The mile-long Barton Cove Nature Trail leads to the end of a peninsula that extends into a bend of the Connecticut River.  The rich woodlands feature such plants as purple flowering raspberry (Rubus odoratus), spotted pipsissewa (Chimaphila maculata), swamp candles (Lysimachia terrestris), and Indian cucumber root (Madeola virginiana).  The trail meanders through Dinosaur Track Quarry, which features tracks left by dinosaurs in a tropical Jurassic fern forest about 200 million years ago.  At the end of this wooded peninsula the trail approaches the shore of Barton’s Cove, where there is an active Bald Eagle’s nest on an island just offshore.  This field trip, covering about two miles, will focus on plant identification and natural history.  The trail is steep in spots, so wear hiking boots or sturdy shoes.  Bring a bag lunch, a hand lens if you have one, a favorite field guide or two, and perhaps a pair of binoculars in case we spot any eagles.