Deer Hunting and EEE

The greatest Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) risk facing hunters is exposure to mosquitoes, not handling or consuming healthy deer. Although other mammals and birds have been exposed to the EEE virus for decades, there is no evidence that direct contact with these species can infect humans. While human infection is rare, hunters should take extra precautions against EEE by using insect repellents for personal protection from bites until mosquitoes are no longer active and using protective clothing.

Hunters in interior and coastal York County, coastal Cumberland County, Kennebec, Waldo and Penobscot Counties should:

o Not handle or consume wild animals that appear sick or act abnormally, regardless of the cause. All other deer meat should be cooked thoroughly (170-180 degrees) to kill the EEE virus, should it be present, as well as any other viruses and bacteria.
o Wear heavy rubber or latex gloves when field dressing deer.
o Handle knives carefully to prevent accidental cuts.
o Minimize contact with brain or spinal tissues. Do not cut into the head of any deer that behaved abnormally even to remove the rack. When removing antlers from healthy deer, use a hand saw rather than a power saw, and always wear safety glasses.
o Bone out the carcass, keeping both the head and spine intact.
o Wash hands with soap and water after handling carcasses and before and after handling meat.
o Thoroughly sanitize equipment and work surfaces used during processing with bleach solution (1 tablespoon of bleach to 1 gallon water). Consider keeping a separate set of knives used only for butchering deer.
o Freezing meat will not kill the EEE virus.
o DOGS: While dogs have been reported to have been infected with EEE in a small number of cases, they are not a primary species of concern; transmission of EEE is primarily by mosquito bite. While it would be possible for a dog to contract EEE when retrieving an infected bird, for example, the dog would have to have a cut in its mouth and come into to contact with the bird’s blood.

The appearance of EEE in Maine horses this summer prompted the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Maine Medical Center, and the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention to conduct a study during the deer hunting season to better understand the distribution of the EEE virus in Maine. Harvested deer will be examined for the presence of EEE by testing their blood for antibodies specific for this virus. Deer are widespread in the state, are susceptible to infection with the EEE virus, and should be a good sentinel of EEE virus activity. Health officials hope to use the survey to map the prevalence of the disease in the state.

Hunters should be aware that the presence of EEE in deer does not affect the meat of the animal and that finding EEE in any of the samples does not indicate an infectious deer, only that there are EEE antibodies present.

Government basically screws up everything it touches its hand to and in addition to that it costs taxpayers bundles more than it ever should have. So what else is new? This is a success story, one that you won’t hear a lot about because it really only happened after the big and powerful government backed off.

It was only last March that I did a review on a brand new DVD production of Carter Davidson’s of Gray Ghost Productions, LLC called East by Northeast.

Davidson, through his generosity, took a section from his movie and made it into a short film, about 8 minutes in length. This film talks of the history of the Androscoggin River in Maine, once one of the 10 most polluted rivers in America. Not a title you really strive for. The films depicts some of what the river has become today.

The video can be viewed below but I thought I would share with readers my own personal knowledge about the river and the effort to clean it up.

In the video below, the narrator mentions the efforts of the federally mandated Clean Water Restoration Act, an act often tagged with the name of Senator Edmund Muskie, a resident of Rumford, Maine, located just a few miles downstream from my hometown of Bethel.

While the CWRA was responsible for cleaning up a lot of rivers and water bodies, it was not the end all solution to dirty water. Strong-arming the companies and municipalities along the river could only go so far. In attempts to keep the effort going to clean up the river, taxing and regulating could only go so far.

Essentially, the stiff arm of government forced paper companies and towns along the river to take care of the majority of their wastes and pollutants they were dumping in the river. That was the easy part. Taking care of the last 5-10% of the waste became very costly. Efforts stalled.

That was only part of the problem. What about all the private landowners and farmers along the river corridor? Was the government going to force them to stop spreading manure and fertilizers? Where they going to make landowners clean up old garbage dump sites, many of which the current landowner never participated in?

The effort to clean up the river seemed to come to a grinding halt. Opposition grew to the tactics being used by government and environmentalists. Let’s face it, you can only push Mainers so far before they balk.

Speaking specifically about the Upper Androscoggin River, the effort wasn’t quite dead yet. The actions taken so far were beginning to return life to the river. Ducks returned to some degree, fish were jumping and a few brave soles were paddling their canoes as well. Ospreys soon were seen overhead and occasionally a bald eagle.

I will give the Maine Environmental Protection Agency credit for one thing. Someone thought it might be worth the effort to try a different approach. Something other than force and bullying. I’ll have to go try to verify my history but if memory serves me, this effort might have been initiated, at least to some degree, by the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife’s director at the time, Bucky Owens. I do know that Bucky loved the Upper Andro and during his tenure at MDIFW he had a vision to turn the Upper Andro into a trophy fishing mecca.

I knock came at my door one day. Someone from the EPA was looking for a location to have a meeting and help getting volunteers to attend a meeting. I had the meeting space and drawing from a few members of the Friends of the Androscoggin, we rounded up a few volunteers.

Our newly formed group thought that if we could convince the locals, that included me, that the river was clean and stayed clean all the time, perhaps we could begin a process of deprogramming these people about the past and get the years and years of dirty, nasty images of the river out of their heads. This was a huge chore.

A friend, Walter Hatch, and I volunteered to do sampling of the water once a week for the summer. We had five sampling stations spread out from New Hampshire to just below the Bethel village and the confluence of the Androscoggin and Sunday Rivers. We were all surprised at how well the water tested and how consistent those tests were.

That was 15 years or so ago and as they say a lot of water under the bridge. What makes this story such a success and one that I wish others would model is that the real long lasting clean up effort never happened until after big government butted out and local residents took ownership.

Industry, along with careless and thoughtless use and abuse of the river snatched it away from the people. Government tried to take it back. Once we could convince the people that there really was something there of value, something they could own and participate in caring for, then we knew the river could be safely returned to the people.

Enjoy the video. In it are many of my friends. I recognize most of the spots that you will see along the river and I can personally attest to how dirty it was and how clean it is now. I also want to take a moment and pay special notice to my good friend Rocky Freda, who appears in this movie. Rocky passed away just this summer and I miss him. His name will be forever etched into the Upper Androscoggin River for his efforts and tireless dedication to keep the effort alive.

Tom Remington

The June 2009 issue of the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife’s “Insider” magazine is now available for your viewing pleasure. Please follow this link.

In this issue you will find information about a study done on the use of rubber or soft plastic lures for fishing and the effects this may be having on our fisheries. Anglers are encouraged to use biodegradable lures.

There’s also an article about the awards presented as part of the success of the recovery of bald eagles in Maine from the endangered list, a story of how 46 acres have been added to the Scarborough Wildlife Management Area, Warden of the Year honors, 2009 winter field study on Canada lynx, all about snakes in Maine, bears and bird feeders, the Open Water Fishing Report and tons more.

Tom Remington

*From the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife*

This is the time of year when many members of the public encounter baby fawns, robins, raccoons and other young wildlife in their back yards and woodlands.

Young wildlife is often ‘kidnapped’ by well-meaning people in the mistaken belief that they have been abandoned. The mother-young bond is very strong in mammals and birds, and parents will return given the opportunity to do so with out human interference.

Because wild parents can’t hire babysitters, and must leave their youngsters alone while they search for food, people often stumble upon a fawn hidden in the leaves on the forest floor, young birds taking their first flights, or young raccoon and fox kits wandering a bit too far from the home den.

Three moose calves and 6 deer fawns have already been brought to the Maine Wildlife Park in Gray this spring, and unfortunately, we expect many more before the end of the season. Only one is an orphan.

Fawns: If you encounter a fawn, leave it alone! Adult mother does return only 2-3 times a day to young fawns to nurse them, otherwise leaving them stashed in a protected place and relying on their camouflage and lack of scent to protect them from predators. As soon as fawns are able to keep up with mom, they travel more with her as she forages for food.

Squirrels or Raccoons: If a nest of squirrels or raccoons must be disturbed, (for example if a tree has been cut down or fallen) leave the young in the den part of the tree and leave them nearby in a protected place. The mother will in all likelihood come back and transport them to a new location.

Birds: The same is true for a bird’s nest. Put the nest and nestlings into a nearby tree, supported in a basket or other container that has drainage. The mother robin or blue jay is probably right around the corner, and will return to feed the young and care for them until they can fly on their own.

But in most instances, if you come across any healthy young wild animal or bird, leave it alone! The mother will come back to care for it, as long as humans move a distance away to let the family reassemble. If you have pets, put them inside your home or leash them so they can’t disturb the young wildlings.

If, however, you think an animal may be orphaned, please call an IF&W regional biologist to see whether that is the case. Please, do not pick it up and take it home.

Wild birds and mammals do not make good pets, and it’s against the law to possess them without the proper state and federal permits.

So remember, if you care about young wildlife, leave them where you found them!

Posted by Tom Remington

As part of National River Cleanup, members of the Upper Andro Anglers Alliance and students from the Telstar Challenge Course at Telstar High School in Bethel, Maine took part in the clean-up of a section of the Androscoggin River from West Bethel to Bethel on Wednesday, May 20, 2009.

In speaking with Wende Gray, a representative of the Upper Andro Anglers Alliance, she said the rafts were loaded with debris.

They found at least 1,000 lbs including car bumper, culvert, oil tank, bedspring, tires, car seat, paint cans, lamp post, electrical conduit, baby carriage and 1950’s record player.

Below are pictures of some of the participants and a good representation of some of the debris that got hauled away.

Tom Remington

AUGUSTA – The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and the Maine Department of Environmental Protection have partnered with Fly Fishing in Maine (FFIM), a group dedicated to protecting Maine’s fisheries, to place three washing stations at popular Maine fisheries in an attempt to prevent the spreading of “didymo” — an invasive species of algae — to Maine’s rivers.

Two of the sites are on the Rapid River in western Maine, and the third is at the Route 35 bridge in Windham on the Presumpscot River.

“Perhaps the most serious threat to Maine’s fragile aquatic natural resources is the introduction of invasive fish, plants or other organisms. It’s imperative that we make every effort to prevent these intoductions from occurring,” says John Boland, Fisheries Division Director for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife. “Fly Fishing in Maine deserves credit for facilitating this effort.”

“Didymo” – Didymosphenia geminata and commonly called “rock snot” – is a type of algae known as a diatom. The single-celled organism can “bloom” or spread, creating mats of brown material on rocks or riverbeds that could interfere with the life cycles of insects and fish. Presently, didymo has not been found in Maine, but it was confirmed in New York and Quebec in 2006, and in New Hampshire and Vermont in 2007. Didymo is native to far northern and mountainous reaches of the globe, but is expanding its range, commonly to waters frequented by anglers.

“There is no one answer to solving the problem but between a public education awareness program and the first of what we hope to be many public washing stations, there is a chance that we can limit the spread of this stuff,” said Ken Beaulieu of Fly Fishing in Maine.

This program is made possible by a generous grant from L.L. Bean. The grant will cover the costs of building the pilot washing stations, signage and the washing solution. Other partners in this effort include landowners, the Maine Department of Transportation (Presumpcot River site), Rangeley Lakes Heritage Trust (Rapid River-Lower Dam), and Nextera Energy (formerly Florida Power and Light) (Rapid River-Middle Dam).

The stations will be maintained by volunteer “station keepers” who will monitor the stations and refresh them with a 5% salt-based solution. To be effective, anglers will need to remove plant and other debris from boots and then soak their boots, nets and other gear for 3 minutes before proceeding into and when exiting the water, according to John McPhedran, a land and water quality biologist at the Maine Department of Environmental Protection. Anglers also are asked to clean equipment again at home and then dry completely, ideally for 48 hours.

“This is a reasonable start to ensuring that anglers are not contributing to the spread of didymo into Maine’s waters,” Boland said.

For more information on Fly Fishing in Maine, visit its website at www.flyfishinginmaine.org.

Posted by Tom Remington

I’m reminded of a cartoon clip taken from an old edition of an outdoor magazine that’s nailed firmly to the wall of hunting camp. In the cartoon, two crusty old timers, obviously both have spent their time in the outdoors and have bagged more than their share of game, are reminiscing. Plastered all over the walls of the hunting camp in the cartoon, are so many deer head mounts, you would be hard pressed to find room to put up a 3×5 postcard. One man is speaking to the other and says, “Just ain’t as many deer around here as there used to be!”

Managing herds of whitetail deer in Maine is a chore and that’s an understatement. Not only am I not qualified to do the job, I’m not sure I’d want it because I don’t think I have thick enough skin to take all the heat that comes from hunters, especially when there “just ain’t as many deer around as there used to be.”

It is no secret that Northern Maine has for a long time, perhaps since forever, struggled to keep up a healthy and sustainable whitetail deer herd. On the other extreme within the boundaries of Maine, parts of Southern Maine are experiencing too many deer. There are so many factors that play into this phenomenon, if you will, that I can’t possibly cover it in this one article.

I’ll back up a few years when I was contacted by a concerned hunter from Northern Maine who was concerned about what he called a non-existent deer herd in his part of the state. He was interested in starting a petition drive to see if he could generate enough interest to have the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife shut down the deer hunting season for as long as it took to bring back the deer herd.

I was of course, sympathetic to the concerns but wasn’t convince that was the answer to the problem. I should explain that as a hunter, I am willing to do whatever is necessary to protect and replenish the deer herd. I only require one thing. The science to back it up.

A couple weeks ago now, I caught wind of some grumblings that perhaps Maine had a more serious problem with the deer herd than just the severe winter of 2008-2009. I was sent two charts. One is a chart of the Maine Big Bucks Club, showing from the year 2000 until 2008 the number of big bucks (200-plus pounds) registered with the Club. The second chart is from the Maine Antler & Skull Trophy Club. This shows for the same duration of time the number of trophy antlers registered with MASTC. You can view both of these charts by clicking on the links provided.

Interestingly enough both the Big Buck and the Antler charts seem to be mirror images of one another, both showing a serious decline since 2002. In fairness, while this shows a real decline, none of us really know why. What is real is that we sure can make some speculations. The truth is, looking at these two charts should at least give us to concern.

I sent the two charts to a friend and someone I consider a very valuable resource – Dr. Valerius Geist, Professor Emeritus of the University of Calgary and a well respected researcher and wildlife expert. His response back confirmed my initial reactions.

There are no simple answers. The graphs you sent are fascinating as they say that as the frequency of heavy bucks drops so does the proportion of trophy bucks, typical or atypical. Right on! Unfortunately, we do not know if the AVERAGE body weight dropped. We cannot say that the bucks are getting smaller, and therefore fewer big fellows are shot. The data, unfortunately, remain mysterious although clearly something interesting is happening!

Hang on to this thought for a moment.

These two charts also fell into the hands of Lee Kantar, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife head deer and moose biologist. I contacted Lee to ask him if he had the charts and could he take some time and talk to me about it.

I will not attempt to cover every aspect of Kantar’s response in this article alone. What I will do is provide you with Kantar’s findings and how they might explain the missing parts that Dr. Geist said were needed.

Here’s what Kantar responded with as it relates to the information in the two charts.

The number of Big Bucks/MASTC bucks etc in the harvest will be a function of the relative size of the herd, the age structure, hunting pressure and annual changes in mortality…for starters. Al Wentworth, who keeps the MASTC data was good enough to provide me with his data back into the 30’s. This is good because he also had the data based on town ( so a lot of ways to begin looking at this).

This seems to be in agreement with Dr. Geist’s brief assessment that it is difficult to make a judgment without data that shows age structure and health of deer. I also emailed with Al Wentworth and even though we might have gotten off to a rocky start, after a couple shots back and forth, why gained a better understanding and more importantly we are both on the same page that his data is something that needs attention and that we need to get to the bottom of it.

Not to get off subject but it was mentioned above about data on deer harvest by town. The MDIFW website has that harvest information if you’re interested.

Kantar explained to me that he opted to review the data provide him by Al Wentworth and break it down by regions, which we all know is a better way to address wildlife management because of the many varying factors. He also looked at the data over the past 70-plus years mostly because of changes in management – Any Deer Permit implementation and deer population goals, etc. As Kantar said, over this length of time there have been an unbelievable number of changes in the state of Maine that have affected our deer herd.

He took the percentage of MASTC bucks harvested to the overall harvest by region. Here’s how he explained it.

So I looked at the percent of MASTC bucks in the harvest each year as a percent of the total buck harvest, then I pooled this information by Regions and by decade, i.e., 80’s, 90’s, 2000’s. OK. To the point. The % of MASTC bucks reported increased in Regions A and B from the 1980’s to today and the % of MASTC bucks reported decreased in Regions F and G from 1980 to today. Downeast was moderate in the 80’s, dropped in the 90’s and came back up in the 2000’s. Moosehead Region was slightly up in 90’s and back down in 2000’s. And western Mts went up in the 90’s and stayed.

The key here is that Kantar is saying that the percentage of MASTC bucks taken compared to the harvest data is a true reflection. In other words, if harvest drops let’s say 10%, the number of MASTC bucks drops 10%…….in theory.

What Kantar is trying to find out is whether or not the deer population is healthy. The charts seem to want to tell us that deer body weight is dropping as well as antler size or it could be telling us that there is a healthy deer herd, there are just simply not enough deer available to harvest, as has been indicated with Kantar’s data research.

Over this time period buck mortality has increased by all causes in each Region, but the hunting mortality part of this probably has not. One thing is clear that as expected with decreased deer populations in the north country from the 80’s to present that means less deer available to harvest.

It seems here that Lee is trying to tell us that his data shows fewer deer to harvest. Does this reduced harvest fall in line with the charts we have that show fewer big bucks and trophy antlers?

If the buck age structures have not shifted dramatically then you have relatively the same buck age structure available for harvest, but less bucks (or for that matter does) available. And with overall lower pop’ns of deer in these regions buck hunting success decreases as well. If you take the 7 regions and chart their changes in overall population from the 80’s to present you will have a mirror image of the changes in big bucks.

It appears that to answer this part of the equation correctly, you have to examine the harvest data, which he says he has, and says that the reduced harvest matches the charts provide by Al Wentworth. I’m not totally convinced it is an exact mirror image of the two but I haven’t examined the data nor am I sure I am qualified to draw any conclusions from doing so.

Now the question becomes, is our deer herd healthy? If the drop in harvest numbers matches the charts and can be supported with Lee Kantar’s data that there are fewer deer to harvest, then we understand at least part of the problem.

If the deer herd is healthy, just small, then we need to work to recover those populations. If the herd is unhealthy, I think it safe to say we got bigger problems than bad winters and too many predators.

In Part II of this report, I’ll take a look at Kantar’s thoughts on herd health, his conclusions and what if anything we can expect on predator control.

Tom Remington

As part of National River Cleanup, members of the Upper Andro Anglers Alliance and students from the Telstar Challenge Course at Telstar High School in Bethel, Maine will clean up a section of the Androscoggin River from West Bethel to Bethel on Wednesday, May 20. Students, ages 16-18, will float down the river in rafts armed with garbage bags and towing garbage scow rafts to collect debris along the riverbanks. The clean-up flotilla will launch at 9 am from Newt’s Landing in West Bethel and take out at Davis Park in Bethel. Community members are welcome to help clean-up other stretches of the river. The town of Bethel will provide trash collection at Newt’s Landing and Davis Park and deliver to the town’s solid waste facility.

Magic Falls Rafting Company of West Forks, Maine will provide rafts and garbage scows. American Rivers and NRC sponsor Tom’s of Maine are supplying trash bags. Immediately following the clean-up, Pleasant River Campground in West Bethel is hosting a barbecue for the participants.

Rivers and watersheds have been used as dumps for old appliances, shopping carts and other refuse. Litter, such as foam cups, plastic bottles and food wrappers float into waterways, build up along the shoreline and stay there for years. With landfill space at a premium, recycling efforts stymied by a lack of plant capacity and toxic waste expensive to control, a grassroots effort can help maintain a constituency for preserving and protecting waterways. In 2008, 600 tons of trash and debris was collected and 7,453 miles of rivers cleaned across the nation. Last year the Upper Andro yielded over a ton of debris including bed springs, tires and tire rims and a discarded outboard motor.

The Upper Andro Anglers Alliance is co-ordinating the local clean up. Says UAAA director Scott Stone “There’s been a decades long effort to improve the water quality and fishery. Now we need to improve the shore land zone and access to this wonderful river.”

National River Cleanup was founded in 1992 by America Outdoors, the largest association of America’s outfitters and guides, to assist local groups in keeping waterways clean. In 2007 American Rivers assumed administration of the river clean up. American Rivers, founded in 1973, is the nation’s leading river advocacy organization. NRC Information is published on line at www.nationalrivercleanup.org.

AUGUSTA – The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife (IF&W) is strongly encouraging anglers to protect Maine’s fish by changing from soft plastic lures to biodegradable ones.

Maine fisheries biologists are reporting increasing numbers of angled trout and salmon with indigestible soft plastic lures in their stomachs, according to John Boland, IF&W Fisheries Division Director. A discarded soft plastic lure consumed innocently by a brook trout from the bottom of a freshwater shoal likely remains in that fish’s stomach for the rest of its life and may cause health issues such as ulcers and weight loss.

Soft plastic lures are most commonly used by bass anglers, often in waters shared with trout and salmon. IF&W is cooperating in studies on the effects of soft plastic lure ingestion by trout and salmon, including one recent experiment at Unity College, which was conducted by IF&W Pathologist Dr. Russ Danner, Unity College Professor Jim Chacko, PhD., and IF&W Fisheries Biologist Francis Brautigam, and in another study currently underway at Southern Maine Community College.

The study conducted at Unity College found that 65 percent of brook trout voluntarily consumed soft plastic lures if they simply were dropped into water.

“We found that fish retained the lures in their stomachs for 13 weeks without regurgitating them,” according to Dr. Danner. “They also began to act anorexic and lost weight within 90 days of eating a soft plastic lure.”

Without regard to the chemical toxicity of ingested soft plastics, the fact that these lures are occupying space in a trout’s stomach limits the amount of space available for natural food. There is a lot of veterinary medical evidence that foreign bodies in the digestive tract cause ulcers, weight loss, and anorexia.

“We strongly encourage anglers to voluntarily purchase biodegradable and food-based lures rather than soft plastic ones,” Dr. Danner said. “Also, we are asking anglers not to discard plastic lures into any waters, and also to attempt to retrieve any soft plastic lures that have become unhooked”.

For millennia, trout and salmon have foraged the waters of Maine for nutritious natural forage such as small fishes, insects and other invertebrates. In the last 20 years, food mimics made of soft plastic has begun to compete with these nutritious natural forage items. The effects of soft plastic lure pollution on freshwater ecosystems are not well understood yet, but it is unlikely that eating soft plastic lures will be found to be a good thing.

“The wide assortment of soft plastic fishing lures is staggering,” Dr. Danner said. “Soft plastic lures come in every color, a myriad of sizes, and resembling every swimming, crawling, and flying creature a fish could imagine eating. Large fish searching the waters of Maine are bound to come upon brightly colored soft plastic lures lost or discarded by anglers and consume these imitators of natural food items.”

There are estimates that as much as 20 million pounds of soft plastic are being lost in freshwater lakes and streams annually in the U.S. The average life expectancy for these soft plastic lures is more than 200 years.

“We need all anglers to do their part to protect Maine’s valuable fisheries from this serious threat,” Dr. Danner said. “Natural lure alternatives are available at many retailers and online, and should become the choice of people who love to fish Maine’s waters”.

If you wish to learn more about the experiment conducted at Unity College a report on the project was published in the Northern American Journal of Fisheries Management. It is available at http://afs.allenpress.com/perlserv/?request=get-abstract&doi=10.1577%2FM08-085.1.

Posted by Tom Remington

These photos were sent to me by reader Richard in Maine:

Tom Remington

AUGUSTA – This spring, the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife will conduct a nearly statewide census for nesting great blue herons and other colonial wading birds. This large-scale effort will be conducted primarily by state biologists, but there are a couple of opportunities for the public to become involved.

Information regarding the location of active heron or other wading bird colonies is needed. In addition, a new volunteer-based adopt-a-colony program called the Heron Observation Network (HERON) will begin this spring – and members of the public are encouraged to join. These efforts have been prompted by recent concern over the status of Maine’s breeding population of great blue herons.

The great blue heron (Ardea herodias) is often touted as one of the most widespread and adaptable wading birds in North America. It certainly is no stranger to Maine. The birds can be seen foraging in tidal marshes, along riverbanks, and even in open grasslands. In flight, their form is reminiscent of a prehistoric creature: large body, long snake-like neck with a sharp dagger for a bill, all carried about by those ever so graceful wings that when wide open may stretch two meters across. Upon liftoff, their squawk further confirms their prehistoric essence.

Though they tend to forage alone, their nesting habits are the complete opposite. Colonies can contain anywhere from a few pairs to several hundred, and often multiple nests occupy the same tree. Location of a colony is somewhat predator driven, but is also determined by the proximity of quality foraging habitat. In addition, human disturbance can be a real threat to a colony’s continued occupancy.

Recent observations have indicated that colonies in Maine may be declining. Colonies that once held scores of active nests, have dwindled to a few pairs or have been abandoned altogether. Have the birds simply redistributed themselves across the landscape, occupying different sites that support fewer pairs, or is there a true decline in the number of breeding “great blues”? North American Breeding Bird Survey data for Maine indicate a significant declining trend in the number of birds detected between 1980 and 2007. Although most would still argue the great blue heron is a common sighting in Maine, this declining trend is somewhat alarming.

Consideration of this decline, evidence of fewer active nests in recent years, and observations of predation by an increasing eagle population prompted MDIF&W to list the great blue heron as a state Species of Special Concern in 2007. Unlike Endangered or Threatened status, Special Concern is an administrative category established by policy, rather than by regulation, and is used for planning and informational purposes only. Basically, it’s a way of saying, “let’s keep an eye on this species and make sure it’s not really in peril.”

MDIF&W conducts periodic breeding censuses of heron colonies, primarily along the coast. The last thorough census was done in 1996. Observations and reports of numbers of nests for most colonies have filtered in over the past 13 years, but have primarily been incidental and opportunistic in nature and therefore haven’t shed enough light on the situation. A thorough nest count is long overdue.

In late April through early May, MDIF&W will fly over the state in search of nesting colonies of great blue herons and other colonial wading birds such as snowy, great, and cattle egrets; little blue and tricolored herons; glossy ibis; and black-crowned night-herons. All historical wading bird colonies, including more than 180 that have hosted nesting great blue herons, will be checked for use in 2009. Suitable habitat en route to these locations also will be surveyed.

The formal census will be performed by state biologists, but reports of active colonies from the public are extremely helpful. As mentioned earlier, many of the larger colonies documented in past censuses have since broken up into smaller colonies and moved to other locations. Herons nest in a wide variety of habitats including coastal and freshwater islands, beaver flowages, small and large wetland complexes, as well as upland sites that may be fairly close to good foraging areas. Maine has no shortage of these habitat types, so finding colonies may be like looking for a needle in a haystack.

In order to maximize the efficiency of the aerial census and minimize flying time, information is needed from on-the-ground observers regarding the locations of active colonies. In addition, more detailed information regarding the use of these colonies over time will aid in assessing the population’s trend and planning future surveys and management activities.

During their 2009 springtime adventures, members of the public are encouraged to take note of active breeding great blue heron colonies and share their findings with MDIF&W. Nesting herons can be extremely sensitive to human disturbance, and may even abandon a colony as a result of human intrusion. From the onset of courtship behavior through fledging, it is extremely important to keep a distance of 300 meters (984 feet) from the colony. Without causing any disturbance to the birds, record the location on a DeLorme atlas, the approximate number of active nests (if visible from less than 300 meters), and the date(s) of your observation(s).

To take an even more active role in this project, the public may sign up to be part of the Heron Observation Network. HERON volunteers observe known active colonies one or more times between May and July to determine the number of nesting adults and the vegetative structure and health of the colony. Aerial censuses are expensive and time consuming; therefore they cannot be done on an annual basis. The information collected by HERON volunteers will assist with assessing the breeding population over time. An added benefit of this volunteer-based program is that the time contributed by volunteers can help to leverage federal dollars to perform future aerial censuses.

To help state biologists better understand the status of the great blue heron in Maine by reporting active colonies or becoming a HERON volunteer, please contact Danielle D’Auria at danielle.dauria@maine.gov or 941-4478.

Wildlife Biologist Charles Todd Receives National Endangered Species “Recovery Champion” Award From the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife biologist Charles Todd is the recipient of the national Recovery Champion Award presented by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

Mr. Todd, who is greatly respected by his co-workers and peers for restoring the bald eagle population in Maine, received the award Thursday night in Washington, D.C.

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Acting Director Rowan Gould announced the 18 recipients of the Service’s 2008 Recovery Champion award. The Recovery Champion award recognizes Service employees and their partners for contributions to the recovery of threatened and endangered species in the United States.

“The Recovery Champion award both recognizes the exceptional conservation accomplishments of its honorees and highlights the importance of strong and diverse partnerships in species conservation,” said Gould. “Recovery Champions are helping imperiled species regain their place in the natural resources fabric of our country while focusing attention on the importance of conserving our nation’s biological heritage for future generations.”

Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife Commissioner Roland “Danny” Martin commended Mr. Todd’s professionalism and scientific dedication in his work to return bald eagles to Maine’s blue skies and vast woodlands.

“Bald eagles were nearly extirpated from Maine,” noted Martin. “In 1972 only 29 pairs of eagles remained here. Today, thanks in large part to Charlie’s efforts, there are at least 477 nesting pairs of eagles, annually producing more than 300 eaglets.”

Mr. Todd is regarded as a veritable institution in Maine, according to Regional Director Marvin E. Moriarty. Todd is noted for his bald eagle work in the skies and on the ground – spotting habitat, protecting nest sites, rearing chicks, banding nestlings, rescuing injured birds, and providing eagles to other states to establish populations.

Applauded for his diplomatic approach and technical expertise, Mr. Todd has collaborated with Native American tribes, pulp and paper mills, the academic community, non-government organizations, and state and federal agencies, engaging landowners to ensure that nesting birds are safe from disturbance. He has given presentations to schools, universities, conservation groups and scientists, and he helped establish Maine’s first eagle Webcam.

A guiding force and mentor for eagle researchers, Todd is contributing to another legacy — stewardship through scholarship.

The 2008 Recovery Champion honorees are working to benefit a range of endangered and threatened plants and animals. From whooping cranes to mussels, Service employees and partners such as universities, conservation agencies, and private organizations are devoting their resources to a shared mission. Habitat restoration, public awareness campaigns, and species’ monitoring programs are just a few examples of this year’s Recovery Champion honorees’ efforts.

For additional information, please visit the Service’s Recovery Champion Web site at: http://www.fws.gov/endangered/recovery/champions/index.html

The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service works with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and a trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals, and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov.

The Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife are stewards of Maine’s outdoors, working to preserve and protect Maine’s natural resources, outdoor heritage and economic foundation. For more information, visit www.mefishwildlife.com