Waterfowlers at Work at Wertheim
This past winter the SSWA
was asked to assist in a wood duck box survey at the
Wertheim National Wildlife Refuge. On three different
dates our members worked with U.S. Fish & Wildlife
biologist Florence James. On the early dates the ponds
were still frozen making it easy to check the boxes by
walking on the ice.
To check the boxes on the rivers and streams we used
member's boats and the staff at Wertheim supplied canoes.
These boxes were harder to check because of the deep mud.
In a letter of appreciation from Florence, she said:
"Thanks to SSWA members and other volunteers, over
145 wood duck boxes were located, cleaned, and data
collected. Also, of the 145 boxes, wood duck nests were
discovered in approximately 60 boxes, over 253 wood duck
egg membranes were counted, and 123 unhatched wood duck
eggs were found."
Florence wants to thank you all for a job well done, and
hopes to count on our support later this fall or next
year with the wood duck boxes.
Bill Hartman
FYI: When checking wood duck box locations, make sure to bang hard and loud on the side of the box. Hopefully, raccoons will vacate the premises before you stick your hand inside the box.
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You're All
Invited to
THE
FIRST EVER
Ducks
Unlimited Work Party & Fall Picnic
(...
and it won't cost you a thing!)
Welcome, Come one,
come all.
Now is your chance to get involved on the ground
floor, with hands-on involvement, just like you've been
telling us you've wanted to do. As most of you know, DU
now has a "home" on Long Island and we welcome
you to become a part of this DU family in a new way. We
will be developing our "environmental education
center" at Hubbard County Park in Flanders. For
those of you who have been there, you know what a great
site this is. For those of you who haven't, you will come
to learn of its great potential.
First job will be to scrape and paint "our
building" and work toward its restoration and
conversion into a facility that will house many new types
of DU activities in the future, ranging from Greenwing
programs to formal fundraisers. This arrangement, through
the courtesy of Suffolk County Parks Department, offers
Ducks Unlimited the chance of a lifetime. Let's all pitch
in and show them what a great partner DU will make.
WHEN:
Saturday, Sept. 13 and
Sunday, Sept. 14,2003
(rain date for Saturday: Sunday, Sept. 14)
8:00 AM until whenever
WHERE: Hubbard County Park
Route 24, Flanders
HOW: We need your help in the areas
below.
Included is a free picnic for all workers and family.
See how you can be part of the team
and let us know.
I am willing to
volunteer on Sept. 13/14 through the following:
Scrape Exterior Paint Exterior Cook Serve
Bring a Covered Dish Fix Screens Clean-up
RSVP by Sept. 6 so we can plan
accordingly.
Call Craig Kessler at (631) 751-5850 or e-mail at ckessler@ducks.org.