No Herring In Sight

We've been checking several times a day now, as the water temperature at Mill Pond has been in the mid to high 50's, which is above the 51 that the Alewives like.

But this reading is at Mill Pond and doesn't reflect what it is down-stream, like at Prince Cove.

A reliable precursor is the screeching of the aptly name Herring Gull. The only time they're heard at Mill Pond is when the Herring are migrating. These gulls know the locations where the fish are most vulnerable [where the water is shallow] and can be seen and heard fighting over the good spots on the first day the Herring arrive.

So far, we have 38 people that have enrolled to count this year. We haven't scheduled them as yet [will in the next day or so] as we don't want to waste their time until the Herring are running. We have a handful of counters that are ready on short notice to cover the first couple of days when they show.

We will always need help in counting and other tasks, so if you're interested or know of anyone that is, click on the link at the right.

We'll be updating this blog on a regular basis now as the Herring are due any day. Their arrival dates in prior years were:

• 2008 - April 10
• 2007 - April 20
• 2006 - April 12