Ring Neck Ducks

I heard that the Ring Neck Ducks are back on the pond.  I haven’t seen them myself yet.  I keep looking out with my binoculars but no sighting yet.  About this time of year, I think, its the Hooded Merganser that stop in for visit as well.  Anyone seen them yet?  There is no doubt the Canadian Geese are back in town! Oh boy…they are not helping with my insomnia!

Hooded Merganser
Ring Neck Duck

 

 

 

 

http://www.audubon.org/bird-guide

I also want to thank the folks who have already donated to the “Get Rid Of Milfoil campaign!  What amazing generous neighbors we have on the pond!  $1,000. donated so far!  We are off to an amazing start! 

Pond News

The Good & The Bad – Collins Pond Battle with Milfoil

Let’s get the “bad news out of the way…..

The Lakes Environmental Association (LEA) states “Fighting Milfoil costs money and considerable time. Once an infestation takes hold, there are many options for removal but none of them are easy. In other states, there are cases where lakes are closed to the public because the plants have grown so thick that recreation is difficult or impossible.” So how are we doing…… Continue reading Pond News

Collins Pond Ice Fishing!

Rainbow Trout

Denny Breau’s “Ice Fishing” song is stuck in my my head now!

Ice Fishing – by Denny Breau Singer/Songwriter and legendary guitarist 

Pictures by: Linda Tam-Peterson

Way up north where the cold wind blows
When the lake freezes over people chop little holes
Drop a line and kick back in a little square shack
And if the ice didn’t melt they’d never go back.
A little wood stove just a waitin’ for a bite
Drinkin’ all day and drinkin’ all night
Gonna sit right here ‘til the winter ends
And I’ll be sittin’ right here when it comes again.

Ice fishin’, nothing is quite the same.
I’m itchin’ to get back in the game.
They say 20 below and three feet of snow.
Grab your stuff ‘cause we’re still gonna go.
Ice fishin’, just a party by another name.
Ice fishin’, a tradition here in Maine. Continue reading Collins Pond Ice Fishing!

A very clever way you can help to harvest Milfoil!

Dear Collins Pond members:

This is the device I created to help collect floating milfoil. It’s 2 donut floats tied 3x together with one tie having extra slack to tie onto a boat/kayak. the ring must be bigger than the hole so it doesn’t go thru the hole but not too big that the onion bag can’t get over the ring. It’s sturdy but slightly bendable. the ring is a hose found in plumbing sections of stores. it’s connected with a coupler. the onion bag goes over the ring. tighten the string on the onion bag over the ring slightly (about an inch) so it won’t slide off the ring.

You may have to shove the milfoil down the hole if it piles up. once filled, slide the onion bag off the ring, because the hose is slightly bendable helps get it off the ring.   A net might be needed over the bottom donut float so if the onion bag gets too full the net helps prevent it from going thru the hole.

Margaret Cardoza

The Maine Citizens’ Guide to Invasive Aquatic Plant Management

The Maine Citizens’ Guide to Invasive Aquatic Plant Management

After five years of research and action, the Maine Milfoil Initiative—a collaboration between Saint Joseph’s College and several Maine lakes associations and volunteer groups—has culminated their work with the publication of the Maine Citizens’ Guide to Invasive Aquatic Plant Management. This is a nuts-and-bolts guide for lake groups and citizens on how to develop a management program to stop the proliferation of non-native variable-leaf milfoil and other invasive aquatic plants.

http://www.mainevlmp.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/MMI-Citizens-Guide-For-Web.pdf

Collins Pond