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Field Notes
The chicks are the first to be born on the island in two years, according to Dr. Bob Kennedy, Director of Natural Science at the Maria Mitchell Association. Kennedy added that at one point earlier this year, there were three different pairs of barn owls, but only the Medouie Creek pair had chicks in their nesting box. Kennedy said he expects to band the five chicks at Medouie Creek this week. He believes that much of the island's barn owl - also called the Monkey-faced owl - population living in 35 nesting boxes did not survive the winters of 2002/2003 and 2003/2004 because of the extreme cold temperatures and or starvation. Kennedy could find no chicks the last two years anywhere on the island and only a few adults. Anyone spotting a barn owl - they are about 13 to 14 inches tall with a heart-shaped face of white feathers with dark eyes and light tan body feathers flecked with brown higher up - should call Kennedy at 228-1782.
Realizing that it can't weed the entire island by itself, Maria Mitchell, in cooperation with the departments of Computer Science and Biology at the University of Massachusetts in Boston, created the Electronic Field Guide to the Invasive Plants of Nantucket. By going to http://orca.cs.umb.edu/efg/indexNant.html, concerned islanders can view invasive plant species that threaten the island and can search a database for these plants. The searches yield multiple photos of each of the more than 60 invasive plant species on the island along with identification information on each plant. KAYAK RENTALS AT MIACOMET POND? Right now, the only place you can rent a kayak is at Francis Street Beach for use on the harbor. For those who want to paddle the ponds, you must either own a boat or borrow one. The Beach Management Advisory Committee (BMAC) would like to keep it that way for the ponds. However, a request from Kathleen Fee at a recent Board of Selectmen's meeting to operate a kayak rental business at the ocean end of Hummock Pond put BMAC on alert about protecting the ponds from commercial activity. Upon hearing this request, the selectmen instructed BMAC to research the concept and the impacts to the ponds and report back to them in early September. Part of BMAC's research includes a public informational meeting that it is holding on Aug. 3 at 4 p.m. in the conference room at the Nantucket Islands Land Bank at 22 Broad St. BMAC is trying to prevent the commercialization of the island's ponds and need as much public input and support as it can gather. No decisions will be made at this meeting. This is simply a chance for you to share information with BMAC and voice your concerns. For details, call Edie Ray at 228-1693. ONLINE AUCTION Blue Angels don't come cheap. Realizing this, Nantucket Memorial Airport kicked off an online auction at the beginning of July to help fund the Blue Angels' performance and the Nantucket Air Show Sept. 30 and Oct. 1. The auction directly benefits the Nantucket Education Air Program, Inc., a 501-c-3 foundation that sponsors the air show. The live, online auction is at www.nantucketauction. cmarket.com and includes a wealth of items such as a VIP pass and package for the air show, a year's supply of Nantucket Nectars, charter fishing trips, design consultation by Nantucket Architecture Group, a $200 Lobster Gram Certificate, island vacation rentals and a ski weekend at the Four Seasons Resort in Jackson, Wyo. to name just a few. On Aug. 1 from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. at the airport terminal, interested bidders can learn how to view the auction items online, register to bid and learn how to navigate the auction Web site. At the above Web site, you can also donate an item for auction and register to bid. For details, call 508-221-2429. I |
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