Disease likely to blame for significant number of dead ducks in river msn.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from msn.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
Courtesy of MassWildlife
It was one of the few dry, sunlit comfortable evenings in July, where nearly two dozen women gathered on the shores of Colburn Pond at Barrett Park in Leominster.
They were attending an in-person Learn to Fish Clinic for Outdoorswomen held by the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife.
Billed as a part of a series of free fishing clinics for beginning anglers, the women’s experience included watching an online fishing tutorial covering basic equipment, safety, regulations, and safety. The second part of the experience was a scheduled two-hour fishing clinic at the city park. The women learned to set up and cast fishing rods, bait hooks, and, when they caught a fish, how to take it safely off the hook. Several MassWildlife staff, both women and men, were on hand providing instruction, information, and encouragement to participants.
MOM AND POP WHITMAN: Pesticide benefits and potential dangers wickedlocal.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from wickedlocal.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.
First, it was the bears prompting residents to take down their bird feeders.
Now, wildlife officials are asking residents to take down bird feeders and bird baths to head off a deadly, mystery disease affecting other areas of the country.
According to a press release from the Massachusetts Division of Fisheries and Wildlife, wildlife managers in Washington, D.C., Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia and Kentucky began receiving reports in late May of sick and dying birds with eye swelling and crusty discharge, as well as neurological signs.
More recently, additional reports have been received from Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Ohio and Indiana. While the majority of affected birds are reported to be fledgling common grackles, blue jays, European starlings and American robins, other species of songbirds have been reported as well. No definitive cause of illness or death has been determined at this time.
Mass Audubon, Mass Wildlife: Put away bird feeders to help sick birds metrowestdailynews.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from metrowestdailynews.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.