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The Society Blog

Jamaica Bay Guardian & Friends Rescue Entangled Lesser Scaup

3/7/2023

10 Comments

 
Picture
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Just before the turn of the season, Don Riepe, the Littoral Society's Jamaica Bay Guardian, found himself involved in some Spring cleaning, as well as a late winter rescue.

​The cleaning effort revolved around preparations for the return of Barn Owls and Osprey to the Jamaica Bay area, which typically occurs around the middle of March each year.

A number of nesting platforms and owl boxes have been set up support natural roosting and nesting behaviors of these important raptors. Don and staff from the Littoral Society, with additional support from the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy, took some time in early March to clean and repair one of the favorite boxes in the neighborhood.

More than 30 pounds of pellets, containing the remains of countless rodents, were removed and the box was restored to prime summer-residence condition.

On Sunday, March 5, Don received a call from a birder friend, Michele Truong, regarding a duck tangled in fishing line in Sheepshead Bay. 

Since his boat was at the marine shop, Don wasn't sure anything could be done. Still, he grabbed a large pole net and drove over to where the bird had been reported in the water. 

The situation seemed hopeless, given that the duck was more than 20 feet from the last of the piers off Emmons Avenue. Then it swam very close to the pedestrian bridge that connects Emmons Avenue with Manhattan Beach. He ran over to the bridge and was able to scoop it up in the net.

Once ashore, a bystander came with a knife cut the fishing line that was still attached to something in the water. A quick examination showed that the duck (a Lesser Scaup) seemed uninjured, so it was put back into the bay where it swam off to meet up with a flock of other scaup.

"It's nice when there is a happy ending to a wildlife rescue event," Don said afterwards. "Too often, discarded fishing line is a death trap for many species of coastal wildlife."

Since 2018, the Littoral Society has partnered with the Jamaica Bay-Rockaway Parks Conservancy to repair already established fishing line recycling bins and greatly increase the number of bins throughout Jamaica Bay. This work was implemented with the support of the National Park Service and NYC Parks. Collected fishing line is sorted, cleaned and sent to a recycling facility.


Learn more about our work in and around Jamaica Bay.
10 Comments
rhoda cohen
3/10/2023 01:45:34 pm

MISSING YOU FROM YEARS BACK,,I AM 95 NOW AND UNABLE JOIN ACTIVITIES,, BUT FOLLOW YOU ON LINE.

Reply
American Littoral Society
3/10/2023 02:07:34 pm

Thanks for continuing to follow what we're doing and for your continued support.

Reply
Don Riepe
3/22/2023 03:46:37 pm

Hi Rhoda... I have fond memories of you. Glad you're still around. Don

Reply
Kathleen Heenan
3/21/2023 10:54:07 am

Great to read about Don Riepe’s rescue of the Lesser Scaup. Always enjoy hearing about Jamaica Bay . Don looked good up on the ladder cleaning the owl boxes.

Reply
American Littoral Society
3/27/2023 12:38:37 pm

Don looks good whatever he is doing. Thanks for your support of Don and the Littoral Society.

Reply
Miriam T Gross
3/21/2023 11:18:23 am

Don, I'm so pleased that you continue on, doing your good works. Long may you flourish! I have so many good memories of the trips that David and I took with you.

Reply
Wendy Armenio
3/21/2023 01:50:31 pm

So pleased to see Don and others continuing with the job! I volunteered for some years with Don and other agencies, and it was the most fulfilling time in my life. I’m now unable to do much anymore, but I always encourage people to volunteer! Meep going, people- Thumbs Up!

Reply
American Littoral Society
3/27/2023 12:42:11 pm

Thank you very much for all you've done for the Littoral Society. We appreciate your continued support of our work, mission and Don.

Reply
Gunda Narang
3/21/2023 02:13:31 pm

Thank you, Don, for the good deed.

Reply
David Hawkins
3/27/2023 12:43:12 pm

We appreciate your comment and have passed it on to Don.

Reply



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Photo used under Creative Commons from A. Strakey