This morning was special. I had signed up for a hawk watch at Bartholomew's Cobble, which is an unusual geologic formation, whose name was probably derived from an old Germanic word: kobel meaning "rocks." The Cobble was created as long as 500 million years ago when still forming strata were pushed upward, leaving the rough and rugged surfaces exposed for millenia. Now grazing cattle preserve the farming history in the area.
The "Cobble" has retained its rough and rugged structure despite having been exposed to the elements for hundreds of thousands of years because of the rock mix itself. Quartzite, from which the structures were formed, is an especially erosion resistant component.
Early upheavals also created Hurlburt's Hill, 1000 feet above the Cobble and the highest point on the reservation with views that are truly magnificent in every direction. This is where we watched for the hawks and other bird species. Located in Sheffield, Massachusetts at the southwestern plateau that is but minutes to the Connecticut border this place is different in every season and magical always.
So did I see any hawks? The answer is yes. They were mostly distant but the guide and the binoculars really helped. When I moved to the Berkshires, I immediately fell and was largely incapacitated for months. To be able to do the hike and enjoy the area is a gift I am really grateful for.
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