOU FOR YOUR SUPPORT!

TWO SCREENINGS! SACRED COD: The Fight for a New England Tradition AT THE CAPE ANN MUSEUM IN MAY

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

SACRED COD Documentary Screening

The Fight for a New England Tradition

GLOUCESTER, Mass. (April 18, 2017) – The Cape Ann Museum is pleased to host two screenings of  the recently released documentary, SACRED COD , created by filmmakers, Steve Liss, Andy Laub and David Abel on Saturday, May 6 at 10:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.

Premiered on the Discovery Channel on April 13, 2017, SACRED COD is a feature-length documentary that captures the collapse of the historic cod population in New England, delving into the role of overfishing, the impact of climate change, the effect of government policies on fishermen and the fish, and the prospect of a region built on cod having no cod left to fish.

A $10 donation is suggested (includes Museum admission). Space is limited; reservations required. For more information email info@capeannmuseum.org. Tickets can be purchased online at Eventbrite or by calling (978) 283-0455 x10.

Steve Liss spent 25 years as an award-winning staff photographer for Time magazine and is an associate professor of media at Endicott College. He is the film’s director of photography and producer.

Andy Laub, founder of As It Happens Creative, has walked more than 5,000 miles to capture stories about man, nature and the complex space in which they meet. Laub is the film’s editor, writer, soundtrack artist, and producer.

David Abel is a Pulitzer Prize-winning reporter at the Boston Globe who has covered war, terrorism, and the environment. Abel is the film’s story director, writer, reporter, and producer.

Visit www.sacredcodfilm.com to read more about the documentary or to view the trailer.

CAPE ANN VERNAL POND TEAM NEEDS VOLUNTEERS FOR, TOMORROW, EARTH DAY

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

Greetings from the Pond Team,

We’ve been some busy buckaroos…

Last Sunday Keith Bertone and I went to Lynn, MA to look at some wetlands with a group who is trying to save as much of those woods as possible. We did the field work for one pool.

On Tuesday Victoria Rolf and I did Snakes of New England and the World for a full house (80) at the Seekonk Public Library. Charlie and Theresa from Seekonk helped out with the show. It was really fun for everyone.

On Wednesday, Keith and I checked out some more pools. We did certification field work for two more.

Today we did a Snakes of New England and the World show for about 70 kids at Glen Urquhart School in Beverly Farms. Thanks to Wilhelmina, Victoria, Verdun, Christine and Mark. It was an excellent show in the greenhouse.

We still need help for Saturday April 22, somewhere around noonish or oneish after they come back from the woods cleanup, get fed, and hear a few tunes.

  • Earth Fest at Lynn Woods, Pennybrook Lane Entrance
  • Snakes of New England and the World – one hour live animal presentation

On Sunday, Keith, Nick Taomina, and I will do some vernal pond surveys in Essex.

And… Saturday April 29, 2017 from 9am – 3pm we will need help all day.

  • Green Energy and Sustainability Fair. O’Maley Middle School, Gloucester
  • We’ll be there with some sort of live animal display
  • We will likely be there by about 7:30 am for set up.
  • Breakdown when its over.

Also… Sunday April 30, 2017 come and walk for us in the Gloucester Pride Stride. Get your sign up sheets at gloucesterpridestride.com. We’ll be there with some sort of live animal display, weather permitting.

It’s a great way to have a fun day and support your favorite vernal pond team. We would love to see you out there. Email me at cavpt@yahoo.com if you can help out with any of these activities.

Hope to see you soon, Rick

we only have one earth, save it

We are adding more activity photographs as we get them so check them out…

 activityphotographs

Gloucester, Mass.: An Imperfect, Perfect New England Travel Destination

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

By Eric Hurwitz

Gloucester, on the North Shore of Massachusetts, is a worthwhile New England coastal travel destination, but not in the precious, slick and refined ways that have come into vogue lately by the sea.

Yes, you will find some great lodging, seafood dining, beaches, a classic harbor and so many earmarks familiar to a typical New England ocean vacation, but what’s overwhelmingly evident here is that it’s a working class community with a long fishing history. It is America’s oldest seaport, discovered in 1623 by an offshoot group of the Pilgrims three years after they landed at Plymouth, MA. You can see the history in the old buildings and homes, and the narrow crooked streets and sidewalks, Some of Gloucester represents the best of coastal New England, while other city elements show a need for revitalization. Gloucester certainly doesn’t share the gentle, gentrified look of neighboring Rockport and Manchester, but it’s just as much worth a visit for very different reasons. For example, Gloucester has done a great job moving the city in the right direction — especially the wonderful,classic seaport downtown with interesting little shops and restaurants, charmingly tucked away in the narrow streets around the corner from the sea. It’s full of character and doesn’t have a phony bone in its strong community foundation. This is the real New England, not some Hollywood set with all the latest retail bells and whistles full of elitism and attitude. There’s a humble, modest feeling here, quite understandable given the city’s working class roots.

– See more at: http://www.visitingnewengland.com/gloucester-ma.html#sthash.5tbNcbUj.dpuf

GREAT BIG PUSH TODAY TO HELP BACKYARD GROWERS WIN $$35K GRANT – PLEASE VOTE IF YOU HAVEN’T ALREADY, THANK YOU!!!

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

 

Lara Lepionka, Backyard Growers executive, director writes,

Thank you everyone for all your support this week! We’re doing a final push on this last day of voting for Backyard Growers to win $35K. Voting closes at 11:59 tonight! Please share this opportunity with your networks—so appreciated! Vote here: http://www.bgoodfamilyfoundation.com/35k-grant-vote/

Many thanks,

Lara

 

Photos courtesy Backyard Growers Facebook page

AN IMAGINATIVE CHILD LIVES HERE

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

Don’t you love a scene that tells a story? I imagine a whimsical spirit lives here, with rocks arranged in the tree’s craggy branches and the swing hung in such a creative fashion. 

Seaside Swing

THANK YOU PREFERRED AUTO BODY!

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

Wow and double wow!! So many thanks to Ralph Martin at Preferred Auto Body for making my old(ish) car look brand new!!

This past winter I pulled over to the side of the road on Harbor Heights and got caught in a huge pot hole next to a storm drain. It tore my bumper and ripped out the front undercarriage. Shortly after that, I was bumped from the rear at the traffic lights on the 128 extension (by a super nice guy). Thanks to Ralph at Preferred Auto, they fit me into their busy schedule to take care of both, the front and the rear messes. My Prius was back at home in less than a week and it looks fabulous! Preferred Auto did an amazing, amazing job matching the paint, and on top of that, touched up a few scratches that were on the side of the car.

While my car was in the shop, they lent me a cute loaner car–a Toyota Corolla–very easy to drive, and at zero cost! I can’t recommend Preferred Auto Body enough.

Preferred Auto Body is located at 7 Pond Road in Gloucester. Phone: 978-283-2008 and ask for Ralph.

PASSPORTS WINE DINNER TONIGHT!

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

PASSPORT’S APRIL WINE DINER MENU

Presented by Nick Defasio from MS Walker

1st Course – Butter poached halibut, marinated tomato, and fresh orange, paired with Freemark Abbey Chardonnay (2014).

2nd Course – Duck confit stuffed mushroom, paired with Landmark Overlook Pinot Noir (2014).

3rd Course – Lamb Porterhouse, grilled polenta, garlic portabellas, and Romesco sauce, paired with Obsidian Ridge Cabernet Sauvignon (2014).

4th Course – Strawberries and buttermilk biscuit shortcake, paired with Banshee Rose (2016).

$45.00 per person plus tax and gratuity.

CAPE ANN WINGED CREATURE UPDATE

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

Featured: Brant Geese, Black-capped Chickadees, Black-crowned Night Heron, Blue Jays, Cardinals, American Robins, Mockingbirds, Savannah Sparrows, House Finches, Red-breasted Mergansers, and Common Grackle.  

Beautiful iridescent feathers of the Common Grackle.

Spring is a fantastic time of year in Massachusetts to see wildlife, whether that be whale or winged creature. Marine species are migrating to the abundant feeding grounds of the North Atlantic as avian species are traveling along the Atlantic Flyway to summer breeding regions in the boreal forests and Arctic tundra. And, too, the bare limbs of tree branches and naked shrubs make for easy viewing of birds that breed and nest in our region. Verdant foliage that will soon spring open, although much longed for, also obscures nesting activity. Get out today and you’ll be richly rewarded by what you see along shoreline and pond bank.

Male Red-winged Blackbird singing to his lady love.

Once the trees leaf, we’ll still hear the songsters but see them less.

Nests will be hidden.

Five migrating Brant Geese were foraging on seaweed at Loblolly Cove this morning.

Red-breasted Merganser Bath Time

DEAD RIGHT WHALE UPDATE: MOST LIKELY KILLED BY BOAT STRIKE

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

Very sadly, it appears the North Atlantic Right Whale yearling found near Barnstable died from blunt trauma.

“Preliminary findings of bruising were consistent with blunt trauma,” according to NOAA Fisheries, which oversaw the necropsy. “There was no evidence of entanglement. Final diagnosis is pending ancillary laboratory tests that can take weeks or months.”

The young whale was a female, and was approximately 27 feet long. She has been identified as a one-year old offspring of Eg#4094 from the North Atlantic Right Whale Catalog born in 2016.”

According to the Cape Cod Times, “No. 4094 was born in 2010 and was nicknamed Mayport for her exploration of waters near Mayport Naval Base in Jacksonville, Florida. She was slightly younger than most right whales are when they start to birth. Her yearling had been seen last summer in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, off the northeast coast of Canada, an area the species has been occupying more and more recently.”

There are only five hundred of these magnificent mammals remaining on earth. Every single whale is important. The utmost caution is advised when viewing the whales. Boaters are urged to travel slowly and to keep at least 500 yards or 1500 feet away, and this includes kayakers, paddle boarders, swimmers, and rowers too.Right Whale and her calf, photographed on April 14th at Cape Cod Bay by the Center for Coastal Studies aerial team.

Read the full statement from NOAA here.

RED IN THE MORNING, SAILOR TAKE WARNING

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

Red Sky Sunrise Niles Pond

 

Red sky in the morning,

sailor take warning.

Red sky at night,

sailor’s delight.

This old saying has a scientific explanation and you can read about it here on the NOAA Earth System Research Laboratory website.

LET’S HELP BACKYARD GROWERS WIN A $35,000.00 GRANT- IT’S EASY, JUST VOTE!

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

Soooo exciting and very best of luck to Backyard Growers!!! Please share this post with your friends and ask them to vote, too.

Lara Lepionka, Executive Director of Backyard Growers, writes,

Hello Friends of Backyard Growers,

Backyard Growers is one of three finalists in the b.good Family Foundation’s competition to win a $35,000 grant! In all of Greater Boston, we were chosen as one of the finalists because of the work we are doing right here in Gloucester—so proud!

We are now at the public voting stage. Please do the following to help us win!

Thank you! Lara

 

RIGHT WHALES HAPPENING RIGHT HERE AND RIGHT NOW!

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

Right Whales and Laughing Gulls

Go see the Right Whales! Hundreds are currently off the coast of Provincetown and you can easily view them from the beaches. I had an idea of where best to see the Right Whales after reading several bulletins and articles but very fortunately, we ran into Schooner Adventure Captain Stefan Edick on Provincetown’s main Commercial Street. He had seen them earlier that morning and suggested exactly where to go. After having a quick bite at a favorite lunch spot, Spiritus, we followed Stefan’s advice and headed straight to Herring Cove. There they were, feeding about 1500 feet or so from shore, dozens and dozens. We stayed for awhile and then checked out Race Point Beach. Here they were even a bit nearer the shore, by the Old Harbor Life Saving Station. Perhaps we saw Hundreds, and it was a beautiful sight!! Right Whales feed along the surface of the water, spout lots of snot, and tip their tails when diving. The whales were too far off shore for my camera’s range to get any spectacular shots but it was super fun nonetheless. Also feeding with the whales were Northern Gannets, Laughing Gulls, Red-breasted Mergansers, and Herring Gulls.

These two were swimming together for about half an hour; perhaps they are a mother and calf.

Five at once!

If home this week for school vacation, a day trip to Provincetown to see the Right Whales would make for a wonderful adventure. I don’t think the Center for Coastal Studies is open to visitors at this time of year, but many of the shops are open (including the always interesting Shell Shop). We had dinner at the bar at a very favorite restaurant, Fanizza’s, with lovely views of the beach (there isn’t a bad view from any seat at Fanizza’s). Our fresh seafood dinners were fabulous. Tom had the cod, I had whole belly clams, and they were the perfect end to a perfect day.

A pair of seals swam very close to the beach; they appeared puzzled by so many folks watching the whales and at that, seemed to decide not to come ashore.

Right Whales could still be seen after sundown.

Rare White Whale Calf Found Dead

SOME INTERESTING BACKGROUND ABOUT WHALE WATCHING IN MASSACHUSETTS

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

The following was shared by our State Representative Ann Margaret Ferrante from “Mass Moments”

On This Day...

      April 15, 1975 charter boat captain Al Avellar left Provincetown Harbor with a boatload of school children. They were going to look, not fish. This was the first whale-watching trip on the eastern seaboard. Al Avellar soon established the first whale-watching company on the Atlantic coast and began to expand his fleet, adding vessels especially designed for viewing whales. The whale-watching business flourished and spread to Boston and Cape Ann. Today over 2,000,000 people a year view the friendly and playful cetaceans that frequent the waters of New England between April and October. Eighty-five years after the region’s whaling industry disappeared, whale watching is a $100,000,000 business in New England.

Background

For centuries, the tip of Cape Cod was familiar territory to whalers. Wampanoag Indians hunted for whales inshore and passed their skills on to the English settlers. Provincetown‘s excellent natural harbor was one of the best in New England, and the town soon became a busy seaport. By the middle of the nineteenth century, there were more than 700 vessels in the Provincetown fleet. Many of these ships undertook long journeys in pursuit of sperm whales and large profits.

The American whaling industry was in decline by the early 1900s, and in 1924, the last Provincetown whaling ship completed its final voyage. More than 50 years would pass before a new kind of whale hunting began; its purpose was to observe, study, and admire, rather than to kill, whales.

Captain Al Avellar ran a charter fishing business from the Provincetown wharf. He noticed that when the occasional whale surfaced near the boat, fishing rods clattered to the deck as his customers raced to see the giant mammal. “I figured if fishermen would look, there must be something to whale watching.” In the spring of 1975, he started offering whale watching trips. The business got off to a slow start, but in time his Dolphin Fleet would carry tens of thousands of passengers.

Avellar found a willing partner in Dr. Charles “Stormy” Mayo, co-founder of the Center for Coastal Studies in Provincetown. Established to preserve marine mammals and coastal habitats, the Center operates on the principle “that the successful management and preservation of ecosystems depends on strong, detailed knowledge of species and their natural history.” What better way for naturalists to study the behavior and habitat of whales than to partner with a company whose vessels make daily trips to the whales’ summer feeding grounds.

The whale watching business spread to Boston and several other Massachusetts ports. Gloucester has half a dozen whale watching companies; the town is also home to the Whale Center of New England, founded in 1980, whose goal is to “contribute to the understanding and protection of marine mammals and their habitat.”

READ the complete article here

PHOTO AND INFOGRAPHIC COURTESY WIKI

Although the infographic illustrates the Southern Right Whale, I thought it very informative for the North Atlantic Right Whale, too.

 

 

 

 

 

SAVE THE DATE FOR DEBORAH CRAMER AT THE SAWYER FREE LIBRARY MAY 4TH, 2017

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

On my calendar and very much looking forward to Deborah Cramer’s talk at the Sawyer Free Library on Thursday, May 4th at 7:00pm

HAPPY EASTER, HAPPY PASSOVER, HAPPY SPRING!

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

Wishing all our readers a very Happy Spring, Happy Passover, and Happy Easter!

HAPPY EASTER FROM CAFFE SICILIA!

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

I love stopping in to visit Maria and Nina at Caffe Sicilia anytime of the year, but especially during the holidays. The bakery was humming today, with their regular customers as well as regional and international travelers, and their refrigerator brimming over with special Easter orders. Folks are still purchasing raffle tickets for Caffe Sicilia’s giant chocolate egg to benefit children with autism. What a gorgeous day for shopping downtown Gloucester. Happy Easter and Happy Spring! 

SHOPPING AT THE BOOKSTORE OF GLOUCESTER FOR BUNNY LOVE

Posted on by Kimsmithdesigns

The Bookstore of Gloucester has a wonderful selection of spring-themed children’s books. Having fun with baby granddaughter Charlotte on the way!