Preserving the Watershed for Doe and Three Fawns
Good to see you all at yesterday’s Annual Meeting! It looked like standing room only but I did miss a few of you regulars who could not attend… Reports and updates on our 319 stormwater grant projects, the monitoring and control of invasive weeds and the new Asian Clam infestation, water quality testing, and discussions of how our organization can grow to address current issues and future impacts on the lake and watershed… the MPA may be 42 years old but we remain at the forefront of the issues and activities that relate to Manchaug Pond. More than once we have wiped sweat from our brow in service to this lake and the watershed! This fawn was all my camera could capture as it walked with the doe and two siblings in Area 3. Look to the far left to get a glimpse of the others entering the woods. It is common to see them grazing in the fields or walking from the wooded area of the Public Access Boat Ramp to a neighboring area. The white spots are still present on the backs of the three fawns. The move of the MPA to expand our present status as an …
No Rain, No Hurricane, NO WORRY for Manchaug Pond
Yesterday evening, Manchaug Pond escaped the rainstorms coming from the west only seeing dark clouds and a few minutes of rain drops. Today brought humidity and a late morning sun shower to try to cool things off. No rain to talk about yesterday or today and looking at the forecast no worry for the rest of the weekend. Hurricane Bob is predicted to have absolutely no impact on Massachusetts, never mind Manchaug Pond and the “integrety of the dam.” No worry! Enjoy the last few days of summer! Some have already started back to school!
Dam is Front Page News Again – Blackstone Valley News Tribune
“State Wants to See Manchaug Pond Dam Saved” is the headline we found on the front page of yesterday’s issue of the Blackstone Valley Tribune. http://www.blackstonevalleytribune.com/118975.113119body.lasso?publication=BLA Also highlighted is a historical book written about John Whitin and his Whitin Machine Works empire.
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 …