Massachusetts – BANANAMASHER

Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary – Topsfield, MA (December)

Returning to one of my favorite places to photograph birds, Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary along the North Shore. This time, with a bit of snow covering the landscape, and the birds a little more plump. Returning to one of my favorite places to photograph birds, Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary in Topsfield, Massachusetts, the nearly 2,000-acre

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Tags: Birding | Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary | Journal | Mass Audubon | Massachusetts

Posted: December 26, 2025 by Bananamasher

Mount Tom State Reservation: Eyrie House Ruins – Holyoke, MA

Ruins of a hotel and restaurant that burnt down from a fire gone astray during a horse cremation. The former summit house offered commanding views of the winding Connecticut River and Pioneer Valley. Only the stone foundation and cellar holes remain nowadays. The popularity of summit houses soared in the northeast during the 19th century

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Posted: September 27, 2025 by Bananamasher

Rutland Prison Camp – Rutland, MA

Ruins of a former prison farm where minor offenders tended to fields of potatoes to feed other prisoners, left to decay in the middle of the woods in Massachusetts. Aside from minor traces of the former prison camp, the main features include solitary confinement cells and a root cellar. After driving a short distance down

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Tags: Journal | Massachusetts | Rutland Prison Camp | Spooky | Urbex

Posted: September 26, 2025 by Bananamasher

Sunflower Bloom at Colby Farm – Newport, MA

While their farmstand is open year-round, where they offer farm-grown herbs, produce, honey, and many other items, it’s their flowers – particularly sunflowers – that the farm along the North Shore of Massachusetts is known for. Here are some photographs of the 21st season of the sunflower bloom. Operating since 1960, the 370-acre family farm

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Tags: Colby Farm | Flowers | Insects | Journal | Massachusetts

Posted: September 12, 2025 by Bananamasher

Wachusett Meadows Wildlife Sanctuary – Princeton, MA (June)

Explore 12 miles of trails at Wachusett Meadow Wildlife Sanctuary, featuring several meadows, a glacial boulder, old-growth trees, and beaver ponds. Trails link to nearby Wachusett Mountain and the Midstate Trail. Wachusett Meadow, once a working farm, now features stunning landscapes and rich wildlife across its woodlands, wetlands, and meadows. Historic barns and buildings remain

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Posted: July 1, 2025 by Bananamasher

Mount Holyoke Range State Park: Seven Sisters Ridge – Holyoke, MA

Spent the day trekking along a short section of the New England Trail called the Seven Sisters Ridge, birding along the summit of Mount Holyoke, and dodging falling millipedes throughout the hike. The 9 miles out-and-back hike followed the Metacomet-Monadnock Trail and the New England Trail. Mostly sunny, with a high near 72, though it’s

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Posted: June 1, 2025 by Bananamasher

Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary – Topsfield, MA (May)

The nearly 2,000-acre landscape features drumlins, eskers, forest, meadows, swamps, and wetlands, offering many habitats attracting shore and song birds. Returning to one of Mass Audubon’s largest sanctuaries along the endangered Ipswich River in Topsfield, Massachusetts, it’s one of my favorite local-ish spots, for what I thought would be a quick mid-day stroll. Enjoying the

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Posted: May 28, 2025 by Bananamasher

Four Star Farms – Ground to Glass: April 2025

Along the 42nd parallel, the farm is located by the Connecticut River, surrounded by farmland with rolling hills towards the west. Four Star Farms has the biggest hopyard in the state of Massachusetts at 17 acres, growing several varieties including Centennial, Chaos, Magnum, Mt. Rainier, and an experimental field. I will be following the growth

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Posted: May 14, 2025 by Bananamasher

Ipswich River Wildlife Sanctuary – Topsfield, MA (April)

Another afternoon spent wandering trails to admire some birds. This time, visiting one of Mass Audubon’s largest sanctuaries along the endangered Ipswich River in Topsfield, Massachusetts. The nearly 2,000-acre landscape features drumlins, eskers, forest, meadows, swamps, and wetlands, offering many habitats attracting shore and song birds. While observing a patch of yellow daffodils, I noticed

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Tags: Birding | Journal | Mass Audubon | Massachusetts | Wildlife

Posted: April 25, 2025 by Bananamasher

Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge – Concord, MA (April)

Spent the afternoon birding in a spot known to be a hotspot for common and more unique feathered and flying vertebrates. Roughly 85% of the refuge consists of freshwater wetlands, attracting migrant and local species of perching songbirds, waterfowl, marsh breeders, and shore birds to the cultivated conservation area. A warm and sunny April day

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Tags: Birding | Journal | Massachusetts | Wildlife

Posted: April 15, 2025 by Bananamasher

Four Star Farms – Ground to Glass: January 2025

Along the 42nd parallel, the hop farm is located by the Connecticut River, surrounded by farmland with rolling hills towards the west. Four Star Farms has the biggest hopyard in the state of Massachusetts at roughly 17 acres, growing several varieties including Centennial, Chaos, Magnum, Mt. Rainier, TeaMaker, and an experimental field. This year, I

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Posted: February 12, 2025 by Bananamasher

Tag: Massachusetts