Yearly Archives: 2016

24 July 2016 Centralmaine.com: Repair work begins on Branch Pond Dam

Picture of the Branch Pond dam and mill showing the upstream face of the dam. This picture was part of the Branch Pond Association’s 2008 Water Level Petition.

According to an article in today’s Kennebec Journal and Morning Sentinel by staff writer Madeline St. Amour, repairs have finally begun on the Branch Pond dam. Branch Pond and it’s dam are located in China and Palermo at the headwaters of the West Branch of the Sheepscot River and are subject to a water level order issued by the Maine Department of Environmental Protection in June 2014. The WLO was issued in response to a petition filed by the Branch Pond Association originally back in 2008. The petition was put on hold for 4 years to give the dam owners time to make repairs to the dam. No work was performed in that time however, and the petition process was restarted in 2012 about the same time as the Clary Lake water level petition was getting underway. I have remained in close contact with members of the Branch Pond Association over the past 4 years and I am pleased that DEP is now taking aggressive steps to enforce their Water Level Order, and happy for the Branch Pond lake shore owners who are finally seeing their efforts rewarded. Congratulations Branch Pond Association! Here’s the article:

I received a few phone calls this morning from Clary Lake shore owners who saw the article in this morning’s paper and wanted to know why DEP isn’t enforcing our Water Level Order with the same enthusiasm. This reaction is totally understandable. While there are many similarities between Branch Pond and Clary Lake, there are 2 very important differences. Continue reading →

21 July 2016 Loon Update: Eggs Not Viable, Nest Abandoned

Yesterday afternoon I stopped to check on the loon nest and found it abandoned, with no evidence of any eggs. There was a loon floating nearby but it wasn’t fishing or tending babies, it was just sitting. Randy Wing was with me and he told me that he’d seen eggs in the nest the day before. I too had seen a loon sitting on the nest that day. I decided to check back in the morning. This morning I checked the nest and it was still abandoned with no loons in sight so I grabbed my camera walked around the edge of the cove to look for the nest. I found it without difficulty (picture, at left). I was surprised to see how far the water line had receded from where it was when we first started watching it, 30+ days ago. When first spotted, the water was right up to the edge of the nest and we were concerned about the possibility of flooding; this morning it was a good 6′ away from it- not obvious from our vantage point on shore due to foreshortening. Flooding turned out to not be a problem. Continue reading →

18 July 2016: Alarming Growth of Elodea Observed in Clary Lake

Elodea nuttallii in Clary Lake growing to the surface in 7′ of water. Photograph by George Fergusson 15 July 2016

Just when you thought conditions around Clary Lake couldn’t get any worse, well conditions got worse: anyone who has spent any time on Clary Lake this summer is all too aware of the explosive growth of Elodea in shallow areas around the lake. Rapid growth of this pond weed was a noticeable problem last summer and it has only gotten worse, not better. Elodea nuttallii is not a recognized invasive plant species in Maine but it is considered invasive in some jurisdictions including in Europe where it is a real problem. It’s an opportunistic plan in any case, and under the right conditions it can be very prolific. Clearly the conditions existing in Clary Lake now are about perfect to promote exuberant growth of this plant: lots of shallow water with a muddy bottom, plenty of nutrients, and lots of sun. Elodea growth has gotten so bad in some places that there are large mats of the weed on or just under the surface of the water, even near the middle of the lake. I took the above picture about 1400′ off the south shore of the lake- almost 1/3 of the way across to the other side- in 7′ of water. Normally the water would be 12 feet deep here, too deep to support the growth of Elodea. Now, with the lake level down 5 feet below the top of the dam, conditions are perfect. Everywhere you go it seems you’re seeing Elodea at or just below the surface. You’ll find more pictures in the Spring/Summer 2016 photo gallery. Continue reading →

18 July 2016: Unusual Summer Bird Sightings on Clary Lake

An immature Glossy Ibis spotted poking around on the shore of Clary Lake. Definitely an unusal breed of bird for these parts. Photograph by George Fergusson 13 July 2016

It’s been a good summer for rare and unique bird sightings on Clary Lake. First, back on July 13th I was on my way home from an afternoon fishing when I spotted a relatively large black wading bird poking around on the shoreline over on the Relyea property next to the Antognoni home. The light was fading and it was a little challenging taking pictures with good definition, but I got a few. I’d never seen a bird like it and was unable to identify the bird, so I sent a few pictures off to some birder contacts of mine and they quickly identified it as an immature Glossy Ibis. I’ve never seen an adult one let alone an immature one. They are known to nest as far north as Southern Maine but occasionally venture further north.

Great Egret, Clary Lake. What a graceful bird! Not unheard of around here, but definitely an unusual sighting. I’ve only seen a Great Egret one other time on Clary Lake. Photograph by George Fergusson 17 July 2016

Then yesterday afternoon I was out fishing over on the north shore when I spotted a Great Egret standing in the shallows. In all my years on Clary Lake I’ve only seen a Great Ibis one other time. They’re rare but not unheard of around here.

I checked this morning and one of the loons was sitting on the nest but there is still no sign of the loon eggs hatching, and I’m concerned that the eggs may not be viable. While the nest was first spotted around June 12th, we’re not certain when the eggs were actually laid. Looking back at my log, I first obtained photographs of the loon eggs on June 24th which was 25 days ago, though it is likely the eggs were laid sometime before that. In any case, as long as the loons are sitting on them, I’ll hold out hope they’ll hatch.

I’ve posted a few more pictures of these birds in the Spring/Summer 2016 photo gallery.

07 July 2016: Loon Nest on Damariscotta Lake

I’ve been thinking our loon nest was “behind schedule” but apparently there are eggs on Damariscotta Lake that are just now beginning to hatch. I’ve shared this picture from our Facebook page. What I find most interesting is the nest itself, it is just a shallow depression on the shoreline:

07 July 2016 Loon Update: Nest OK, Still No Chicks

2016 Fourth of July fireworks. It appears the fireworks displays around the lake on Monday night did not disturb the nesting loons which were observed calmly nest-sitting the next day. Photograph by George Fergusson.

[dropcap]Like[/dropcap] a nervous parent, I have been checking the loon nest every day lately, and sometimes twice when I get the chance. This morning I observed one of the loons sitting on the nest but there is no evidence yet that the eggs have hatched. As near as we can tell the nest was established sometime around the 6th or 7th of June- at least that is when Randy and Arlene Wing first noticed the pair of loons hanging out around the nest site. Exactly when the nest was completed and the eggs laid is not clear but they were seen sitting on the nest by June 11th. That was 27 days ago. With a gestation period between 26 and 30 days, the eggs could hatch anytime. Continue reading →

06 July 2016: Quick Update on the Dam’s Gate Status

[dropcap]Back[/dropcap] on June 30th when I posted the June 2016 Water Level Chart to the website I speculated that the dam operator would likely lower the gate further within the next day or two so as to maintain at least the appearance of complying with the Water Level Order‘s (WLO) requirement for maintaining minimum outlet flows. What with the long Fourth of July weekend, the parties, the cookouts and what have you, I didn’t get a chance to swing by the dam until yesterday. Sure enough, measurements of a photo I took of the gate mechanism shows that sometime in the last 5 days the gate has been lowered approximately 5″ and is now open just a little more than 2″ as suggested in the WLO to maintain minimum outlet flows this time of year. For my records I’m back dating the gate change to July 1st, and today’s water level chart update reflects this. In theory anyways we can look forward to it remaining at this level for about the next two and a half months, until September 15th.

On a more unpleasant note, the lake level reached 5′ below the top of the dam this morning. It hasn’t been this low since the end of last September.

05 July 2016: Pictures from the 46th Annual Maine Lakes Conference

Some pictures from the Maine Lakes Society’s 46th Annual Maine Lakes Conference held back on June 26th. My wife and I attended the meeting and it was quite good:

01 July 2016 Test Post: Sample Loon Audio

This is just a test post to see how well the site handles audio and what people think of it. I’ve got about zero experience working with audio files. This calling loon was recorded by Arlene Wing the other night.

June 2016 Water Level Chart Archived

June 2016

I’ve archived the June 2016 Water Level Chart (at left). The most notable feature of the June chart is how little the lake level fluctuated over the course of the month. This is due primarily to two factors. First, the dam’s gate has been closed to within about 7″ of being fully closed for the entire month and this has limited the daily lake level fall to around 1/10th inch (0.01′) per day. Second, the lack of rainfall over the past few months has resulted in almost no runoff from what little rain we have received. For example, on the 28th & 29th we just received 0.87″ of rain which so far has only brought the lake up 0.36″ which almost doesn’t even make sense: you would think the lake would at least rise as much as the rain we received. I suspect what is actually happening is that the water table around the lake (which is a lot like a damp sponge) is being replenished by water from the lake. We received a total of 3.20″ of rain for the month which is only a little less than the average 3.54″ for June. For the year we’re still only 1.23″ below normal but we were short of rain in April and May. Continue reading →

28 June 2016: Yet Another Loon Video

This summer’s loon nesting episode on Clary Lake has provided unparalleled photographic and video opportunities. Yesterday I posted a video of one of the loons climbing onto their nest. This new video is comprised of 3 short video clips stitched together that I took back on June 23rd and 24th and shows a loon sitting on the nest. Who knew watching a loon breath could be so exciting 🙂

This video taken with a Nikon D3300 DSLR camera attached to the prime focus of a 6″ f/5 Newtonian reflector with 2X Barlow (doubler) which amounts to a telephoto lens with an effective focal length of 1524 mm. The nest was located approximately 380′ away from the camera.

27 June 2016: Video of Loon Climbing Onto Nest

I’ve wanted to capture video of a loon climbing onto its nest ever since the first time I saw one do it. Loons are clearly not built for getting around on dry land, but they manage. I’ve tried two other times to capture this event but circumstances conspired to thwart my efforts. I got some nice video (will post some at a later time) but catching this special event has eluded me. Until today. It was windy which caused the camera to bounce around, but the wind let up briefly at just the right time. The video ended when the battery in my camera died. Enjoy.

I’ve been able to set my camera, telescope, and tripod up in a spot in some bushes a good distance away from the nest where I could observe the loons almost without being seen. As you can see from the video, the loon was clearly unconcerned by my presence, though it certainly knew I was there.

26 June 2016: Loon Nest Update, More Pictures

Nesting Loon Series, June 2016, Clary Lake. Photograph by Arlene Wing 26 June 2016

Arlene Wing has sent me some great pictures of the nesting loons and I’ve added them to the 2016 Loon Nest Gallery. She and her husband Randy own the former Crow property, that beautiful place located next to the State boat launch. Their house overlooks the cove where the loons are nesting this summer. She and Randy can actually watch the nest from the comfort of their home. I stopped over there this morning for coffee and a visit, and they’ve got a spotting scope set up in the den. How cool is that! Continue reading →

22 June 2016: Loon Nest Update, New Pictures Added to Site

Nesting Loon, Clary Lake, June 2016. Photograph by George Fergusson 22 June 2016

[dropcap]The[/dropcap] nesting Loons are doing fine and it appears that people are respecting the bird’s need for privacy and not venturing inside the LOON AREA signs. I stopped by today to try out my hastily-fabricated telephoto lens arrangement and took some pictures of the loons that came out rather well I think. Though it looks like I was right on top of them, I wasn’t. Not even close. From where I was set up on the lawn looking down on the nest, my range finder said I was about 390′ away from the nest. The loons barely took notice of me. The pictures were taken with a 6″ f/5 Newtonian reflector telescope which I normally use for observing stars, planets, comets, and nebulae. I hooked my digital Nikon D3300 camera up to it which gave me what amounted to a 762 mm focal length telephoto lens. By adding a 2x barlow lens I was able to double that to effectively a 1524 mm focal length telephoto lens. Continue reading →

22 June 2016: Superior Court Update: WLO Appeal Stayed, Procedural Order Issued

[dropcap]The[/dropcap] judge handling the appeal of the Clary Lake Water Level Order (AP-2014-01) has issued a Procedural Order based on the results of the Status Conference held back on June 7th. The Order is dated June 17, 2016 which was last Friday. The Order specifies a deadline of August 19th by which time the State should have filed the administrative record as well as their request for discovery. The real surprise in the Order is that contrary to what I had been told and contrary to what had I reported at the time (see: “Update on Superior Court Action“), the proceedings HAVE been Stayed, yet again, until August 1st. I had been assured by Assistant Attorney General Scott Boak when I spoke to him the day after the Status Conference that the suit had not been stayed so I expect the fact that it has now been stayed will come as much of a surprise to him as it did to me. No reason for the additional stay has been given.

Continue reading →

21 June 2016: Instagram Feeds and Other New Features Added To CLA Website

[dropcap]Observant[/dropcap] visitors to our website will have noticed some changes and additions to the Association website. First, in an effort to stay relevant in a rapidly evolving online world of social media, we’ve added some Instagram feeds. You’ll notice on the sidebar, right under the “Recent Site Pictures” two Instagram items. The first shows pictures from the “Clary Lake Me” Instagram page, and the next one down shows pictures from the #clarylake feed. I’ve also added an Instagram Page under the Pictures main menu heading. Many of you will know all about Instagram but for those of you who don’t (which group included me about 3 days ago) Instagram is “an online mobile photo-sharing, video-sharing, and social networking service that enables its users to take pictures and videos, and share them either publicly or privately on the app, as well as through a variety of other social networking platforms, such as Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr, and Flickr”. The hardest thing for me to grasp about Instagram was that while you can cruise around Instagram and look at stuff using a web browser on your desktop or laptop computer, you can only post pictures using an Instagram app on your cell phone or tablet.

Continue reading →

18 June 2016: Loon Nest Update

A loon sitting on the nest, trying to maintain a low profile. I took the picture from Randy & Arlene Wing’s shoreline. Their place is admirably suited for observing the nest without disturbing the loons. The water level at the time this picture was taken was a little over 56″ below the top of the dam. Photograph by George Fergusson 18 June 2016

17 June 2016: Loon Nest Spotted on Clary Lake!

For the first time since the summer of 2012, a pair of loons is attempting to nest again on Clary Lake. This is fantastic news and it has us very excited. The nest is located at the end of the sandbar on the east end of the lake 800′ to 900′ feet northwest of the State Boat launch, opposite Randy and Arlene Wing’s home which is the white cape located next to the boat launch. In fact news of the loon nest was brought to my attention by Arlene Wing who sent me an email last night. David Hodsdon, Jack Holland, and I were scheduled to conduct our biweekly water quality monitoring data-collection exercise this morning and after we were done we boated over and confirmed that there is indeed a loon nest there. I was able to get a couple of pictures of the sitting loon without getting too close.

Our resident Loon expert Mary Gingrow-Shaw (pictured at left) helped me round up the Association’s floating “LOON NEST AREA” signs which have been languishing in the weeds near my boat launch and together we headed over about noon today and set 3 of them just off shore from the sandbar to warn boaters away from the nest. Hopefully people will see these signs and give the loons the peace and solitude they require. People however are the least of the problems these marvelous bird face. They are vulnerable to attack by eagles from the air and coyotes and foxes from the shore. Once the eggs hatch (gestation period is 26 to 31 days) the risks only increase: I’ve seen more than a few baby loons snatched by snapping turtles than I care to remember.

By far the biggest threat these nesting loons now face is from fluctuating water levels. Their nest can either become stranded if the lake level falls too much, or get flooded if it rises too much. As you can see in the picture, loon nests don’t have a lot of freeboard- only 3″ or 4″ at most. An inch or 2 of rain is all it will take to bring the lake up that much and more.

Loon Nest Area Sign.

These floating signs were built many years ago by long time Clary Lake Association member Edward Grant and were last used in 2012 when a loon pair attempted to nest in the marsh over on the west end of the lake by Route 126. Sadly, that nesting attempt failed when the nest was flooded. Let’s hope that doesn’t happen again. Please everyone, respect these signs and give the Loon nest a wide berth. We’ll be monitoring the nest from the shoreline and will post more pictures and updates as the summer progresses.

46th Annual Maine Lakes Conference Coming Up June 25th

The Maine Lakes Society (formerly the Congress of Lake Associations or COLA) is holding their Annual Maine Lakes Conference on the 25th of this month. The itinerary, as usual, looks excellent. The Clary Lake Association is a long-time member of the Maine Lakes Society. For years the annual COLA conference was attended by Association Member Ed Grant. I’ve made a point of going in recent years and I always learn something new. I’ll be going to this one. The cost is $35 which includes lunch.

Here’s the email notice I received about this event:

We invite you to join us at the 46th Annual Maine Lakes Conference on Saturday, June 25th, at the Unity College Center for the Performing Arts!


	Keynote Speaker Holly Ewing of Bates College

This year we look to the future of Maine lakes monitoring and protection, and the myriad ways citizens can get involved in lake protection. Our Keynote Speaker, Holly Ewing of Bates College, will introduce us to the latest research on Gloeotrichia echinulata blooms and GLEON, the Global Lake Ecological Observatory Network, which is helping scientists and citizens alike better understand and communicate the way lakes are responding to our changing climate. Afternoon workshops on citizen science, lake and fisheries restoration, the latest on LakeSmart, new partnerships with Maine Audubon’s Stream Smart and LoonSmart programs, translating science in your outreach products, and hands on workshops offer diverse learning experiences at a great new venue in Unity, Maine.

REGISTER TODAY!

Additional Workshops include:

Cyanotoxins and Maine’s developing Public Alert System for Harmful Algal Blooms
What’s that stuff in the water? The appearance of metaphyton and other algae in our lakes and ponds
Long term, statewide collaborative lake monitoring efforts
Special guest Friends of Lake Winnecook
The latest “Get Smart” tips from LakeSmart and Stream Smart
Hands on instruction with lake monitoring technology
Our new partnership with Maine Audubon’s LoonSmart Program
Creative tools for translating water quality data into meaningful communications
Lake and fisheries restoration efforts
Nature Journaling ~ Fish Identification ~ Art Exhibit
Lunchtime breakouts: Council of Lake Associations Annual Roundtable, Camp Care, and Invasive Plant Monitoring FAQ’s

The annual conference will be at the fabulous Unity College Center for the Performing Arts nearLake Winnecook in Unity, Maine. Keep an eye on our Facebook page and website for more information on presentations and speakers. We are also still welcoming conference sponsors!

We hope to see you there!

*Cheryl Daigle*	&	*Maggie Shannon*
Executive Director		Program Director, LakeSmart & Policy

Maine Lakes Society
P O Box 447

Belgrade Lakes, Maine 04918

www.mainelakessociety.org

207-495-2301

11 June 2016: Spring/Summer 2016 Newsletter Posted On Line

I’ve posted the Spring/Summer 2016 CLA Newsletter here on the site. Feel free to download it and share it with your friends and neighbors.

Spring/Summer 2016 Newsletter

A couple of days after we mailed these out 8-10 of them were returned because they had only one mailing seal on the top. Apparently it is now a requirement that folded mail items be sealed on three sides, with the fold on the bottom. Who knew? At least we had the fold in the right place! I put additional seals on the 8 or so newsletters that had been returned and the postmistress sent them out again for no additional charge. Apparently there’s a post office worker in Augusta (all the returned newsletters were for Augusta addresses) who’s a real stickler for regulations. We won’t make that mistake again 🙂

None have been returned for bad addressing which is always nice. If you think you should have received a printed newsletter and one hasn’t arrived yet, let me know. If you’d like to be added to our mailing list, email me your contact info.