Long distance view of the heron rookery, Stall Brook
Marjorie Turner Hollman is a writer who loves the outdoors. Link to all Marjorie’s books.
Four years ago I saw a drone video posted on our local Bellingham, MA Conservation Commisison Facebook page offering a glimpse of a great blue heron rookery near power and gas lines north of Rt. 126, somewhere near Stall Brook elementary school in Bellingham. I have since wondered if it was possible to get a view of the herons without climbing in a plane to do so.
Still smiling after getting wiped down from my up close encounter with a slippery mud puddle
We took several walks in the woods behind Stall Brook School in the last few weeks, explored the unmarked trails of this conservation land. The recent snow storm left some trails muddy and quite slippery. I navigated a particularly tricky puddle fine going one direction, but despite warnings to go around the puddle on our return, I plowed forward, and got up close and personal with this same mud puddle.
The area has several ponds to enjoy
After looking more closely at maps, we got a better idea of where we might look to discover the rookery.
While you will find roots on the unmarked trails, they are mostly wide and pretty easy to manage
This area has vernal pools, relatively wide trails, and swampy areas that drain into the Stall Brook, a feeder stream that flows into the Charles River.
The rookery, from the shoreline
We also found the large flooded area with lots of dead, standing trees, perfect for Great Blue Herons to build their nests in.
One heron on her nest in the rookery
Access required crossing the power lines west of the school, and we followed trails that have been kept open by local ATV riders. While we walked we saw no other visitors, but did spot, from a distance, three poeple on ATVs on the trails.
Enjoy this 4 minute video overview of the rookery, thanks to the folks of the Bellingham, MA Conservation Commission.
Marjorie
Marjorie Turner Hollman is a writer who loves the outdoors, and is the author of Easy Walks in Massachusetts, 2nd edition, More Easy Walks in Massachusetts, 2nd edition, Easy Walks and Paddles in the Ten Mile River Watershed, Easy Walks South of Boston and Finding Easy Walks Wherever You Are. Her memoir, the backstory of Easy Walks, is My Liturgy of Easy Walks: Reclaiming hope in a world turned upside down.
Marjorie Turner Hollman 
Wow – that is an extensive rookery! Great to see you out there finding a way to get closer! Herons are incredible to watch this time of year. Beautiful plumage!
I was unable to see a lot without our spotting scope, but a friend visited after I wrote this and reported that almost every nest had a bird sitting on it, so yes, a productive rookery indeed
Here in Missouri, some of us are trying to protect a rookery on a horseshoe loop in a local stream by asking the city to move (or remove a small section of) a “mountain” biker trail a meer 30ft so as not to frighten off the nesting birds which would have a clear ear and eye shot of the bikes whizzing by – at eye-level up a hillside, across the creek bottom and just 180 ft from the nests.
They seem incredulous that the herons would leave or that bike trails hasten/cause erosion.
Have you had any experience with this?
Thank you
Thanks for reaching out. I am no expert, just a person who is passionate about the outdoors and protecting wildlife. I would reach out to organizations such as https://www.birdability.org/ or https://mobirds.org/ As for unpaved mountain bike trails, indeed, extensive erosion is evident in any of these trails I frequent. I would suggest you enlist the cooperation of the mountain bike riders themselves in your area–For the most part these are people who love the outdoors. Theyare in the best position to advocate with you for what you are proposing. Rather than adversarial, they could help support a small change that would be of benefit to many, including the herons. Her’s how to contact them. https://www.imba.com/ride/where-to-ride