[SEMCO] [Mass Audubon] The Wellfleet Bay Wrack Line

Tue Mar 6 12:28:20 EST 2007

The Wrack Line - Wefleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary's eNewsletter

The Wrack Line 

March 2007

WBWS in March
The Wrack Line is a free electronic newsletter produced by the
Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary. You have received this issue of
The Wrack Line because you provided Wellfleet Bay with your
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http://web.massaudubon.org/site/R?i=pTGHIaXhmV9mzzQOssH7-g..

>From the Director: Citizen Science
What exactly is citizen science? There are numerous definitions, but
all of them involve you. It's people participating in science.
Citizen science is an excellent way to quantify and later analyze
anecdotal information or observations. Citizen science connects
volunteers and scientists as partners in the collection of biological
information. Having a science background is not necessary; having an
open inquisitive mind is. Observation skills are important, as is
patience. With training and practice you too can become a citizen
scientist. We've actually been doing it for years, but now there
is a formal name for it, and we want to do it better. We have
volunteers monitoring the bird boxes. Volunteers inventoried our
lichens and created a lichen trail. Our volunteers partner with other
organizations to collect water samples for the Wellfleet Harbor Water
Quality study. We are now in our tenth year of collecting information
on the spring migration of hawks over the Outer Cape. Our biggest
project is the monitoring of coastal waterbirds, from piping plovers
to ospreys. Last year 33 volunteers spent 506 hours putting up fences
and exclosures, monitoring, and collecting data on piping plovers
at 22 sites. There are many mysteries out there and there are many
research problems to solve. By working with staff and volunteers we
can make a huge difference in protecting wildlife and habitat on Cape
Cod.

bob's signature

Call for Volunteers

PIPL closeup
!
We need piping plover and tern monitors on beaches in Harwich,
Brewster, Chatham, Eastham, Wellfleet, Truro, and Provincetown. If you
would like to help, attend one of these two training sessions:
Saturday, March 10 at 10 A.M. or Friday, March 16 at 10 A.M. Both
sessions will be held at the Sanctuary. Piping plovers usually return
to the Cape the last week in March! Thanks to volunteer Betsy Richards
for this nice plover close-up that she snapped while doing her
monitoring. 

On the Trails: Goose Pond

green herons
In the early twentieth century Goose Pond was used for
raising and attracting waterfowl. Photos of Goose Pond during the days
of the Austin Ornithological Research Station show traps set up to
catch birds for banding purposes. Goose Pond is brackish and a
little over an acre in size, maintained as a pond by means of a
dike. The water level is controlled by removable wooden
flashboards. In the winter, spring, and early summer, the
flashboards are kept in to keep the water level high. This
enhances the habitat for use by nesting ducks. After the ducks
have left the pond, about mid-summer, the flashboards are opened
to drain out most of the water. Mudflats are then exposed along
the edge to attract migrant shorebirds. Green heron photo courtesy of
volunteer Richard Johnson.

Paper Birds

paper osprey
The Sanctuary is pleased to welcome a new osprey to the exhibit area.
On temporary loan from the artist, this life-size model by Holland
Hoagland is made of paper. The sculpture began with a light wooden
frame. Each feather is individually cut from a variety of Asian rice
papers, held together and shaped with paper clay. Finally the bird is
painted to realistically depict its plumage. The osprey is shown in
flight with a brown trout in its talons. Ms. Hoagland will be
showing some of her other paper birds at the Sanctuary beginning
mid-April. To contact Holland Hoagland about her paper birds, click
here.
eohipus at comcast.net

Cape Cod Natural History Conference
The Cape Cod Natural History Conference is scheduled for Saturday,
March 17 from 9 A.M. to 4 P.M. The conference will be held at the
Cape Cod Community College and features fourteen brief presentations
by individuals from environmental groups across Cape Cod and
Massachusetts. New to the conference this year is a keynote
presentation by Dr. Ivan Valiela of Boston University on Global
and Local Ecological Change on Cape Cod as Evidenced from
Birds. Participants will be able to ask questions as time permits
and will receive a summary of the presentations. There will be a lunch
break (bring your own) as well as two shorter breaks for participants
to interact with the speakers and to review poster exhibits. The cost
to attend the conference is $20 for advance registration, $25 on the
day of the event. To learn more about the conference or to receive a
printed brochure and registration form, phone 508-349-2615.

Summer Day Camp Update
Some sessions of summer day camp have already filled so don't wait to
register. Click here to download the brochure and registration
form. Completed forms with payment should be mailed or
delivered in person to the Sanctuary. Telephone registration with
Master Card or Visa begins April 1.

http://web.massaudubon.org/site/R?i=VELlp3qMRwHzkp-0IJDbMA..

Summer Camp for Grown-Ups, Too!
The Adult Summer Field School schedule is now available online. Click
here to find out more about these intense field study courses on Cape
Cod.

http://web.massaudubon.org/site/R?i=-Dvb9gflkgodqEbYQDQWFw..

Save and Give
The Cape Light Compact, in order to increase customer participation in
the residential MassSAVE home energy program, offers the Carbon
Challenge. This limited term (through June 30, 2007) effort will
establish a partnership with the Sanctuary. We will receive $1.00 per
residential energy audit generated by Wellfleet Bay (for customers who
have not had an audit within the past 12 months), up to $1000 maximum.
In addition, RISE Engineering will report on the estimated Emission
Savings based on implemented or scheduled measures. To sign up for
your energy audit, call
1-800-797-6699 and be sure to mention Wellfleet Bay.

UPCOMING PROGRAMS

ADULTS

Osprey Project

http://web.massaudubon.org/site/R?i=atE8-WkIzFCW2ShfwmFyPg..

March 10, 1 P.M.

Climate Change in Massachusetts

http://web.massaudubon.org/site/R?i=mZyPn6gVmYs2G8iu9u1trw..

March 29, 2 P.M.

FAMILIES

Saturday at the Movies

http://web.massaudubon.org/site/R?i=wNBzWNEjPmfPHiR5rnmtfQ..

March of the Penguins
Saturday, March 24, 1 P.M.

Part-time Property Worker Needed at Wellfleet Bay!Click here to learn
more.

http://web.massaudubon.org/site/R?i=XkeUVvCf3Yaz6PXlKFljcg..

WILDLIFE
Right whales return to feed in Cape Cod Bay in late March. The rarest
of whales (less than 350 known), they can often be seen from
shore. Race Point in Provincetown is a great place to spot
right whales. Click here to learn about

http://web.massaudubon.org/site/R?i=Mzhwtybwkk5fDAZ65IiWow..

Right Whales from Shore with Dennis Murley.

NEW VOLUNTEERS
New volunteer jobs available in Summer 2007: Marsh Cabin Docent and
Exhibit Area Docent. No experience required. Click here to contact the
Volunteer Coordinator.
mzbel at massaudubon.org

VOLUNTEERS ONLY
Come have Lunch with Bob at noon on Friday, March 30. Bring a bag
lunch and we will provide dessert.

BIRDS AND MORE

Click here for our weekly Cape Cod wildlife sightings.

http://web.massaudubon.org/site/R?i=km4aqOLa7Lmzdzhh6bsMtg..

MEMBERSHIP

Join Mass Audubon now and support New England's largest conservation
organization. Just click here!
http://web.massaudubon.org/site/R?i=r0NkIBCaRJrM9GRC3CfsbQ..

Wellfleet Bay Wildlife Sanctuary
Mass Audubon
291 State Highway, Route 6
P.O. Box 236
South Wellfleet, MA 02663
508-349-2615
wellfleet at massaudubon.org
www.massaudubon.org/wellfleet

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