Introduction

We have been coming to the Scorton salt marsh on weekends and holidays since 1981, although we spent little time out in the marsh over the years.
We have sometimes walked and played on the barrier beach which protects the marsh. } \SLIDE{003}{marsh from house}{p3}{ And we have spent much time looking at the marsh from our house. } \SLIDE{004}{marsh from house}{p3}{ From the viewpoint of our house we can see across the main channel of Scorton Creek to beachfront cottages on Cape Cod Bay. } \SLIDE{005}{marsh from house with boat dock}{p3}{ We sometimes walk the 60 or 70 yards from our house to swim from our neighbor's boat dock, at which we also moor our canoe when it's not on the floor of our garage. } \SLIDE{006}{marsh from house toward Goose Point}{p3}{ In the summer of 1991 we decided to explore the marsh more thoroughly, and to try to learn something about how the marsh was created and shaped by ocean tides, plants, animals and man. } \SLIDE{007}{map of Cape, pinpointing Scorton Marsh}{p4}{ The Scorton Salt Marsh lies in East Sandwich on the north or Bay side of Cape Cod,about six miles from the entrance to the Cape Cod Canal and one mile from Sandwich's boundary with Barnstable. It's location is marked by a small X in this picture. } \SLIDE{008}{3x3 view of topo map}{p4}{ On this segment of the USGS topographical map of the Sandwich quadrangle, we can see the entrance to Scorton Harbor from Cape Cod Bay, the east branch of Scorton Creek behind the barrier beach, and the west branch of Scorton Creek extending behind the beachfront cottages. We also can see the main channel of Scorton Creek winding its way through the marsh to the bridge at Route 6A, shown here in red. South of Route 6A, the creek diverges into several tributaries through the marsh, one of which reaches Jones Lane at the right edge of the map, whence it flows on to meet the Great Marsh of Barnstable. } \SLIDE{009}{distant view of harbor mouth}{p2}{

The harbor entrance

A natural place to start this exploration Scorton Salt Marsh is at the Scorton Harbor entrance from Cape Cod Bay.
Looking at the harbor entrance from the Bay, one can see beachfront cottages on the right ... } \SLIDE{010}{closer view of harbor entrance}{p3}{ And one can see a gravelspit and rock jetty on the left. } \SLIDE{011}{gravelspit with gulls}{p3}{ The gravelspits which extend out about 100 feet into the bay on each side of the harbor mouth have been formed by the natural action of the waves and currents, ... } \SLIDE{012}{close view of jetty}{p3}{ but it's clear from the massive rock jetty, that the harbor entrance is not entirely natural. } \SLIDE{013}{from top of jetty}{p3}{ In fact, according to the book A Sandwich Album this harbor entrance was dredged through the dunes in about 1905 at the instigation of Capt. Robert Hammond, who did trap or weir fishing out of Scorton Harbor. } \SLIDE{014}{east beach}{p3}{ The original entrance was about a quarter of a mile down the beach to the east of the jetty, and the new entrance cut off this portion of the beach from the part to the west. Today this portion of the beach between the site of the old entrance and the new harbor entrance is in a conservation trust and is largely undisturbed. } \SLIDE{015}{west beach and people}{p3}{ Since the 1600s, the beach to the west of the new entrance has been connected by roads to Sandwich Village and has become heavily built up with beachfront cottages and greatly used by people. The electricity plant and tower in this picture are actually 6 miles westward on the Cape Cod Canal. } \SLIDE{016}{dog food sign}{p3}{ Advertisers have not missed the fact that many people use the beachfront cottages and beach on sunny summer days. } \SLIDE{017}{terns over harbor entrance}{p3}{ At low tide the ankle-deep water between the gravelspits provides easy hunting grounds for terns, which breed on the undisturbed east beach. The terns swirl around over a school of minnows ... } \SLIDE{018}{hovering tern}{p3}{ ... hover ... } \SLIDE{019}{diving terns}{p3}{ ... and then dive, ... } \SLIDE{020}{underwater tern}{p3}{ submerging completely to catch their meal. } \SLIDE{021}{jet ski coming in}{p3}{ The low tide over the rocky bottom poses a hazard for careless operators of marine motor vehicles. This jet skier encountered the rocky bottom ... } \SLIDE{022}{jet ski being walked out}{p3}{ ... and had to walk his mount to the shore to await a repair truck. } \SLIDE{023}{seaweed on rocks}{p3}{ However, the rocky bottom of the harbor entrance is perfect for species of marine life which need a firmer foothold than the sandy bottom of the bay or the muddy bottom inside the harbor, for instance this seaweed. } \SLIDE{024}{close up of seaweed}{p3}{ Here's the seaweed close up.} \SLIDE{025}{starfish}{p3}{ In the tidepools behind the seaweed, there are starfish, hermit crabs, and snails. } \SLIDE{026}{upsidedown starfish}{p4}{We turned this starfish upsidedown to reveal its tentacles which it uses to catch food, for locomotion, and to cling tenaciously to rocks. } \SLIDE{027}{starfish heading to rock edge}{p3}{ These two starfish moved surprising quickly from the shallow water in which we placed them ... } \SLIDE{028}{starfish over the edge}{p3}{ ...and into a protective crevice. } \SLIDE{029}{barnacles in sun}{p3}{ Barnacles can't stand the sun's rays which dry them out and they can't stand rainwater which dilutes their salt concentration. Therefore, when they are exposed at low tide, they tightly close their shells. The open shells are those of dead barnacles. The barnacles in this picture are in an unshaded place, high on the jetty -- note that at least half of them are open. } \SLIDE{030}{barnacles in shade}{p3}{ These barnacles are at the same height on the jetty but are in more constant shade -- there are many fewer which are open. } \SLIDE{031}{barnacles near water}{p4}{ As larvae, barnacles drift about and settle indiscriminately on the first solid substrate they encounter. These fortunate barnacles reside just barely above the low tide line and therefore are rarely exposed. } \SLIDE{032}{medium view of east branch}{p3}{

Up the east branch behind the barrier beach

Moving past the jetty and inside the harbor mouth, the east branch of Scorton Creek is apparent, still at low tide. } \SLIDE{033}{medium view with more dune}{p3}{ As we look up the creek, we see the the marsh grass which grows along the creek, and above the creekbed we see the barrier dune which protects the creek and its marsh from the waves of Cape Cod Bay. The terns nest just on the opposite side of the dune shown here. } \SLIDE{034}{bridge silhouette}{p3}{ A little further up the creek, moving eastward along the barrier dune, we find the remains of a bridgelike structure. We have heard this was built in the early 1900s by a member of the Torrey family, for access between his property on the uplands to the right and the dunes and beach to the left. } \SLIDE{035}{bridge closeup}{p3}{ The weathering on this old bridge gives testimony to the extent of the tidal fluctuations on the marsh. The still damp area from the water level up to the the bottom of the white band is the range of the twice daily low and high tides caused by the earth's daily rotation.
     The dry band bleached white by salt is indicative of the additional tidal range caused by the twice monthly alignment of the earth, moon and sun.
     The brown and green top portion of the bridge is above the range of either of the periodic tides. } \SLIDE{036}{bridge}{p3}{ This view of the old bridge looks back toward cottages on the west beach and the electricity generating plant's tower in the distance.
     In the creek near the bridge, we could make out numerous little crabs and a couple of horseshoe crabs in the 2 or 3 foot deep water. } \SLIDE{037}{horizontal S. alterniflora closeup}{p3}{ The plants in the picture are spartina alterniflora. Their common name is cordgrass. The combination of the barrier dunes, the daily tides, and the spartina alterniflora actually build the salt marsh. } \SLIDE{038}{dunes}{p3}{ Natural tidal motion of sand and sediment create barrier dunes which partially close off low lands or create a shallow area behind them. The barrier dune provides a place protected from waves where silt accumulates and where the grass can grow. } \SLIDE{039}{spartina along ditch}{p3}{ Spartina alterniflora is the plant best adapted to growth within the range of twice daily salt tides. It outgrows plants less well adapted to this degree of salinity.
     The spartina grows along the edge of the water channel behind the barrier dune. It captures sediment which comes up the water channel with the high tide or runs into the marsh from upland streams. Some of this sediment gets caught in the spartina grass and settles among its roots..
     The spartina is a perennial. The grass tops die each year and are washed out by the tide while the roots grow from year to year. } \SLIDE{040}{peat}{p4}{ Over hundreds of years, the sediment and root mass compact into peat and gradually build up the ground level of the marsh, and the yearly new growth of alterniflora grows on top of this. } \SLIDE{041}{green peat}{p3}{ Thus, eventually, the watery area behind the barrier dune becomes a dense spongy salt marsh. The upward growth of the spartina in time gives sharp definition to the creeks which were originally just natural meanderings of water on the low area behind the dune. The creeks provide for the necessary flow of water into the marsh and are deep enough to remain free of spartina. } \SLIDE{042}{deep peat}{p3}{ The spartina alterniflora's construction of the marsh keeps pace with the gradual rising of the level of ocean. Samples of peat strata taken from The Great Mash of Barnstable document the ocean's rise of 18 feet in the past 3,000 years. } \SLIDE{043}{S. alterniflora above high tide}{p3}{ The alterniflora must have some of its leaves above water for at least half of the daily high tide cycle in order to collect oxygen through tiny holes called stomata and to diffuse the oxygen to its roots. When the spartina is submerged, it closes the stomata to keep out the water. } \SLIDE{044}{bacteria bank}{p4}{ Spartina must get oxygen from the air because its roots are deprived of the oxygen they might get from the soil is consumed by bacteria and algae which dwell in the mud. } \SLIDE{045}{winding creek}{p3}{ Surprisingly, the spartina alterniflora, which lives so successfully regularly imersed in salt water, depend on fresh water for survival. Primarily this need for fresh water is filled by fresh ground water which seeps up through the peat. } \SLIDE{046}{spartina under water}{p3}{ Normally a fresh water plant in salt water would have its fresh water sucked out of it osmoticaly by the higher concentration of salt in the salt water around it. } \SLIDE{047}{spartina underwater more}{p3}{ The alterniflora has dealt with this problem by raising its internal concentration of salt to the point where the salt water is relatively fresh from the spartina's point of view and indeed the osmotic effect in spartina works to draw some fresh water out of the salt water. } \SLIDE{048}{vertical S. alterniflora closeup}{p3}{ While spartina alterniflora has seeds, these are not important to the building of the salt marsh where the plants resides. That is built by the extension of new roots each year. Rather, the seeds fall in the water and float away to seed new locations ripe for development into salt marshes. } \SLIDE{049}{from road to beach}{p2}{

The original entrance

The far end of the eastern branch of Scorton Creek was once a wide, flowing tidal creek which, when closed off, developed into a salt marsh by the process just described. In fact, the area in the picture was near the entrance to Scorton Marsh before Capt. Hammond moved the entrance in 1905. } \SLIDE{050}{old map}{p3}{ The original entrance to Scorton Harbor and Marsh can be seen on this modern rendering of the marsh topography of 1667. The old harbor entrance was just to the right of the area in the previous photograph. } \SLIDE{051}{stairway from beach}{p3}{ Today the old harbor entrance has been sealed by the beach and barrier dune and is now the location of our neighborhood boardwalk and steps to the beach.} \SLIDE{052}{Plymouth dunes}{p3}{ The sand which creates these beaches and dunes is washed by wave and tidal action from the cliffs of Plymouth which can be seen 7 or 8 miles in the distance.} \SLIDE{053}{grass stabilizing the dune}{p3}{ These sands are deposited by waves on the beach and blown up the beach where the American beach grass (or Ammophilia breviligulata) stablizes the dune. } \SLIDE{054}{grass coming down the dune}{p3}{ In the past few years the beach grass on the Bay side of the dunes has been moving down the dune and toward the water, apparently reclaiming erodible sandy beach as grassy dune. } \SLIDE{055}{over marsh from boardwalk}{p3}{ From the boardwalk we can see the backside of the barrier dune leading down to the creek and marsh which used to be the harbor channel. } \SLIDE{056}{wide area inside harbor entrance}{p2}{

The wildlife at the harbor entrance

Returning down the east branch, ... } \SLIDE{057}{low tide with one boat}{p3}{ we arrive back at the wide area just inside the harbor entrance. } \SLIDE{058}{mud flat with boats in background}{p3}{ } \SLIDE{059}{close up of mud flat}{p3}{ The low tide exposes a sand flat teaming with life. } \SLIDE{060}{clam}{p3}{ Softshell clams can be dug up in these sand flats, although at present it is posted that they are not to be harvested. } \SLIDE{061}{closeup of crossing snail trails}{p3}{ The sandflats are criss-crossed with snail trails. } \SLIDE{062}{snail on trail}{p3}{ It appears that snails follow established trails ... } \SLIDE{063}{snail collision}{p3}{ ... although this can sometimes lead to collisions. } \SLIDE{064}{birds wading in mud flats}{p3}{ The exposed mud flats also provide hunting grounds for small shore birds such as sandpipers ... } \SLIDE{065}{bird close up}{p3}{ ... and yellowlegs. } \SLIDE{066}{ mussel beds}{p3}{ Low tide also exposes mussel beds. Those under water appear to have more chance of survival ... } \SLIDE{067}{more mussel beds}{p4}{ than those which are above water at low tide. } \SLIDE{068}{seagull}{p3}{ The seagulls search for mussels they can dislodge. } \SLIDE{069}{seagull in air}{p3}{ A successful seagull flies into the air with its selected mussel and drop it on the rocks below to crack it open. } \SLIDE{070}{seagull back with mussel on ground}{p3}{ Then it flies back down to rip the mussel from the broken shell and eat it. } \SLIDE{071}{seagull with crab}{p3}{ The seagulls also find small crabs to eat in the shallow water next to the exposed mussel beds.} \SLIDE{072}{stream at low tide}{p3}{ Another of the fascinating species, which are able to be seen at low tide, ... } \SLIDE{073}{closer up of mud flat}{p3}{ ... when the mud banks in which they live are exposed, is the fiddler crab. } \SLIDE{074}{fiddler crab}{p3}{ A male fiddler crab is easily recognizable by its one exaggerated claw. The fiddler crab is so named because it looks to be bowing the fiddlelike big claw when it scoops food into its mouth with its small claw. Fiddler crabs have evolved to be almost terrestrial creatures, with some lung capacity which enables them to stay out of water for long periods of time. } \SLIDE{075}{crab holes}{p3}{ Fiddler crabs live in burrows they dig into the mud bottom or side walls of the marsh creeks. These burrows go 3 feet into the mud and are recognizable by the round pellets of sand which the crabs remove from the burrows as they dig. } \SLIDE{076}{crab going into hole}{p3}{ When frightened the crabs run into their holes, and they are able to seal off the entrances to keep the tidal water out. They can live in these burrows as long as they can obtain oxygen from the damp walls, even over the several months of winter when the temperature is low and the marsh may be coated with a crust of ice. } \SLIDE{077}{fiddler crab with claw raised}{p3}{ When it senses danger (such as from our camera), the male fiddler crab aggressively brandishes its exaggerated claw. Apparently the big claw evolved as part of the breeding ritual. Males use the big claw in sparring with each other -- hence their scientific name, uca pugnax -- and also wave them rythmically in order to entice female crabs to join them in their burrows. } \SLIDE{078}{female fiddler crab}{p3}{ Female fiddlers are equally aggressive when they sense danger, such as when we dug one out of the sand and put it in the open to be photographed. All the crabs seem to have keen eyesight and could see us coming from great distances. } \SLIDE{079}{snails}{p3}{ Snails are also found clustered together on the packed mud bank. This species is called Littorina Littorea, but most people know them as periwinkles. They are essentially salt water animals which have plate called an operculum, which they can draw into the opening of their shells to seal themselves against drying during low tide periods. By sealing themselves this way they are able survive out of water for many days. } \SLIDE{080}{tide pool}{p3}{ Low tide also leaves tide pools in the middle of the sand flats. } \SLIDE{081}{stacked green things}{p3}{ The four greeen animals stacked on top of each other in this tide pool have the scientific name of Crepidula fornicata. They are commonly known as slipper limpets, although they are more closely related to periwinkles than they are to other limpets.
Slipper limpets are protandric hermaphrodites. Those which reside at the bottom of these piles, which can be a dozen or more deep, are older slippers which are all female. Young slippers are male and they join these piles at the top. The slipper limpets in middle of the piles are changing sex from male to female.
It is thought that each slipper limpet in a pile is one year younger than the one below it. The piles are stationary, as the slippers feed by filtering nutritious particles out the water which flows by. } \SLIDE{082}{slipper shell}{p3}{ Many people know the slipper limpets as slipper shells from the shape of their emply shells. } \SLIDE{083}{panorama of the marsh and dunes}{p3}{ When exploring the marsh, it is difficult to concentrate only on the muddy bottom. } \SLIDE{084}{slide of blue sky near sunset}{p3}{ Sometimes one simply has to enjoy the scenery. } \SLIDE{085}{sunset}{p3}{ } \SLIDE{086}{morning over the main creek}{p2}{

Up the west branch behind the E. Sandwich cottages

The next morning we set out from the main harbor area to explore the west branch of Scorton Creek which extends behind the beachfront cottages. } \SLIDE{087}{boat at low tide}{p3}{ } \SLIDE{088}{red buoy in foreground}{p3}{ The people who moor their sail boats in the west branch have to take them in and out at high tide. } \SLIDE{089}{close up of grounded sailboat}{p3}{ } \SLIDE{090}{low tide in west branch}{p3}{ The inches-deep-water in the streambed and slight deeper depressions are filled with uncountable little fishes -- perhaps salt marsh minnows, killifish, top minnows, sheepshead and mummichog -- which unfortunately don't photograph well underwater.
This creek bed is an example of a windy natural tributary formed by the random work of water and spartina. Where the channel bends, somewhat firm sandbars tend to get deposited. } \SLIDE{091}{footprints in the mud}{p4}{ The main channel tends to be oozy, with loose deep sediment. } \SLIDE{092}{purple sulfur bacteria}{p3}{ Purple sulfur bacteria live below a single layer of sand where light is available for photosynthesis but where they are protected from oxygen which is fatal to them. They turn purple when the current washes away the layer of sand and exposes them to oxygen. } \SLIDE{093}{view into mosquito ditch}{p3}{ From the creek bed one has a good view of the very straight and much shallower ditches which were cut through the flat marsh grass in the 1930s. } \SLIDE{094}{another mosquito ditch}{p3}{ These ditches an attempt to drain standing pools of water in which mosquito larvae grew. Apparently these ditches have not made much difference to the mosquito population but they did provide work for men during the Depression years. } \SLIDE{095}{radiator}{p3}{ There are other signs that man has been around the marsh, such as this old iron radiator, now a perch for snails and barnacles. } \SLIDE{096}{dam under road}{p4}{ About a quarter of a mile up the west branch from the harbor area is a dam and metal gate which lets the water run one way but not the other. } \SLIDE{097}{view of pond}{p2}{

The connection to the fresh water pond

The dam lets the fresh water from the pond on the other side of the dam run into the marsh but prevents salt water from the marsh from running into the pond and cranberry bogs beyond. } \SLIDE{098}{topo map}{p4}{ The dam is part of the road causeway which connects Ploughed Neck to the beach where the cottages are and has cut the part of the marsh where the pond now is off from the main part of Scorton Marsh. Overland, grasses and the higher marsh along Murkwood toward 6A } \SLIDE{099}{looking back on Scorton Marsh from the top of the dam}{p3}{Looking back on the west branch of Scorton Creek from the top of the dam in the Ploughed Neck causeway, one gets a good look at the marsh grasses along the creek bank. } \SLIDE{100}{road of dead reeds}{p3}{ The top parts of the grass break off and are carried by the twice monthly high tides to the edges of the marsh next to the uplands. Such a thick mat of dead grass is formed that live grasses can't grow through it. } \SLIDE{101}{sneaker on reeds}{p3}{ Almost anything can float to the edge of the marsh on these mats of dead grass, for instance: an old sneaker ... } \SLIDE{102}{crabs on reeds}{p3}{ ... shells of dead crabs ... } \SLIDE{103}{horseshoe crab}{p4}{ ... or a desicated horseshoe crab. } \SLIDE{104}{dead seagull}{p4}{ Death and decay are an integral part of the life of the salt marsh. } \SLIDE{105}{bushes at edge of marsh}{p3}{ At the boundary between the marsh and the uplands, other bushes and grasses, which do better with more fresh water, grow. } \SLIDE{106}{closeup of bush}{p3}{ One such bush is marsh elder or iva. frutescens } \SLIDE{107}{closeup of S. patens}{p3}{ Growing on the higher flat parts of the marsh between the creek bed and the marsh edge is the other important spartina grass -- spartina patens. } \SLIDE{108}{cowlick}{p3}{ Patens is a fine, easily bent grass, which gets its name from the way it falls under its own weight to form these cowlicks- patens mean "lies open (or) exposed" in Latin. Like alterniflora, spartina patens plays a major role in the construction of a salt marsh. } \SLIDE{109}{medium distance windrow}{p3}{ The spartina alterniflora, shown here in the background, grows on the edge of the deep streams through the marsh where it is inundated with salt water by the twice daily high tides. Eventually it raises the level of the marsh floor to a point where the floor is above the reach of the twice daily tide. Then the spartina patens takes over. It is shown here in the foreground in characteristic windrows. } \SLIDE{110}{big flood}{p3}{ Spartina patens is dominant where the marsh gets flooded by salt water only by the twice monthly highest tides and not by the twice daily tides. } \SLIDE{111}{patens to cottages}{p3}{ Like spartina alterniflora, spartina patens is a perennial and each year the top part of the plant dies and is left to provide mulch for future plant growth on the marsh, while the root part lives from year to year.
The top part of Spartina patens is the famous "marsh hay" which early settlers on the Cape used to feed their cattle and to fertilize their fields. } \SLIDE{112}{wet low spot}{p3}{ In the midst of the flat highland marsh where the patens is dominant, there are some low spots which don't drain well from the twice monthly tides and other spots where the patens doesn't grow for some reason.. Some of the low spots, like this one, never drain. } \SLIDE{113}{dry wet spot}{p3}{ In others, like this one, the standing water evaporates or is absorbed by the soil, but nothing grows, perhaps because the salt concentration is too high for anything but certain bacterias. } \SLIDE{114}{s. europaea}{p4}{ Still other spots seem ideal for small plants such as salicornia europaea (distinguishable by its clearly branched stalks), ... } \SLIDE{115}{s. virginica}{p3}{ ... and salicornia virginica. The salicornia plants are commonly known as marshwort or seapickle, and were used by early settlers for pickling. } \SLIDE{116}{animal path}{p3}{ These slightly lower spots in the upper marsh are also apparently well liked by small animals, as indicated by this animal path from a salt pan area to the edge of a major creek branch. } \SLIDE{117}{marsh lavender}{p3}{ Other plants, such as this marsh lavender, also take hold in the patens meadows of the higher marsh. } \SLIDE{118}{green plant}{p3}{ This is a late seaside plantain. It's thick leaves are distinctly triangular. } \SLIDE{119}{distant view of triangular grass}{p3}{ While the spartinas do well where it is relatively salty, they don't compete well in less salty territory where more fresh water grasses, rushes and sedges can live. Along the edge of the marsh on the right of this picture is a plant with a distinctive, green, triangular stalk and brown tips. } \SLIDE{120}{closeup of triangular grass}{p3}{ This is the sedge scirpus maritimus or salt-marsh bulrush. } \SLIDE{121}{distant view of reeds}{p3}{ Hedges of tall reeds are also found along the edge of the marsh. } \SLIDE{122}{close up of reed}{p3}{ These are phragmites communis. Phragmites can grow to be 13 feet tall. } \SLIDE{123}{cattails}{p3}{ Also well suited to life at the border between the salt marsh and the uplands are the cattails, which need to dwell in the marshy areas where fresh water collects. } \SLIDE{124}{dead trees}{p3}{ Further back in the marsh, on the edge of the forested uplands, are a number of dead trees . These trees very likely have been killed by the slowly rising ocean level with its high tides going ever further toward the uplands. } \SLIDE{125}{dead tree}{p4}{ Such dead trees are the natural nesting places of ospreys, hawks which dwelled successfully on the marsh until their ranks were depleted by loss of habitat and the spraying of DDT. } \SLIDE{126}{broken dam}{p4}{ At low tide, fresh water flows downstream in the higher marsh stream beds which at the highest tides are filled with salt water. This washed out old dam, near Murkwood conservation land , a few hundred feet from Route 6A, was probably an attempt to keep the salt from the lower marsh from mingling with the fresh water of the higher marsh. } \SLIDE{127}{big marsh}{p3}{ The area between Murkwood Conservations land and the main creek is a huge meadow of spartina patens..The island of forested uplands in the middle of this expanse is the likely home of deer and other mammals. A member of the state environmental police reported that both the deer and coyote populations have grown in recent years. } \SLIDE{128}{geese}{p3}{ The island is hundreds of yards from any human habitat, and the quiet area of the marsh near the island is well liked by feeding Canada geese. } \SLIDE{129}{more geese}{p3}{ } \SLIDE{130}{green heron}{p3}{ The marsh is also the feeding grounds of little green herons, like this one taking flight at our approach ... } \SLIDE{131}{blue heron}{p3}{ ... and great blue herons like the one standing in the creek at the edge of the sandbar, waiting to spear a passing fish with it long bill. The herons sometimes gather together in groups -- we saw 7 at one time -- but it's hard to get close enough to photograph them without scaring them away ... } \SLIDE{132}{osprey}{p3}{ A pair of osprey have fished in the creek this summer, like this one sitting on the pole of the little boat dock near our house. They are apparently a young pair which have been practicing nesting on the man made wooden tower toward the back right of the picture. } \SLIDE{133}{osprey flying}{p3}{ The ospreys also fly away when the photographer approaches. } \SLIDE{134}{birds on posts}{p2}{

Up the main stream to the beach across Route 6A

The next part of Scorton Marsh to explore is the main stream of Scorton Creek as it winds its way from the harbor area to Route 6A.
At low tide, an old wooden structure, decaying in the water, provides a perch for terns. } \SLIDE{135}{birds on mud flats}{p3}{ The sand bars and shallow water are a feasting place for birds. There are large numbers of sand insects, little fish and translucent sandshrimp between 1/2 inch and 2 inches long. They hide under the sand, quickly dart across a short expanse of water and in the blink of an eye bury themselves in the sand. There are also bigger fish and eels in the slightly deeper water of the main stream bed. } \SLIDE{136}{birds on mud flats}{p3}{ Birds which hunt for food on the sand banks or in the shallow water include snowy egrets, sandpipers, yellowlegs, and seagulls, all of which are visible in the picture. } \SLIDE{137}{strata}{p3}{ Low tide on the main stream presents an opportunity to see an outstanding illustration of the way the spartina alterniflora has built up the marsh over the millenia. In the picture, a six feet bank of strata is visible above the sandbar, all of it sediment and root mass left by generations of alterniflora. } \SLIDE{138}{merge of 3 streams}{p3}{ In this picture, notice how the stream bank is eroding on the near side. Also notice the sand bank being built on the far side. This is typical of the fact that erosion of the winding stream bank on one side is compensated for it by build-up on the other side, thus maintaining over the long term a constant ratio of stream bed to marsh land. Just enough stream bed is needed for the high tide to fill this size marsh with water.
This picture shows two naturally formed side streams joining the main stream. } \SLIDE{139}{entrance to winding stream}{p3}{ This is how a natural side stream joining the main stream looks at high tide. } \SLIDE{140}{entrance to mosquito ditch}{p3}{ Here's a man-made mosquito ditch at high tide. } \SLIDE{141}{stream edge}{p3}{ This is the average high tide level on the main stream. } \SLIDE{142}{grass at stream edge}{p3}{ A week before the highest tide of the month, the tops of the spartina alterniflora just poke above the top of the water, and the patens is beginning to be inundated. } \SLIDE{143}{snails climbing grass}{p3}{ As the flood tide comes in, little insects and snails which live among the grasses ascend the stalks. These melampus bidentatus or salt marsh snails normally stay in damp areas beneath the mats of patens; however, since they breath through a lung and cannot breath under water, they must climb grass stems to remain above flood tides. If they are covered by the tide, they can only hold their breath for an hour. The melampus somehow has an internal alarm clock which allow it to anticipate the daily tides and begin to climb before the water arrives. } \SLIDE{144}{grass}{p4}{ This is a very pretty time of the month to be out on the marsh when the water is beginning to cover the patens at high tide but it is still shallow enough to walk about.} \SLIDE{145}{grass}{p3}{ } \SLIDE{146}{grass}{p3}{ } \SLIDE{147}{grass}{p3}{ } \SLIDE{148}{stream}{p3}{ Continuing up stream, we see a power boat in the distance. They routinely come up stream at high tide. } \SLIDE{149}{rubber dingy}{p3}{ The noise and wakes of speeding power boats disturb the birds on the marsh. } \SLIDE{150}{tug boat}{p3}{ The houses which are located on the Fort Hill bank of Scorton Creek have their own boat docks. } \SLIDE{151}{house}{p3}{ } \SLIDE{152}{row boat}{p3}{ } \SLIDE{153}{Route 6A}{p3}{ Beyond Fort Hill, the Route 6A causeway crosses Scorton Marsh and cuts it in two. } \SLIDE{154}{bridge}{p3}{ A bridge permits the wide creek to flow to the south side of Route 6A. } \SLIDE{155}{bridge with diving boy}{p3}{ Kids use the bridge to enjoy high tide in the creek. } \SLIDE{156}{bridge with diving girl}{p3}{ } \SLIDE{157}{bridge with swimming kids}{p3}{ } \SLIDE{158}{rubber dingy}{p3}{ Past the bridge is a popular recreational area. } \SLIDE{159}{couple fishing}{p3}{ People fish there... } \SLIDE{160}{people in boat on beach}{p3}{ ... and they play on the beach. } \SLIDE{161}{topo map}{p2}{

Overland, grasses and the higher marsh by the State conservation land

The next part of the marsh to explore is south of Route 6A, the heavy red line on the map, and back to the ponds below the State Game Farm at the lower center of the map. } \SLIDE{162}{great patens meadow}{p3}{ In this region, the higher marshland far from the main creek, has a bit of the character of an upland, non-salt-marsh, meadow. } \SLIDE{163}{patens closeup}{p3}{ Patens is still the dominant plant. } \SLIDE{164}{patens windrows and other bushes}{p3}{ However, this high up the marsh the patens grows tall and thick and many fresh water plants grow among the patens. } \SLIDE{165}{little brown plant}{p3}{ This is another species of bullrush, or perhaps it is a taller more upland verson of scripus maritimus. } \SLIDE{166}{lavender}{p3}{ Sea lavender is widespread here. } \SLIDE{167}{mosquito ditch with crab holes}{p3}{ The mosquito ditches which were cut through this highland meadow appear to be a particularly good location for fiddler crabs. Back at the harbor entrace, the fiddler's burrows were widely spaced in the sand. Here the bank is completely perforated with fiddler crab burrows.} \SLIDE{168}{more bank with holes}{p3}{ Although the hundreds of fiddlers dive for their holes when people approach, a couple of male fiddler crabs can be seen behind the grass in the center of this picture. } \SLIDE{169}{marsh and uplands with cross in foreground}{p3}{ The boundaries of the patens marsh, the forested uplands and the fresh water marsh in between are less clear here than they were closer to the Bay. This is probably because the salt water rises out of the creek bed less often and less far and the available fresh water is more plentiful. } \SLIDE{170}{stream to pond}{p3}{ A major source of fresh water is this stream from the ponds behind the State Game Farm. While this stream fills with salt water at high tide, at low tide fresh water runs down stream. } \SLIDE{171}{barn}{p3}{ These buildings are part of the State Game Farm where quail were raised until a few years ago when lack of funds caused it to be closed. Now equipment confiscated from illegal fishing operations is stored in the fenced in farm. There are two ponds behind the State Game Farm. } \SLIDE{172}{railroad}{p3}{ The two ponds of today were surely once a single pond which was divided by the rail bed of the Cape Cod Railroad... } \SLIDE{173}{train close up}{p3}{ The railroad runs between Sandwich and Hyannis and provides sightseers a view of the countryside in between. It's whistle can be heard all across the marsh at all hours of the day. } \SLIDE{174}{pond and swan}{p3}{ This is the pond on the south side of the railroad track. } \SLIDE{175}{pond}{p3}{ This is the pond between the railroad track and the State Game Farm, which is behind the trees across the pond to the left.
Also across the pond, in the narrow area to the right, is a man made dam. } \SLIDE{176}{pond dam}{p3}{ The dam keep fresh water which collects in the pond from running quickly into the salt marsh and prevents salt water from contaminating the pond. } \SLIDE{177}{topo map}{p4}{

Overview of the marsh south of Route 6A

The last part of Scorton Marsh to look at is the part which runs east along Route 6A. } \SLIDE{178}{view from hill on Scorton neck}{p3}{ From a road going up a hill on Scorton Neck in the vicinity of the Wingscorton Farm one can see from the north side of Route 6A across the marsh to the old State quail farm. } \SLIDE{179}{mid view}{p3}{ The east/west hills of the Sandwich glacial moraine are visible in the background. } \SLIDE{180}{far view}{p3}{ If you look closely at the middle of this picture, you can see a man made osprey platform. } \SLIDE{181}{osprey platform}{p3}{ Platforms such as this and the one shown earlier in the picture of the osprey have been built by Sandwich's Conservation Commission to entice ospreys to repopulate Scorton Marsh. } \SLIDE{182}{osprey platform up close}{p4}{ In their second year, ospreys return to the region of their birth to find an appropriate location for a nest , such as this platform, a dead tree or a piling. There they may pair off, and a young pair may practice building a nest without actually laying eggs, a behavior called false nesting. Generally in their third year a pair nests for real and produces eggs for the first time, and in years after that they return to the same nest and add to it. } \SLIDE{183}{hay rick}{p3}{ Here and there on the upper marsh are the remains of hay ricks such as this. In the days when marsh hay was actively harvested, special cutting machines were pulled across the marsh by horses to cut the spartina patens. The cut hay was stacked in large mounds on tops of a bed of wooden stakes which was called a hay rick and which kept the bottom of the mound above tide level. } \SLIDE{184}{greenhead boxes}{p3}{ Also scattered around the upper marsh are blue painted boxes which are a device to control the greenhead fly population. For an unknown reason, the greenheads enter the underside of the box through a narrow trap arrangement, and they are unable to find their way back out. According to the Cape Cod Natural History Museum, these traps can eliminate 70% of an area's greenhead population. } \SLIDE{185}{grass filled mosquito ditch}{p4}{ This picture shows how Spartina alterniflora can completely fill in the deep areas on the upper marsh where patens is otherwise dominate; in this case the alterniflora has filled-in a mosquito ditch. } \SLIDE{186}{spartina close up}{p3}{ The spartina alterniflora also grows in thick deep clusers along the upper portion of the main creek which becomes so narrow and windy... } \SLIDE{187}{canoe tip}{p3}{ ...that it is sometimes difficult for a canoe to negotiate the turns. } \SLIDE{188}{Jones Lane causeway}{p2}{

The connection to The Great Marsh and the activities bounding the marsh to the south

The main creek through Scorton Marsh eventually reaches the Jones Lane causeway. } \SLIDE{189}{causeway with car}{p3}{ Scorton Creek flows under the Jones Lane causeway by means of ... } \SLIDE{190}{pipe}{p3}{ ... a big pipe. } \SLIDE{191}{canoe}{p3}{ At this point, we had to leave our canoe ... } \SLIDE{192}{other side of Jones Lane}{p3}{ ... to take a look at the marsh on the other side of Jones Lane into which the water of Scorton Creek flows. } \SLIDE{193}{topo map}{p3}{ As can be seen on the topographical map, Jones Lane and Route 6A cut Scorton Marsh into pieces and separate Scorton Marsh from The Great Marsh in Barnstable. The water flowing under Jones Lane flows on to The Great Marsh. Thus, Scorton Creek makes a circuit from Scorton Harbor to Barnstable Harbor via Scorton Marsh and the Great Marsh. Scorton Neck and Sandy Neck are in some sense an island separated from the mainland by Scorton Creek. } \SLIDE{194}{docking canoe}{p2}{

Back to home

Having reached the full extent of Scorton Marsh in all directions, we thought is was time to reflect on what we had learned and to return to our home port. } \SLIDE{195}{Sara}{p3}{ Here we came across the most frolicsome life form on the marsh. } \SLIDE{196}{panorama of marsh}{p2}{

Reflection

Upon reflection, we have learned about three key elements in the life of Scorton Salt Marsh.
     First, the salt marsh along Scorton Creek is the home of a diversity of plant and animal life which was surprising to us -- we could study these species for years and just begin to understand all that they have to teach us. } \SLIDE{197}{flooded marsh}{p3}{ Second, the salt marsh actually has been created and kept growing by the action of the ocean tides and the life cycle of spartina alterniflora
     Third, Scorton Marsh is now constrained by man made barriers so that further natural growth of the marsh in response to the ocean's rise is unlikely. } \SLIDE{198}{looking back on marsh from Ploughed Neck Lane}{p3}{ At the west side, the Ploughed Neck Lane causeway cuts the marsh off from growth into the uplands to the southwest of Ploughed Neck. } \SLIDE{199}{looking back on marsh from Jones Lane}{p3}{ At the east side, the Jones Lane causway cuts the marsh off from growth into the uplands between Jones Lane and the Great Marsh. } \SLIDE{200}{railroad track}{p3}{ And the railroad embankment cuts the marsh off from the uplands to the south.
     The ultimate fate of the marsh as the ocean rises over the next few hundred years is thus in doubt.
     However, this shouldn't prevent us ...} \SLIDE{201}{flood tide on grasses}{p2}{

View from the house at sunset, and Acknowledgments

... from enjoying the dynamic beauty of Scorton Marsh today. } \SLIDE{202}{sunset}{p3}{ } \SLIDE{203}{sunset}{p3}{This slide show and narrative, Reflections of Scorton Salt Marsh, was conceived as a vacation natural history study project.} \SLIDE{204}{sunset}{p3}{It was originally produced as a 35mm slide show with cassette tape narration by Luke and Dave Walden between July 27th and August 10th, 1991.} \SLIDE{205}{sunset}{p3}{Together Luke and Dave explored the marsh and developed the narrative. Luke did the photography. In the spring of 2000 Dave began adapting the slide show to an electronic format with written narrative; he finished in 2005.} \SLIDE{206}{sunset}{p3}{Our reference materials were obtained from the Green Briar Nature Center, the Sandwich Public Library, and the Sandwich Town Archives.} \SLIDE{207}{sunset}{p3}{The slides were taken on Fujichrome 100 film with a Nikon camera and lenses.} \SLIDE{208}{sunset}{p3}{We thank Sara Walden who helped us in every way to learn about Scorton Salt Marsh.} \SLIDE{209}{sunset}{p3}{ } \SLIDE{210}{near blackout}{p3}{ } \SLIDE{211}{bibliography}{p5}{

Bibliography

Berrill, N.J. and Jacquelyn, 1000 Questions Answered About the Seashore, Dover, 1957.

Cullity, Rosanna and John Nye (eds.), A Sandwich Album, published by the Nye Family of America Association, 1987.

Fox, William, T., At the Sea's Edge, Prentice-Hall Inc., 1983, chapter 8.

Garlin, Linda, and Linda Vines (eds), The Evolution of Life>, Oxford University Press, 1987.

Gates, David Alan, Seasons of the Salt Marsh, The Chatham Press, Old Greenwich, CT, 1975.

Gosner, Kenneth L., A Field Guide to the Atlantic Seashore, Houghton Mifflin Co., 1978.

Hay, John and Peter Farb, The Atlantic Shore, Harper and Row, 1966, chapter 7.

Lovell, R.A., Jr., Sandwich A Cape Cod Town, published by the Town of Sandwich, Massachusetts, and the Sandwich Archives and Historical Center, 1984.

O'Brien, Greg (ed), A Guide to Nature on Cape Cod and the Islands, Penguin Books, 1990, chapters 3 and 4.

Ottewell, Guy, Astronomical Calendar 1991, published by the author at the Department of Physics, Furman University, Greenville, South Carolina.

Sagan, Dorion and Lynn Margulis, Garden of Microbial Delights, Harcourt Brace Jovanovich, 1988.

Teal, John and Mildred, Life and Death of the Salt Marsh, Ballantine Books (paperback), 1969.

Townsend, Charles Wendell, Sand Dunes and Salt Marshes, The Page Company, Boston, 1913, chapters 8-11.

Ursin, Michael J., Life in and Around the Salt Marshes, Thomas Y. Crowell Company, New York, 1972.} \SLIDE{212}{end of show}{p6}{

The End

Luke and Dave Walden working at their "light table," creating the original slide show.

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