[ Home ] [ Up ]

 Wild Roses 

The FLCC Environmental Conservation and Horticulture Department publishes Wild Roses, a newsletter detailing activities at the Muller Field Conservation Station.  The text below was excerpted from the article Field Notes and Updates by Bill Banazewski. 

“Walleye (Stizostedion vitreum) began their annual spawning run from Honeoye Lake in late March.  Through the middle of April over 300 walleye were captured, fin clipped and released at the Field Station.  Eggs and sperm were taken from a small number of walleye and are being used to propagate walleye fry and fingerlings.  As of this writing, approximately 50,000 fry have been stocked in our fish culture ponds where they will be raised to fingerlings.  When they have reached the fingerling stage they will be stocked in Conesus Lake. 

“Of special note, 2 walleye with telemetry transmitters and 5 walleye with DEC jaw tags were captured during the spawning run.  In addition, 9 northern pike, (the largest was 22 lbs.), 24 chain pickerel, 4 rainbow trout, 4 largemouth bass, 2 white suckers, and 1 bluegill were also captured in the trap net. 

“From late October through mid-March both individual and small groups of river otter were regularly sighted at and around the Field Station.  Steve Connelly, the Property Manager at Muller, has twice spotted an adult otter with three young.  Otter were also reported on the ice this winter eating fish left by fishermen. 

“The young female black bear that was relocated to the Muller complex last year spent the winter denning in the forested hillside south of the Field Station.  FLCC staff and DEC biologists were able to capture this bear in the middle of May.  Biologists were very impressed how wild she was despite the fact that she was a relocated bear. 

“A second black bear, which was outfitted with a GPS radio transmitter, denned between Logan and South Hill Roads near Honeoye.  She was also recently captured and fitted with a new GPS collar.  She is also very healthy and is traveling with her two newborn cubs. 

“An adult osprey has been spotted by several people near the south end of Honeoye Lake, and an immature Bald Eagle was seen near the edge of the wetland.  We’re hoping they both choose to stay in the area and use the nesting platforms that were erected in the wetlands last year.”