How can it be when birds fly west in order to travel south, then sometimes turn north before correcting their heading.

It’s all got to do with the map. The East Coast of North America runs north-south for the most part with one exception. The coast of Connecticut and that annoying obstruction to its south, Long Island run east-west.

For more on this story, visit: The long and winding migration Republican American.

Joseph Hautman of Plymouth, Minnesota, won the 2011 Federal Duck Stamp Contest today with his acrylic painting of a single wood duck.

Fish and Wildlife Service Director Dan Ashe joined representatives of the U.S. Postal Service, Bass Pro Shops and other conservation partners at the Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World retail store in Hampton, Va, today to celebrate the first day of sale of both the $15 Federal Duck Stamp and $5 Junior Duck Stamp. The new stamps are now available at thousands of post offices, Bass Pro Shops and other sporting goods stores and retail locations across the country, and can also be purchased online.

“For nearly 80 years, the Federal Duck Stamp has provided crucial funding for wetland habitat conservation efforts in every state,” said Ashe. “Buying a Duck Stamp offers hunters, conservationists, and collectors the opportunity to own a beautiful piece of wildlife art that helps sustain North America’s wildlife heritage. I can’t think of a better or easier way for everyone to make a difference for wildlife conservation.”

Since the program’s inception in 1934, Federal Duck Stamp sales have raised more than $750 million to acquire and protect more than 5.3 million acres of habitat for hundreds of units of the National Wildlife Refuge System in all 50 states and U.S. territories.  These refuges benefit the public by providing access to outdoor recreational activities including hunting, fishing, birding, photography, environmental education, and interpretation.

All migratory bird hunters age 16 and older are required to purchase and carry a valid Federal Duck Stamp while hunting, but conservationists, birders, and others also buy the stamp to support habitat conservation. Anyone who holds a current Federal Duck Stamp may also obtain free admission to any unit of the National Wildlife Refuge System that charges admission fees.

Stamp collectors, in particular, prize Federal Duck Stamps as miniature works of art.  This year’s Federal Duck Stamp features a single wood duck painted by Joseph Hautman of Plymouth, Minn.  The Junior Duck Stamp features a northern pintail painted by Christine Clayton, a 17 year old from Sidney, Ohio.

With four Federal Duck Stamps to his credit, Hautman is one of the most successful Duck Stamp artists in history, and has leveraged the international recognition earned by winning the contest multiple times to build his career as a wildlife artist.  Clayton’s art was chosen from among 53 Best-of-Show winners from every state, Washington, D.C., Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin Islands at the 2012 National Junior Duck Stamp Contest.  Clayton entered her first Junior Duck Stamp competition in 2003 and has consistently placed well among her peers over the past 11 years.

Junior Duck Stamp competitors take part in the Federal Junior Duck Stamp Conservation and Design Program, which teaches wetlands and waterfowl conservation to students in kindergarten through high school. The program integrates scientific and wildlife management principles into a nationally recognized visual arts curriculum, with participants completing a Junior Duck Stamp design as their visual “term papers.”  Revenue from the sales of the Junior Duck Stamp goes to support awards and environmental education for students who participate in the program.

Christine Clayon, 17, of Sidney, Ohio, won the 2012 National Junior Duck Stamp Contest in April with her beautiful rendering of a northern pintail. The 2012-2013 Junior Duck Stamp featuring Christine’s design will go on sale June 29 at the Bass Pro Shops retail outlet in Hampton, Va. Join us at 10 a.m. for a ceremony and then meet Christine and 2012-2013 Federal Duck Stamp artist Joe Hautman. Buy stamps and get autrographs, too!

Federal and Junior Duck Stamps can be purchased at U.S. Postal Service locations nationwide, as well as through the Postal Service’s online catalogue.  Stamps may also be purchased at Bass Pro Shops locations and hundreds of other sporting goods stores and retailers. Electronic Duck Stamps may be purchased online at www.duckstamp.com. The electronic validation may be used to hunt or obtain free admission to a refuge immediately, while a physical stamp is mailed to each customer.

Learn more about the Federal Duck Stamp Program online at www.fws.gov/duckstamps, or on Facebook at USFWS_Federal Duck Stamp.  Learn more about the Junior Duck Stamp at www.fws.gov/juniorduck, or on Facebook at Federal Junior Duck Stamp.

The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov.

For more on this story, visit: The Day – Volunteers build nesting boxes for terns | News from southeastern Connecticut.

The fish was reportedly caught by someone who was alarmed by the prominent set of teeth in its upper jaw and turned it over to police Thursday. Police contacted the Harwinton office of the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

The DEEP commented on Facebook:

This story is a reminder that not only is it illegal, it is simply foolish to release non-native species into our eco-system. They always have the potential to displace native species and can cause severe damage to the environment.

Read more here: The Bristol Press: Bristol, Conn., and surrounding areas (BristolPress.com).

“It’s all about balance and creating habitats for the native species,” Wright said.

The National Wildlife Federation, the country’s largest conservation organization, has certified wildlife habitats for 34 years. More than 140,000 people have had their properties certified, but only 53 communities have been certified nationwide. In Connecticut, only Colchester has been certified. Willimantic is the only community in the state registered for certification.

Wright has reached out to the group in Colchester that worked for the certification and has the Windham Garden Club and Windham Region Chamber of Commerce working by her side to qualify for certification.

“This project is a key part of our beautification and revitalization program,” said Diane Nadeau, director of marketing for the Chamber of Commerce.

Read more here: Willimantic welcomes wildlife in effort to become certified habitat – Norwich, CT – The Bulletin.

The DEP next week will hold a hearing on proposed new regulations to carry out a 2009 law that added the primates to the list of banned animals.

via Connecticut DEP: Connecticut DEP seeks to strengthen wild animal laws – Courant.com.

The Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection writes:

A silent invader moves rapidly through the darkness, reaching out to ensnare its peacefully sleeping victim. What may sound like the plot of the newest Halloween thriller is actually a real conservation horror story occurring right here in Connecticut.

In less than four years, white-nose syndrome (WNS) has killed thousands of Connecticut’s bats and more than a million bats throughout the Northeast. It has spread to over a dozen states and two Canadian provinces leaving a trail of ecological havoc in its wake.

“It is important to remember that bats are more than pop-culture icons or Halloween decorations,” said Rick Jacobson, Director, Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Wildlife Division.  “They are a key part of healthy ecosystems and provide tremendous economic benefits to agriculture and forestry through their insect control abilities. The Department of Environmental Protection, other state wildlife agencies in the Northeast, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and many other academic and conservation partners are working in concert to find solutions and stop this unparalleled mortality.”

Several species of bats that call Connecticut home have been affected by white-nose syndrome. Known as “cave bats,” they include little brown, northern long-eared, tri-colored (pipistrelle), big brown, and the Indiana bat (a federally endangered species.)  Since 2007, the DEP has been an active participant in WNS response.  Biologists continue to monitor hibernating bats for signs of WNS and document mortality. Over the past two years, biologists have also begun tracking summer maternity colonies closely to see if WNS is having a negative impact on bat survival and the ability to give birth and raise young.

Earlier this month, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, through their Preventing Extinction Program, awarded $1.6 million to new projects aimed at detailed studies of the fungus associated with WNS.  Through the federal Competitive State Wildlife Grant program, the DEP and its counterparts in the Northeast received funding to address the growing problem of white-nose syndrome from a regional perspective. As part of this broadening effort, two research projects were selected this month for funding.  This research will target urgent needs—testing the safety and efficacy of non-invasive antifungal treatments; determining safe antifungal drug doses for affected bats; and determining if rehabilitated bats have successfully shed the fungus and can survive in clean sites without any regrowth of the fungus.

This week, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, released a national white-nose syndrome management plan for review.  The Service will accept public comments on the plan through December 26, 2010 to gather additional scientific and commercial information for consideration before the plan becomes final. The national plan along with more information on white-nose syndrome and related conservation efforts can be viewed at: www.fws.gov/WhiteNoseSyndrome

“White-nose syndrome continues to spread at an alarming pace through North America, increasing the challenges wildlife managers face in understanding the threats posed to bat populations and developing an effective management strategy,” said Jenny Dickson, Supervising Wildlife Biologist, CT DEP. “The national plan will provide a framework for coordinating white-nose syndrome investigation. Ultimately, we hope it will lead to the survival of bat species across North America.”

As cooler weather approaches and bats settle in to hibernate, the DEP encourages Connecticut residents to help in monitoring white-nose syndrome here at home.  Report bats found outdoors from November through February. While the characteristic white fuzzy fungal growth may not be readily visible on a bat’s nose, bats seen flying during the day or clinging to the outside of a building during late fall and winter are a sign that white-nose syndrome may be at work.

Sighting details including the date, location, what you observed, and digital photos if possible, may be submitted to Wildlife Technician, Christina Kocer at: christina.kocer@ct.gov or by calling your nearest Wildlife Division office.

And finally, please remember that cave etiquette is critical to reducing the spread of WNS.  If you visit a cave or mine in an area of the country affected by WNS, don’t wear or bring any of the same gear to other sites.

And from the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette:

Negative folklore and myth make it difficult to generate empathy and concern for bats even when it’s seriously warranted. So maybe Halloween is the perfect time to plead their case.

Since the winter of 2006, hibernating bats in parts of the East have been dying en masse. Intense research followed, but after four years, there are few answers.

White-nose syndrome, named for the white fungal halo that develops on the muzzle of afflicted bats, was first detected in a cave near Albany, N.Y., in 2006. Almost all the bats in that particular hibernation colony died. Victims of WNS are emaciated; they lack sufficient body fat to survive months of hibernation.

via Get Into Nature: White-nose Syndrome plagues Eastern bats.

Because fall is the breeding season for both white-tailed deer and moose, the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) Wildlife Division reminds motorists to be watchful of increased deer and moose activity, especially during early morning and evening hours. September through October is the peak of the breeding season for Connecticut’s small but expanding moose population in the northern part of the state. The breeding season (also known as “the rut”) for white-tailed deer closely follows the moose breeding season, running from late October through late December.

Be aware and heed “Deer Crossing” signs erected by highway departments. Motorists are advised to slow down and drive defensively should a deer or moose be spotted on or by the road. Because moose are darker in color and stand much higher than deer, observing reflective eyeshine from headlights is infrequent and, when struck, moose often end up impacting the windshield of vehicles. All moose and deer vehicle collisions should be reported to local, state, or DEP enforcement officers at (860-424-3333).

“During 2009, approximately 11,400 deer were killed in the state due to collisions with vehicles,” said Rick Jacobson, Director of DEP’s Wildlife Division. “A total of 22 moose-vehicle accidents have been reported in Connecticut between 1995 and 2009, with an average of two per year since 2002,” continued Jacobson. “Moose-vehicle accidents are expected to increase as the moose population expands.”

Most of Connecticut is not considered ideal habitat for moose because the state’s landscape is fragmented, roadways have high traffic volume, and moose have large home ranges (approximately 10-15 square miles). Moose venturing into southern Connecticut, with high population density, road networks, and traffic volumes, pose an increased potential for human fatalities from accidents as compared to deer-vehicle accidents. Residents throughout the state are encouraged to report moose sightings on the DEP’s website at www.ct.gov/dep/hunting.

via Audubon At Home Coordinator | National Audubon Society.

via Excess deer population has its costs – Connecticut Post.

The aim is to keep the federal government from selling Plum Island — an 843-acre island at the eastern end of Long Island Sound — to the highest bidder.

Plum Island has long been the home of a federal research facility and it has been recognized as an important sanctuary for wildlife and native plants. Tell leaders from Connecticut and New York to protect this rare habitat from development and keep it a publically owned wildlife refuge by getting involved and signing this online petition.

The full text of the petition is as follows:

Plum Island, an 843-acre island in New York waters between Orient Point and Fisher’s Island, has long been the home of a USDA research facility, which allowed most of the island to remain an undeveloped sanctuary for wildlife and native plants.

The federal and state governments identified 33 valuable stewardship sites around Long Island Sound for the purpose of conserving and restoring a network of great coastal places for current and future generations. Plum Island and the Gull Islands were recognized as an “exemplary” habitat area deserving of special protection. The National Audubon Society has identified Plum Island as an Important Bird Area.

Now the research facility is being moved to Kansas and the federal government’s General Services Administration is preparing to sell Plum Island to the highest bidder. One part of government is not talking to the other, and it’s putting this rare island at risk of intensive private development that could ruin wildlife habitats, pollute the Sound, and preclude public access.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. Instead of allowing short-sighted development, we could save this critical habitat and conserve this precious place for future generations.

The undeveloped majority of the island could become a wildlife refuge. The beaches, marshes, and forests of Plum Island could be protected as open space, and trails added for the public to enjoy. The already developed portion could be sold for low impact re-use. There are many options that would let Connecticut and New York citizens connect with one of the Sound’s last great places.

Please act to protect this jewel of an island. Plum Island is a bellwether for the fate of the Sound—don’t let it be sold off for private development.

Visit the petition site and sign it here.