Jamaica Pond

Not Whitey Bulger reposts an 1873 report on a court hearing on whether a bath house at the pond could stay open despite complaints from residents of nearby estates that they just could not abide knowing men and boys there were swimming in the pond pantsless. The judge ruled against the burghers, citing the urinal case of Rudolph vs. St. George's vestry and especially the pigeon-shooting case of Rex vs. Moore.

Steve Garfield captures a kid enjoying the water fountain at the Jamaica Pond boathouse during the NeighborWalk walk.

At times, Jamaica Pond seemed more a still photo than a pond today - the mist blurred its edges, the water didn't move. But then a pair of ducks came quacking along. A guy re-cast his fishing line. Joggers trotted around a bend. And birds up in the trees chirped. It was a good day for a walk around the pond.

Note:: The photos have been put behind a registration wall. Here is a 2003 photo.

Kerry Lee photographs the increasingly tame beast.

Steve Garfield goes in search of the fabled white squirrel of Jamaica Pond and finds it. However, the video ends rather suddenly, with Steve on the run after the squirrel notices him. Was his life insurance paid up?

Steve Garfield captures one of the Jamaica Pond swans today (with a camera, people).

Samuel Blackman says his Jamaica Pond Project will be a yearlong study of the happenings and changes around the pond (when not busy shooting photos at the pond, Blackman keeps up his Blog, MD - he's a pediatric hematologist-oncologist).

Boston Police report a woman jogging around Jamaica Pond this morning got flashed and butt-slapped by a light-skinned, 6-foot Hispanic male in his 20s. Perp fled when the woman threatened to call the police.

Editor's question: I also posted about the incompetent kidnapper on River Street, yet I don't post about most shootings (well, unless they happen in West Roxbury cemeteries) or murders. Should I (and would this even be a question if I didn't live in a safe area)? Or leave those to BPD News and Boston Crime?

Steve Garfield photographs Jamaica Pond's newest bench, thoughtfully set aside for people who like sitting in incredibly weird positions. Or cats.

In his ongoing series on urban wildlife, the Urban Pantheist takes a look at the American coot:

... The American coot is something of a rarity in New England, but can be reliably found in several urban locations in the winter. A handful of these odd-looking birds keeps company with mallards on Jamaica Pond and Chandler Pond, two Boston bodies of water. ...

Abby posts some photos from the Jamaica Pond lantern festival. Girlzone41 also posts photos. B Tal posts more photos.

Cavatica finds an abandoned baby squirrel - and holds it as it dies:

... Something about the tiny helplessness of it, breathing its last breath in the palm of my hand, has stirred a sadness in me that I can't distance myself from like I can the others. ..