Packed with loads of great info. A great job by Carol Flanagan, as always. (Thanks, Carol!)

You can download all of the Fyke newsletters, including the new one, here:

https://www.fykenature.org/newsletters.php

Recently, while walking a path in Mass Audubon's Ashumet Wildlife Sanctuary on Cape Cod, friends and I came across a weird sight: what appears to be the slide marks (above) of a critter being dragged across the path.

I took a photo of the tracks, but they are hard to see. (Sorry.)

What do you think was going on?

African Safari: Big Game and Birds, Kevin Watson

Friday, January 27, 8 p.m., Allendale Municipal Building

Birder and photographer Kevin Watson returns with a program about the incredible wildlife in Africa. This will be a "highlights show," with Kevin's best images from visits to three countries, Zambia, Kenya and Uganda.

There will be large mammals - lions, leopards, elephants, giraffes, hippos and so on. But Africa is also home to an amazing variety of bird life, and Kevin will present images of many of the star attractions, including Hornbills, Bee-eaters, Turacos, Owls, Eagles and the prehistoric-looking Shoebill.

Kevin is a terrific speaker. Not to be missed!

The talk is free and open to the public.

The Municipal Building is at 500 W. Crescent Ave. in Allendale. The talk will be on the second floor.

This presentation will be live. It will also be videotaped. 

The resulting video will be posted on YouTube with a link provided to all members for whom we have an email. Those who missed the meeting can view it at home at their convenience.

Since 2015 Fyke's monthly speaker costs have been funded by a generous grant from the Winifred M. and George P. Pitkin Foundation.

Stopped by High Mountain's Buttermilk Falls at Scioto Drive to see how it was doing after the recent heavy rains.

It was lookin' -- and soundin' -- great.

Stopped by the Clove at High Mountain yesterday to see first-hand what I had heard by email -- that The Nature Conservancy took major action against all the invasive Ailanthus trees that had grown up there during the past few decades.

The trees had become Spotted Lanternfly magnets in the past couple of years -- and had to go.

There had to be at least seven huge piles of Ailanthus logs.

As a result, the Clove looks a lot more like in the days of yore. (Thank you, TNC!)