Sometimes the strangest things happen on Conservancy preserves. Recently, I saw this brightly colored bird (see photo). I was pretty sure it was someone’s loose parakeet. The bright colors really stood out. Conservancy Board member Mike Bradbury officially identified it as a Budgerigar. It is a native of Australia, but my guess is that this guy was someone’s released pet. It’s a non-native, so it is not something we’d find particularly appealing for Conservancy purposes. But still, it was a surprise and a colorful addition to the preserves, even for a moment or two.
One Against Many?
The Conservancy uses a variety of tools to manage vegetation on its preserves, guided by a strategy known as “the soft path first.” One of those tools is grazing. Over the years, the Conservancy has used large grazing animals to manage marsh and adjacent upland vegetation, including Hereford, Black Angus, …


