Rhode Island Osprey Population Soars

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

Rhode Island’s osprey population is climbing, after a highly productive year in 2016, and while the wet spring of 2017 will likely cause a decrease in nesting success this year, the once-rare fish-eating hawk is a model conservation success story, according to new report issued by the Audubon Society of Rhode Island, which has coordinated the monitoring of osprey nests statewide since 2010.
“We’ve had an amazing long-term trend of not just active nests but successful nests and the number of young,” said Jonathan Scoones, Audubon’s director of volunteer services who coordinates the osprey monitoring program. “Only nine of our nests were not successful this year, so it seems that our ospreys are becoming experienced at raising young.”
More than 100 volunteers recorded 159 active osprey nests in the state last year, with 150 of them successfully raising chicks, an increase of 28 successful nests over the previous year and 45 more than in 2014. The number of young ospreys that fledged from their nests skyrocketed from 186 in 2014 to 297 in 2016.
“Last year was the perfect year for ospreys, mostly because of the weather,” Scoones said. “The birds have to be able to see through the water to find the fish to bring them back to their chicks. They have to be able to see down about three feet into the water. If the weather is bad, they can’t see well enough.”
For the third year in a row, osprey nests in Barrington and South Kingstown produced the most fledglings, with 42 and 41, respectively. The Palmer River area of Barrington and Warren had the densest aggregation of osprey nests in the region, with 22 nests between the East Bay Bike Path bridge in Warren and the Swansea Country Club just over the Massachusetts border.

Butch Lombardi, who monitors a dozen of the nests on the Palmer River, said that food availability and water conditions make the area an ideal place for osprey to nest.

“Food is the prime reason they’re there,” he said. “The river is pretty shallow once you get past the Warren bridge, and there is very little boat traffic except for kayaks and canoes. The key is that the river is so shallow that the birds can hunt it pretty easily because the fish can’t go deep on them.
“If you add Merriman’s Pond at the country club, which is just two feet deep, it’s like McDonald’s takeout for them. It’s an easy place for a meal.”
Ospreys were driven to near extinction in the 1960s and ’70s because of the effects of the pesticide DDT, which caused reproductive failure in many fish-eating birds, including bald eagles. When the osprey monitoring program began in 1977 — originally coordinated by the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management — just eight young ospreys fledged from nests in the state.
Today, ospreys nest in 28 cities and towns in Rhode Island, including every coastal community except Cranston, as well as inland communities such as Coventry, Exeter, Scituate and West Greenwich.
“There are probably more nests out there that we’re not aware of,” Scoones said, “so we’d love to get feedback from people who may know of nests we can’t easily access. The Scituate Reservoir probably has ospreys, but we don’t have access there to look for them.”
While ospreys appear to be quite common in many parts of the state, Scoones doesn’t believe the area has reached maximum capacity.
“Westport [Mass.] has 80 nests along a short stretch of the river there, so the birds can live communally rather than just one every mile or so, which is what we have here,” he said. “So we can still take on more capacity.”
Scoones said the Palmer River area may not be able to support many more ospreys, but there are numerous places around Greenwich Bay in the Warwick and Cranston area that are available for additional osprey nests.
The Audubon staffer doesn’t believe 2017 will be a banner year for ospreys, however. He expects to see evidence of more new nests being built by many of the birds that fledged from nests in the area during the past two years, but the rainy spring will probably mean that successful nests will produce fewer young than in 2016.
“It’s just harder to find food in the rain; the birds can’t see into the water,” Scoones said. “They don’t like to fly in the rain anyway, and the mother spends her time covering her chicks when it rains, so she can’t help find food.”
Despite his prediction for this year, Scoones anticipates that the increasing trend in osprey numbers will continue into the future.
“We have enough population here already that we can probably weather a few years of something going wrong, like bad weather or food not being available,” he said. “I’m excited about the future because more people are aware of the osprey and are willing to protect them. The birds are being accepted and no longer seen as a threat to fish.”
Scoones remains concerned, however, about continued coastal development that could limit the availability of nesting habitat.
“They need to be able to live in trees or nests close to the water where they can get to their food,” he said. “Nearshore development is forcing ospreys to leave their natural nests, and now they’re going to cell towers and power line towers.”
Anyone interested in becoming an osprey monitor or helping to repair osprey nest poles, should contact Scoones at 401-245-7500 or jscoones@asri.org.Source:
“It’s just harder to find food in the rain; the birds can’t see into the water,” Scoones said. “They don’t like to fly in the rain anyway, and the mother spends her time covering her chicks when it rains, so she can’t help find food.”
Despite his prediction for this year, Scoones anticipates that the increasing trend in osprey numbers will continue into the future.
“We have enough population here already that we can probably weather a few years of something going wrong, like bad weather or food not being available,” he said. “I’m excited about the future because more people are aware of the osprey and are willing to protect them. The birds are being accepted and no longer seen as a threat to fish.”
Scoones remains concerned, however, about continued coastal development that could limit the availability of nesting habitat.
“They need to be able to live in trees or nests close to the water where they can get to their food,” he said. “Nearshore development is forcing ospreys to leave their natural nests, and now they’re going to cell towers and power line towers.”
Anyone interested in becoming an osprey monitor or helping to repair osprey nest poles, should contact Scoones at 401-245-7500 or jscoones@asri.org.Source:
“It’s just harder to find food in the rain; the birds can’t see into the water,” Scoones said. “They don’t like to fly in the rain anyway, and the mother spends her time covering her chicks when it rains, so she can’t help find food.”
Despite his prediction for this year, Scoones anticipates that the increasing trend in osprey numbers will continue into the future.
“We have enough population here already that we can probably weather a few years of something going wrong, like bad weather or food not being available,” he said. “I’m excited about the future because more people are aware of the osprey and are willing to protect them. The birds are being accepted and no longer seen as a threat to fish.”
Scoones remains concerned, however, about continued coastal development that could limit the availability of nesting habitat.
“They need to be able to live in trees or nests close to the water where they can get to their food,” he said. “Nearshore development is forcing ospreys to leave their natural nests, and now they’re going to cell towers and power line towers.”
Anyone interested in becoming an osprey monitor or helping to repair osprey nest poles, should contact Scoones at 401-245-7500 or jscoones@asri.org.Source: TODD McLEISH/ecoRI News contributor

Connecticut Fishing Report

Posted by Wayne G. Barber    Photo by Wayne G.Barber

Summer is here, why not mentor some young people or how about taking a elderly relative for a day on his favorite pond or stream.  Veterans love to fish in the great Outdoors also ! Garden worms, sunfish, cool drinks and another great day of memories.

LARGEMOUTH BASS
   Fishing has been variable, sometimes slow but more often fair to good. Places to try include Congamond Lakes, Lake Saltonstall, Lake McDonough, Highland Lake, Winchester Lake, Bantam Lake, Candlewood Lake, Highland Lake, Lake Wononskopomuc, Batterson Park Pond, Lake Lillinonah, Lake Waramaug, West Hill Pond, Park Pond, Crystal Lake (Ellington), Gardner Lake, Rogers Lake, Squantz Pond, Maltby Lake 2 & 3, Wood Creek Pond, Pachaug Pond, Ball Pond, Quonnipaug Lake, Black Pond (Meriden), Cedar Lake, and Silver Lake (Meriden). Creative anglers fishing shallow lakes have been trying some flyfishing for bass. Tournament angler reports are from Amos Lake (slow to fair action, but some 2-lb and 3-lb fish caught, including 3.46 lb, two 3.44 lb and a 3.18 lb bass), Aspinook Pond (slow, 3.32 lb lunker), Coventry Lake (fair, 5.44 lb lunker, but average fish size was only a bit over  a lb apiece), Rogers Lake (fair to good, 4.02 lb lunker), Bantam Lake (fair to good, 4.47 lb lunker), Candlewood Lake (fair for largemouth, 4.4 lb and 2.9 lb lunkers), East Twin Lake (fair to good action, with 4.25 lb and 2.9 lb lunkers), Highland Lake (good fishing, many fish were still “…post-spawn, topwater was the winning pattern,” with a 4.69 lb lunker), Lake Lillinonah (fair, with a 3.29 lb lunker), and the CT River (fair, with a 4.46 lb lunker).

SMALLMOUTH BASS
  Fishing has been fairly slow in many waters, with reports from Bantam Lake, Candlewood Lake (some action, but it’s been hard work), Highland Lake, Beach Pond, and Lake Lillinonah. Housatonic River smallies are starting up. Tournament angler reports are from Bantam Lake (a few caught, with a 3.19 lb lunker), Candlewood Lake (slow to fair), and Lake Lillinonah (slow for most, but some were catching fish).  .

NORTHERN PIKE:
Reports are patchy and slow.  Pike sharpies will find action in the traditional hot-spots including, Pachaug Pond, Bantam Lake, Mansfield Hollow Reservoir, Connecticut River, the small impoundments along the upper Housatonic River, and Winchester Lake.  Weedlines early and late in the day are producing some nice size pike.

  WALLEYE.
    Some action at Squantz Pond (nights), Saugatuck Reservoir (near the inlet), Mount Tom (nights) and Batterson Park Pond.

CALICO BASS AND SUNFISH:
  There are still a few reports of post-spawn mortality here and there.  Some level of mortality is expected, as the spawning is stressful time, leaving the fish vulnerable to infection and less ability to handle rising water temperatures.  Please see our PostSpawn fact sheet on our web site.  Despite the natural mortality, fishing remains good as fish are “getting back to normal” following the spawn.  CATFISH are providing some nice action at Community Fishing Waters including Birge Pond, Lake Wintergreen, Pickett’s Pond, Mohegan Park Pond, Keeney Park Pond, and Center Springs Pond. Catfish Management lakes like Lower Bolton Lake, and Quinebaug Pond are also yielding some catches.  Try live shiners, chunk bait, or night crawlers.

MOSQUITO MONITORING, TESTING BEGINS ACROSS RHODE ISLAND; FIRST GROUP TESTED THIS SEASON IS NEGATIVE FOR WEST NILE AND EEE

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

PROVIDENCE - The Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) today announced the first batch of mosquitoes trapped and tested this season for West Nile Virus (WNV) and Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) are negative. Beginning in June each year and as part of disease monitoring efforts in the state, DEM regularly traps mosquitoes for testing by the Rhode Island Department of Health (RIDOH). Test results are issued weekly – with special advisories as needed.  The first trapping, conducted on June 5, included 20 traps and 41 mosquito pools.  Test results are pending for the 121 pools trapped on June 12.   

 

With WNV and EEE established throughout the state, the public is reminded to eliminate mosquito breeding grounds and avoid bites, where possible. The following precautions are advised:

 

·         Remove anything around your house and yard that collects water; just one cup of water can produce hundreds of mosquitoes.

·         Clean gutters and downspouts to ensure proper drainage, and repair holes in window screens.

·         Remove any water from unused swimming pools, wading pools, boats, planters, trash and recycling bins, tires, and anything else that collects water, and cover them.

·         Change the water in birdbaths at least two times a week, and rinse out birdbaths once a week.

·         Use EPA-approved bug spray with one of the following active ingredients: DEET (20-30% strength), picaridin, IR3535, and oil of lemon eucalyptus or para-menthane-diol.

·         Minimize outdoor activity at dawn and at dusk when mosquitoes are most active.

·         Put insect netting over strollers and playpens.

·         Wear long sleeves and long pants whenever possible, particularly if you are outdoors during dawn and dusk.

 

Controlling mosquito populations and promoting personal protection against bites are central to Rhode Island’s action plan for WNV and EEE. In partnership with RIDOH, DEM distributed mosquito larvicide to local communities earlier this month to treat area catch basins.  Catch basins are prime breeding grounds for mosquitoes in both urban and suburban settings.  Horses are particularly susceptible to WNV and EEE. Horse owners are advised to vaccinate their animals early in the season and practice the following: 

 

·         Remove or cover areas where standing water can collect.

·         Avoid putting animals outside at dawn, dusk or during the night when mosquitoes are most active.

·         Insect proof facilities where possible and use approved repellants frequently.

·         Monitor animals for symptoms of fever and/or neurological signs (such as stumbling, depression, loss of appetite) and report all suspicious cases to a veterinarian immediately.  If you are unsure if your horse is properly vaccinated you should consult with your veterinarian.

Last year, WNV was detected in a mosquito sample from a trap in Pawtucket, and EEE was confirmed in two mosquito samples from traps in Chapman Swamp in Westerly.  There were two confirmed human cases of WNV in Rhode Island. For more information about disease monitoring efforts in Rhode Island, visit www.health.ri.gov.  

 

Rhode Islanders are also reminded to take precautions to avoid mosquito bites when traveling to Zika-affected countries. Pregnant women and women who are considering becoming pregnant should not travel to countries with active transmission Zika virus.

National Championship Daisy BB Gun Match Event

Rogers, AR – Daisy Outdoor Products is proud to announce that Olympic Pistol Team member and former Daisy National BB Gun Champion Lydia Paterson will be on hand at this year's Championship Match to sign autographs and lend support to the young competitors. Paterson won Daisy Overall National Champion in 2010 at the age of 13, and competed in the Rio Olympics in 2016. She's a 2017 National Rifle Association Youth Shooting Sports Ambassador, a position that allows her to encourage young people in the shooting sports.

The Daisy National BB Gun Championship Match is held each year in Rogers, Ark., and brings 7-person teams (five shooters and two alternates) ages 8-15 together to compete for the title of National Champion. Teams qualify by placing first, second or third in a state NRA-sanctioned event, and come from throughout the nation.

Paterson's story begins when the cute redheaded, athletic youngster joined the Wyandotte County 4-H Shooting Sports Program when she was just 7-years-old. Her father was the coach and she made the shooting team as an alternate in 2006. She competed as a team member in the 2008 and again in 2010, when she won the whole thing.

"Winning with my Dad as the coach made it so special," she said. "He taught me all I knew about shooting and was there to support me in any way he could. He spent hours working on my gun and taking time to coach me – even when I wasn't being the most coachable kid."

Paterson told her father several weeks before the match that she really wanted to win, so they upped her practice from four days a week to every day, and she spent hours pouring over the test (contestants must take a written test on gun safety and competition, and it figures into his or her final score). During the competition didn't feel good about her performance in the Kneeling position, and thought she'd let down her team, her dad and herself.

"I was in tears sitting in the back of our car, and Dad turned around and told me that no matter the outcome, he was still very proud of me.

"That was the first time I really decided to go for something and let nothing stand in my way," Paterson said. "I was shocked when my name was called for the aggregate gold medal! My hard work had paid off, and I learned an important lesson. You don't have to be perfect, but if you work hard to prepare and leave it all on the line, you can walk away with your head held high."

Winning the National Championship was special, but one of life's hurdles appeared shortly after the win. She was diagnosed with scoliosis of the spine, and the once active shooter and softball player found it too painful to participate in the sports she loved, so she looked for an alternative. In 2011 she was introduced to international pistol shooting and started training for USA Shooting events. She earned a spot on the National Pistol Team in June of 2012, and began traveling all over the world with her USA Shooting Team. She shot in the Czech Republic, Spain, Switzerland, Mexico, Germany, Austria, Azerbaijan and Brazil, as well as across our nation.

In May of 2015, she placed eighth in the World Cup Munich Competition, which earned her an official invitation to the Olympic Games. Olympic Trials were held in June 2016 to determine who would represent the United States in the Olympic Games in Rio, and she won her trial by a large margin – 24 points – and started her Olympic journey.

In Rio Paterson competed in the Women's 10-meter Air Pistol event and placed 29th out of 44 shooters. It's a sport that requires incredible mental focus as well as strength, as the shooting position is free standing with one arm holding the pistol.
  Paterson is now taking time off the competitive shooting trail to focus on her college studies at the University of St. Mary, but she's still involved in the shooting sports. As a 2017 Youth Shooting Sports Ambassador for the National Rifle Association, she works to encourage young people to participate in competitive shooting sports and shines a positive light on all types of shooting.

 Posted by Wayne G. Barber Source: The Outdoor Wire

Moose Lottery Results from Maine 9:00am Sunday

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

News, Fishing Reports, Fishing Stockings, Striper Report and the Maine Moose Hunt Lottery Report for 2017.   E-Mail the show from now thru the broadcast at waynewnri@yahoo.com

Rhode Island 4 Permits,   Pascoag's Craig Presby will discuss the process.

Conn. 16 Permits

Mass. 22 Permits    2080 Permits were drawn for 2017

Connecticut Fresh Water Report

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

INLAND REPORT
Sunday (Father’s Day) is a Free Fishing License Day.  Anyone can fish for free with the FREE 1-day license.  Free licenses are available via our mobile friendly licensing system (www.ct.gov/DEEP/sportsmenlicensing )
LARGEMOUTH BASS fishing has slowed some, with fishing generally fair. Places to try include Lake McDonough, Bantam Lake, Lake Saltonstall, Highland Lake, Candlewood Lake, Mudge Pond, Cedar Lake, Shetucket River, Lower/Upper Moodus Reservoir, Winchester Lake, Rainbow Reservoir, Pachaug Pond, Quaddick Reservoir, Wood Creek Pond, Mono Pond, Congamond Lakes, Lake Wononskopomuc, Hopeville Pond, Silver Lake, Batterson Park Pond, Gardner Lake, Pickerel Lake, Mashapaug Lake, Billings Lake, Maltby Lakes, Stillwater Pond, Ball Pond, Red Cedar Lake and West Hill Pond.
      

Tournament angler Tournament angler reports are from Amos Lake (slow to fair for most, interestingly, average weight per fish was 2.35 lbs for the 27 fish caught, but the lunker was only 2.84 lbs), Mansfield Hollow Reservoir (fair at best, not much size, with the average weight a bit over 1 lb, with a 3.1 lb lunker), Moodus reservoir (slow to fair, not much size with 2.3 lb, 2.1 lb, 1.4 lb and 2.1 lb  lunkers), Pachaug Pond (good for most, 4.04 lb lunker), Connecticut River (fair for most, not bad for size, with 3.83 lb, 2.8 lb, 2.2 lb and 2.1 lb average fish weights and 3.99 lb and 3.83 lb lunkers), Candlewood Lake (fair to good, with 5.11 lb, 4.32 lb, 4.3 lb and 3.02 lb lunkers),  Highland Lake (fair fishing, with a 4.38 lb lunker – average fish weight was only 1.12 lbs), Lake Lillinonah (tough to slow, 4.99 lb and 2.67 lb lunkers), and Lake Zoar (slow for largemouth).

SMALLMOUTH BASS are reported at Colebrook River Lake (some good reports recently), Candlewood Lake (it’s getting a lot harder to find smallmouth recently), Lake Lillinonah (tough here also) and Lake Zoar (some action). Tournament angler reports are from Candlewood Lake (slow for smallmouth, 3.3 lb lunker), Lake Lillinonah (slow, 3.01 lb lunker), Lake Zoar (slow to fair, 2.5 lb lunker), and the Connecticut River (a few, including a 4.03 lb lunker).

NORTHERN PIKE fishing is fair to good. Places to try include Pachaug Pond, Bantam Lake, Mansfield Hollow Reservoir, Connecticut River, the small impoundments along the upper Housatonic River, and Winchester Lake.  Weedlines early and late in the day are producing some nice size pike.
WALLEYE.   Some action at Squantz Pond and Lake Saltonstall.

CALICO BASS AND SUNFISH:  There are still a few reports of post-spawn mortality here and there.  Some level of mortality is expected, as the spawning is stressful time, leaving the fish vulnerable to infection and less ability to handle rising water temperatures.  Please see our PostSpawn fact sheet on our web site.  Despite the natural mortality, fishing remains good as fish are “getting back to normal” following the spawn.

CATFISH are providing some nice action at Community Fishing Waters including Birge Pond, Lake Wintergreen, Pickett’s Pond, Mohegan Park Pond, Keeney Park Pond, and Center Springs Pond. Catfish Management lakes like Lower Bolton Lake, and Quinebaug Pond are also yielding some catches.  Try live shiners, chunk bait, or night crawlers. 

Zinke, NWTF Celebrate Wildlife Restoration Act

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

Hooksett, NH. — Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke held a press conference today formally announcing the release of $1.1 billion from the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act that will continue to support fish, wildlife and habitat conservation. This year marks the 80thanniversary of the Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act.

Prior to the announcement, Zinke met privately with a group of hunting and conservation representatives which included two New England National Wild Turkey Federation representatives; Fred Bird, regional director and Matt DiBona, district biologist.

"Secretary Zinke reiterated his strong support for our hunting and fishing traditions and said the Department of Interior is committed to managing our federal lands for the benefit and enjoyment of sportsmen and the general public," DiBona said.

The Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Act, which is commonly referred to as the Pittman-Robertson Act, was established in 1937 and imposes a tax on firearms, ammunition, archery and fishing equipment. Those funds are then returned to each state to manage wildlife and habitats.

"The Wildlife Restoration Act was landmark legislation 80 years ago that provided funding to all fifty states for conservation," said Becky Humphries, CEO of the National Wild Turkey Federation. "It is still the largest source of funding for conservation and has led to the restoration of many species, including the wild turkey."

Since its inception, the act has collected $11 billion for wildlife conservation. In addition to helping restore the wild turkey, the funding has helped restore additional species such as white-tailed deer and wood ducks.

Please join the NWTF for only $35 per year and receive a $25 Bass Pro Shop Gift Card, Turkey Country magazines, discounts from sponsors or other gifts.
In Rhode Island we have State Chapter, " Swamp Yankee Gobblers" which meet on the third Tuesday of the month. E-Mail waynewnri@yahoo.com ,  State Chapter President Wayne G. Barber for any details.

About the National Wild Turkey Federation
When the National Wild Turkey Federation was founded in 1973, there were about 1.5 million wild turkeys in North America. After decades of work, that number hit an historic high of almost 7 million turkeys. To succeed, the NWTF stood behind science-based conservation and hunters' rights. Thanks to the efforts of dedicated volunteers, professional staff and committed partners, the NWTF has facilitated the investment of $488 million in wildlife conservation and the preservation of North America's hunting heritage. The NWTF has improved more than 17 million acres of wildlife habitat and introduce 100,000 people to the outdoors each year. The NWTF Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. initiative is a charge that mobilizes science, fundraising and devoted volunteers to raise $1.2 billion to conserve and enhance more than 4 million acres of essential wildlife habitat, recruit at least 1.5 million hunters and open access to 500,000 acres for hunting. For more information, visit NWTF.org.

VT Fish and Wildlife Releases Young Bears Back to Wild

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

PLYMOUTH, Vt. – The Vermont Fish & Wildlife Department successfully released several young orphaned bears back into the wild after a short stay with a wildlife rehabilitator.  The juvenile bears had shown up malnourished in residential areas earlier this spring. 

 

Photo by Tom Rogers, Vt Fish & Wildlife Dept.

 

Working in partnership with New Hampshire Fish & Game, the young bears were brought back to health by bear rehabilitators Ben and Phoebe Kilham in Lyme, New Hampshire.  The bears were released in southern Vermont at one of Fish & Wildlife’s large wildlife management areas.

 

Forrest Hammond, Vermont’s lead bear biologist, thanked the Vermont residents who alerted wildlife officials to the presence of the juvenile bears in distress. “We are grateful when concerned citizens report these bears to their local warden, rather than attempting to handle a wild animal themselves.  People mistakenly think that young animals are in distress and in need of rescue and they sometimes intervene directly, putting their safety and that of the animal at risk,” he said.

 

“In most situations, animals do best when they remain in the wild,” he added.  “However, in rare instances we do come across an orphaned bear that trained wildlife professionals are able to help. We hope that these bears remain in the woods and continue to live as wild bears.”

 

Hammond distinguishes orphaned juvenile bears from ‘problem bears’ that have been repeatedly lured by human foods until they develop bad behaviors.  There are no rehabilitation facilities or zoos that are willing to take a bear once it becomes a problem animal, so he urges people to avoid leaving out attractants such as bird feeders or garbage that can cause bears to associate people with food.  He also urges residents to secure backyard chicken coops and bee hives with electric fencing to avoid attracting bears.

 

“It’s nearly impossible to relocate or rehabilitate a bear once it associates humans with food,” Hammond notes. “We get hundreds of bear complaints a year and, while we work to find a resolution that benefits all concerned, it sometimes can have fatal consequences for the bear.  It’s up to all of us to change our behavior and remove any potential bear attractants from our yards so that young bears like these can live a wild and natural life.” 

PHENOLOGY CALENDAR

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

PHENOLOGY CALENDAR

Third Week of June

Staghorn sumac flowers are being visited by honey bees and many other insects.

Fledgling barred owls are out of the nest but will continue to be fed by the parents until late summer.

The violet-blue flowers of pickerel weed will add color to shorelines from now till October.

Snapping turtles are laying eggs.

Fourth Week of June

Time to harvest cattail pollen. It adds flavor and color to pancakes and biscuits and is six to eight percent protein.

Milkweed, a good source of nectar for honeybees, is blooming now.

Black-eyed Susan is now beginning its long flowering period.

Mother skunks may be taking their little ones, now about two months old, out at night to learn to find food. Source: Virginia Barlow

Vermont bass season opens June 10

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

Brandon Bushey Smallmouth Bass.jpg: Brandon Bushey of Winooski with a trophy Vermont smallmouth bass he caught and released earlier this spring. Saturday, June 10 marks the opening of Vermont’s traditional bass fishing season, which runs through the last day of November.

Vermont bass season opens June 10

RUTLAND, Vt. – One of Vermont’s most popular fishing seasons arrives this weekend with the opening of the state’s traditional bass season on Saturday, June 10, also Free Fishing Day in Vermont.

 One of the Outdoor Scene's favorite destinations is Lake Dunmore, a great two story bass lake with some great northern pike and landlocked salmon also.

“Vermont is well-known for its quality fishing for both largemouth and smallmouth bass, and the species have become increasingly popular among anglers in recent years,” said Bernie Pientka, fisheries biologist with Vermont Fish & Wildlife. “Not only are bass fun to pursue and catch, they’re also abundant in a wide range of waters across the state from small ponds and reservoirs to larger lakes and rivers, creating tremendous opportunities for anglers of all ages.”

Vermont’s traditional bass season opens each year on the second Saturday in June and extends through the last day of November. However, outside of those dates, anglers can fish for bass on open water on a catch-and-release basis with artificial lures and flies only on waters that are not seasonally closed.

Despite a cool, rainy spring, prospects are still strong for opening day and the early weeks of the season.

“All reports indicate that the catch-and-release bass fishing earlier in the spring was excellent, and we’ll see fish begin to feed heavily again as the spawning period wraps up, meaning the bass fishing action across Vermont will only get better in the coming days and weeks,” said Pientka.

Vermont’s bass fishing has received national notoriety in a variety of fishing publications in recent years, with Lake Champlain earning a number of impressive accolades. 

In 2014, World Fishing Network named Lake Champlain one of the seven best smallmouth bass lakes in North America. The renowned fishing media outlet went on to characterize Lake Champlain as “perhaps the best lake in all of North America for both quality largemouth and smallmouth bass.”

Additionally, this past April, USA Today listed the lake as one of “Americas best bass fishing lakes” stating Lake Champlain is “generally regarded as one of the most diverse and prolific bass fisheries in North America.”

However, Pientka advises anglers not to overlook some of the smaller, lesser-known waters as well.

“There are countless smaller lakes, ponds and reservoirs throughout the state that hold numbers of quality bass, many which have seen very little or no fishing pressure at all,” said Pientka. “Many of these hidden gems can be accessed on foot or by canoe or kayak, and can offer a truly memorable day of Vermont bass fishing.”

Anglers heading out on the water to fish for bass this season should be sure to reference all fishing regulations, including harvest and size limits, applicable to the waters they are fishing. Vermont’s fishing regulations, as well as information on where bass are found in Vermont, can be found in the 2017 Vermont Fish & Wildlife law digest available at district offices and authorized license dealers, or by referencing the new Online Fishing Regulations Tool at www.vtfishandwildlife.com.

June, The Rose Moon, Strawberry Moon, Honey Moon June 9, 2017

Posted by Wayne G. Barber

 The native Algonquin Indians named it the Strawberry Moon for the short picking wild strawberries window of picking the juicy sweet berry and in Victorian England it was always called the Rose Moon and later because all the weddings, the Honey Moon.

  By June all the birds which migrate southward for the winter months have appeared in their summer haunts farther north, and are busily engaged in the domestic adventure of raising a family. If you are fortunate enough to live in the country, or in outskirts of a small town, you can fill this whole month's spare time with the keen pleasure of discovery, simply by making a June list of the kinds of birds, flowers, trees , animals or fishes in your neighborhood- say within a quarter of a mile of your home.

  This past two years I have kept track of thirty six different species of wild birds that our neighbor keeps attracting to me with his 365 day bird feeders that he maintains daily. I keep the vernal pond open for watering and for my fasination with the gray, green, wood frogs or sometimes referred to as spring peepers, salamanders and bull frogs in their 12 month cycle which I will write about in future essays. This is what I term, my lay of the land. Start your own list and I guaranty you will find as many. Any place that offers a fair chance to the native birds will keep you busy counting nests in June.

  In my childhood on the Barber farm in the flower garden ( Victory Garden) between the farm house and the orchard I remember nesting indigo buntings and a pair of rose breasted grosbeaks that my Grandmother Ester pointed out to me from her Bird Guide book. In the thick underbrush we found chewinks, thrashers, black and white warblers, song sparrows and a pair of partridges. In the old orchard there were a half dozen robbin's nests, two bluebird nests and one each of the tree swallow, flickers, yellow warblers, chebec, downy woodpecker, kingbirds, great chested flycatchers, redstart and a unforgettable screech owl.

Baltimore Orioles built their hanging nests across the road near the old sheds. Down by the old deserted cranberry bogs were nests of catbirds and beautiful red-winged balckbirds that came back every year. Over in the commercial garden big lot were a population of Maryland yellow throats one summer that never returned. Blue jays, chickadee and crows were always making noise somewhere on the farm.

 June also offers you a new hobby of the many wild flowers blooming, butterflies or trees that make their budding, then blooming appearance.

 Great time to mentor a grandchild , immigrant or young person to the nature around us in New England.

 Yes, June is the high tide of the year's life. Whether you are interested in birds, animals, flowers, butterflies, trees or peepers you will be kept busy this month, and if you go upon your walks armed with even a little knowledge of what to look for, you will enjoy your stroll much more, and besides, you will have a store of summer memories far richer than you ever had before.