May 6 & 7
The spring weather continues to be cold and rainy but groups at Sedge usually do well under adverse conditions. This was especially true for the Watershed Ambassadors. After Akili concluded their regular monthly meeting, we had lunch. And we still had time for kayaking, fishing, crabbing and clamming. Because we are still without solar power, our pump does not work without the generator being turned on. Lack of water was never a problem as we supplemented the bottled water carried out to the island with water we had caught in our new rain barrel.
The red fox is becoming a common sight on Sedge. The Watershed Ambassadors saw it several times. Once it appeared to be resting in a bed of dried eelgrass. On another occasion it was stalking something on of one of the mosquito ditches. Later the fox walked directly under an osprey platform causing the adults to call loudly as they flew off their nest leaving their eggs uncovered. It is likely that this fox will cause a significant decrease in the number of young bird and Diamond Backed Terrapins that will survive on Sedge Island this summer.
Thanks again to Gary Patterson for helping out at Sedge. Gary is great at seeing what needs to be done and then getting it done with the help of group participants. In addition, he frequently engages the group with stories, anecdotes, and interesting facts about the flora and fauna of the salt marsh.
Saturday, May 9, 2009
Master Naturalists
April 25 & 26
The first official group of the Sedge Season spent the weekend in somewhat cold, cloudy, rainy conditions. In addition to the weather hardships, the Master Naturalists dealt with limited electricity due to the lack of solar power and our group decision to run the propane generator for a limited amount of time. Many in the group said spending time in the dark actually enhanced the experience for them.
The water temperature was in the low 50’s and it was crystal clear. These factors probably contributed to the fact that we did not catch any fish and the only crabs that we got were green crabs. The clams were farther down in the mud than usual but we managed to rake more than we could eat, so a good number were returned.
The Master Naturalists had the good fortune to be joined by two friends who know a great deal about the Barnegat Bay Watershed. Dr. Bob Schwartz, a retired chemist, shared his knowledge of some of the chemical processes affecting the bay. He was equally at home discussing the recent nuclear waste release at the Oyster Creek Nuclear Power Plant as he was talking about nitrogen and phosphate from non-point source pollution. Dr. Gary Patterson, former head of the Environmental Education graduate program at Rowan University, provoked lively discussions about land use issues in the Barnegat Bay Watershed. Thanks to both Bob and Gary for joining us.
The first official group of the Sedge Season spent the weekend in somewhat cold, cloudy, rainy conditions. In addition to the weather hardships, the Master Naturalists dealt with limited electricity due to the lack of solar power and our group decision to run the propane generator for a limited amount of time. Many in the group said spending time in the dark actually enhanced the experience for them.
The water temperature was in the low 50’s and it was crystal clear. These factors probably contributed to the fact that we did not catch any fish and the only crabs that we got were green crabs. The clams were farther down in the mud than usual but we managed to rake more than we could eat, so a good number were returned.
The Master Naturalists had the good fortune to be joined by two friends who know a great deal about the Barnegat Bay Watershed. Dr. Bob Schwartz, a retired chemist, shared his knowledge of some of the chemical processes affecting the bay. He was equally at home discussing the recent nuclear waste release at the Oyster Creek Nuclear Power Plant as he was talking about nitrogen and phosphate from non-point source pollution. Dr. Gary Patterson, former head of the Environmental Education graduate program at Rowan University, provoked lively discussions about land use issues in the Barnegat Bay Watershed. Thanks to both Bob and Gary for joining us.
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