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COME FISH WITH US (FOR
Fishing is a great way to spend some quality time with family or
friends outdoors. If you are a beginner who wants to try this wonderful
pastime, bring family and friends to a free Family Fishing Festival near you!
The Division of Fisheries & Wildlife’s (DFW) Angler Education Program has
teamed up with a variety of groups and organizations to provide free fishing
opportunities and loaner equipment for beginning anglers of all ages. At many
events, DFW Volunteer instructors will be available to lend assistance. Fishing
events for the month of May are below. No license is needed by participants at
these events. Don’t forget that the statewide Free Fishing Weekend will be
·
May 4 –
·
May 4 -- Snows Pond Family Fishing Festival, Charlton -- This event
will be held at Snows Pond, located at Fay Mountain Farm off Cemetery Road from
10:00am - 2:00pm, cast a line, learn about fish in our waters, safety, ethics,
and fishing equipment. If you have fishing equipment, bring it along. A limited
quantity of loaner fishing equipment and bait will be available. DFW is
participating in this festival in cooperation with the Charlton
Conservation Commission. Contact: Charlton
Conservation Commission, Todd Girard (508) 248-2247 or email: todd.girard@townofcharlton.net
·
May 4 -- Westborough Spring Fishing Challenge, Westborough -- On Sandra
Pond at
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May 5 --
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May
11 --
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May 11 -- Coes Pond Fishing
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May 18 -- Disabled American Veterans Fishing Festival,
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May 18 – Burlington Recreation Department Family Fishing Festival,
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May 19 – Whitman’s Pond Family Fishing Festival,
KEEP WILDLIFE WILD, LEAVE
YOUNG WILDLIFE ALONE
The arrival of spring means the
arrival of newborn and just-hatched wildlife. These youngsters soon venture
into the world on shaky legs or fragile wings and are discovered by people
living, playing or working nearby. Every year, the lives of many young wild
creatures are disturbed by people who take young wildlife from the wild in a
well-intentioned attempt to "save" them.
These well-meant acts of kindness
tend to have the opposite result. Instead of being left to learn their place in
the world, young wildlife removed from the wild are denied important natural
learning experiences which help them survive on their own. Most people quickly
find that they can't really care for young wildlife, and many of the animals
soon die in the hands of well-meaning people. Young wildlife that does survive
human "assistance" misses experiences that teach them to fend for
themselves. If these animals are released back into the wild, their chances of
survival are reduced. Often, the care given to young wildlife results in some
attachment to humans and the animals may return to places where people live,
only to be attacked by domestic animals or hit by cars. Some animals become
nuisances and people have even been injured by once-tamed wildlife.
Avoid these problems by following
one simple rule when coming upon young wildlife: If You Care, Leave Them There!
It may be difficult to do, but this is a real act of compassion. Generally
young mammals are visited only a few times a day to avoid leaving traces that
attract predators. For instance, a nest of bunnies will only be visited by the
adult female twice per day. The young wildlife are
quite safe when left alone because their color patterns and lack of scent help
them remain undetected. Avoid nest and den areas of young wildlife and restrain
all pets. What if you find a young bird that has fallen from a nest? Adult
wildlife are not disturbed by human scent. Baby birds
found on the ground may be safely picked up and placed in a nearby bush or
tree.
Leave fawns (young deer) where they
are found. Fawns are safest when left alone because their camouflaging color
helps them remain undetected until the doe returns. If sympathetic people
repeatedly visit a fawn, it can prolong the separation from the doe and delay
important feeding. Unlike deer, newborn moose calves remain in close proximity
to their mothers who, in contrast to a white-tailed doe, will actively defend
calves against danger. An adult cow moose weighing over 600 pounds will chase,
kick, stomp potential predators, people included.
Only when young wildlife are found
injured or with their dead mother may the young be assisted, but must then be
delivered immediately to a licensed wildlife rehabilitator. Due to the
difficulty in properly caring for them there are no rehabilitators licensed to
care of fawns. It is illegal to possess most wildlife in
NESTING EAGLE SURVEY RESULTS
On
Bald Eagles have increased in numbers in the state ever since they
were reintroduced to the Quabbin Reservoir in the 1980s, and Andrew Vitz, DFW
State Ornithologist expects final results will surpass last year’s record high
numbers of breeding eagles in
Vitz thanks everyone who
participated in this count, especially to DCR (Department of Conservation and
Recreation) for providing boat access to the Quabbin and Wachusett Reservoirs
and all of the volunteers who dedicated their time to looking for eagles.
He encourages anyone to submit eagle sightings throughout the year by email to natural.heritage@state.ma.us or by postal service to "Eagle Survey", DFW,
Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program,
DFW STAFF HONORED
Recently, several Division of
Fisheries and Wildlife staff members were honored by regional sporting and
conservation organizations. The Worcester County League of Sportsmen's
Clubs Words of Wisdom award recipient was Marion Larson, Chief of Information
& Education for her service in providing information to sportsmen and women
and for her assistance on the WCL newsletter publication. Julie
Delaney-English, recently retired Administrative Assistant to the Director was
recognized for her years of service by the Massachusetts Sportsmen's
Council. Peter Mirick, DFW’s Massachusetts Wildlife magazine editor
received two Excellence in Writing Awards from the New
England Outdoor Writers Association for articles he wrote for Massachusetts
Wildlife. In the Best Magazine category, Mirick was awarded
WINTER WATERFOWL SURVEY
RESULTS
This past winter the Division of
Fisheries and Wildlife conducted a “Park Waterfowl” survey. The survey, which
ran between January 6 and 26, 2013, has been conducted every 5 years since
1973. Park waterfowl are wild ducks and geese that spend part of the day during
a given time of year, at sites where they have access to human provided food.
These birds may be regularly fed by one or more people, rely on occasional
handouts, or feed under or at a bird feeder. Sites may be in urban, suburban,
or rural settings on fresh, brackish, or salt water and include both municipal
parks and private properties.
This year a total of 10,108
mallards, 292 American black ducks and 1,583
UPCOMING PUBLIC MEETINGS
May
9--Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Advisory Committee Meeting, West
Boylston. The Natural Heritage and Endangered Species Advisory Committee
will be meeting on
May 14
-- Fisheries and Wildlife Board Meeting, Belchertown -- The May
meeting of the Fisheries & Wildlife Board will be held on Tuesday, May 14, 10:00 AM at the Division of Fisheries
and Wildlife's Connecticut Valley District Office on East
Street
Both meetings are open to the public and are
handicapped accessible.
CALENDAR OF EVENTS—Visit www.mass.gov/dfwele/dfw/calendar/calendar.htm
for more updated listings.
May 5 -- Growing Up WILD Workshop for Pre-School Educators, Acton --
Pre-school educators are invited to this fun, practical hands-on 6-hour
workshop that focuses on wildlife, the environment and pre-school age children.
The activity guide builds on a children's sense of wonder about nature and
invites them to explore wildlife and the world around them. Through a wide
range of activities and experiences, it provides a foundation for developing
positive impressions about nature while also building lifelong social and
cognitive skills for students ages 3-7 years. Workshop
participants will receive a copy of the Growing Up
WILD guide and a certificate of completion. Please bring a brown bag lunch, mug
or water bottle and wear comfortable clothes & shoes for outdoor
activities. Pre-registration is required, fee is $25. To
register contact Eileen Sullivan at esullivan@abschools.org.
Project
WILD is sponsored by DFW and the Mass. Wildlife
Federation.
May 11 -- Biodiversity Conservation Tools "Walk and
Talk",
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