Area waters getting stocked.Byline: Mark Blazis COLUMN: Outdoors More of our Worcester County lakes and ponds were stocked with trout this week. The waters receiving fish included Wachusett Reservoir in Boylston, South Pond in Brookfield, Mossy moss·y adj. moss·i·er, moss·i·est 1. Covered with moss or something like moss: mossy banks. 2. Resembling moss. 3. Old-fashioned; antiquated. Pond in Clinton, Dunn Pond in Gardner, Comet Pond in Hubbardston, Bartlett Pond, Fort Pond and Spectacle Pond in Lancaster, Louisa Lake in Milford, Jordan Pond in Shrewsbury, West Wauschacum Pond in Sterling, Big Alum Pond in Sturbridge, East Brimfield Reservoir, Pratt Pond in Upton, Lake Denison in Winchendon and Bell Pond and Lake Quinsigamond in Worcester. The much anticipated stocking of our still-high streams should be next. For those who live to cast a fly, take solace - the Quill Gordon, Hendrickson and Black Quill hatches are coming. But our streams must approach temperatures of 55 degrees to provide exciting hatches and rising fish. Most of our water is still in the 40s. In the meantime Adv. 1. in the meantime - during the intervening time; "meanwhile I will not think about the problem"; "meantime he was attentive to his other interests"; "in the meantime the police were notified" meantime, meanwhile , spin fishermen casting Powerbait on trout ponds will take a lot of fish. As for the salt, Red Top Tackle isn't even thinking seriously of ocean fishing until around April 15, when we normally expect small schoolie school·ie n. A fish, especially a young fish, that swims in a school. stripers and tautog tautog: see wrasse. to begin moving in with the bait fish. Get ready for the April 4 opening of Wachusett Reservoir. It will be loaded with naturally self-sustaining lakers and additionally stocked trout. This shore-fishing-only treasure has produced both our state record brown and rainbow trout. Our renowned Quabbin Reservoir's opening will be delayed until April 18. There was a lot of ice there this year. Some water fowlers lament having to wait for next fall to hunt ducks again. They may envy eagles that have been duck hunting in our county now for weeks. The majority stay only until ice-out up north when they fly back up to their breeding grounds to fish and nest. A small number of territorial eagles remain in our area (especially at Quabbin and the Connecticut River) to breed. Hunting was spectacular for them last week at Rice City Pond in Uxbridge, where one was observed dramatically striking a mallard mallard: see duck. mallard Abundant “wild duck” (Anas platyrhynchos, family Anatidae) of the Northern Hemisphere, ancestor of most domestic ducks. The mallard is a typical dabbling duck in its general habits and courtship display. as it attempted to fly off the water. Tom Pezzella spotted another eagle killing a merganser merganser: see duck. merganser or fish duck Any species of the diving duck genus Mergus. Essentially freshwater birds, they are classified as a sea duck (tribe Mergini). at Webster Lake. Eagles can take geese, too. When the fishing isn't good, they can even switch their diet to carrion. From Enfield Lookout, I saw my first eagle in Massachusetts many decades ago, as have countless other eagle watchers, feeding on a deer carcass out on the ice at Quabbin. Thanks, Jack Swedberg, for putting out those carcasses. Other sightings include eagles at Whitins Pond and Riverdale Pond around Northbridge and Lake Quaboag in Brookfield. If you can temporarily switch from your 12 gauge to binoculars, spotting scope, or a 400 plus telephoto lens, you can enjoy "hunting" out-of-season some special waterfowl waterfowl, common term for members of the order Anseriformes, wild, aquatic, typically freshwater birds including ducks, geese, and screamers. In Great Britain the term is also used to designate species kept for ornamental purposes on private lakes or ponds, while in . Falmouth has had both American and Eurasian wigeon wigeon or widgeon Any of four species of dabbling ducks, popular game and food birds. The male European wigeon (Anas penelope) has a reddish head, cream forehead, and gray back. The male American wigeon, or baldpate (A. this winter, as well as canvasbacks, redheads, greater scaup scaup Any of three species (genus Aythya, family Anatidae) of diving ducks. The greater scaup, or big bluebill (A. marila), breeds across Eurasia and most of the Nearctic region. The lesser scaup, or little bluebill (A. affinis), breeds in northwestern North America. , harlequins, and Barrow's goldeneyes. I've been watching buffleheads, wood duck, common mergansers, and ring-necked ducks on my pond. There's even been a king eider in Bourne Bourne, town (1990 pop. 16,064), Barnstable co., SE Mass., crossed by Cape Cod Canal; settled 1627, inc. 1884. Bourne Bridge (1935), across the canal, made the town an entry point to Cape Cod and a resort and commercial center. and Ross's goose in Ipswich. This extra-season "shooting" doesn't last long. Most of these ducks are also heading north to breed as soon as ice opens. But this kind of "shooting" can be challenging and rewarding, requiring outdoor skills, patience and species knowledge to get close enough for full frame shots. It's not easy. A great way to "shoot" these ducks, raptors and about three hundred other species of both resident and migratory birds throughout the year is to join the many skilled field leaders of the local Forbush Bird Club, one of the oldest field ornithology ornithology Branch of zoology dealing with the study of birds. Early writings on birds were largely anecdotal (including folklore) or practical (e.g., treatises on falconry and game-bird management). organizations in the country. They hold their entertaining and informative monthly meetings at Holy Cross and provide field trips throughout the year, as often as twice a week during peak migration periods. This Sunday morning, one of the legendary field guides of Worcester County, Rodney Jenkins, will lead the birders at Lake Quaboag. Contact Mark Blazis at markblazis@charter.net |
|
||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion