Thursday, July 5, 2012

A Walk Along the Battle Road in Concord, MA

1. Hartwell's Tavern-kab Hartwell’s Tavern in Concord, MA 6-19-12

With our country celebrating the 4th of July it seemed appropriate to post pictures of our recent visit to Concord, MA and the Minute Man National Historic Park which commemorates where it all began. If you are ever in this area I would highly recommend a visit here. It is not only historically informative, it is also beautiful and great bird habitat! The Minute Man Visitor Center has a wonder interactive program which explains the beginning of the Revolutionary War, from Paul Revere’s Ride to the Battles of Lexington and Concord. I brought my grandchildren along and they loved it. Much of the action takes place here at Hartwell’s Tavern.

2. trail-kab This is the Battle road that runs in front of the tavern.

 

3. forest and field-kabA meadow across the street from the tavern with trees beyond it. They would not have been here in 1775. All of this had been cleared for farmland back then. I heard and saw quite a few birds here, but I was trying to pay attention to my kids and the demonstration that was going on in the pasture next to the tavern.

4. story teller-kab A female intern dressed in colonial garb comes out to do the musket demonstration.

 

5. instructor-kab This guy is her instructor. He looks pretty stern to me!

 

6. kids watching-kab The Grandkids take it all in.

 

7. in position-kab Loading the musket.

 

8. load the musket-kab Ramming the ball in.

 

9. ready-kab Preparing to fire.

 

10. fire-kab Fire!

 

11. modern girls-kab My two modern girls watch.

While most town women would not handle a firearm during this time period, most pioneer or frontier women would know how to load and fire a musket.

12. re enactor-kab Colonial Soldier

 

13. towards lexington-kab The trail back towards Lexington. I head and saw an Eastern Wood Pewee here.

 

14. chimney-kab This massive chimney is all that remains of Samuel Hartwell’s House.

Samuel Hartwell Lived next door to his parent’s tavern and on the 19th of April as the he was off fighting elsewhere the some British soldier marched by and fired into his house where his wife and children were. Fortunately they were hiding in the basement and were not shot.

15. beehiv-kab These honeybees are the only creatures living here now!

 

16. signage-kab 

17. house-kab Captain William Smith House

While my kids and grandkids ran around exploring this house I was watching birds in the surrounding meadow and listening to a flock of blue jays call from the surrounding trees. We hiked back to the Hartwell Tavern parking lot after this and as we were about to pull away a couple of wild turkeys wandered by!

18. Old North Bridge-kab The Old North Bridge

The first British Soldiers died at this location and their grave is still here across the bridge. Will all the birds I saw and heard while here I would say they are serenaded very sweetly. This is a solemn place and I always fell such reverence and awe when I am here. As for the bridge, this is not the original, but a replica of the original. It is the sixth bridge to be rebuilt in this location!

19. yellow warbler-kab Yellow Warbler at the Old North Bridge June 19, 2012

Once again while the kids ran ahead exploring I sat on a bench and watched the birds. this yellow warbler is the only decent shot I got though. Yet there were many more birds around, including a Baltimore oriole and a solitary vireo!

20. river-kab The Concord River north of the bridge. Great Meadows National Wildlife Refuge is just beyond the bend!

Happy 4th of July!

21. sparrow-kab Savannah Sparrow on a granite post near the bridge.

Let Freedom Sing!

These are the birds I saw on this trip today:

  1. American Robin-Minute Man Visitor’s Center
  2. Black-capped Chickadee
  3. American Goldfinch
  4. Wild Turkey-Hartwell’s Tavern area
  5. Eastern wood pewee
  6. Blue Jay
  7. Tufted Titmouse
  8. White-breasted Nuthatch
  9. Gray Catbird
  10. Common Yellowthroat
  11. Chipping sparrow
  12. Mourning Dove-The Old North Bridge
  13. Chimney Swift
  14. Eastern Kingbird
  15. Warbling Vireo
  16. Eastern Bluebird
  17. Yellow Warbler
  18. Savannah Sparrow
  19. Song Sparrow
  20. Northern Cardinal
  21. red-winged blackbird
  22. common grackle
  23. Baltimore Oriole

14 comments:

  1. Hi Kathie

    Nice post I enjoyed all the history and your Yellow Warbler we saw one
    here the other day while working on our cabin.

    Guy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Guy, how nice to know you are back at your cabin and that you have warblers to sing to you!

      Delete
  2. Looks like a delightful place for history and birding.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Gaelyn, I need to go here by myself and just count birds!

      Delete
  3. NIce post Kathie, way to combine the birds and the history!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I'm glad you enjoyed it Laurence! You would love this place!

      Delete
  4. Hi Kathie. What a fabulous location to soak up the history and get in some birding.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Frank, thank you. It really is and I need to go back alone with my camera and take my time!

      Delete
  5. ...a perfect post for the day! I wish we had made it to Concord when we visited Boston, but we didn't have time.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kelly, hopefully you will be able to come back one day and now you know! I would definitely recommend it. you could spend a whole day or two here since Great Meadows Wildlife Refuge is right nearby. Plus, there is Louisa May Alcott's Orchard House to see and Walden Pond!

      Delete
  6. thanks for the tour kathie!

    i agree with kelly...a perfect post for the 4th! i love to wander through history...old ruins.

    strange place for a hive...i LOVE that sparrow on the granite shot!!

    ReplyDelete
  7. The perfect place to visit for the Fourth! You got some great photos! I particularly love the ruins of the Hartsell house and also the other intact homes. And I love this wonderful reminder of our country's beginnings!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Marie, it is an inspirational and somber place, but also very beautiful! I love to take people here!

      Delete

Welcome to my nest! I hope you will enjoy spending time here with me and the birds. Thank you for your comments. I will try to get back to you as soon as I get back from counting more birds.