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Finding Artistic Inspiration at Salter Grove

/ Jason Major / Leave a comment
Oil painter Pat Perry at Salter Grove on July 23, 2021

Salter Grove isn’t just a great place to picnic, play, and go fishing—you can also find it artistically inspiring like Pat Perry did in July! Pat set up her portable easel for a bit of “plein air” painting, capturing the beauty of the cove, causeway, and breakwater from the eastern shore under a bright summer sky.

Pat came “all the way” from West Greenwich to paint a view from Salter Grove.

And earlier today on the west side of the park, “sidewalk artists” Sabrina and Adam created quite an impressive display of magical beasts, national flags, and planets to explore in chalk on the paved path to the playground.

Adam and Sabrina and their sidewalk chalk masterpiece on August 2, 2021

You never know what may inspire you at Salter Grove!

Nature Red in Tooth and Claw

/ Jason Major / Leave a comment
Juvenile Red-tailed Hawk with freshly-captured squirrel 

While working on the nature trails on Tuesday, November 17th, a hawk flew right toward us, struggling to keep hold of a squirrel in its talons. It graciously posed for some photos, and then flew to a limb tangle where it was better able to pin the squirrel down for a feast. It must have been very hungry because it even stripped the fur off the squirrel’s tail, presumably to access the tidbits there.

An hour later, a large raccoon was spotted sleeping 35 feet up on a black oak bough, not far from the hawk’s feeding perch.

Then an immature bald eagle soared by over South Cove.

Finally, the same hawk was seen close up, feeding on another bird, but unfortunately the camera battery had died.

Salter Grove—who needs a documentary when you can see it live? 

Please Allow Me to Introduce Myself

/ Jason Major / Leave a comment

FoSG blog post (5-1-20)(1

Trail distance marker, hanging plant tag, and tree stake (left to right).

We have installed all of the permanent distance markers, and have started on the first batch of permanent plant labels along the trails in Salter Grove.

The distance markers are spaced 100 feet apart and serve to locate plants and animal sightings, past, present, and future.

Hanging plant tags identify shrubs and vines while 3″ x 5″ signs identify tree species. Not shown in the photo above are 2″ x 4″ labels for smaller herbaceous plants.

This is the second step of a multi-phase process to develop a smartphone-accessible website for visitors to access ecological, geological, and cultural information while they are at the park. This project has the support and approval of Warwick’s Parks and Recreation Department and RIDEM.

Obviously these permanent tags look much nicer than the white plastic tags and stakes which were placeholders during the identification process. Please respect this effort to provide a multi-generational educational experience by looking, but not touching (dogs too!).