17Aug 2026 by wp_admin

Water Chestnut August Update

Blog, Water Chestnuts
Volunteers organized by the Mystic River Watershed Association and a harvesting machine hired by the Town of Arlington have been making good progress in removing the Water Chestnut plants from the Reservoir.  Every plant that we remove this summer will mean fewer seeds (and plants) next year.  Water chestnuts if left unchecked can totally cover the water surface dramatically affecting aquatic and bird habitat. More information about the Town's efforts can be found at: https://www.arlingtonma.gov/town-governance/boards-and-committees/conservation-commission/projects [caption id="attachment_2140" align="alignnone" width="640"] Harvesting machine at work (8/12/26 photo by S. Mattingly)[/caption] The harvesting machine has already been at work the past week and is scheduled to continue for another week.  The haul has been taken to the emergency spillway for later removal by DPW. [caption id="attachment_2142" align="alignnone" width="640"] Harvested Water Chestnut Plants on…
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11Jul 2026 by wp_admin

Swans Thriving at the Res

Blog
A pair of swans and three cygnets were enjoying the waters of the Res this morning near the emergency spillway.  The female is actually perching on a rock. We've also had reports of the male trying to intimidate dogs walking on the path. Postscript:  Yesterday morning was very dramatic! The daddy swan hissed at a husky and the husky went into the water chasing him! The husky would not come out and her owner said she doesn’t normally like to swim. The swan teased her and made her swim away from the mom and babies. The dog just kept swimming and swimming after him but, of course, couldn’t catch him. Finally a man came with a canoe and paddled out to direct the husky back to shore. They all got…
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26May 2026 by wp_admin

May Garden Planting

Blog
Saturday May 23 was a great day for working at the Res Native Plant Habitat Garden.  Not too hot, not too cold, not too wet. We had a good turnout of about ten people and put in a lot of new plants, as well as removing invasive ones.  We successfully planted over sixty plants donated by the Arlington Land Trust this past Saturday, May 23, 2026. The varieties we added to the garden included Yarrow, Butterfly weed, Aster, Coneflower, Foxglove, and Beebalm.  We have garden work days usually on the third Saturday morning during the growing season. Come by and enjoy the experience. Johanna and Cherie - Happy gardeners at work.
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24May 2026 by wp_admin

Fish Talk & Walk

Blog
On May 23, Eric Harrison presented an engaging and informative talk on the Arlington Reservoir, Mill Brook, and the town’s broader network of water resources. He emphasized the role of fish within a complex aquatic ecosystem, describing the density of life in the water, the interconnected food chain, and the relationship between aquatic species and bird life. He also shared examples of local fish species and offered practical observations on fishing gear and technique in response to questions from a local angler. He highlighted encouraging progress on the Mystic, where new fish ladders have supported the restoration of herring and alewife runs as far north as Horn Pond. He suggested that a similar restoration of Mill Brook could further strengthen Arlington’s ecological resources and bring greater recognition to the town’s…
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24Apr 2026 by wp_admin

celandine poppy

Blog, Garden
Stylophorum diphyllum commonly called the celandine poppy or wood poppy Patch of celandine poppy growing in the shady side garden - 4/23/26 (DEWhite) Its typical natural habitat is moist forests. It is occasionally cultivated for its bright yellow flowers. The common name is derived from greater celandine (Chelidonium majus), a closely related, but invasive, European plant with similar flowers and leaves.  Stylophorum diphyllum is an herbaceous perennial. It grows to about 1.5 feet (0.46 m) tall, from underground rhizomes. Leaves are pinnately cut and lobed. They grow from the base of the plant, and in a pair at the top of the flowering stems. In spring, the deep yellow flowers of the celandine poppy appear as a brilliant display on the forest floor. The flowers have 4 yellow petals, two soon…
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23Dec 2025 by wp_admin

New Environmental Lending Library Installed at the Res Habitat Garden

Blog, Garden, Uncategorized
New Environmental Library Box with Scout Alex Rego and parents Jennifer and Dinesh. Alex Rego as part of his Eagle Scout project, with help from members of his Scout Troop 306, built and installed a Little Free Library in the Wildlife Habitat Garden at The Arlington Reservoir.  It's seeded with books focused on gardening, native plants etc. Feel free to borrow from and or to add to the collection of books. New Reservoir Garden Storage Box with Alex Rego and Reservoir Committee Chairs Johanna Meyer and David White
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22Nov 2025 by wp_admin

Northern Lights At The Reservoir

Astronomy, Blog, Northern Lights
Tips for catching the Northern Lights   If you’re in Arlington and love The Res, you’ve got one of the best local spots for a potential northern lights sighting, especially if you walk down near the water with its clear view to the north. Chasing aurora right here in Arlington is a lot of fun, and half the adventure is learning to read space weather like a pro. To see the lights, you need dark nights, clear skies, a strong solar wind, and a little bit of luck! The northern lights are the result of geomagnetic forces in the upper atmosphere. The solar wind helps to create the northern lights. There is a score for how strong the solar wind is, called the KP index. The higher the solar wind…
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14Nov 2024 by wp_admin

Reservoir Bird Walk

Birds, Blog
Reservoir Bird Walk – Saturday November 9, 2024 American Black Duck (Photo by Chris Floyd) About a dozen bird watchers showed up at 8 AM on a cold blustery morning of November 9 to see what could be found at and around the Arlington Reservoir.  The walk was led by local birding expert Chris Floyd. We saw quite a few land and shore birds as well as a hawk.  One find was the American Black Duck who posed on a rock for us.  Full details can be found in the following eBird links. Arlington Reservoir (15 species, 180 individuals):  https://ebird.org/checklist/S201892011 LexFarm (6 species, 13 individuals):  https://ebird.org/checklist/S201892032 After about two hours we finished up as a somewhat smaller group at LexFarm. Chris Floyd points out some birds of interest (Photo by…
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