Historic sea eagle sighting thrills birders
On December 17, MassWildlife received a report about a Steller’s sea eagle (Haliaeetus pelagicus) from David Ennis, who had photographed this unusual raptor a few days earlier along the Taunton River in Dighton. It is the first time this species, native to northeast Asia, has been documented in Massachusetts and eastern North America. Based on its distinctive wing markings, ornithologists are certain this is the same bird reported in 2020 in Alaska and then observed in the summer and fall of 2021 in eastern Canada. According to MassWildlife Ornithologist Andrew Vitz, it’s not uncommon for vagrant birds from Europe to appear in Massachusetts; however, birds from Japan, Korea, China, and eastern Russia are completely unexpected. Vitz and other biologists speculate this bird may have been caught in a storm blowing it off course, or it may have simply made a basic navigational error.
The Steller’s sea eagle is one of the largest eagles in the world, weighing up to 20 pounds with a wingspan of up to 8 feet. With its dark body, striking white wing markings and a huge yellow-orange beak, this bird is an imposing sight. By comparison, the American bald eagle weighs as much as 15 pounds with a 7-foot wingspan. Primarily a fish eater, the Steller’s sea eagle spends its time hunting and scavenging near large inland bodies of water and coastal areas.
As word of the eagle’s presence spread, enthusiasts flocked to the Taunton River from as far away as Pennsylvania and New York. Those who saw the sea eagle were fortunate, as it was only seen in the Dighton and Somerset area for about a week before moving on. The eagle was spotted along the coast of southern Maine on December 30. No doubt, birders and photographers across the region are keeping an “eagle eye” on coastal waters and inland waterbodies, hoping to experience a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see this magnificent bird.
Why you shouldn't feed wildlife this winter
Each winter, MassWildlife receives inquiries from the public regarding whether or not to feed wildlife. While people have good intentions, supplemental feeding of wildlife typically does more harm than good. Most wildlife seasonally change their behavior to adapt to cold temperatures and scarce food supplies. Supplemental feeding can alter that behavior and have detrimental, and sometimes fatal, effects. Wildlife in Massachusetts have adapted over thousands of years to cope with harsh winter weather, including deep snow, cold temperatures, and high winds.
Supplemental feed sites congregate wildlife into unnaturally high densities, which can:
- Attract predators and increase risk of death by wild predators or domestic pets;
- Spread diseases among wildlife or cause other health issues (e.g. Rumen acidosis in deer, Aflatoxicosis in turkeys);
- Cause aggression and competition over food, wasting vital energy reserves and potentially leading to injury or death;
- Reduce fat reserves, as wild animals use energy traveling to and from the feeding site;
- Cause wildlife to cross roads more frequently, therefore increasing vehicle collisions;
- Negatively impact vegetation and habitat in areas where feeding congregates animals.
Providing wildlife with food at any time of year teaches them to rely on humans for food, which puts them at a disadvantage for survival and can lead to human/wildlife conflicts. Once habituated behavior is established, it can be very difficult or impossible to change.
What can you do?
The best way to help wildlife make it through the winter is to step back and allow the animals’ instincts to take over. To help wildlife near your home, focus on improving the wildlife habitat on or near your property, by including natural food and cover (e.g., some conifer cover and regenerating forest or brushy habitat). It is also important that wildlife populations are in balance with what the habitat can support.
Bird feeding
MassWildlife biologists advise against feeding wildlife. While backyard bird feeding during winter months is generally acceptable, we recommend using native plants and water to attract birds to your yard. Fallen bird seed can unintentionally attract many types of wildlife, including bears, turkeys, small mammals like squirrels and mice, and predators like foxes, fishers, and coyotes that feed on small mammals. If you notice unwanted wildlife in your backyard, bring in your bird feeders immediately.
Stay safe on the ice this winter
It's wintertime in Massachusetts and residents will begin to venture out onto the ice for fishing, skating, or other winter activities. Stay safe this winter by taking a few moments to review these ice safety tips and ice thickness guidelines.
How can you tell if ice is safe?
There are no guarantees. Always consider ice to be potentially dangerous. You can't judge ice conditions by appearance or thickness alone; many other factors like water depth, size of waterbody, water chemistry, currents, snow cover, age of ice, and local weather conditions impact ice strength.
Ice tips to remember:
- New ice is stronger than old ice. Four inches of clear, newly formed ice may support one person on foot, while a foot or more of old, partially thawed ice may not.
- Ice doesn't freeze uniformly. Continue to check ice conditions frequently as you venture out onto the ice.
- Ice formed over flowing water and currents is often more dangerous. Avoid traveling onto ice-bound rivers and streams, as the currents make ice thickness unpredictable. Many lakes and ponds may contain spring holes and other areas of currents that can create deceptively dangerous thin spots.
Before heading out onto the ice
- Tell someone your plans, including where you are going and when you expect to return.
- Come prepared. Carry a cell phone in case of emergency. Always carry ice picks and rope with you on the ice. In case of emergency, drive the nails into the ice and pull yourself to safety while kicking (see tips for falling in below).
- Wear your life jacket. If you fall in, a life jacket will keep you at the surface and can provide insulation against the effects of cold water.
Ice thickness guidelines
The guidelines below are for clear, blue ice on lakes and ponds. White ice or snow ice is only about half as strong as new clear ice and can be very treacherous. Use an ice chisel, auger, or cordless drill to make a hole in the ice and determine its thickness and condition. Bring a tape measure to check ice thickness at regular intervals.
| Ice Thickness (inches) | Permissible Load (on new clear/blue ice on lakes or ponds) |
| 2" or less | STAY OFF! |
| 4" | Ice fishing or other activities on foot |
| 5" | Snowmobile or ATV |
| 8"–12" | Car or small pickup truck |
| 12"–15" | Medium truck |
Falling through the ice
If you fall in:
- Don't panic: Call for help if there are people nearby.
- Don't remove winter clothing: Air trapped in your clothes can provide warmth and help you float.
- Turn the direction you came from: Ice you previously walked on should be the safest.
- Place your hands and arms on an unbroken surface and kick your legs: If you have ice picks or a pair of nails, use them to pull yourself up onto the ice while kicking.
- Lie flat and roll away: Once your torso is on firm ice, roll toward thicker ice to distribute your weight.
- Find shelter and get warm: Change out of wet clothing and find warm, dry coverings. If you are in a remote area, get to or start a campfire. Otherwise, get to a car or house. Seek medical advice from your physician on medical attention.
If someone else falls in:
Remember the phrase "Preach-Reach-Throw-Go."
- Preach: Call 911 if you can. Shout to the victim to reassure them help is on the way.
- Reach: If you can safely reach them from shore, extend an object like a rope, jumper cables, tree branch, or ladder to them.
- Throw: Toss one end of a rope or something that will float to the victim.
- Go: If the situation is too dangerous for you to perform a rescue, call 911 or go to find help. Untrained rescuers can become victims themselves.
If a pet falls in:
Do not attempt to rescue the pet, go find help. Well meaning pet owners can easily become victims themselves when trying to assist their pets. Remember to always keep pets leashed while walking on or near ice.
New MassFishHunt is now live
MassFishHunt, the official licensing and harvest reporting system for Massachusetts, got an upgrade December 1, 2021. As always, anglers, hunters, and trappers will can buy licenses and permits, report a harvest, and access account information. The new MassFishHunt’s secure, modern platform offers new features designed with the customer in mind.
What’s changed?
Setting up your account in the new MassFishHunt is simple. With just a few clicks, you’ll have access to new features, including:
- Upgraded log in with email and password to keep your account secure
- Linked accounts for families (coming soon!)
- Auto-renew option lets you set it and forget it to keep your licenses up-to-date
- Buy-it-again option saves your favorite products for quick checkout
- Registration for outdoor skills classes (coming soon!)
- Improved mobile experience
How do customers log in to the new system?
IMPORTANT: You will need an email address to log in to the new MassFishHunt. Requiring a unique email address and password is an important component in a secure system that keeps your information safe. If you do not have an email address or do not wish to provide one, you can still buy licenses or report harvests in-person (see question below).
- If you have ever purchased a fishing or hunting license in Massachusetts, you will be prompted to claim your account in the new system and add an email address and password. Once logged in, you will have access to your order history and any current licenses or permits.
- If you've never had a license before, you can sign up for an account by entering information including an email and password.
Watch a short tutorial video to learn how to log in
Can customers still buy licenses or report harvests in-person?
Most licenses, permits, and stamps can be bought online using MassFishHunt with a computer, smartphone, or tablet. If you do not wish to purchase online, you can still visit a MassWildlife office, Division of Marine Fisheries office, or one of many authorized license vendor locations to buy in-person. Click here for a license agent map. If you wish to report your harvest in-person, you can find a check station map here.
Understanding your bill
All funds from freshwater fishing, hunting, and trapping licenses go directly into the Inland Fish and Game Fund, which can only be used to support MassWildlife’s programs and services. Depending on where you buy your license, additional transaction fees may apply that are not collected by MassWildlife. Administrative and convenience fees are collected by Kalkomey Enterprises, the company that operates the online MassFishHunt licensing system. Agent fees are collected by license vendors, such as sporting goods stores or town offices.
- Is the new system more expensive? Overall transaction fees are decreasing for online customers in the new MassFishHunt system. The old online system charged an administrative fee of $1.34 per license and 3% convenience fee on the total transaction. The new online system charges an administrative fee of $1.45 per license and 2% convenience fee on the total transaction. Example: If you bought a sporting license using the old system, your transaction fee was $2.73; your transaction fee in the new system would be $2.52.
- License fee increases: Because a license price increase was recently approved for many freshwater fishing, hunting, and trapping licenses, you may notice your overall bill is higher than usual moving forward. Beginning in 2022, the fees for some licenses, permits, and stamps will gradually increase over the next 5 years. After 26 years without a fee increase, these changes were approved to help fund MassWildlife's programs and services. This change in license prices is not caused by the new licensing system. To learn more about how MassWildlife is funded and view the 5-year fee schedule, please visit Mass.gov/Masswildlife-Funding.
What if customers need help using the new system?
If you need help using the new MassFishHunt, please call customer service at (844) 595-2930 between 9 a.m. and 11 p.m., 7 days a week and select option 2 from the menu.
Becoming an Outdoors-Woman 2021 Deer Hunt
"This course was amazing. Thanks to everyone who makes it what it is!” This complimentary quote came from one of seventeen novice women deer hunters who recently participated in MassWildlife’s Becoming an Outdoors-Woman Deer Hunt Program.
On opening day of the shotgun season on November 29, seventeen women experienced a guided deer hunt with the assistance of volunteer mentors at Fort Devens. The hunt day dawned clear and cold with light breezes. Nearly all the women saw deer and all participants enjoyed their hunt. Two women harvest their first deer ever, sharing that the experience was both exciting and overwhelming. MassWildlife expresses sincere appreciation to our enthusiastic and dedicated volunteer mentors who shared their knowledge and support with these new hunters.
To prepare for the mentored hunt, the women attended a virtual seminar in October where they learned about deer biology and management, hunting regulations, where to find places to hunt deer, and deer hunting tips. Later in the month, they took part in an in-person field seminar at the Shirley Rod and Gun Club where they learned about proper clothing and other useful hunting gear, spent time on a shooting range, discovered how look for deer sign, estimated distances and when to shoot or not shoot at a deer, and followed a blood trail.
Click here to learn more about MassWildlife's Becoming an Outdoors-Woman Program and learn how to subscribe to become notified of upcoming workshops.
Channel your inner otter
The North American river otter (Lontra canadensis) is well known and loved for its playful and athletic antics on both water and land. Stay alert while walking, cross-country skiing, or snowshoeing this winter and you might be lucky enough to spot a group of otters near a pond or river. Watch them diving and rolling through the water popping in and out of open holes in the ice or floating on their back while grooming fur or feeding hungrily on a fish. Otters can sometimes be seen sliding on their bellies down a muddy embankment and scrambling back to take another slide like children on a playground slide. Winter brings other opportunities for otters to slide or “swim”. You may not see the animal but an iced-over pond may reveal otter tracks bounding through the snow, interrupted by intervals of a long trough-shaped slide mark, the sure sign of an otter on the move. The otter’s powerful legs propel its long body through the snow and across the ice. Snow sliding is thought to be a way to conserve energy, but it sure looks like a lot of fun and frolic is involved.
Otter facts:
- Massachusetts’ largest member of the weasel family, otters weigh 11–30 pounds and are 35–50 inches long.
- Otter fur is dark brown, short, and dense (hundreds of hairs/square inch) creating a smooth, sleek body and tail. Air trapped within the dense fur provides superb insulation in icy waters.
- When submerged, otters close their nostrils and ears. They can hold their breath for up to eight minutes. In iced-over ponds, otters surface for air to breathe at open holes.
- Otters utter chirps, grunts, and chattering calls to signal alarm or to maintain group cohesiveness.
Winter is here and you can channel your inner otter by playing in the snow and on the ice with family and friends. Try cold weather activities like ice fishing, skating, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, winter birding, or animal tracking. Warm clothing layers, snacks, and hot drinks will keep you warm and fueled while you’re spending time outdoors. Keep an eye out, maybe you’ll come across an otter slide or spy an otter slipping into the frosty waters. In any event, have an otterly amazing winter!
Art contest connects youth artists to nature
There is still time to enter the Massachusetts Junior Duck Stamp (JDS) contest. Students from kindergarten through grade 12 can submit original artwork to participate in this fun and educational competition. The entry deadline is February 15, 2022. The process of creating these works of art allows students to appreciate the importance of preserving wetland habitats and the delights and diversity of wildlife. "Even if students do not enter the competition, science and art teachers will value the JDS curriculum as a useful resource," advises MassWildlife’s Wildlife Education Coordinator, Pam Landry.
The JDS program links the study of wetlands and waterfowl conservation with the creation of original artwork. Students in grades K-12 learn about the habitat requirements of various kinds of ducks and geese and then express their knowledge of the beauty, diversity, and interdependence of these species artistically, by creating a drawing or painting which can be submitted to the JDS art contest. The art is judged in four age group categories in a statewide competition; the entry judged Best of Show moves on to represent Massachusetts in the national JDS competition. Art teachers, science teachers, and parents who home-school can visit our website for an information packet and entry information.
For more information contact Pam Landry at pam.landry@mass.gov.
New publication promotes wood turtle conservation
A new book, Biology and Conservation of the Wood Turtle was recently published by the Northeast Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies. This semi-technical publication is dedicated to the evolution, ecology, biology, spatial ecology, habitat needs, and conservation of the wood turtle. MassWildlife's State Herpetologist, Mike Jones, was the leading editor coordinating the contributions by wood turtle specialists from 13 state fish and wildlife agencies and non-governmental conservation groups. Supported in part through regional state wildlife grants, this semi-technical and richly illustrated 235-page publication will be of interest to natural resource professionals and land managers. The Wood Turtle is emblematic of cold, remote, clean rivers from Nova Scotia to the mountains of Virginia. Here in Massachusetts wood turtles, listed under the Massachusetts Endangered Species Act, are found primarily in western, central, and northeastern Massachusetts. Wood turtle populations across the state have declined as a result of habitat fragmentation and degradation, illegal collection for biological supply and pet markets, and intensive agriculture cultivation near streams. MassWildlife is actively working with non-governmental groups, high schools and universities, and towns to stabilize populations and restore habitat for this species.
MassWildlife Habitat Management Grants awarded
Eight municipalities and conservation organizations were awarded a total of $184,400 for habitat management projects to improve habitat for rare or declining populations of wildlife. The grants are provided through MassWildlife’s Habitat Management Grant Program (MHMGP) and will fund wildlife habitat improvement projects on 276 acres.
In its 7th year, MassWildilfe’s Habitat Management Grant Program provides financial assistance to private and municipal landowners of conserved lands to improve and manage habitat for wildlife deemed in greatest conservation need and for certain game species. The projects are also designed to complement ongoing habitat management efforts on state lands and promote opportunities for hunting, fishing, wildlife viewing, and other outdoor recreation.
Although MassWildlife and other conservation organizations have made unprecedented investments in land acquisition in Massachusetts, land protection alone is not enough to guarantee the persistence of the Commonwealth’s diverse wildlife. Investment in habitat restoration and management is urgently needed on public and private lands across the state. To address this need, MassWildlife and the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs have substantially increased their investment in habitat management on state wildlife lands and are committed to working with partners to promote these efforts on other conserved lands across the state. The MHMGP encourages landowners to engage in active habitat management on their properties to benefit wildlife.
“Most forests and other wildlife habitats in Massachusetts are not state-owned, and we rely on conservation organizations, cities and towns, private landowners, and other partners to help us manage habitat to benefit all wildlife,” said Department of Fish and Game Commissioner Ron Amidon. “This program provides us with the opportunity to expand our habitat management footprint, directly benefiting wildlife, sportsmen and women, and other people who enjoy outdoor recreation.”
“MassWildlife’s Habitat Management Program focuses on habitat conservation for less common birds, mammals, reptiles, and amphibians, because the kinds of habitats they need are less common,” said Mark Tisa, MassWildlife Director. “Congratulations to this year's grant recipients. Your work will help further wildlife conservation goals in the state."
The following eight projects will were awarded MassWildlife Habitat Management Grants during the 2021-2022 grant cycle:
- Dunstable – Zoo New England, in conjunction with the Town of Dunstable, has been awarded $11,289 to conduct scrub-shrub habitat improvement work to benefit rare species at the Pierce Town Forest.
- Falmouth – The Town of Falmouth will receive $20,587 to improve sandplain grasslands at Coonamessett Reservation.
- Fitchburg – Mass Audubon has been awarded $50,000 to improve pitch pine forest at the Flat Rock Reservation.
- Groton – The Town of Groton will receive $29,050 to create and improve open field and shrub habitat at Priest Hill.
- Lenox – The Town of Lenox, in conjunction with the Berkshire Natural Resources Council, has been awarded $26,810 to control the hardy kiwi vine at Kennedy Park and adjacent properties.
- Nantucket – The Nantucket Conservation Foundation has been awarded $13,024 to manage sandplain barrens and heathlands on the Middle Moors property.
- Sheffield – The Sheffield Land Trust will receive $16,040 to conduct brush hogging and invasive species control at Ashley Falls Woods.
- South Lee – South Lee Associates, in conjunction with the Berkshire Natural Resources Council, will receive $17,400 to control invasive species and improve floodplain forest habitats on multiple Housatonic River properties.
Job announcements
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Contact for MassWildlife Monthly January 2022
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| Date published: | January 5, 2022 |
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