Winter, 2015 On the Move With a Very Special Snowy Owl! By Kaytee Hojnacki, Biological Technican By now, most of us are well aware that snowy owls can be found at Parker River NWR during most winters. In some years only a few sightings are reported on the refuge. In other years, like this one, multiple owls can be spotted in a single day. Most of you have probably heard the term “irruption” in reference to these birds, which is a common occur- rence for not only snowy owls, but several other species of birds that typically spend their winters further north (e.g., crossbills, redpolls, pine siskins). When large numbers of a particular species migrate to an area not typically within their normal range, this is referred to as an irruption. In the past, the general consensus was that irruptions were caused by abnormally scarce winter food sources, forcing birds to move south in search of food. While this might be the case for the smaller forest birds, Photos: Matt Poole/FWS Photos: Matt researchers are finding that this isn’t the case for snowy owls. To get a better understanding of why known owl researcher, released a juvenile female snowy owl irruptions occur, a diverse group of snowy owl at Lot 1 in front of a large crowd. Nick- researchers last winter formed Project SNOWStorm named “Century,” this owl was outfitted with a GPS/ to take advantage of last year’s massive irruption. GSM transmitter (which collects GPS information Their contin- and later transmits the information to researchers ued research is using cell phone towers) as part of Project shedding some SNOWStorm. After spending some time at the fascinating refuge and surrounding area, she moved south light on the through Boston, into RI and CT, before heading back movements of north through MA, NY, and, eventually, on to the birds, and Quebec. After April 6, the researchers no longer recent results received reports about her whereabouts. That is, have a person- until she was back in southern Quebec within cell al connection phone range on November 30. Not all her data has to the refuge. been downloaded yet, but the data through mid- June shows her spending the summer on the tundra On March 15, of the Ungava Peninsula in very northern Quebec. 2014, Massa- Check out her map on the Project SNOWStorm web- chusetts Audu- site to see her travels in detail. Who knows, maybe bon’s Norman she’ll keep heading south this winter and join us in Norman Smith addresses a crowd Smith, a well- before releasing a snowy owl. New England again! The Wrack Line Page 1 From the Manager’s Desk... Both distinguished buildings are By Bill Peterson, Refuge Manager in severe disrepair and Happy New Year! I hope everyone enjoyed the holi- pose substan- days and has explored the refuge during our many mild tial refuge winter days. I spent the final week of 2014 duck hunting, liabilities, bird watching, clamming, and relaxing with my family necessitating and am now anxiously awaiting a good snowfall to try out the sites’ my new cross-country skis. In the meantime, January is closure to the month for evaluating what happened at Parker River public entry. NWR in 2014 and setting my goals for the refuge in 2015. We completed As we highlighted in the last edition of The Wrack Line, cultural 2014 was a banner year for the refuge’s piping plovers. resources Many factors contributed to our new record of 60 fledged assessments, chicks, including the refuge’s efforts to minimize human contaminants disturbance during the nesting and pre-fledge periods. surveys, and Thanks to the work of refuge gatehouse staff, volunteer other prereq- Bill Peterson, Refuge Manager plover wardens, and law enforcement officers, we uisite steps achieved our 2014 goal of no human-caused plover nest for removing these structures in 2014; however, the abandonments. We will strive to achieve this goal again refuge has not finalized a removal timeline. My goal for in 2015. 2015 is to finalize this timeline and remove both The Hellcat Wildlife Observation Area trail is the best buildings. Once basic access trails are established, these place to explore the refuge interior and learn about Plum beautiful areas will be opened for public use. Island’s wildlife and plants. Replacing the trail’s two 35 Our draft CCP, the refuge’s 15 year management plan, year-old boardwalks has been a high refuge priority for is progressing towards the public comment period phase several years; however, to date we haven’t obtained the and my goal is to release this document for review and needed project funding. My goal for 2015 is to develop a commenting in Summer, 2015. We’ll widely publicize the phased boardwalk replacement plan, identify how comment period and I urge everyone to engage in this summer youth hires can contribute, and determine planning process for your national wildlife refuge. whether Service staff from other refuges can assist us I’m excited about the prospect of witnessing my first with removing the existing boardwalks. spring bird migration in the Great Marsh, beginning our The “Goodwin Camp” (cottage), located on the south- busy summer field season, and catching my first striped ern tip of Plum Island, and the “Pink House,” located on bass. But, for the next two months, I’m hoping for snow! Plum Island Turnpike, recently became refuge property. Photo: Matt Poole/FWS The Wrack Line Page 2 Visitor Services Update: event has been the American Conservation Film Fes- tival. Each fall the training center, working with a Something for Everyone! number of local partners, stands-up a weekend- long, multi-venue festival during which nationally By Matt Poole, Visitor Services Manager and internationally recognized, conservation- related films are publicly screened. In that fifteen Hi Folks! Even though many seem to experience year period the festival has gradually grown into a winter as a relatively quiet time of year, not so for pretty big deal. Inspired by that success, it occurred your visitor services department! Here’s an update to me that we could (or should!) launch our very on some of the things we have in the pipeline: own “mini” conservation film festival right here at Refuge Family Cinema: We recently Parker River – and so we shall! purchased a one year umbrella film screening Parker River’s nascent film festival – the American license that permits the refuge to publicly screen Conservation Film Festival NORTH – is slated for nearly any “Hollywood– March 6th – 8th. Some of the same films that were caliber” film that you can shown in West Virginia last fall will be screened think of. Seem too good right here in Newburyport. These include such to be true? Well it is… award-winning true! The only hitch is films as Chasing that we can’t charge a fee Ice (which dra- for any of the screenings. matically chroni- Given that we don’t cles the melting of charge for public pro- the glaciers in the grams anyway – that’s far north), From not a problem! This Billions to None winter’s Refuge Family (about the extinc- Cinema is the first way in tion of the pas- which we are leveraging senger pigeon), the value of the screening and Flight of the license. On a number of Sunday afternoons across Butterflies (about the winter – through late March – such popular monarch butter- films as Finding Nemo, The Lion King, Artic Tale, flies and original- Rachel Carson and The Lorax will be projected on the big screen in ly produced as an the visitor center auditorium. Movie selection was- IMAX film). We will also host a very special n’t done “willy nilly;” each film has an environmen- Saturday evening session when a brand-spanking- tal theme or message. To add to our visitors’ new documentary about Rachel Carson will be cinematic experience, the Friends of Parker River premiered. The new film will be introduced by Dr. are providing popcorn and bottled water. To those Patricia DeMarco, a nationally recognized Carson who might accuse us as having gone (partially) scholar, and who will have travelled all the way Hollywood – guilty as charged! All films to be from Pittsburgh to be with us that evening. With shown in a given month are listed in our regular the final schedule for the film festival nearly monthly program schedule, which is accessible complete, please be on the alert for some serious through the refuge homepage. event marketing to begin in the next week or so. American Conservation Film Festival – Let’s Go Outside! A relatively simple notion, NORTH: One of the benefits of having spent eight right? The title of this new, and pretty major special years teaching and running courses at the U.S. Fish event, will take place here at the refuge – rain or and Wildlife Service’s National Conservation Train- shine – on Saturday, June 20th. Inspired by the ing Center (in Shepherdstown, WV), was getting to Department of Interior’s national initiative of the know a lot of really great, creative people who same name, Let’s Go Outside! will provide kids, their were, and remain, family members, and others with the opportunity to involved in a dizzy- try out or sample a wide array of healthy outdoor ing array of “boffo” activities including archery target shooting, surf special events. For fishing, kayaking, tide pooling, biking, bird watch- the last 15 years or ing, clamming, and nature photography. This event, so, one such annual while simple in concept, is really a multi-tentacled The Wrack Line Page 3 organism.