published by the connecticut department of …...the usfws stewart b. mckinney national wildlife...

Connecticut Wildlife 1May / June 2003

PUBLISHED BY THE CONNECTICUT DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTIONBUREAU OF NATURAL RESOURCES � WILDLIFE DIVISION

May / June 2003

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2 Connecticut Wildlife May / June 2003

Fromthe Director

Four valued and longtime employees are retiring from the WildlifeDivision in June: (l to r) Wildlife District Supervisor SteveJackson, Assistant Director Pete Bogue, CE/FS ProgramCoordinator Bob Kalinowski and Wildlife Maintainer III RichGarini (see article on page 8).

Photo by Paul J. Fusco

Cover:

��Published bimonthly by

State of ConnecticutDepartment of Environmental Protection

http://dep.state.ct.usArthur J. Rocque, Jr. ......................................................... CommissionerDavid K. Leff ....................................................... Deputy CommissionerEdward C. Parker ........................... Chief, Bureau of Natural Resources

Connecticut WildlifeKathy Herz ..................................................................................... EditorPaul Fusco .............................................. Media Designer/Photographer

Wildlife Division79 Elm Street, Hartford, CT 06106-5127 (860-424-3011)Dale May .................................................................................... DirectorPeter Bogue ........................................ Assistant Director (Management)Greg Chasko .......................................... Assistant Director (Assessment)

Mark Clavette ..................................................... Recreation ManagementLaurie Fortin ............................................................... Wildlife TechnicianBrenda Marquez ........................................................................ SecretaryShana Shafer .................................................................... Office AssistantChris Vann ................................................ Technical Assistance Biologist

Eastern District Area Headquarters209 Hebron Road, Marlborough, CT 06447 (860-295-9523)Rich Garini .......................................................... Wildlife Maintainer IIIAnn Kilpatrick ................................................. Eastern District BiologistPaul Rothbart ............................................ District Supervising Biologist

Franklin W.M.A.391 Route 32, N. Franklin, CT 06254 (860-642-7239)Paul Capotosto ........................................ Wetlands Restoration BiologistMike Gregonis ....................................... Deer/Turkey Program BiologistMin Huang ................................................ Waterfowl Program BiologistBob Kalinowski ............................................. CE/FS Coordinator (East)Howard Kilpatrick ................................. Deer/Turkey Program BiologistHeather Overturf ......................................................... Program AssistantWinnie Reid ............................................................................... SecretaryJulie Victoria ......................... Nonharvested Wildlife Program BiologistRoger Wolfe ................................... Mosquito Management Coordinator

Sessions Woods W.M.A.P.O. Box 1550, Burlington, CT 06013 (860-675-8130)Trish Cernik ................................................................ Program AssistantJenny Dickson ...................................... Wildlife Diversity Unit BiologistPeter Good ................................................ Supervising Wildlife BiologistSteve Jackson ........................................... Supervising Wildlife BiologistGeoffrey Krukar ......................................................... Wildlife TechnicianDave Kubas ................................................... CE/FS Coordinator (West)Peter Picone ....................................... Urban Wildlife Program BiologistPaul Rego ................................................. Furbearer Program BiologistLaura Rogers-Castro ............................................... Education/OutreachJim Warner ........................................................................ Field AssistantJudy Wilson .................................................... Western District Biologist

Wetlands Habitat & Mosquito Management Crew51 Mill Road, Madison, CT 06443Steven Rosa ................................................. Mosquito Control SpecialistDaniel Shaw ................................................ Mosquito Control Specialist

The Wildlife Division grants permission to reprint text, not artwork, provided the DEPWildlife Division is credited. Artwork printed in this publication is copyrighted by the CTDEP Wildlife Division. Any unauthorized use of this artwork is prohibited. Please contactthe editor at the Sessions Woods office to obtain permission for reprinting articles.

The Federal Aid in Wildlife Restoration Program wasinitiated by sportsmen and conservationists to provide stateswith funding for wildlife management and researchprograms, habitat acquisition, wildlife management areadevelopment and hunter education programs. Each issue ofConnecticut Wildlife contains articles reporting on WildlifeDivision projects funded entirely or in part with federal aidmonies.

The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection isan equal opportunity agency that provides services,facilities, and employment opportunities without regard torace, color, religion, age, sex, physical and mentaldisability, national origin, ancestry, marital status, andpolitical beliefs.

Volume 23, Number 3

This is a time of dramatic change within the Department ofEnvironmental Protection. Due to the state’s current fiscal condition, alldivisions within the agency are making preparations to accomplish theirmissions with fewer resources. The Wildlife Division has spent the lastfew months prioritizing its programs and identifying projects andactivities that will be curtailed or abandoned given current andanticipated reductions in personnel and operating funds. This is asituation that is still evolving, pending the passage of a state budget. Theprocess is a painful necessity.

One thing that has already occurred is the departure of many seniorDEP staff through an employee retirement incentive program. On itssurface, this represents a very significant loss of leadership, experienceand institutional knowledge. Many of these individuals, including fourfrom the Wildlife Division (see page 8), have made outstandingcontributions to the management of Connecticut’s wildlife and theirhabitats. On behalf of the Wildlife Division, I thank these co-workers fortheir friendship, mentoring, dedication and career commitments toConnecticut’s environment. The departure of staff from key supportdivisions, such as Parks, Law Enforcement, and Field and SupportServices, will have a direct impact on many Wildlife Division programs.

Turnover can infuse an organization with creativity and enthusiasm ifthe departing staff is replaced with high-quality recruits. However, giventhe current economic uncertainties, we will be challenged to rebuild ourstaff in the short-term. Until the budget situation stabilizes, we will dothe best we can with what we have. Many members of the WildlifeDivision will be assigned new duties to cover our primary functions.Some of these assignments may be temporary and will provideopportunities for individuals to learn new skills and expand theirexpertise. There will be a period of reduced efficiency as the staff goesthrough on-the-job training, but I am confident in our ability to adapt ina professional manner.

Progressive managers exhibit a willingness to “embrace” change.However, I may be speaking for a lot of managers in stating that thesetypes of changes feel more like a headlock than an embrace. It isdifficult to accept the fact that we will accomplish less, especially whenthere are so many critical challenges facing wildlife management. Wewill maximize our impact by prioritizing our activities, making full useof partnerships, volunteers and other resources, and maintaining theflexibility to take advantage of grants and other funding opportunities asthey arise. And, we hope for better economic times ahead.

Dale W. May


Over the past several years, the DEPhas worked cooperatively with the U.S.Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) toprotect colonies of herons, egrets andibises that nest on several islands alongConnecticut’s coast, while also accom-modating reasonable public access to theislands. The protection involves tempo-rarily closing interior portions of CharlesIsland, in Milford, and Duck Island, inWestbrook, from mid-May until Septem-ber to prevent beach visitors fromdisturbing nesting birds. Herons, and twostate-threatened species, the great egretand snowy egret, return annually to theislands to nest. The glossy ibis, a statespecies of special concern, nests on bothislands and appears to have increased innumbers at Duck Island.

The critical nesting area of theserookeries is protected with signs and/orfencing. Several locations also featurelarge, educational signs that alert visitors

Protecting Nesting Herons and Egrets Is Everyone’sResponsibility

to the birds’ presence and the need forprotection of nesting areas. In 2002, theDEP Wildlife Division provided fund-ing, through the Wildlife Conservationand Restoration Act Program, toConnecticut Audubon for a specialrookery monitor at Charles Island. Therookery monitor educated visitors aboutthe rookery and collected data on humanuse of the island and on the bird colony.

Unfortunately, last summer the DEPwas forced to issue an emergencyclosure of Charles and Duck Islands toprevent continuing human disturbance ofnesting birds. A tremendous amount ofdisturbance occurred at the islands,causing the majority of great and snowyegrets, glossy ibis and little blue heronsto abandon the nest site at Duck Island.Disturbance at Charles Island also forcedbirds to leave their nests. It was felt thatcontinued disturbance could result intotal abandonment of both sites. Charles

The USFWS Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge also requests that the publicrespect temporary area closures and remain out of bird nesting sites on Falkner, Outer,Sheffield, Goose and Chimon Islands.

and Duck Islands are designated asNatural Area Preserves, primarilybecause of their importance asnesting habitats for herons andegrets. Observations by the rookerymonitor and USFWS personnelindicate that human disturbance isbecoming more frequent on theislands. Examples of these distur-bances include illegal camp-outs,unleashed dogs roaming the closedareas of the island (dogs are per-ceived as predators by the birds) and,most notably, a large bonfire thatwas built outside the fencing onDuck Island last year, right in frontof the educational sign detailing theimportance of the island to heronsand egrets.

Protecting herons and egrets fromhuman disturbance during thenesting season (mid-May to Septem-ber) is the key element in restoringtheir populations. If nest sites aredisturbed, the adults will leave theirnests, subjecting the eggs and youngto exposure and possible death.Young birds that are agitated by

disturbance may fall from the nest andwill not be fed by the adults, resulting indeath from exposure, starvation orpredation.

The educational signs, along withfencing materials and smaller nest areadesignation signs, were provided for thisproject through grants from the Con-necticut Endangered Species/WildlifeIncome Tax Check-off Fund, the LongIsland Sound License Plate Program andthe Federal Partnerships for WildlifeProgram.

For more information, contact theDEP Wildlife Division at (860) 675-8130, or the USFWS McKinney Refugeat (860) 399-2513. The public can helpin this effort to protect the nesting birdsby following the temporary closure,letting others know the importance ofprotecting these special areas andreporting any observed violations to theDEP TIP hotline: 1-800-842-4357.

Protecting egrets, like this great egret, and herons from human disturbance during the nestingseason (mid-May to September) is the key element in restoring their populations.

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© PAUL J. FUSCOAll Rights Reserved

Black Bear Dens Checked Over Winter

In December, seven femaleblack bears chose sites where theywould spend the next three to fourmonths curled in a nearly motion-less, apparent sleep. The sitesvaried from the cozy to the ex-posed, from a ramshackle “lean-to”formed by the limbs of fallen treesto an open, crude bed of leaves.Many of the bears were largelyexposed to the frequent snows andnearly constant freezing tempera-tures of January, February andMarch. For each, the greatestprotection against the elements wasthe dense coat of shiny black furand the inches of fat that lay justbeneath.

Unlike most bears, these werebeing watched. They were radio-collared as part of a DEP WildlifeDivision project to gain informationon Connecticut’s growing bearpopulation. The seven sows hadbeen trapped, ear-tagged andcollared in the summer of 2002.Examinations at that time revealedlittle evidence that they were caring

Written by Paul Rego, Furbearer Program Biologist

Seven females with a total of 17 newborn cubs found

for cubs. It was suspected that mostwould give birth to cubs in the comingwinter.

The seven sows and their chosen densites were inspected in March. Bearresearchers commonly inspect dens todetermine reproductive success of bears.The technique typically involves a slow,stealthy approach of the den in anattempt to get close enough to inject thesow with an immobilizing drug--close orcloser than the eight-foot reach of asyringe pole. The search begins, and isnarrowed to yards, with a radio receiverand antenna. Pinpointing the sow’s exactlocation typically occurs by seeing thetexture of fur or its extreme blacknessbetween the jumble of downed limbs orhearing the squeal of cubs. Because thesheltered darkness makes the bear’sanatomy nearly indiscernible, thechallenge is to determine a goodinjection site--neck or rump. Oncedrugged, the female can be examinedand the presence and number of cubsdetermined.

Wildlife Division research assistant Mark Freeman inspects a den of a female black bear. The denwas just a simple brush pile that left the bear and its cubs somewhat exposed to the harsh winterof 2003.

Wildlife Division biologist Paul Rego holds a bear cub while research assistants Mark Freeman(center) and Henri Woods weigh another cub. By obtaining weights of these six to eight-week-old bear cubs, biologists are able to monitor their growth and health.


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This study is being funded bythe Wildlife Conservation andRestoration Act Program.

Research Projects at McKinney National Wildlife RefugeBy Sara Williams, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service

Thirty percent of Connecticut’s totalpopulation lives in towns and citiesalong the shore. With such densities, onemight imagine little room left for wildthings. You will find quite the contrarywhen spending time along the shoreline.Stewart B. McKinney National WildlifeRefuge provides just less than 1,000acres of sanctuary for wildlife along theshoreline with six islands and threemainland units stretching from Green-wich to Westbrook.

The broad mission of the NationalWildlife Refuge System is to conservefish, wildlife, plants and their habitats.When compatible with the System’smission and the purpose of the refuge,six priority public uses of hunting,fishing, wildlife observation, photogra-phy, environmental education andinterpretation are permitted on refuges.One of the specific purposes of StewartB. McKinney National Wildlife Refugeis to provide opportunities for scientificresearch, environmental education andfish and wildlife-dependent recreation.Many cooperative programs andpartnerships continue to help the refugefulfill this goal. Scientific research on therefuge helps determine the abundanceand distribution of wildlife. Researchprojects also identify, analyze anddocument important habitat parametersof species present on refuge units. Thisinformation is used by the refuge in thecreation of management plans, shapesthe ecological and technical understand-ing of the scientific community andprovides resources for educators.

Upcoming researchprojects taking placeon the refuge aredescribed below.

The Salt MeadowUnit, Westbrook

The refuge willtake part in a coopera-tive research projectbetween U.S. Geologi-cal Survey-PatuxentWildlife ResearchCenter and the U.S.Fish and WildlifeService that comparesparallel ditchedmarshes to OpenMarsh Water Manage-ment (OMWM)marshes. The coopera-tive research projectwill survey the bird,mosquito, plant andnekton communities,and study the hydrol-ogy and sedimentationof parallel ditched andOMWM marshes fromMaine to New Jersey.OMWM projectsdiversify the hydro-logical systems of ditched marshesthrough ditch-plugging and the creationof pannes and pools. Coastal marshes ofthe Northeast have been ditched sincecolonial times for mosquito control andsalt hay farming. The MenunketesuckRiver marshes at the Salt Meadow Unit

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The suspicions of last summer wererealized. All seven sows had litters.Three sows had litters of three cubs andfour had litters of two. Researchers havefound similar litter sizes in othernortheastern states. The 17 cubs included10 females and seven males. The cubs,which weighed less than a pound atbirth, were five to seven pounds whenexamined. Despite giving birth andnursing for nearly three months, beingcrudely sheltered from wind, rain andsnow, and having fasted for nearly fourmonths, all of the females weighed 20 to30 pounds more than they had theprevious summer. The nutrition from

abundant fall acorns was still present inthe bears as fat reserves and was nowbeing transferred to the cubs as lipid-richmilk.

It is not surprising that these sevenbears all bore litters. Female black bearsbreed every other year. Because theyapparently did not have cubs theprevious year, they were due. Foodabundance or scarcity from year to yearin a region tends to synchronize repro-duction leading to general reproductivesuccess or failure in the region’s fe-males.

The bear population in Connecticuthas been increasing dramatically. Ten to

20 years ago it was believed that manyof the state’s bears were young maleswandering from Massachusetts and notnecessarily residents. Now our state hasresident female bears that will contributeto population growth. Documentinglitters in Connecticut provides tangibleevidence of population growth. The bearpopulation is expected to continue togrow. The question will soon become“How many bears do Connecticutresidents want and where do they wantthem?”

were first ditched in the 1920s andoccasionally maintained until the 1980s.Lowered water tables and alteredvegetation patterns are a few impacts ofmarsh ditching. It is thought thatditching negatively affected the ecology


A project will be initiated next year at the Great Meadows Unit toevaluate the abundance and breeding success of rails (like theclapper rail, above), black ducks and other waterbirds.

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Connecticut isa state offorests,brimming witha diversity ofwildlife!

Forests are a vitalpart of Connecticut’scharacter, covering60 percent of ourlandscape. They playan essential role inthe state’s attractive-ness and appeal,adding to the qualityof our lives, oureconomy and, ofcourse, they providehomes for manytypes of wildlife.

But Connecticuthas not always beenthis forested. Whileresidents can now marvel at the healthyreturn of wildlife, such as white-taileddeer, black bear, bobcat, turkey andnumerous migratory birds, just 100 yearsago most of the state’s forests werecleared for agriculture or cut indiscrimi-nately for fuelwood and charcoalproduction. Forest fires were wide-spread. Most woodland dwelling wildlifehad disappeared.

In 1903, after much lobbying byconcerned citizens, the legislatureappropriated $2,000 to “buy landsuitable for the growth of oak, pine, orchestnut lumber at a price not exceeding$4 per acre. . . .” The state acquired 70acres of brush land in Portland andnamed it “Portland State Forest” (laterchanged to Meshomasic State Forest).From that first small purchase,Connecticut’s State Forest System hasgrown to 30 state forests, totalingapproximately 150,000 acres.

2003 marks the 100th anniversary ofConnecticut’s state forests and thepractice of forestry in the state. All yearlong, the DEP will promote the Con-necticut Forestry Centennial in recogni-tion of this accomplishment. The

Forestry – Looking Beyond the Trees!The 2003 Connecticut Forestry CentennialBy David S. Irvin and Donald Smith, DEP Division of Forestry

Division of Forestry will celebrate thehistory and successes of the State ForestSystem and will raise public awarenessabout the diverse values of managedforests – both public and private. Thetheme is “Forestry--Looking Beyond theTrees.”

The DEP Division of Forestry invitesthe public to enjoy the benefits theirforests hold – benefits that exist becauseof a lot of hard work during the pastcentury. The DEP hopes the public willlearn about the history of their forestsand the work being done now. Everyoneshould understand how important it is tocontinue the history of care for theforests. It is an investment in the future.

Centennial ActivitiesSo, what’s involved in Looking

Beyond the Trees? Here’s what’s comingup this year:

CPTV Documentary: In associationwith Connecticut Public Television, theDivision of Forestry is working on adocumentary about the history ofConnecticut’s forests and their contribu-tion to our quality of life. Planned to airat the end of 2003 (the video will be

made available to schools and librariesall over the state), the show will includeunique features of our state forests,natural history, land use from pre-colonial time to the present, factorsimpacting forests and the landscape andwhy forestry is needed today. However,at this time, not all of the funding neededfor production is in place. Fundraisingfor this project continues, as severalsignificant donations are needed tocomplete the documentary. Anyoneinterested in supporting this project isencouraged to contact the StateForester’s Office in Hartford (DEPForestry Division, 79 Elm Street,Hartford, CT 06106, (860) 424-3630).

Forestry Image Library: Divisionof Forestry staff members are collectinghistorical and modern photographspertaining to forests and forestry inConnecticut. They are also searching forprivately held photography (that can beauthenticated) for inclusion in thecollection. All of the photographs arebeing scanned and digitized. Whencomplete, the collection will be copied toCD and distributed upon request.

There were many large, destructive forest fires in Connecticut in the early 20th century. It became apparentthat reforestation programs had to include fire control. This innovation was an early fire suppression vehicle.

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PowerPoint/Slide Presentations:Drawing upon the new Forestry ImageLibrary, a new slide presentation aboutthe Division of Forestry has beendeveloped. Another presentationfeaturing a historical perspective of stateforests was created using archivalimages. Groups interested in a presenta-tion should call (860) 424-3630.

Brochure: The Division ofForestry’s “Forests for the Future”brochure will be completely updated,describing each of the Division’sprograms.

Educational Pamphlets: Work isunderway on a new pamphlet designedfor people who use our state forests –and wonder, at times, why trees are cut.The pamphlet will explain the need foractive forest management to createhealthier, more productive and moreresilient forests, as well as diversehabitats for wildlife.

Youth and Family-basedContests and Activities

Art poster contest for grades 4-12:Judging has been completed on a postercontest for all Connecticut students inthree age groups, grades 4-6, 7-9 and 10-12. Entries were based on the theme:“Forestry--Looking Beyond the Trees.”1st, 2nd and 3rd prizes were awarded ineach age group, with a Grand Prizeawarded to the best overall poster. TheGrand Prize poster will be reproducedand used as the symbol for the Connecti-cut Forestry Centennial. The winningposters can be viewed on the DEP’swebsite at www.dep.state.ct.us/burnatr/forestry/centen/posters.htm.

Internet-basedcontest/activities webpage. The DEP iscurrently developing ayouth-oriented educa-tional activities web pagewith a simple contest quizand activities.

“Letter-boxing” onState Forests. Letter-boxing is sweeping theforests of the nation.People are hiding uniquestamps, ink pads andpaper in waterproofcontainers in the woods,and then posting clues onthe Internet to help peoplefind the letter boxes. Oncea letter box is found, youare supposed to use yourown stamp on the paper inthe box to show you werethere, then use the stampin the box on your ownpad of paper. It’s fun tocollect stamps – and yousee the forest “up-closeand personal” in theprocess. In the DEP’sversion of letter-boxing, aCentennial patch will be awarded topeople who collect a certain number ofunique stamps from the state forestletterbox trails. The first letterboxes havealready been placed in state forests!

A Whole Tree Artists’ FestivalDuring the year, one large specimen

of our official state tree (white oak) willbe cut down on one of the state forests as

a crowd of Con-necticut artisanslooks on. Each ofthe artisans willthen “stake aclaim” on someportion of the tree(from roots andbark to leaves andseeds) and take ithome with them.The artisans willthen createmasterful works ofart from the tree.Later on, theartisans will cometogether to exhibittheir works.

Coordinated by the creative minds atDEP’s Kellogg Environmental Center inDerby, this promises to be a unique andfascinating project!

A Forestry “Event”Everyone loves a party! The DEP

Division of Forestry and the ConnecticutForest and Park Association are planningfor one to be held in the fall of 2003.This one-day celebration of the historyand value of Connecticut’s forests isscheduled to be held at People’s StateForest in Barkhamsted on Saturday,October 4, 2003. An array of demonstra-tions, workshops and hikes will befeatured. Other hikes in various stateforests and wildlife management areasare being scheduled throughout the year.

The year should prove to be afulfilling one for all Connecticut wildlifeand forest enthusiasts. The DEP willwork harder than ever to reach itscitizens and bring them closer to nature,their land and their heritage. And, theDEP hopes Connecticut residents willbroaden their horizons and learn a lotwhile enjoying themselves.

Recently-retired DEP forester Jim Pronovost measures awhite pine in a modern state forest.

Charcoal mounds, like this one in Burlington, once dotted thesmoky, clearcut landscape. This practice helped regenerate the oakforests that are so common today.

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Four valued and longtime WildlifeDivision employees are retiring fromstate service in June: Pete Bogue, SteveJackson, Bob Kalinowski and RichGarini. Their accomplishments andcontributions have been many. And, asmuch as we do not want to see them go,we wish them all the best in theirretirement. The Wildlife Division wouldalso like to thank each of these men fortheir hard work and dedication over theyears to the wildlife resource. They willsurely be missed.

Assistant Director Pete BogueThirty years ago, in 1973, Pete

Bogue started a long and successfulcareer with the DEP shortly afterreceiving a B.S. degree in wildlifemanagement from West VirginiaUniversity. Pete quickly worked his wayup the ranks from seasonal worker towildlife biologist to senior staff biologistand finally Assistant Director of theWildlife Division.

Pete’s responsibilities were numerousduring his time with the Division. In theearly days, he supervised wildlifepropagation (ducks) at Franklin WildlifeManagement Area (WMA), and admin-istered the pheasant stocking and permitrequired programs. As Assistant Direc-tor, he was the federal aid project leaderand administrator for the Division’sTechnical Assistance, Habitat Manage-ment and Conservation/EducationFirearms Safety (CE/FS) Programs.

Working with Division cooperators,such as the Dr. John E. Flaherty FieldTrial Association, Valley ShoreWaterfowlers, the Ruffed GrouseSociety, Connecticut Waterfowl,National Wild Turkey Federation andDucks Unlimited, on habitat manage-ment and other wildlife projects was awelcome bonus to his many other duties.

When asked what he thought werehis major accomplishments during histenure, Pete listed the following:● Revamping and undertaking majorimprovements to pheasant purchases andthe pheasant stocking program in the1970s.● Initiating the first Ducks UnlimitedM.A.R.S.H project in Connecticut withthe acquisition of 53 acres of marsh inNew Haven.● Being involved with the CE/FSProgram since its inception in 1982 and

helping to develop and administer anationally recognized hunter educationprogram.● Working with Northeast Utilities toset up the Cooperative WMA andHunting Program.● Working with DEP Land Acquisitionin the purchase of Babcock Pond andGoshen WMAs and additions to manyother WMAs, including Sessions Woodsand Flaherty Field Trail Area.● Developing the Sessions WoodsWMA into a site for conservationeducation.● Maintaining a cooperative workingrelationship for the past 20+ years withthe Dr. John E. Flaherty Field TrialAssociation to implement habitat/facilityimprovements at the Flaherty Field TrialArea, making it a nationally recognizedfacility among the field trial fraternity.

Pete’s most memorable events duringhis time with the Wildlife Divisionincluded assisting biologist SteveJackson with the pickup and release ofthe first wild turkeys in Connecticut in1975 and when the Air National Guardused a helicopter to airlift a fire tower toa hilltop at Sessions Woods WMA.

When Pete first started with theWildlife Division, there was a staff ofonly six. He has watched that staff growover the years to 35 permanent employ-ees. He also watched while theDivision’s clientele shifted from beingsolely sportsmen interested in huntingprograms to a more diverse audience ofwildlife enthusiasts. Through it all, hefelt that the Division staff has alwaysremained dedicated to the profession ofwildlife management. However, Petesees several challenges for the future.The most important will be carrying outthe mission of the Wildlife Division withlimited resources, including staff andbudgets. He feels that because of theselimited resources, it may be difficult forthe Wildlife Division to take advantageof new funding opportunities andprograms that require matching funds.Another challenge will be maintainingsportsman-funded programs along withthe demands from the new clientele ofwildlife enthusiasts.

After leaving the busy atmosphere ofthe Wildlife Division’s Hartford office,Pete has plans to spend more time withhis family and to enjoy the outdoors and

some good hunting and fishing opportu-nities, especially a retirement fishing tripfor halibut in Alaska. Pete also plans towork with his son to expand his busi-nesses: Bogue’s Land Works LLC andBogue Farms LLC, both of Middletown.

Pete advises his colleagues at theWildlife Division to be persistent andstay dedicated to the cause. Withpersistence, Pete feels that goals will beobtained, although it may take longerthan expected in the state system. Hewishes his colleagues at the WildlifeDivision the best of luck and thanksthem for the opportunity to be part of theteam for the last 30 years. All of us at theWildlife Division wish Pete well in hisretirement. We also want to thank himfor his role in making the state’s huntereducation program one of the best in thenation and for his hard work in adding somany acres of public land for wildlifeand wildlife-related recreation.

District Wildlife SupervisorSteve Jackson

Also retiring with 30 years of serviceto the Wildlife Division is DistrictWildlife Supervisor Steve Jackson. Afterreceiving a B.S. in wildlife managementfrom West Virginia University and aM.S. in wildlife biology from theUniversity of Connecticut, Steve joinedthe Division as a biologist in 1973.Within two years, Steve achieved one ofhis major accomplishments, restoring thewild turkey to Connecticut. He obtained22 livetrapped turkeys from New York,which were then released in Canaan.From that initial release in 1975, wildturkeys now occur statewide and thepopulation is estimated at over 30,000.Steve was also responsible for establish-ing the first turkey hunting season inConnecticut in 1981.

Steve was eventually promoted toDistrict Wildlife Supervisor at the DEP’sWestern District Headquarters inHarwinton. He supervised the manage-ment of wildlife on state WMAs in thedistrict and worked with the Division ofForestry on the management of stateforests. The work included mowingfields, marsh management, the construc-tion of marshes, parking areas and roads,the establishment of food plots, pheasantstocking and the administration ofagricultural agreements and management

Wildlife Division Bids Farewell to Longtime Employees


plans. He also assisted the public withanimal complaints (mostly concerningbeavers and deer), environmentalreviews and land management consult-ing. Through his efforts at WMAs inwestern Connecticut, public access tothese areas increased substantially.

In 1994, Steve moved his office tothe Sessions Woods ConservationEducation Center where he developedthe educational trail system that demon-strates wildlife habitat managementpractices. He also supervised themaintenance and enhancement of the

center and the 455-acre WMA, coordi-nated public presentations at the centerand worked closely with volunteergroups, such as the “Friends of SessionsWoods,” as well as the Boy Scouts ofAmerica. Steve was instrumental in theestablishment of the nonprofit “Friendsof Sessions Woods.” And, throughSteve’s efforts, 30 Boy Scouts completedEagle Scout projects which benefittedSessions Woods.

Just like Pete Bogue, Steve haswatched the Wildlife Division staff growover the years. With that he has seenhow federal aid dollars, which were onceused for land acquisition, now must beused to fund salaries of Divisionpersonnel. Other changes that occurred

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Wildlife Division retirees on the job.(Above) Pete Bogue conducting field work.(Left) Rich Garini (left) coordinating asession on field trial dogs for WildlifeDivision staff during a field training day.

Wildlife Division retirees on the job. (Below) BobKalinowski (left) participating in a photo shoot forthe CE/FS Instructor Handbook. (Right) SteveJackson releasing one of the first wild turkeys tobe reintroduced in Connecticut back in 1975.

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Recent Advances By Two Showy ShorebirdsWritten by Paul Fusco, Wildlife Outreach Unit

The ListThe first Connecticut State Endangered Species Listwas finalized in 1992. At that time, the willet waslisted as threatened and the oystercatcher was listedas special concern. The first revision to the listbecame official in 1998. On it, the willet wasdownlisted from threatened to special concern, andthe oystercatcher remained as special concern. Asecond revision to the list will be finalized soon, andthe willet may be delisted.

Connecticut’s two largest species ofbreeding shorebirds have undergone adramatic change in population over thelast 30 years. Both willets and Americanoystercatchers have gone from beingentirely absent in Connecticut, tobecoming a regular sight as they raisetheir young along our shoreline.

Both species suffered from wide-spread and intense unregulated huntingand egg collecting in the 1800s that ledto their extirpation from Connecticut andsurrounding states. During that time, thebreeding range of both shorebirdsreceded well to our south. Protection wasgranted to these species in the early1900s, as well as to most other shore-birds, and, since then, willets andoystercatchers have been graduallyexpanding north, reclaiming theiroriginal range.

According to documented records,willets last nested in Connecticut in 1873at Madison. Confirmed as nesting againin 1978, willets have been increasing andare now found as breeders in most of thelarger salt marshes in Connecticut.

The American oystercatcher was notdocumented as breeding in Connecticutbefore 1981, when a nest was discoveredon a small island in Mystic. Today,oystercatchers are widespread nestersalong our entire coast, although at lowdensities.

Willets and American oystercatchersthat breed on the east coast of the UnitedStates generally winter along thesouthern United States and Gulf Coastshorelines. Compared to most othershorebirds, the distance these twospecies must travel during migrationbetween their breeding and winteringgrounds is short. While these shortdistance migrants are doing well, manyother shorebird populations that havemuch longer migrations are not. Specieslike the sanderling and red knot thatmigrate between Arctic breedinggrounds and Latin American winteringareas have been experiencingsignificant long-term populationdeclines.

WilletWillets are large, wading

sandpipers. They are generallybrown to gray in color and have

striking whitewing patches,which can beseen when thebirds raisetheir wings orwhen they arein flight. Theirlong bill isused forprobing andgrabbingcrustaceans,marine worms,small fish andinsects.

They willtypically neston the backside of coastalsand dunesunder thickclumps ofbeach grass orunder lowshrubs thatborder a tidalmarsh. Thenests are wellhidden and areusually closeto their marshand shorelinefeeding areas.

Willets arenoisy birds ontheir breedinggrounds. If an intruder gets too close totheir nesting territory, one or morewillets will fly up from the marsh,actively circling and noisily scolding theintruder. They will not settle down untilthe threat has passed, whether it be ahuman or a gull. The birds’ loud alarmcalls and flashing white wing patcheshelp to disorient and drive away anypotential nest predator.

Look for willets in coastal salt marshhabitats in and around the marsh grasses

and creeks. They also can be seenfeeding in intertidal areas or resting onbeaches. Their loud, repetitive call ofpill-will-willet carries for quite adistance. They are generally found inConnecticut from May into October.

American OystercatcherSlightly smaller than a herring gull,

the American oystercatcher isConnecticut’s largest member of theshorebird family. It has a chunky body,

short tail and medium lengthlegs. Its black head and neck anddark brown back contrast with itswhite underside. In flight itshows prominent white wing andtail patches, making the oyster-catcher a flashy bird.

Willets can be found in most of Connecticut’s larger salt marshes fromMay through September.

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Oystercatchershave a long, heavy billthat is bright reddish-orange in color. Thechisel-like and laterallyflattened bill is welladapted for prying intoand opening clams,mussels and oysters.They will also feed onmarine worms, crabsand other inverte-brates.

Oystercatchershave a noisy, emphaticcall, often made whenthe bird is in flight.Their wheep, wheep,wheeop call is some-times followed by aloud series of pic, pic,pic notes.

Sandy beaches andtidal mudflats are thefavorite haunts ofAmerican oystercatch-ers. The birds areextremely wary andtend to frequent theoutermost sandbarsand mudflats. They typically arrive inConnecticut during late March or Apriland depart by some time in October.Some hardy individuals may stay later.

ConservationWhile both of these species seem to

be on the increase with their breedingranges expanding northward over the lastdecade, they are still at risk. TheAmerican oystercatcher’s coastal beach

habitat is greatly reduced from what itonce was and has high human use anddisturbance during the nesting season.The willet’s coastal salt marsh habitat iscontinually under pressure from en-croaching development and variousrecreational activities.

Critical stopover sites where longdistance migratory shorebirds find foodand refuge are being identified andprotected by both government agencies

Young oystercatchers (left) and willets (right) are highly mobile. They are able to forage on their own by walking and running along tidalcreeks and mudflats, well before they are able to fly.

American oystercatchers are only found in open coastal habitats. They will use dunes, sandbars and mudflats toforage and raise their young.

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and non-government organizations. Mostof these same areas will also benefitshort distance migrants like the willetand oystercatcher.

The DEP Wildlife Division monitorsthe breeding populations of both willetsand oystercatchers through the WetlandCallback Survey and the ColonialWaterbird Survey. Ongoing wetlandrestoration projects by the WildlifeDivision also benefit willets.





Flying Squirrels: The Nighttime Gliders

It is usually by chance that mostpeople encounter the nocturnal creaturesthat inhabit their backyard, whether theseanimals are seen when the porch light isturned on or in the car’s headlights whilepulling into the driveway after dark.These creatures are surrounded in an airof mystery, but they also lend them-selves to a sense of awe when theirpresence is discovered. Flying squirrelsare a common neighbor for most peoplewho live in Connecticut, yet they areusually overlooked because they are onlyactive at night.

Identifying Flying SquirrelsFlying squirrels sport some promi-

nent features that make it easy todistinguish them from other tree squir-rels. They have large dark eyes whichprotrude from their face and allow themto see a world that is shrouded indarkness. The patagium, or extra fold ofskin, bestows this animal with a mode oftransportation that few mammals use.The patagium extends from the wrist ofthe front arm to the ankle of the rear legand allows this small tree squirrel toglide amongst the trees with ease andprecision. The fur on the tail projects tothe sides, making the tail look flat buthelping it serve as a rudder during aerialdisplays.

Unfortunately, this animal was givena name that includes the term “flying,”when in reality it glides. The term“flying” infers a form of flight that issynonymous with bats and birds, whichflap their wings to generate loft andthereby flight. Rather, “flying” squirrelsextend their limbs to open the patagiumand use gravity, as well as the fluidproperties of air, as they silently glidewith subtle movements of their limbs tomaneuver through the trees. Studies haveindicated that this form of travel ishighly efficient and allows flyingsquirrels to use resources that areisolated and ephemeral.

Flying Squirrels in WinterFlying squirrels do not hibernate

during Connecticut’s long winters, butrather stay awake and nest with otherflying squirrels. By sharing a nest, thesesquirrels also are sharing body heat.Group nesting has its advantages,

By James P. Fischer, Research Contractor

especially whenthe winter nightsare long and cold.Scientists havelearned that whenan individualflying squirrel isnot part of a groupnest during thecold wintermonths, it needs agreat deal of foodto stay warm andalive. But whenthat same animal ispart of a groupnest in winter, itneeds less foodbecause itsdemand for energyis reduced.

Southern andNorthernFlyingSquirrels

Two species offlying squirrelsoccur in easternNorth America,the southern flyingsquirrel(Glaucomysvolans) andnorthern flyingsquirrel (G. sabrinus). The southernflying squirrel resides throughout mostof eastern North America from as farnorth as Maine and southern Canada,while the southern edge of its distribu-tion is in Florida and Texas with a fewisolated populations in Central America.The northern flying squirrel livesthroughout Canada, into the RockyMountains in the west and extending intothe Appalachian Mountains in the east.

The two species look very similarand require a great deal of practice to tellthem apart. To date, both species havebeen observed in Connecticut. Thesouthern flying squirrel has beenrecorded throughout the state, while thenorthern flying squirrel has beenobserved at only a couple of locations.Flying squirrels are believed to becommon in Connecticut’s mature forests,but they can also be found in the

suburban communities where smallpatches of trees are interspersed through-out the neighborhoods. They live in treecavities that were either made by aprevious owner, like a woodpecker, orwhen the center of the tree rotted away.

The southern flying squirrel iscommonly associated with trees, such asoak and hickory, that produce fruitknown as hard mast. When opening ahickory nut, southern flying squirrelsgnaw a hole that is symmetrical with asmooth edge, while red squirrels make ahole with a rough edge and gray squir-rels completely break the hickory nutinto small pieces.

Northern flying squirrels are typi-cally associated with a type of forestcalled the northern hardwood andconiferous forest. The trees that areusually found in these forests includewhite pine, red spruce, balsam fir, sugar

Northern and southern flying squirrels look very similar and require agreat deal of practice to tell them apart. The southern flying squirrel,which is found throughout the state, is the more common of the two.

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maple, yellow birch and Americanbeech. Both species of flying squirrelseat nuts, seeds and fruits; howevernorthern flying squirrels will alsoconsume fungi and lichens consistentlythroughout the year.

Good for the ForestNorthern and southern flying

squirrels are important organisms inConnecticut’s forests. When flyingsquirrels store seeds and nuts to beconsumed at a future date, they help inthe regeneration of forests when theuneaten seeds and nuts sprout into newtrees. Another way flying squirrels maybe encouraging the regeneration ofConnecticut’s forests is when theyconsume fungus that forms a beneficial

relationship with trees. Fungal spores,which serve as “seeds” for the fungus,survive digestive processes and arefound in flying squirrel feces. Just likeinsects that pollinate flowers by carryingpollen between plants as they feed,flying squirrels spread beneficial fungalspores through the forest.

New Research StudyQuestions that explore the ecology of

flying squirrels, as well as provideinsight into how and where they live andhow they affect their environment, maybe answered in the future. However, firstthe current status of both northern andsouthern flying squirrels in Connecticutmust be assessed. It has been approxi-mately 30 years since any investigation

�� Do you have aninteresting wildlifeobservation to report tothe Wildlife Division?

Please send it (and anyphotos) to:

Wildlife ObservationsDEP - Wildlife DivisionP.O. Box 1550Burlington, CT 06013

Email:[email protected]

(submitted photos willbe returned at yourrequest)

Fisher SightingReader Donald Pelletier sent

in the following “InterestingWildlife Observation” andphotograph:

“I was hunting coyote onsnowshoes in Tunxis State Forest,in Hartland, on Saturday March 2.I Moved from spot to spot , until Icame upon a promising area. I satat the bottom of a nice pine andstarted to make a rabbit in distresscall. No sooner had I put the calldown, I saw something moving inthe pines in front of me. I didn’tknow what it was at first until Isaw it again. I knew it was a fisher[Cat]sic. Last year I hadwitnessed a bobcat during deerseason, and told my dad about it.His response was I should startcarrying my camera. After seeing the fisherthe second time, I knew he was making hisway towards me. I put down my .22 rifle and

had enough time to pull out my camera, get itset up and make another series of rabbitdistress calls. He came running right in,

giving me time to make totake a couple of shots untilhe reached my trail, doingan about face and runninglike there is no tomorrow.From now on my camerawill be part of anything I dooutdoors because I have

seen a lot of things that I wish I had picturesof. Thought I would share these with yourdepartment.”

Attend an Educator WorkshopThe DEP Wildlife Division will be

holding free educator workshops at theSessions Woods Conservation EducationCenter in Burlington. To obtain anapplication, call 860-675-8130 or [email protected]. CEUsare available for all workshops.

How the Master Wildlife Conser-vationist Program Can Help You:Tuesday, July 8, from 9:30 AM-11:30AM. Attend this workshop to learn howto enlist the help of Master WildlifeConservationists in your class or at yournature center

Insects of Connecticut: Tuesday,August 19, from 9:00 AM-12:00 noon.Explore the basics of insect identificationand discover ways to use insects to teachabout ecology. Learn also about some ofthe insect projects being conducted inConnecticut.

has focused on flying squirrels inConnecticut and we know that the forestshave changed since then. Most impor-tantly, the forests have become older.Therefore, a new research project isstarting this year to assess the status ofboth flying squirrel species in Connecti-cut. Another aspect of this new researchproject will be to associate the habitattype for each of these species. Under-standing habitat associations will helpmanagers conserve these species. Theresearch project is being sponsored bythe Endangered Species/Wildlife IncomeTax Check-Off Fund. Future reports willappear in Connecticut Wildlife so thatyou can follow the progress ofthe investigation.


WNV Research ContinuesWritten by Shannon Kearney and Dr. Richard A. French, University of Connecticut, Department of Pathobiology andVeterinary Science

West Nile Virus (WNV) was anepidemic in 2002, affecting many birdsand mammals, as well as humans, inNew England and across the UnitedStates. WNV is an arbovirus (arthropod-borne virus) that is most often transmit-ted between individuals by infectedCulex spp. mosquitoes. Birds are mostcommonly affected and are necessary forthe transmission cycle of the virus.Humans and horses are incidental hostsand, although the virus affects them,they are not involved in viral transmis-sion.

As part of Connecticut’s WNVsurveillance program, dead birds werecollected from May through October2002 by the DEP Wildlife Division andsubmitted to the Connecticut VeterinaryDiagnostic Lab (CVDL) and ConnecticutDepartment of Public Health (DPH) fortesting. Tests were conducted on 928birds, representing 38 species. Of those,528 tested positive for WNV and most(95.4%) were corvids (crows or bluejays). Nationally, 138 species of birdshave tested positive for WNV. Deadbirds, specifically corvids, remain a goodindicator for virus presence in an area.Incidental infections of humans andhorses often correlate with sightings and/or confirmation of WNV-positive deadbirds.

The location of the first incidence ofWNV-positive mosquitoes by theConnecticut Agricultural ExperimentStation (CAES) correlated with the firstsightings of positive dead birds. TheCAES found WNV-positive mosquitopools in 15 towns (Bridgeport, Darien,East Haven, Easton, Greenwich, Ham-den, Hartford, Manchester, New Britain,New Haven, Newington, Norwalk,Shelton, Stamford, Stratford). Positivemosquito species were mostly C. pipiensand C. restuans, which predominantlyfeed on birds. Mosquitos that feed onmammals (C. salinarius, Aedes vexans,Ochlerotatus trivittantus), includinghumans, also tested positive in six ofthese towns. Again in 2002, the diseasewas found in “hot spots” early in theseason, particularly in Hartford, Fairfieldand New Haven Counties, and circulatedprimarily among birds and bird-bitingmosquitoes. As the incidence of infec-

tion in birds and other mosquito speciesincreased around the beginning ofAugust, the virus spread to other townsand to mammals. Mammal WNV casesincluded four horses from Canaan,Canterbury, Norwalk and Wallingford.There were 17 reported human cases ofWNV in Connecticut in 2002, but,fortunately, no human fatalities.

Maps and more information on WNVin Connecticut are on the DEP website:www.dep.state.ct.us/mosquito/index.asp.

Emerging IssuesIn 2002, WNV expanded across the

country to 16 new states. Now 44 statesand Washington D.C. report the presenceof the virus. The 2002 WNV epidemicwas the largest arboviral meningoen-cephalitis epidemic documented in thewestern hemisphere. Nationwide totalsreached 3,389 infected humans, 14,122birds, 14,717 horses, three dogs, eightsquirrels and two unspecified species.Additionally, 144 seropositive wild-caught birds were reported from Indiana,Kansas, Louisiana and Ohio. A bird thatis seropositive has produced antibodiesto WNV, indicating that the bird wasexposed to the virus but recovered.

New routes of WNV transmission tohumans were discovered: through organtransplantation from one infected personto four recipients, possibly throughblood transfusions and to babies throughthe placenta and breast feeding. How-ever, there has not been any evidence ofWNV symptoms in these children.

There was new information aboutalternate routes of infection for birds,such as raptors. In 2000, a red-tailedhawk from Connecticut was diagnosedwith WNV in February. At that time ofyear it is unlikely that the hawk wasbitten by an infected mosquito. It wasthought that transmission may haveoccurred through consumption ofinfected prey. In support of this theory,recent experiments demonstrated virustransmission through oral consumptionas well as physical contact. Althoughconsumption and physical contact needto be considered, the major transmissionroute for the virus remains the mosquito.

There has been a lot of new researchinto the susceptibility and sero-preva-

lence of wild birds in hopes of predictingthe spread and potential effect of thevirus on bird populations. The speciesmost likely involved in the spread ofWNV, given the level and duration ofinfection they maintain, include bluejays, common grackles, house finches,American crows, house sparrows, ring-billed gulls and American robins.

The rapid and unpredicted spread ofWNV was an indication of the lack ofunderstanding of the complex geographi-cal dynamics of vector borne viruses.Research questions that remain unan-swered include: whether WNV in theUnited States is a more virulent form ofWNV than previously known strains; thepotential vectors of the virus in newgeographical areas; how the virus mightoverwinter in these vectors and thus thecorresponding potential geographicalrange to which the virus could spread;and, the potential effects on wild birdpopulations, especially threatened andendangered species.

Careful SurveillanceAlthough the past couple of years of

WNV surveillance have resulted inincreasing numbers and species of birdsthat have tested positive for the virus, itis important to consider other possiblecauses of death. In Connecticut, birdsthat have been submitted to CVDL fornecropsy have not all died of WNV.Notably, 29% of corvids, 100% ofmourning doves and 74% of raptorssubmitted for testing did NOT die ofWNV. Additionally, across the country,23% of dead American crows and 60%of other dead bird species did not testpositive for WNV infection. Throughnecropsy of dead birds submitted fromConnecticut and Vermont, CVDLdemonstrated other causes of death,including avian poxvirus, trichomonia-sis, physical trauma and various otherparasites. Thus, many of these deathsmay not be a result of WNV infection.However, this mortality should not beignored. Although these bird deaths maynot be indicators of WNV, they are stillimportant to consider, as they may proveto be important indicators of the healthof the wildlife populations themselves.


CT’s Volunteer Hunter Education Instructors Honored

Connecticut’s Conservation Educa-tion/Firearms Safety (CE/FS) Programhonored its volunteer instructors onMarch 23 at the Annual Awards andRecognition Dinner held at the AquaTurf Club in Plantsville. This year’sevent marked the 21st anniversary ofConnecticut’s CE/FS Program, whichstarted in 1982. Since then, a total of99,447 students have graduated from oneof the three programs: firearms,bowhunting or trapping. The volunteerinstructors honored at this event contrib-ute thousands of hours without compen-sation to educate hunters and trappers insafe and ethical techniques.

At the dinner, the CE/FS Programalso recognized two instructors fromeach of the firearms, bowhunting andtrapping programs who have madeexceptional contributions during thepast year. An award of merit wasgiven to an additional two instructorsfor their outstanding efforts inteaching classes in all three categoriesof firearms, bowhunting and trapping.CE/FS coordinators each chose aninstructor to recognize for theirindividual contributions to huntereducation. In addition, eight instruc-tors received “Distinguished ServiceAwards,” recognizing their efforts forfacilitating various CE/FS workshopsover the past few years.

Special recognition for theircontributions and support toConnecticut’s CE/FS Program wasalso given to the Rockville Fish andGame Club, Inc., and the WallingfordRod and Gun Club, Inc. InstructorsSteven Bergenty, Louis Cappola,James Dobensky and Edwin Ertel, Jr.,were all recognized for over 30 yearsof involvement with hunter educationin Connecticut.

During calendar year 2002,325 certified instructors donated16,264 hours without compensa-tion to conduct 212 courses for5,738 students enrolled in basicfirearms, bowhunting and trappingprograms. The DEP WildlifeDivision is proud of the hundredsof instructors who donate theirtime and expertise to educatingConnecticut’s sportsmen to be safeand responsible hunters.Connecticut’s program continuesto be recognized as one of the bestin the nation, thanks to the effortsof our volunteers.

Written by Peter Bogue, Assistant DirectorTop honors for 2002 were givento the following instructors:Firearms:William Collins, Warren Speh

Bowhunting:Mark Hall, Ralph Jackson

Trapping:George Finch, Jr., Jules Perreault

Award of Merit:Lawrence King, Francis Wasylink

Special Recognition:Peter Picone, Paul Scungio

Distinguished Service Award:Kenneth Arnold, Gary Bennett, MichaelCrawford, Raymond Hanley, Michael Reid,John Rein, David Sanford, Robert Wojcik

Award recipients at the 21st Annual CE/FS Recognition Dinner: (standing, l to r) BobKalinowski (CE/FS Program Coordinator), David Sanford, Francis Wasylink, George Finch, Jr.,Gary Bennett, Jules Perreault, Raymond Hanley, Edwin Ertel, Jr., Louis Cappola, LawrenceKing, Warren Speh and David Kubas (CE/FS Program Coordinator; (seated, l to r) PaulScungio, Peter Picone (Wildlife Division biologist), Ralph Jackson, William Collins, JamesDobensky and Michael Crawford.

MWCs Donate 1,000+ Hours of ServiceWith less than a year since the

Master Wildlife Conservationist (MWC)Program was initiated, MWCs haveprovided over 1,000 hours of volunteerservice for the DEP Wildlife Division.Volunteers have eagerly assisted withwildlife surveys, data collection at deercheck stations, monitoring beaches toprotect nesting piping plovers and terns,

banding geese and various other researchprojects. MWCs have also assisted withDivision outreach efforts and havemanned booths with wildlife-relateddisplays at agricultural and town fairs,schools and nature centers. In addition,they have presented wildlife programsfor town commissions, scouts, schoolgroups, libraries and the public.

MWCs have access to slide showsdeveloped by Division staff and variouswildlife-related props, such as pelts andskulls, to use in programs. The MWCProgram invites interested groups (i.e.,scouts, schools, libraries, nature centers)to request assistance by contacting LauraRogers-Castro at 860-675-8130 [email protected].

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The 2003 Midwinter Bald Eagle Survey was conducted in Connecticut on January 10and 11. A total of 77 bald eagles—45 adults, 31 immature eagles and one of unknownage—were recorded statewide. In 2002, 54 birds were counted. The Midwinter BaldEagle Survey is not a complete census of the entire wintering population in Connecticut.It is an index. The survey is conducted nationwide during a target time period and iscoordinated by the U.S. Department of the Interior, U.S. Geological Survey and theForest and Rangeland Ecosystem Science Center at the Snake River Field Station inOregon. For more information, go to: http://srfs.wr.usgs.gov/midwinte.htm.

Bald eagles migrate south from the northern states during winter to areas of openwater where they are able to catch fish, their main food item. The higher number of baldeagles counted this year can be attributed to the cold weather conditions which kept mostwaterways to the north covered with ice. It is expected that the eagle count in the northernstates will be lower this year than in the past.

As in past years, volunteers from private conservation organizations, the DEP, MasterWildlife Conservationists and the general public helped conduct the survey by recordingall eagles seen at areas traditionally used by the birds and areas of suitable winteringhabitat. The DEP Wildlife Division extends its gratitude to all the volunteers for reportingtheir careful observations.

This year, about 134 volunteers helped conduct the survey, which is a considerableincrease from the 88 volunteers that helped last year. However, despite the increasedhelp, 10 areas that were checked in 2002 were not checked this year. Volunteers are stillneeded to help with the 2004 Midwinter Bald Eagle Survey, especially along the lowerConnecticut River. Those interested in helping with next year’s survey should send aletter providing your name, address and telephone number to Julie Victoria, WildlifeDiversity Program, 391 Route 32, North Franklin, CT 06254.

2003 Midwinter Bald Eagle SurveyImmature Adult Unknown Total

1979 — — — 201980 — — — 111981 — — — 261982 18 13 0 311983 18 17 0 351984 17 22 0 391985 14 24 0 381986 22 18 0 401987 15 18 0 331988 23 28 1 521989 30 58 0 881990 53 23 0 761991 31 27 0 581992 34 27 1 621993 31 29 1 611994 46 29 0 751995 40 26 0 661996 83 45 0 1281997 64 50 0 1141998 29 20 0 491999 27 33 0 602000 37 35 0 722001 43 34 0 772002 20 33 1 542003 45 31 1 77

The adult/immature breakdown is not available for1979-1981.

Midwinter Bald Eagle Survey1979-2003

Last year, the DEP Wildlife Divisionwas tracking eight pairs of eagles. Four ofthose pairs had successful nests, withseven young fledged. This year, the eightpairs are back. Two pairs lost their nestsearly, probably due to cold weather, butsix pairs have hatched eggs or the eggs aredue to hatch soon.

One nest, in New London County, hadthree chicks big enough to band by theend of April. Most eagles lay only twoeggs, possibly because the adults may belimited in their ability to provide food to alarge number of hungry young chicks. Anest containing three chicks only happensin a small percentage of nests nationwideand it has not happened in Connecticutsince bald eagles made a comeback in1992. Successfully hatching and fledgingthree chicks is a high point.

All of the other active eagle nests areon private property. The Division does notdisclose the exact locations of nests toprotect the eagles from disturbance andout of respect for the landowners who donot want trespassers on their land. Theother nests are in Middlesex, Litchfieldand Hartford Counties.

Eagle Banding News

The three eagle chicks from New London County are sitting in the nest in the order they werebanded in late April. Meet P7P, P8P and K9K!

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Editor’s Note: Prerecorded marsh birdcalls should not be used as a general birdobservation tool unless it is part of aregimented scientific study.

of salt marshes, and thatOMWM helps to counteractthese apparent impacts. TheConnecticut DEP conductedan OMWM project in 1993 atthe Salt Meadow Unit.

Dr. Chris Elphick of theUniversity of Connecticut willcontinue to investigate theecology of saltmarsh sparrowsin Connecticut (see Sept./Oct.2002 issue of ConnecticutWildlife). The multi-year studywas initiated on three marshesin 2002: marshes of the SaltMeadow Unit and theMenunketesuck River,Hammonasset Beach StatePark in Madison and EastRiver in Guilford.

While not federally listedas endangered or threatened,saltmarsh sharp-tailed spar-rows and seaside sparrows are two of thehighest priority species for bird conser-vation in New England. Long IslandSound saltmarsh sharp-tailed sparrownumbers may even be significant to theglobal population of the species. Unlikemost neotropical migrants that breed inthe forests of New England, saltmarshsharp-tailed sparrows are not territorialand males mate with more than onefemale (polygyny).

Most birds in forest systems aresurveyed by the point-count method,where the calls of birds and individualsseen are counted within one-half hour ofsunrise at various points for timedintervals. Because saltmarsh sharp-tailedsparrows do not vocally call to defendterritories, the point count method maynot accurately detect individuals.Elphick’s study combines point counts,mist-netting and nest searches toestimate sparrow abundance andproductivity.

In addition to evaluating alternativetechniques for monitoring saltmarshsparrow populations, the study willdetermine the relationship between saltmarsh characteristics (such as marsh sizeand vegetation) and breeding success.The importance of marshes in LongIsland Sound and the biology ofsaltmarsh sparrows will be betterunderstood and therefore aid in theconservation of the species and themanagement of saltmarshes.

Great Meadows Unit, StratfordSeveral decades ago the largest

unditched high salt marsh in Connecticutwas slated for industrial development.Through the efforts of the communityand several environmental groups, theGreat Meadows marsh was protected forgenerations of Americans yet to come.The Great Meadows Unit is valued as animportant foraging area for herons,egrets, shorebirds and waterfowl. TheAmerican black duck and the stateendangered northern harrier use themarsh for breeding and staging.

Dr. William Giuliano and master’scandidate Kristin Schaumburg ofFordham University have started a newproject that will take place on therefuge’s Great Meadows Unit inStratford next year. This research willevaluate the abundance and breedingsuccess of American black ducks, railsand other waterbirds at 40 marshes alongthe Connecticut shore. The refugemonitors the Great Meadows Unit formarsh birds that are of primary concernin North America, such as rails, bitterns,American coot and common moorhen.Surveys begin within one-half hour ofsunrise and tapes of pre-recorded marshbird calls are played at various points toelicit vocalizations. Vocalizations bybirds help establish and maintainterritories during the breeding season.The secretive rails and bitterns of themarsh are not readily observed visually,

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but canbedetectedwhenthebirds“callback.”Surveymethodsweredevel-oped byCourtney Conway of USGS, Patuxent,Maryland, and standardized for allrefuges in the Northeast. Standardizedsurveys allow trends to be identified on alandscape level by ensuring compatibledata sets. The callback surveys, however,do not identify how successful themarshbirds are when breeding. TheFordham study will identify broodsuccess in conjunction with habitatfeatures, to create a better understandingof the factors affecting these species.Populations of some marsh birds appearto be declining in North America,possibly because of an overall decline inemergent wetlands over the past centuryor accumulation of environmentalcontaminants in marsh substrates.

Saltmarsh sharp-tailed sparrows are caught in mist nests andthen banded as part of a research project to learn more about theecology of these birds.

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during Steve’s tenure include the returnof wildlife like bears and fishers toConnecticut’s expanding and maturingforests, the increase in the state’s deerpopulation and the Division’s efforts toexpand its nongame and endangeredspecies program. Most of all, he feelsthat the Wildlife Division has made asubstantial effort in bringing its messageto the public through the CE/FS Pro-gram, Connecticut Wildlife magazineand the Sessions Woods ConservationEducation Center. However, Steve seesseveral major issues facing the WildlifeDivision in the future: wildlife habitatloss and the declining diversity of theremaining habitat, the challenge ofbalancing public support for the WildlifeDivision’s programs and the potentialimpact of a poor economic environmenton the Division’s resources.

After his retirement, Steve will stillbe a familiar face at Sessions Woods ashe plans to stay involved with the“Friends of Sessions Woods.” He alsohopes to volunteer for the Boy Scoutsand Habitat for Humanity. In addition,some recreational camping and fishinghave been added to the “To Do” list.

Steve advises his colleagues at theWildlife Division to persevere throughthe mounting paper work because thewildlife resource is depending on them.He believes that the management ofwildlife and its habitat is essential to thelong-term survival of the resource andwildlife-related recreation. He considershumans to be an invasive exotic. Thus,humans must find creative ways tomitigate their impact through wildlifemanagement. Steve’s parting words tohis coworkers are: “The last 30 yearshave gone by quickly. I have enjoyedworking for the Wildlife Division andthe people I’ve worked with along theway. It has been a rewarding career. Iwould like to wish everyone the best intheir future.” All of us at the WildlifeDivision wish Steve well in his retire-ment. He will always be remembered asthe “Father of Wild Turkey Restoration”in Connecticut.

CE/FS CoordinatorBob Kalinowski

With over 34 years of public service,20 of those with the Wildlife Division,

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Conservation Education/Firearms Safety(CE/FS) Coordinator Bob Kalinowskican retire knowing that he contributed tomaking Connecticut’s CE/FS Programone of the best hunter education pro-grams in the nation. Bob came to theWildlife Division in 1983 with a B.S. inwildlife biology and experience withwildlife research and the University ofConnecticut Police Department. He alsobrought along his thorough knowledgeand interest in hunting, modern andprimitive firearms, ammunition, huntingequipment and hunting safety.

As one of two CE/FS Programcoordinators in Connecticut, Bob wasbased at the Franklin Wildlife Manage-ment Area and was responsible forrecruiting, training and educatingvolunteer instructors for the Program toprovide them with the necessary exper-tise and tools to teach hunter educationand ethics to the public. Bob’s otherresponsibilities included shooting rangesafety in the state, hunter safety issues onstate-owned properties and legislativechanges in the use of firearms andvarious ammunition used for hunting.Bob also reviewed and summarized allhunting related accident data from 1982to present so that the data could bereported to the International HunterEducation Association (IHEA), as wellas to CE/FS volunteer instructors whocould use the information to relate totheir students how to prevent huntingaccidents.

Bob’s accomplishments during histime with the Wildlife Division aremany. He chaired the Education Com-mittee for IHEA and served on theRegion V Manual Committee, where hereviewed the Northeast Regional HunterEducation Manual that is currently usedin Connecticut’s CE/FS Program. Healso assisted in designing and complet-ing the Franklin WMA shooting range,as well as assisted in the production ofnumerous visual aids (slides, videos,publications) for hunter education thatare used in Connecticut and otherregions in North America. During histime with the Wildlife Division, Bob wasalso involved with the following:● The initiation of alternate delivery, orthe home study option, for CE/FSclasses.● Requiring mandatory shooting for allhunter safety students (Connecticut wasone of the first states to do so).

● The completion of a statewide rangesurvey● Over 100,000 students graduatedfrom the CE/FS Program since itsinception in 1982; and some of the bestinstructors in North America wererecruited for Connecticut, contributingover 300,000 hours to the DEP so far.

Some of Bob’s most memorableevents during the past 20 years includethe Annual Instructor RecognitionDinners held for CE/FS instructors,meeting some of the best volunteers inthe world, watching CE/FS instructorsreceive national and state awards fortheir volunteerism, attendingsportsman’s club meetings and eventsand getting to know the many peoplewho care about hunting and the future ofhunting.

Despite all of the positive aspects ofhis career, Bob feels the WildlifeDivision still faces several challenges.Those include a lack of general statefunding for wildlife programs, as well asnot being able to hire enough wildlifetechnicians or biologists to thoroughlyassist the public with wildlife issues or tomanage Connecticut’s wildlife resources.Other stumbling blocks are changes inConnecticut’s demographics and thepublic’s perception of hunting. Throughit all, though, Bob has observed theDivision staff to be hard working anddedicated, no matter what roadblockswere put in front of them. He feels thatalthough a conservation-oriented careeris sometimes a difficult road to travel,the journey is well worth it.

Bob plans to not really “retire” afterretirement and to stay active in conserva-tion related activities. His parting wordsare: “I am thankful to have had theopportunity to work with some of themost intelligent, dedicated and profes-sional people in North America--those atthe DEP, all of my friends involved inIHEA and other professionals in huntereducation. They made the road easier totravel.” All of us at the Wildlife Divisionhope that Bob has an enjoyable andrewarding retirement and we thank himfor his hard work and dedication inmaking the CE/FS Program one of thebest in the nation.

Wildlife Maintainer IIIRich Garini

Rich Garini came to the WildlifeDivision upon completing a 32-year


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May-August ............ Keep dogs off of Connecticut beaches to avoid disturbing nesting shorebirds.

............................... Herons and egrets are nesting on offshore islands in Long Island Sound. Refrain from visiting these areas to avoid disturbingthe birds.

June 7 .................... National Trails Day Event, at the Sessions Woods Conservation Education Center, in Burlington, starting at 9:00 AM. TheWildlife Division is working cooperatively with the Connecticut Forest and Park Association to sponsor hikes leaving from theflag pole in front of the Conservation Education Center. These guided walks will vary in length and difficulty, ranging from aninterpretive walk to a hike of several miles. Call (860) 675-8130 for more information.

June 7 .................... Guided Walk through the Clearcut, at the Sessions Woods Conservation Education Center, in Burlington, starting at 9:00AM. (This event was rescheduled from November.) Join DEP forester David Irvin on a tour of a one-year-old 14-acre clearcut.Learn about the wildlife and forestry benefits of this type of forest cutting. A brief tour of a prescribed burn, American chestnutplanting and a 10-year-old clearcut that has regrown will be included. Dress for the weather and wear suitable footwear forstepping through woody debris. Call (860) 675-8130 to preregister

July 4 ...................... While viewing fireworks displays at Connecticut coastal areas, respect fenced and posted shorebird nesting areas andoffshore rookeries.

July 8 ...................... Teacher Workshop: How the Master Wildlife Conservationist Program Can Help You, from 9:30 AM-11:30 AM, at theSessions Woods Conservation Education Center (see page 16 for more information).

August 19 ............... Teacher Workshop: Insects of Connecticut, from 9:00 AM-12:00 PM, at the Sessions Woods Conservation EducationCenter (see page 16 for more information).

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career as a data processing professionalwith one of the major Hartford insurancecompanies. He brought with him astrong work ethic and a “can do” attitudewith a desire to impact, in some smallway, the wildlife habitat and recreationalopportunities available to Connecticutsportsmen. The idea for this newpersonal challenge was based on hisinvolvement with the DEP’s CitizensAdvisory Council and Environment2000 Council.

Rich began his career with theDivision in 1993, marveling at theattempts to complete projects with solittle in resources. About a year later,using personal connections, Richsuggested that the Wildlife Divisioninitiate a work program with two of theConnecticut prisons in Somers. TheDivision realized the low-cost benefits ofthe idea and, within a month, Rich wassupervising a five-man work crew.

Initially, the crew concentrated onhabitat restoration, clearing vegetationfrom dikes and opening young pinestands and orchards. This effort spanneda period of over four years and the crewaccounted for thousands of volunteerhours that benefitted both game andnongame wildlife.

With the advent of the Farm Bill’sWildlife Habitat Incentives Program(WHIP), Rich’s responsibilities shiftedtoward warm season grass projects.Perhaps his most challenging andrewarding effort was his role as onsitecoordinator for the Enfield GrasslandMitigation Project at the Department ofCorrections facility in Enfield.

According to Rich, the three majorissues (stumbling blocks to progress)facing the Wildlife Division in the futureare the same ones he saw 10 years ago:the negative impacts of purely politicaldecisions on the environment, a lack of

money to support Division projects andthe need for more willingness by theState Legislature to realize the impor-tance of Division programs whichenhance and protect the state landsentrusted to the Division as stewards forthe people.

Rich will long remember the selfmotivation that drives most of the peoplehe has come into contact with on the joband had the pleasure of working with. InRich’s own words, “To those many,many hard working people, I wishcontinued success and thank you forsharing your hearts and minds with meduring my ‘second career.’” All of us atthe Wildlife Division will miss Rich’sambition and innovative ideas.Connecticut’s wildlife habitat hasbenefitted because of Rich’s efforts overthe last 10 years.

20 Connecticut Wildlife May / June 2003PRINTED ON RECYCLED PAPER

Bureau of Natural Resources / Wildlife DivisionConnecticut Department of Environmental Protection79 Elm StreetHartford, CT 06106-5127

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Meet one of Connecticut’s newest black bear cubs! This cub was one of 17 that were examined by Wildlife Division biologists this past Marchand April. To learn more about how the cubs were found and why, see page 4 of this issue.

published by the connecticut department of …...the usfws stewart b. mckinney national wildlife...

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