Ellen Finnie

Arlington’s Great Meadows, at 193 acres, is Arlington’s largest natural open space, though it is just over the border in East Lexington.  The land is cared for by the Friends of Arlington’s Great Meadows (FoAGM) and the Arlington Conservation Commission.

AGM lies along the Minuteman Bikeway behind the Waldorf School and is accessible from there and a number of other locations, including from the Arlington Reservoir through the ACROSS Lexington C Trail. 

Through a recent Eagle Scout project carried out by Ben Gregory of Arlington Troop 313, access has been improved from two entrance locations. The troop installed a new kiosk near the Sheila Road entrance, and a new sign by the Orchard Lane entrance.

Many thanks to all involved in this project.

Ben Gregory (right) and other volunteers at the kiosk under construction at the Sheila Road entrance to AGM.

Thanks to the initiative and hard, heavy work of Bob Weggel, his wife Diane, and his sister Wilma Frey, large and unsightly pieces of scrap metal– an old slide and teeter-totter– have been removed from Arlington’s Great Meadows (near the Sheila Road trailhead) and taken to a metal recycler.

Many thanks to this industrious team for their efficient efforts, which have improved the experience of AGM for all!

The Friends of Arlington Great Meadows are delighted to have this short report from birder and butterfly seeker Mark Rosenstein about opportunities to enjoy birds and butterflies at AGM, especially in the spring. Many thanks, Mark!

I first visited Arlington Great Meadows when I heard through the Menotomy Bird Club that this was a good place to see the courtship flight of the American Woodcock.  It is performed from late winter through spring at dusk each day, above wet meadows next to woods, as found in the southern and northern ends of AGM. 

Birds

The variety of habitats at AGM makes it a good place to see both marsh and woodland birds.  During spring migration many warblers can be seen in the tree canopy, and three of them (Common Yellowthroat, Yellow Warbler, and Blue-winged Warbler) will stay to nest.  Other migrants like flycatchers are common, with Eastern Phoebe, Eastern Wood-Peewee, Great Crested Flycatcher, and Eastern Kingbird all present and usually easy to hear if not see.  It’s not hard to see four different woodpeckers at any time of the year: Downy, Hairy, Red-bellied, and Northern Flicker.  For the best chance to see these birds, look before mid-May when the tree canopy leafs out.

One hundred forty four species have been reported at AGM, according to eBird.    This list also shows the rarities that have been reported from here, like Yellow-breasted Chat, Rusty Blackbird, American Kestrel, Philadelphia Vireo, and others.

Butterflies

Arlington Great Meadows can be a good place to look for butterflies.  One species that is uncommon in Massachusetts is Henry’s Elfin, which is small and mostly brown.  It flies in the spring, from mid-April to mid-May and can usually be found in AGM near the northeast part of the park.  The Massachusetts Butterfly Club often leads a walk here at this time specifically to look for Henry’s Elfin.  The open meadow near the Emerson Gardens entrance is also usually good for hairstreaks at mid summer.  And of course, widespread species like swallowtails, sulphurs, Monarchs, and many others can be found where wildflowers bloom.

–Mark Rosenstein