Many folks love bird watching.  In fact birding is rated as the #1 sport in America—hard to believe if you’re a fellow New Englander with Patriots and the Red Sox fever — but there you have it.  Bird watching is a quiet passive sport often seeking to spot birds hidden in the bush.

Falconry, the “Sport of Kings” on the other hand is something entirely different, very exciting and supposedly the origin of this saying.  Having a valuable falcon or hawk on your hand was more valuable than two birds of prey.

A Harris Hawk

Falconry dates back to approx 2000 BC and it was very much a part of the royal lifestyle in China, Arabia and medieval Europe  (400AD-1500AD).

Falconry reaches its highest level in England and is governed by very strict rules– only a king could fly a gyrfalcon.  Other designations were that an earl could fly a peregrine; a yeoman could have a goshawk, a priest the sparrowhawk and servants were allowed to fly kestrels.  William Shakespeare(1564-1616), famous as a writer but not a sportsman was nonetheless an avid falconer.

Falconry came to the US in the early 1930’s and today the North American Falconer’s Association boasts over 2000 members.  Quite a feat considering that falcons almost died out in the US  from the use of pesticides in the 1960’s and 1970’s.   It used to be that falconry meant working with falcons but today one is called a falconer when working with a falcon or a hawk, the word “hawker” just doesn’t have good connotations anymore.

Falconry is not every man’s sport.  It requires tremendous dedication and a thorough understanding of the falcons (or hawks).  It is necessary to care for and work with your birds every day.  Teaching a wild animal to hunt on command and then give up it’s prey and resubmit itself to a human control, is not an easy feat.  Yet that is what this sport is all about.

Master Falconer Chris Davis

It is however possible to experience flying a falcon, even if you do not happen to have any royal blood in your veins.  If you love nature and are looking for a modern day adventure, consider a trip to the Pioneer Valley in Massachusetts where Master Falconer Chris Davis will introduce you to the ancient “Sport of Kings” using his trained Harris Hawks.

Chris Davis instructs Innkeeper Mark Ellis on the art of Falconry

Innkeepers Mark and Deni Ellis of Clamber Hill were lucky enough to experience a “bird in the hand” up close and personal and highly recommend an afternoon with Chris Davis and his falcons.  Chris offers three different levels of falconry, an introductory session for $65, a 1.5 hr extended session for $150 or a full blown hunting session for $200 per participant.  Any of the three will be an experience you will never forget.

Coming in for a landing

If you are interested in falconry call ahead for reservations 413-259-1466, and of course you may stay at Clamber Hill Inn , it’s not far away and we’ll share experiences at the end of the day.   You may even see a Red Tail Hawk in the bushes of Clamber Hill.

Clamber Hill Inn where Red Tail Hawks may be seen flying overhead

A beautiful lane of Maple Trees in Petersham MA

The North American Indians used used to collect the sap in buckets made of birch bark.  Collection methods remain the same, tap a tree and collect the liquid sap that runs out.   The buckets and containers have improved over the years.  If you drive through a New England Forest and see tubing stretched from tree to tree — that’s sap collection in it’s most modern form.

The hard part (or fun part if you’re a tourist) is boiling the sap to make the syrup.  The sap has a 2% sugar content, on a good day, and the water needs to be evaporated from the sap until a sugar content of 67% is reached!  That’s a lot of water to evaporate.  When you do the math it means that you need 40 gallons of sap to make one gallon of maple syrup.  No wonder it’s so expensive!

Warm days and cool nights are the perfect combination for sap collection.   And the farmers that make maple sugar are totally dependent on the weather to harvest their crop.  When the trees are ready, there is no waiting.   The changes in temperature cause pressure build up in the trees and when they are tapped, the sap will flow as long as the pressure in the trees is higher than the atmospheric pressure.

All types of Maple trees produce sap, but sugar maples are the best producers.  If a tree is more than 25″ in diameter it can take up to three taps.  If it’s only 10″ in diameter it can handle only one tap.  The average yield for a tap hole is only 15 gals for a season — so you can see the need to tap a whole lot of trees.  The fortunate thing is that tapping the trees does not damage them.

Once all the sap is collected it’s taken to a “Sugar Shack” where the water is removed by evaporation.  That means you boil the heck out of the sap!  Today, more modern operations use reverse osmosis to remove a large portion of the water before they start the evaporation process.  It saves a lot of energy that way.

If you have never seen this being done, it makes for a great vacation or weekend getaway. Most people think Vermont is the only state that produced maple syrup, but the US has 10 states that are major maple syrup producers of which Vermont is the largest with approx 900,000 gals annually, followed by New York and Maine with approx 300,000 gals each.

The Sugar Shack at Hamilton Orchards in New Salem MA

Massachusetts, produces between 30,000 and 50,000 gals a year with many small independent producers.  Most of them run sugar shacks and welcome visitors while they are making the maple syrup.   It’s a great family activity for mud season in New England.  Two local Sugar Shacks in the North Quabbin region that invite you to come see their operations are Hamilton Orchards in New Salem, MA and Johnson’s Farm in Orange, MA.

And here at Clamber Hill Inn & Restaurant we buy our maple syrup from a local Petersham producer.  We use it with our pancakes, french toast and waffles but it also goes into our Maple-Vinaigrette Salad Dressing, our Maple Walnut Sundae and our Baked Maple Banana Dessert!

Clamber Hill's Maple Walnut Sundae

The sap runs quickly once it starts and the whole adventure only lasts about six weeks.  So plan your weekend getaway to a sugar shack now!

The Bald Eagle, with its snow-capped head, piercing yellow eyes and majestic 7 foot wingspan can be found nesting in the Quabbin Reservoir in late February and March.

Photo of a Bald Eagle courtesy of Wikimedia Commons

The Bald Eagle, once almost extinct, is making a comeback, thanks in no small part to the Massachusetts Department of Wildlife  and the success of the 1982 Massachusetts Bald Eagle Restoration Project.

Starting in 1982, nestlings were moved from Michigan and Canada, raised in specially constructed cages on a remote penisula in the Quabbin, hand fed by eagle puppets (so they would not become attached to humans) and released as young eagles into the “Accidental Wilderness” that the construction of the Quabbin Reservoir created in the center of Massachusetts.

By the end of the program in 1989,  41 nestlings and been released.  That same year two pairs nested in the wilds of central Massachusetts for the first time since the turn of the century, and the rest as they say, is history.

Eagles were removed from the federal endangered species list in 2007.

An eagle count is taken every winter by state officials with a lot of volunteer help and in 2011 the count was an amazing 102 eagles, with 75 adults, 23 juveniles and four of unknown age. The largest concentration of eagles – 33  – was seen at the Quabbin Reservoir, where it all started just 30 years ago.

This makes Central MA a great place to come is you want a chance to the majestic bald eagle and Clamber Hill is a great place to stay, conveniently close to the Quabbin Reservoir.

The mature bald eagle weighs between 8 to 14 lbs,  is 34″ to 43″ in length and has a wingspan of up to 7 feet.  Eagles live for 25 to 30 years and they mate for life.

They build nests that are truly engineering marvels, up to 13 ft hight, with diameters of 6 to 8 ft that weigh up to 2000 lbs.  The trees selected for nests tend to be large (needless to say) and generally taller than any other surrounding trees.  The eagles will return to the same nest year after year unless something causes them to move on.

Courtship occurs in mid-to late winter and is a spectacular sight.   The eagles are aerial acrobats performing loops, cartwheels and dives.  And since the eagles fly at speeds of 35 to 45 miles per hour this courtship dance is truly amazing.  Enfield Lookout in the Quabbin Park at the south end of the Reservoir is a good viewing spot in the winter months.

Enfield Lookout, Quabbin Park

The female lays one to three eggs some time in March or April.  Both parents take turns incubating the eggs, and after they hatch, both parents share the responsibility for feeding the nestlings.  Young eagles grow rapidly and eat up to 2 lbs of fish per day, so they need their food close by!  When the young eagles are 10 weeks old they will begin to take short “test flights”.  The parents continue to provide food and protection until the young eagles are 6 to 8 months old.   It takes a full 4 to 5 years for eagles to reach full maturity.  And then they usually find their own territory within a 200 mile range of where they were hatched.

As their main source of food is fish, they tend to nest along large bodies of water, either lakes or rivers.  In addition to nesting in the Quabbin Reservoir, there are now bald eagles nesting at Barton’s Cove along the Millers River.  In fact, First Light Power Resources, has installed a web cam over one of the nests but unfortunately it was not working well in 2010.  Hopefully it will be back on line for this nesting season.  The website does show amazing still photos from the 2008 nesting season.

So if you’re ready for a mid-winter adventure and a chance to see largest, most majestic raptor in North America, plan a trip to the Quabbin Resevoir, the “Accidental Wilderness” of Massachusetts.

Snow Tubing, a great winter sport for young and old alike!

I was pleased to discover that there are at least five places in Massachusetts to go Snow Tubing or as I call it “White Winter Rafting”.  Some of them even have large rafts for large groups of people, but most have individual tubes.   Just north of  Boston is Amesbury Sport Park in Newburyport, where for $30 you can tube all day!  Then moving west there is Nashoba Valley in Littleton MA, which has fifteen lanes and four lifts.  $25 buys two hours of tubing.  A little further south in Shrewsbury MA, there’s Ski Ward where you can tube for two hours for only $22 and if you’re active duty military you get 50% off.  Then  to the west of Petersham, where our Inn is located, there is  Berkshire East in Charlemont with the Beastly Tubing Park open 10 am to 4 pm weekends and the whole week of winter vacation and finally Butternut Ski Area way out in  Great Barrington has a seven lane tubing park open on the weekends.

Snow tubing is a winter sport that requires no experience and is fun for all ages, so if you’ve never done it, come out and give it a try this winter.  Might as well make good use of all this white stuff we’ve got on the ground in New England this year!

Make a weekend or mid-week mini vacation out of it and stay at one of the great Back Road Inns of Central MA! Centrally located between Nashoba Valley Ski area and Berkshire East!

Harvard Pond in Petersham MA, October 2008

There are websites that will give you lists of the top ten places in the world, or the top ten places in the US. And while New England is not the only place to see the brilliant reds, oranges, golds and bronzes of the fall, it ranks consistently in the top ten. In all, thirty-two states in the US, claim fall foliage as a major tourist attraction, but there is something special about fall in New England and if you’ve been here for the fall foliage, you know it. The wide range of deciduous trees, each with their unique genetic color coding, combine to make the New England landscape brilliantly rich and charmingly colorful.

Colorful New England Landscape in Petersham MA Fall 06

Petersham in the Fall of 1998

Brilliant Color graces the historic Petersham Town Common, Oct 08

Foliage Timetable for Massachusetts

The Quabbin Reservoir was created in the Swift River Valley of Central Massachuestts during the late-1920′s and 1930′s as a source of fresh water for the city of Boston. The towns of Dana, Enfield, Greenwich and Prescott were “discontinued” to create the reservoir. There are many books written on the Quabbin’s history. For those who would like to know more try reading some of the books by J.R. Greene and Michael Tougias.

Located in the very center of Massachusetts, the Quabbin is 18 miles long and contains 412 billion gallons of water. It is the largest inland lake in Massachusetts and one of the largest drinking water reservoirs in the United States. Due to the myriad of restrictions to preserve water quality, the entire 120,000 acre watershed area surrounding the Quabbin has become a nature preserve, making it one of the most attractive destinations in New England for nature enthusiasts.

Recreational activities are limited to hiking, bird watching, fishing and hunting. You’re not allowed to hike with your dogs, ride horses, wade or swim. And if you’re planning to fish, you need to either fish from the shoreline in designated spots, rent one of the Quabbin boats or provide proof that your boat has been properly decontaminated. Canoes and kayaks are no longer allowed. You can obtain a copy of the Quabbin Reservoir Fishing Guide, complete with map, on the MA Department of Conservation and Recreation website.

Although we have lived next to the Quabbin for thirteen years now and have hiked many of the “gates”, until yesterday we had never fished the Quabbin. We did not know what we were missing.

The water is beautiful. We spent five hours on the water and everywhere we looked there was a gorgeous view. We rented a boat from Fishing Area 2, at the northern end where there are many islands. As we headed out to find a good fishing spot we passed a pair of loons. Not only are they majestic birds, their call is hauntingly beautiful.

Loons on the Quabbin Reservoir

Navigating around the islands, the water was crystal clear, the sky was bright blue and the wind kept a cool breeze on us. We encountered more a couple of other fishing boats, more loons, duck and some turtles sunning themselves on a log. We even managed to catch two fish, a large bass and a small perch. Beginner’s luck or not –it was a wonderful day.

Fishing on the Quabbin

Fairs were social gatherings but in the beginning mostly business meetings, sporting competitions and educational opportunities. Over the course of time, fairs also incorporated a wide range of entertainment and social activities for the entire family. The early fairs were small but grew in both size and popularity until today both state and community fairs are a quintessential American tradition.

July brings a slew of small church fairs in the North Quabbin area of Central Massachusetts. You can find one in the area every weekend in July. Run as fund raisers for the area churches, one finds booths such as Attic Treasures, Strawberry Shortcake, Plants, Books, Children’s Games and Pony Rides. Petersham MA, actually has two each summer. The Congregational Church holds theirs the second Saturday in July on the Petersham Town Common and then St. Peter’s Catholic Church holds one the first Saturday in August.

Then there’s the upcoming Petersham Old Home Day on Sunday August 29. When we first came to MA on our house (or inn) hunting trip thirteen years ago Petersham was busy celebrating Old Home Day on the town common. It’s a small agricultural fair sponsored by the Petersham Lion’s Club. The evening finishes with a band concert on the common.

The Hardwick Community Fair is August 20 & 21 on the Hardwick Town Common. This is the 248th annual fair making it one of the oldest in the country. Lots of events and contests for both adults and children including hayrides, pony rides, and a frog jumping contest.

On a little larger scale and a little bit farther away is the Spencer Fair on September 4th to 7th in nearby Spencer, MA. This is considered country fair but it’s run on a large scale for such a small community and draws people from miles away. All kinds of entertainment is scheduled including a tractor pull, pig races, music, Bengal Tigers and the High Flying Pages. This fair is large enough to include a midway with fantastic carnival rides.

The next weekend, September 9th to 11th, brings the Franklin County Agricultural Fair in Greenfield, MA. This is another large fair very similar to the Spencer Fair. Featured performers are the Flying Wallendas, Hall’s Bear Mountain Wildlife Show, Robinson’s Racing Pigs and Stoney Roberts Demolition Derby. As you can see, a wide variety of entertainment options are being offered. This is another fair large enough to sport a midway.

And if you want really big, in place of a “state” fair, Massachusetts hosts the Big E for all of New England. This “fair” is held in Springfield– somewhere along the line the word Fair morphed into Exposition which was then shortened to Expo and eventually (at least here in New England) to just E. And although the name is short, the event is big!, running from September 17th all the way until October 3rd and bringing visitors from all over New England.

And this is just a small sampling of the New England fairs to be held this August and September — all selected because they are close to Clamber Hill!

So forget take me out to the ball game— take me to one of these fabulous fairs!

Many still think you have to travel to Costa Rica or other places in Central and South American to experience a Canopy Tour. Not true–they are available right here in Massachusetts at the Berkshire East Ski Resort.

Berkshire East has three different options from which to choose. A base area tour at $30 pp, a Mountain Top Tour at $85 pp and a Valley Jumping Tour at $110 pp

The Base Tour is a great introduction for those that are not sure they will like it. Mountain Top Tours are for those a little more adventurous. With 7 zip lines varying in length from 250′ to 800′ and a couple of short hikes in between, this tour captures the thrill of zipping and the beauty of New England all in one package. The Valley Jumping Tours are for the brave at heart. After warming up on a series of smaller lines X1 takes you 2300′ across the valley and X2, which is even longer at 2600′ brings you back.

Children must be eight years old and weigh at least 70 lbs to participate. Adults have a maximum weight restriction of 275 lbs for the Mountain Top tour and 260 lbs for the Valley Jumping Tour.

If this sounds intriguing and you want to try it, The Inn at Clamber Hill is definitely within reach. You can “zip” right over to Berkshire East for any of their regularly scheduled tours. Just be sure to reserve ahead of time as it is becoming extremely popular. We discovered it last fall when two of our overnight guests spent the day zipping before coming here for a relaxing dinner and overnight. They were very enthusiastic about their entire weekend.

And if the Mountain Top Tour is a bit of a stretch budget-wise, keep your eye out for special deals. On June 18 Berkshire East is sponsoring a Zip & Sip party with Mountain Top Tours at $50 pp! You must use the code SZSMT to reserve and do it now as there are limited spaces. If you miss that, Trail Head is offering a special for their customers on June 27th. The Mountain Top Tour will be discounted to $65 pp. Of course they have a special customer code too, so go shopping at their great store in the center of Orange MA and find out what it is!

So young or old, start your summer off with a little zip! Check it out on YouTube — just search for Berkshire East!

North Hampton is great for shopping (it’s the best in the area unless you want to drive to Boston) and also has a great selection of restaurants. In fact North Hampton is about the only place in central Mass to get great ethnic food, Japanese, Mexican, Indian and more….

But in all the times we’ve been over there we never knew about the Smith College Museum of Art. It’s not quite in the center of town, but it’s right there on Rt. 9 and once you discover it, you wonder how you could miss it.

It was the gift of a new Massachusetts travel book that allowed us to find this great little art museum. A forty five minute drive from the Inn makes it an ideal place for us to visit on a Sunday afternoon.

What a gem! — especially when you love the late nineteenth century French artists such as Monet, Degas, Picasso, Pisarro, Manet, Seurat, Cezanne etc. They don’t have a lot of any individual artist (they do have three Monets and two Degas) but they have a nice collection and it’s a permanent collection. The Sterling and Francine Clark Art Museum in Williamston, MA is famous for it’s Impressionist Collection but it was a very pleasant surprise to find another wonderful collection much closer to home.

Admission to the museum is only $5.00 making it one of the best bargains in the Pioneer Valley.