Another Large Bird Takes to Manchaug Pond’s Sky

Mid-morning, the lake is for our founding members and the retirees – no boats. A patriarch of the MPA sits on his porch taking in the sights and silence of the still lake. As our new “classic” speed boat, a 1967 Glastron V-156 Sportster, breaks that silence our patriarch give us the ritual greeting ring of the ship’s bell as we pass by. After a few minutes out in the middle, little did we know who we would meet out on the water…. … a large bird was seen flying low out of the west and coming toward us. Very large wings flapping – not a turkey vulture, not a heron – I immediately thought it was the eagle. It flew high and directly above us seeming to check us out! But not the adult eagle seen this past week, and not an immature we suspected while viewing from the boat but AN OSPREY!

Lake Singletary Gets the Treatment

The August 13th issue of the Millbury-Sutton Chronicle and the Lake Singletary Watershed Association website report Lake Singletary was closed yesterday, Tuesday August 18th, in order to receive two chemical treatments. One an algaecide for the control of nuisance algae blooms, and the other an aquatic herbicide for the control of the invasive aquatic weed – milfoil. The entire lake was closed after 2 p.m. to all activities from swimming, to waterskiing – anything involving contact with the water. According to the article, the entire lake was to be treated with the algaecide and small coves and shoreline areas of Singletary treated with an aquatic herbicide. Water use will be restricted for five days, until August 24th, with no drinking, irrigation and watering of pets and livestock allowed. Lake Singletary will re-open to boating and fishing today, August 19th. Warning posters around the shoreline alert users to the temporary water use restrictions.

More of the Manchaug Pond Eagle

Yesterday morning there were quite a few feathers scattered and floating down the channel…. I wondered if the eagle had anything to do with it… The eagle was seen again on Sunday here at Manchaug Pond. How do you spot the great bird? How can you be alerted to its presence? Some have heard its cry here on Manchaug. More commonly the large bird is seen soaring off in the distance over the lake, swooping down to catch a fish, or eating its prize on Blueberry Island or on the old causeway. Adults have been seen perched in shoreline trees – its white head and tail prominent. Others note the movement of a small flock of birds in flight before the predator or seeing its large shadow on the ground as it circles above. If white head and tail are not present, you may be viewing a juvenile – immature bald eagle – as it takes 4 -6 years for the white feathers to come in. Two years ago, a mature eagle and 3 young were regularly seen here. Thanks to our readers, Keith and Laura, campers at the Old Holdbrook Place we have the two photos below taken August …

In Bloom on Manchaug’s Shore: Cardinal Flower

My guess from a distance is Cardinal Flower – Lobelia cardinalis – a native herbaceous perennial plant which enjoys the rich moist soils and semi-shade offered along the woodland bank of a Manchaug Pond cove. It is a favorite of hummingbirds and a medicinal plant of the Native Peoples of days gone by.

Saturday: The Eagle and Cormorants Among the Boaters

Saturday the lake was a buzz with many recreational boaters. Many! The sun was shining and everyone from the campgrounds and the boat ramp seemed to be out. Blueberry Island’s had many enjoying the sand – parking their boats, setting up lawn chairs, coolers and even a tent for a little shade. But what was amazing to me was that the eagle was there with us in the midst of all the activity and noise. We watched the adult glide over the island, swoop down at the curve on Manchaug Road to come up again and fly back over Blueberry heading toward Stevens Pond. A short time later a camper from Old Holbrooks, who had seen the eagle a couple days before catch a fish and eat it at the island, reported seeing the majestic bird fly over west cove. Also swimming amid the jetski, skiers, tubers and pontoon boaters was a pair of cormorants who came to rest on the causeway near the channel sign to get a little sun. To encounter such wildlife, makes all our efforts to preserve this habitat so worthwhile. Try this link to hear the calls of an eagle:http://soundboard.com/sb/Bald_Eagle_Sounds.aspx Thank you to our readers …

Not on the Lake and Need a Place to Swim?

Feel like just cannonballing into a cool refreshing pond?! Hot, humid weather is in the 5-day forecast. Don’t have a place on the lake… not at a campground… want a place to swim? How about the town beach in Sutton? Marion’s Camp on Lake Singletary. Just take Tuttle Road off of Singletary Ave up past the center of town. Here’s the link:http://www.suttonma.org/Pages/SuttonMA_Rec/beaches The Sutton Town Beach at Marion’s Camp is opened daily 12pm – 6pm. Resident passes are $25.00 per household and non-resident passes are $50.00 per household. They are sold at the beach or the town hall. I don’t know if they have a day rate. If that doesn’t work for you… On Manchaug Pond, one campground offers day swimming and picnicking: the Old Holbrook Place. $4.00 each adult and $2.00 each child under 12, I believe. You can buy ice cream, candy, soda and chips at the store. http://www.oldholbrookcamping.com/ Or you could get the tent and the kids and try camping at one of the other two campgrounds: http://kingsfamilycampground.com/index.htm http://www.lakemanchaugcamping.com/index.htm And then again there is the campground at Aldrich Mill Pond just up the road: Sutton Falls Campging Area. http://bradrand.com/suttonfalls/ King’s and Sutton Falls have large camps stores …

Barefoot Skiers & Boating Hand Signals

The air temperature is 59F while the water temp. is 76F. Sunrise also finds a calm beauty on Manchaug Pond enjoyed by those with coffee mug in hand viewing from their porch or in the warmth of the house or for those in a wetsuit out on the lake for some barefoot skiing. Here’s a list of hand signals you can use while skiing or tubing to help communication between the boat’s observer and the person at the end of the rope! BASIC SIGNALS1 Speed up the boat: Thumb up. 2 Slow down the boat: Thumb down. 3 Cut Motor/Stop (also used by driver or observer): Slashing motion over the neck. 4 Turn the boat (also used by driver): Circle motion with arms over-head then point in desired direction. 5 Return to dock: Pat on the head. 6 OK or signal understood: OK signal with hand. 7 Skier OK after falling: Hands clasped over head. http://www.boatus.org/onlinecourse/ReviewPages/BoatUSF/Project/info7b.htm Also take the online boating course promoted in the right hand margin! For MPA Members, be sure to attend the MPA Annual Meeting to hear our speaker from the Worcester Sail and Power Squadron speak on Safe Boating! Thank you to the MPA member/photographer …

Telegram Reports on Secretary’s Decision & Dam Ownership

On July 31st, we reported that Massachusetts Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Ian Bowles released the decision on the dam owner’s proposal to breach the Manchaug Pond dam thereby reducing the lake from 380 acres to 201 as “the proponent states in the ENF that, because the dam no longer serves its original purpose, it wished “to divest itself of any and all responsibility and liability for the ownership and operation of the dam.” Read proposal for yourself – the link is to the right of this post under “For More Information.” It will take you to the town link for the complete document Environmental Notification Form (ENF) #14435. or go to the state MEPA website: http://www.mass.gov/envir/mepa/secondlevelpages/currentissue.htm#rodcert Today the Worcester Telegram further reports on Secretary Bowles decision, not his requirement that the dam owner prepare a full Environmental Impact Report (EIR) on the scope of their project, changes and loss which would occur if allowed, and mitigation and alternatives but a bold and innovative solution to the dam owner’s problem. He states that the proponent (dam owner) “consider the collective costs it will be required to spend on the environmental impacts and including the resolution of any appeals that …

Skies of the Lake

With this hot weather, the lake becomes an even more popular place especially to homes and camps along the shore. The day is spent welcoming family and friends that come to swim and picnic at your home and Manchaug’s shores – and being a grandparent can make you and your home even more popular especially with the younger crowd! Such was the case here, so I didn’t get the blog entry finished. But yesterday evening’s boat ride, and for those of you skiing and tubing and fishing, taking the evening tour around the lake offered a showcase of beautiful skies to view. Let me share a few with you…

The Results are in… Manchaug WON!

Manchaug Pond voted THE MOST SCENIC body of water! In a recent poll conducted by the Millbury-Sutton Chronicle, 54% of the participants chose Manchaug Pond out of 7 lakes and 1 river! Thank you to all those of you who took the time to head over to the Millbury-Sutton Chronicle website to vote for our Manchaug Pond! and thank you to our 3 guest photographers for their submissions of scenic Manchaug Pond!

So What Do You Do Early Sunday Morning?

Sunday morning early before the fishermen arrive at the boat ramp, before the newspaper is delivered, before churches opene their doors… Manchaug Pond is alive! The mist rolls across the water and the skiers do their barefoot thing. An the sky changes as a kayaker glides on the calm, mirror-like lake…. and even a hot-air balloon is seen in the distant sky.