January 1
The first day of the new year.
The first day of the new year.
January 7
Winter closing in.
Winter closing in.
January 12
Blue on blue with a full moon rising. Frozen in.
Blue on blue with a full moon rising. Frozen in.
The pond is entirely frozen now and we have had very little in the way of waterfowl visiting. There was a Cooper's Hawk and a Bald Eagle one day. The graceful Great Blue Heron still floats over the pond in his daily patrol, and nightly as well with his familiar croak in the dark. The night's silence is broken only by the sound of ice creaking and the calls of two Great Horned Owls in the woods. Hopefully they all secure some sustenance in this hard month.
And in this hard month we too have had to accept hardship, knowing that it is too late for the summer's fry to leave this home pond for their open sea life. Maybe some will survive. Removing the barricade now would only send any fry to an equally uncertain fate with the ponds frozen and the fish ladder undergoing construction, with no promised provision having made for the late migrants after the drought. We are still saddened and yes angry, and rightfully, for the Town's neglect and poor planning (and violations) with no accountability whatsoever. All of our neighbors here have suffered the same disappointment over these weeks since December 12th (see Journal, December 2024) when all of our hopes were raised high- that the fish would finally be a able to emigrate out thanks to the wonderful work of the Mosquito Control crew- only to see our hopes dashed on the 16th with the sandbag blockade. Neighbors old and new, like these- a new neighbor, who just purchased a home on our street this fall, told me a selling point of the house was the herring run in their backyard. She and her husband are excited to return in March to see them first hand. Just as the generations of neighbors do here, parents with their children and grandchildren cheering them on into Slough Pond.
The alewives are strong and spirited with an enormous will to survive that we witness the miracle of every spring. And the spirit of this pond is strong. We hope to match their measure.
And in this hard month we too have had to accept hardship, knowing that it is too late for the summer's fry to leave this home pond for their open sea life. Maybe some will survive. Removing the barricade now would only send any fry to an equally uncertain fate with the ponds frozen and the fish ladder undergoing construction, with no promised provision having made for the late migrants after the drought. We are still saddened and yes angry, and rightfully, for the Town's neglect and poor planning (and violations) with no accountability whatsoever. All of our neighbors here have suffered the same disappointment over these weeks since December 12th (see Journal, December 2024) when all of our hopes were raised high- that the fish would finally be a able to emigrate out thanks to the wonderful work of the Mosquito Control crew- only to see our hopes dashed on the 16th with the sandbag blockade. Neighbors old and new, like these- a new neighbor, who just purchased a home on our street this fall, told me a selling point of the house was the herring run in their backyard. She and her husband are excited to return in March to see them first hand. Just as the generations of neighbors do here, parents with their children and grandchildren cheering them on into Slough Pond.
The alewives are strong and spirited with an enormous will to survive that we witness the miracle of every spring. And the spirit of this pond is strong. We hope to match their measure.
January 16
A couple of news items and more ice. At the Brewster Conservation Commission meeting on January14, when asked in the public comment period for follow-up on the blockade at the Slough Pond herring run, which was brought to their attention at their December 17, '24 meeting. William Grafton, the Conservation Administrator, told the Commission members that his update would be pushed back but that he did have information to share. It will be added to the agenda on the next meeting on January 28 for full follow-up and comments.
There is an Alewife Committee meeting scheduled for Monday, january 27, @ 5pm. This issue has also been added to the meeting agenda (read more) among other important items of interest to the community.
A couple of news items and more ice. At the Brewster Conservation Commission meeting on January14, when asked in the public comment period for follow-up on the blockade at the Slough Pond herring run, which was brought to their attention at their December 17, '24 meeting. William Grafton, the Conservation Administrator, told the Commission members that his update would be pushed back but that he did have information to share. It will be added to the agenda on the next meeting on January 28 for full follow-up and comments.
There is an Alewife Committee meeting scheduled for Monday, january 27, @ 5pm. This issue has also been added to the meeting agenda (read more) among other important items of interest to the community.
January 27
Alewife Committee Meeting tonight @ 5- link
ConCom Meeting tomorrow night @ 6-link
Slough Pond is on the agenda for both meetings.
Alewife Committee Meeting tonight @ 5- link
ConCom Meeting tomorrow night @ 6-link
Slough Pond is on the agenda for both meetings.
January 28
Here is the video recording of last night's very well attended Alewife Committee meeting. So any more things that could have been said, alas.
Here is the video recording of last night's very well attended Alewife Committee meeting. So any more things that could have been said, alas.
January 29
Here is the video of last night's Conservation Commission meeting. The Slough Pond discussion is 1 hour/34 minutes in.
Here is the video of last night's Conservation Commission meeting. The Slough Pond discussion is 1 hour/34 minutes in.
January 30 & 31
As we close out this month, the pond is thawing out again. Our resident Mallards are gaining purchase once again after weeks of hardship. The alewife fry have hopefully gained purchase of their own under the ice in a protective state of dormancy. How many will survive- there is no answer to that question now. We will watch for them come spring. I encourage you to watch the videos of the two significant meetings in January which addressed, but did not resolve, the issues of herring management, or the lack thereof, on Slough Pond. February starts tomorrow on what is known as a cross-quarter day, between the solstice and the equinox, as we inch closer to March and the arrival of the herring scouts. There are plenty of challenges ahead for our fish and we have high hopes of finding solutions together.