Author: Kimsmithdesigns

Documentary filmmaker, photographer, landscape designer, author, and illustrator. "Beauty on the Wing: Life Story of the Monarch Butterfly" currently airing on PBS. Current film projects include Piping Plovers, Gloucester's Feast of St. Joseph, and Saint Peter's Fiesta. Visit my websites for more information about film and design projects at kimsmithdesigns.com, monarchbutterflyfilm.com, and pipingploverproject.org. Author/illustrator "Oh Garden of Fresh Possibilities! Notes from a Gloucester Garden."

BRANT BATTLE ROYALE -By Kim Smith

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King of the Mountain

Brants are monogamous and juvenile Brants typically stay with the parents until their first spring, most likely to learn migrations routes. Whether this was a battle between family members or between competing families I am not sure. From previous observations, Brants mostly feed together amicably, so it was surprising to see this extended battle for the best feeding platform.

Enjoy the Brants while they are here on our shores, most leave during the moth of April.

PLEASE DON’T POISON MY DINNER

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Several friends have asked whether or not I was freaked out by the mouse running up my dress and out my coat sleeve. No, I wasn’t. Surprised, but not panicked, and just happy the frightened little thing did not bite me.

We live in an old house and are occasionally visited by mice, despite my husband’s best efforts at sealing any cracks that may develop in the almost one hundred and seventy five-year-old mortar of the granite foundation. Our cat, Cosmos, before he suffered severe brain damage from a coyote attack, was the best mouser ever. Now that Cosmos has retired, Tom uses Have-a-Heart traps.

I have written about this topic previously, but never in a million years would we use a rodenticide. The first reason being is that if one of our beautiful raptors (including owls, hawks, falcons, and eagles), eats a rat or mouse that has ingested rat poison, the raptor will most surely perish. For example, the majority of Snowy Owls that die in our region and are autopsied, have been killed by rat poison. Secondly, most rats, after ingesting poison, will return to their nest ie., that cozy spot behind your wall. Working in theatre for many years, I encountered more than a few rats, as well as well meaning types who decided to kill rats with rodenticide. If you have ever smelled a dead rat laying behind an inaccessible theatre wall, you would never again use rat poison (and the odor lasts for weeks!).

RATS – Raptors Are The Solution

Beautiful Fish: Haddock -By Al Bezanson

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Haddock (Melanogrammus aeglefinus) drawn by H. L. Todd

“Haddock are very plentiful all around the open Gulf (of Maine), as well as on all the offshore banks, especially on Georges where they greatly out-number the cod. This is, in fact, one of the two species that now rank at the top among Gulf of Maine fishes, from the commercial standpoint; the rosefish (Acadian redfish) is the other.”

From Fishes of the Gulf of Maine by Bigelow and Schroeder (1953) online courtesy of MBL/WHOI http://www.gma.org/fogm/Melanogrammus_aeglefinus.htm

 

Massachusetts landings declined from 130 million pounds in 1966 to 7.7 million pounds in 1973.  Landings in 2016 were 10.7 million pounds.

Cumulative 1950-2016 reported Massachusetts landings were 3,064,610,662 pounds with a value of $639,412,505  (NOAA)

Acadian redfish in the same period, 1,576,336,078 pounds valued at $128,657,587

The 2002 edition of Fishes of the Gulf of Maine reports that the growth rate of haddock increased within 30 to 40 years, since about 1960 when they were more abundant, reaching an average size of 48-50 cm in 3 years compared to 4 years.

THE WHITE-FOOTED MOUSE THAT RAN UP MY DRESS -By Kim Smith

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Well hello there little mouse! My husband Tom was releasing a mouse that was caught in his have-a-heart trap. He first opened opened the front door of the trap, with no sign of movement within, and then the back door. After a few minutes passed, out ran the little mouse, but then he froze in his tracks, only several feet from where I was standing. As I was motionless taking his photo, I think he must have thought I was a tree. He suddenly ran up my leg, up under my dress, and poked his head out from beneath my coat. It’s too bad I was holding the camera and not my husband!

Thinking about hantavirus, and just to be on the safe side, I changed my clothes and washed immediately.

Off towards the woods he ran.

Studies show how the increasing Eastern Coyote population has impacted White-footed Mice, Red Fox, and the explosion of Lyme disease. In areas where the Eastern Coyote has outcompeted the Red Fox for habitat, Lyme disease has increased. Coyotes not only kill Red Fox, they simply aren’t as interested in eating mice as are the fox.

 

 

Answer: Both the White-footed and Deer Mouse carry hantavirus, not the House Mouse. To be on the  safe side, if you find rodent droppings in your home or office, do not vacuum because that will disperse the virus throughout the air. Instead, wipe up with a dampened paper towel and discard.

 

Read more about the White-footed Mouse and Lyme disease here: The Mighty White-footed Mouse

Surfs Up!

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Brrrrrrrrr–today’s early morning Gloucester surfers on the back shore–the water temperature is 40 degrees.

Beautiful Fish: Trumpetfish -By Al Bezanson

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The head occupies almost one-third and the snout about one-fourth of the body length.  The mouth is small, situated somewhat obliquely at the tip of the snout, and the lower jaw projects a little beyond the upper.

There are only two records of the trumpetfish from the Gulf of Maine: a specimen taken at Rockport, Mass. (north side of Cape Ann) in September 1865, preserved in the collection of the Essex Institute, where it was examined and identified by Goode and Bean[90] and a second taken on the northern edge of Georges Bank by the trawler Flying Cloud on October 6, 1947, in a haul at 70 fathoms.[91] Like other tropical fishes, however, it is not so rare west of Cape Cod, and a few small ones are taken at Woods Hole almost every year.

From fishes of the Gulf of Maine by Bigelow and Schroeder (1953) online courtesy of MBL/WHOI http://www.gma.org/fogm/Fistularia_tabacaria.htm

MARCH FOUR’EASTER NOR’EASTER #GLOUCESTERMA

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Grateful for the tameness of today’s storm, the fourth nor’easter of March. Our coastline has had its fill of damage done. Sunny skies forecasted for tomorrow!

Snowy day seagulls feeding in the surf

Beautiful Fish: Sea Lamprey -By Al Bezanson

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LAMPREY; SPOTTED LAMPREY; LAMPER; EELSUCKER

Lampreys were esteemed a great delicacy in Europe during the middle ages (historians tell us Henry I of England died of a surfeit of them)

Little is known of the habits of the lampreys while they live in the sea further than that their mode of life centers around a fiercely predaceous nature. Judging from their land-locked relatives and from the occasions on which they have been found fastened to sea fish, they must be extremely destructive to the latter, which they attack by “sucking on” with their wonderfully effective mouths. The lamprey usually fastens to the side of its victim, where it rasps away until it tears through the skin or scales and is able to suck the blood. Its prey sucked dry, it abandons it for another. Probably lampreys are parasites and bloodsuckers pure and simple, for we cannot learn that anything but blood has been found in their stomachs, except fish eggs, of which lampreys are occasionally full.

From Fishes of the Gulf of Maine by  Bigelow and Schroeder (1953) online courtesy of MBL/WHOI http://www.gma.org/fogm/Petromyzon_marinus.htm

 

THERESA COEN MISSING WOMAN RECOVERY MISSION #ROCKPORTMA

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The search for Theresa Coen, who was last seen on Saturday, is now a recovery operation. “Information obtained throughout the course of investigation has lead Rockport police to determine that it’s unlikely the individual will be found alive,” Rockport police spokesman John Guilfoil said Wednesday night.

Please contact the Rockport Police Department at 978-546-1212 if you have any information about Theresa.

Read more here in the Gloucester Times.

Read more here in The Boston Globe.

 

VIVA SAN GIUSEPPE! WITH LOVE FROM THE GROPPO FAMILY AND FREINDS

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So many joy-filled faces filling their plates with Saint Joseph Day feast fare, prepared by Nina, Franco, and a tremendous circle of family and friends. The special meatless feast dishes are prepared during the weeks prior to Saint Joseph Day and everyone lends a hand, from the very youngest to the very oldest.

To name just some of the wonderfully delicious and much anticipated traditional foods– bowls of handmade tender pasta, fish and shrimp baked with bread crumbs (the breadcrumbs symbolize sawdust), batter-dipped and fried artichokes and cauliflower, Saint Joseph bread, panellle, platters of smoked and freshly caught cod, octopus salad, minestrone with fava beans, fresh fruit, sfinci, cassata cake, and zeppole. 

In honor of the spirit of Saint Joseph and the values of compassion and kindness that He represents, the Groppo Family opens their home to all who wish to celebrate at the table of San Giuseppe. ❤

Click any photo to view slide show and view the images larger.

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BREAKING: (UPDATED) ACTIVE POLICE AND FIRE RESCUE SEARCH UNDERWAY IN #ROCKPORTMA -POSSIBLY MISSING WOMAN THERESA COHEN

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Police, fire, and rescue vehicles are stationed around the Pebble Beach-Cape Hedge-Penzance Road area, with rescuers combing the beach.

Reader Rick shares the following from the Gloucester Daily Times online edition this morning; “Theresa A. Coen, 52, of Penzance Road in Rockport and also of Boston’s Charlestown neighborhood, was last heard from on Saturday evening” Is there a connection here?”

Thank you Rick for letting us know, her name is Theresa Coen.

HAPPY FIRST DAY OF SPRING!

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Thinking about tomorrow’s predicted nor’easter, the fourth this month of March, and hoping the old proverb “In like a lion, and out like a lamb” holds true. Many spring ephemerals are already showinging themselves and it won’t be long before the peonies are poking their red tipped heads out from beneath the leaf litter. Happy first day of spring!

Beautiful Fish: Alligator Fish -By Al Bezanson

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ALLIGATOR FISH; SEA POACHER

Nothing whatever is known of the life of the alligator fish except that it is a bottom fish and that it has been repeatedly found in the stomachs of cod, haddock, and halibut although it is not “much thicker or softer than an iron spike.”[18] The Grampus and the Albatross II have trawled it both on pebbly bottom, on sand and broken shells, and on soft mud. So far as known adults never stray into water shoaler than 10 to 15 fathoms, and the deepest record for it, with which we are acquainted, is from 104 fathoms.[19] Its range shows that it is a cold water fish. Its upper temperature limit is about 50°-52°; its lower limit close to the freezing point of salt water. Its breeding habits are unknown. Probably its eggs sink like those of sculpins.

Five to seven inches long when full grown.

From Fishes of the Gulf of Maine by Bigelow and Schroeder (1953) online courtesy of MBL/WHOIhttp://www.gma.org/fogm/A_monopterygius.htm

Beautiful Fish: Armored Sea Robin -By Al Bezanson

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Its body is entirely clothed with bony plates of considerable size.

Occurrence in the Gulf of Maine—

Trawlers tell us they sometimes take these brilliant crimson fishes on the southwestern part of Georges Bank. And they must be rather common outside the 60-fathom contour, for we saw 89 specimens trawled there and south of Nantucket at depths of 66 to more than 185 fathoms, by the Albatross III in May 1950.

From Fishes of the Gulf of Maine by Bigelow and Schroeder (1953) online courtesy of MBL/WHOIhttp://www.gma.org/fogm/Peristedion_miniatum.htm

 

COME ONE COME ALL TO THE GROPPO FAMILY FEAST OF SAINT JOSEPH

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With a troupe of friends lending a hand, preparations for tomorrow’s Feast of San Giuseppe were full underway today at the Groppo home. All are invited to the table at the welcoming home of Nina and Frank Groppo.

Caffe Siclia’s Maria Cracchiolo creates Saint Joseph altar bread in exquisite nature-inspired shapes and iconic Christian symbols.

Noami helping Jane with the flowers.

These three friends call themselves the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly. Your guess is as good as mine re who is who.

Celebrating tomorrow with sweet friends ❤  

Viva San Giuseppe!

 

ROCK ON R. B. STRONG (LITERALLY!) WORK CONTINUES ON THE NILES POND BRACE COVE CAUSEWAY RESTORATION

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The arduous work of rebuilding the Niles Pond Brace Cove causeway continues, despite the mid-week blizzard. I walked the causeway Tuesday night and then again the past several mornings–the pace of the restoration is fantastic and will soon be completed. Many, many thanks to the generous residents of Eastern Point who are striving to keep Niles Pond from being engulfed by the sea.

R. B. Strong’s Larry expertly operates the John Deere excavator, deftly extracting and moving boulders around as if they were pebbles on the shore. The track-hoe not only scoops and lifts the massive rocks, the bucket is also used to tamp down the boulders once in place, as you can see in the video below.

Beautiful Fish: Rosefish (Acadian Redfish) with Landings -By Al Bezanson

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OCEAN PERCH; (ACADIAN) REDFISH; RED SEA PERCH; RED BREAM; NORWAY HADDOCK

“This is one of the most plentiful of the commercially important fishes in all but the shoalest parts of the Gulf: on the offshore banks, in or over the deep central basin, and along shore.”

From Fishes of the Gulf of Maine by Bigelow and Schroeder (1953) online courtesy of MBL/WHOI http://www.gma.org/fogm/Sebastes_marinus.htm\

The situation cited in the excerpt above, in a couple decades after this 1953 publication, proved no longer to be the case.  Subsequent data from NOAA shows 184,370,800 pounds landed in 1951 declining to 290,321 pounds in 2000.  This plot is from published NOAA data.

Comments invited.  Surely some readers of GMG were involved in this fishery.

 

 

CAFFE SICILIA IS HUMMING FILLING YOUR SPECIAL ORDERS FOR SAINT JOSEPH’S DAY!

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As Saint Joseph Day is just around the corner (March 19th), mother and daughter Nina and Maria are creating beautiful and wonderfully delicious treats for the feast day–the special San Giuseppe altar bread, cassata cakes, sfinci, zeppole, and much, much more. It is not too late to place your order! Call Maria at 978-283-7345 today. Caffe Sicilia is located at 40 Main Street.

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