As early Fall blends into late October on Quimby Pond, the wildlife begin to prepare for winter. I'm starting to see a few hooded mergansers rafting up on the pond. The loons remain and the chipmunks only occasionally show their faces. The hummingbirds are long gone. Are far as human inhabitants go, there are many of us within the Quimby Pond watershed, but it looks like we are down to our usual half dozen or so along the shoreline of the pond for the winter. I photographed a downy woodpecker today, who looked as if he was wondering where everybody went.
Maine Inland Fisheries and Wildlife has been doing a fish study here and I have posted a picture of the study area. There are nets hanging from the floats. I have heard only hearsay about the results, but the hearsay is that we have good sized brook trout, and that smelt have returned to Quimby Pond.
The association
Today, I mailed the first of a few letters to start an association on Quimby Pond. If you saw the web address in the letter and you are seeing this blog for the first time, then welcome! I hope that you enjoy reading this. My plan is to post something about every 10 - 14 days. Regarding the mailing, it went out to property owners as listed on the Rangeley tax records. If I got your name wrong or of the letter was forwarded to you , please let me know (you can post a comment if you like).
What should we name the association?
Quimby Pond Association...Friends of Quimby Pond... or can you think of another name? Please let me know. I have a goal to start this association by the end of November and I need input from all of you. Several neighbors (and I) will have a meeting with the Maine Congress of Lake Associations on November 18th, then shortly after that we should become a real association.
If anyone would like to submit photos, I would love to post them. (Again, click on the comment section and just start typing).
Since Halloween is a couple of days away, I thought that I would post a photo submitted by Sandi Andrews. It looks spooky to me.
Happy Halloween.
~Sue
Hi, I have some questions about the "Association". I live at 296 Quimby Pond Rd. I can be reached at lallaire@securespeed.us or 651-1844
ReplyDeleteI've been wishing Quimby Pond had an association for a long time. Thank you for making the effort! I live at 247 Quimby Pond Road and I vote for calling the organization "Quimby Pond Association."
ReplyDeleteThanks both of you.
ReplyDeleteSo far we have one vote for Quimby Pond Association and one vote for Friends of Quimby Pond and one suggestion (tongue in cheek) of Quimby Pond Merry Anglers!
I too think a lake association is a great idea and long overdue. My two sisters and I own the camp, "Keewaydin", at Fire# 156 where we have made many wonderful memories since Ronnie Sargent built it for my dad (Ebby Ellis) in the mid 60's. I have worked for more than 25 years as a researcher at a water resource research lab (www.safl.umn.edu), much of that time focusing on lake water quality issues. Please let me know if I can help with the scientific aspects of your planned water quality and watershed assessment. I can be reached most easily at ellis005@umn.edu. Thanks very much for initiating this effort. I vote for "Quimby Pond Association". Warm regards, Chris Ellis
ReplyDeleteChris,
ReplyDeleteThanks you so much both for your post and your offer of help.
We can certainly use the help!
I have your Dad's book (The Chronological History of Rangeley). In the wintertime, when there is not much happening on the pond, I would like to post a few profiles of folks, who live on the pond or have lived on the pond. Ebby would be at the top of my list. Could you help me with that, too?
Sue,
ReplyDeleteI'd be happy to help out. Let me know what sort of material you are looking for.