2013 Run Moves into Second Place on Day 30!

We've done it - blew by the great 2008 run, with well over 400 fish today and a couple of count reports remaining!  We also have a new Leaderboard single 10 minute count for 2013....

178 Fish in 10 minutes this afternoon!

Dare we consider the possibility of a challenge to the first place 2012 run?  That run went on and on for 58 days, although we suspended counting for 10 of those days as the weather turned sharply cooler after the initial count, with no fish observed.  They then came back with a vengeance!  Read the 2012 blog entries for the great memories and videos!

See the latest report here.

We can beat the 2008 run!

We've had another good day after a slow a.m. start, with another single 10 minute count exceeding 100 fish!  Today's report will exceed 300 fish after we've received all the counts.  Only 350+ to go to move into second place for an annual run!  See the latest report here.

Assuming we're trending somewhat similar to the 2008 run, we've got another week or so of activity.  We still have openings for available counts, particularly coming into the weekend, so if you haven't counted yet, you still have a chance!  Please see available slots here.

4600+ and Counting!

Wow, nearly 700 fish observed when adjusted for the official 90 minutes of counting, even with slow mornings this weekend!  We continue to have occasional triple digit counts for some 10 minute intervals.

At this rate, and with a promising weather forecast, we have a good shot at displacing 2008 for the second biggest count in recent years!  600 or more fish observed would do it!

See the updated comparison here.

The birds!!!!

You pick up the paper and you always see the birds at the herring run in Brewster, but thanks to one of our counters, Betsey Godley, we now have our own photo of the Herring Gull with his namesake! And at our very own Mill Pond in Marstons Mills!  Thanks Betsey!

4000+ Fish and Counting!

We seem to have a serious run again this year!  We've had triple digit counts for most of the last two weeks, with still respectable counts even on the cooler days earlier this week.  The highest daily totals were last Thurs and Friday.  Unfortunately we had several missed counts on the peak day, so the calculated total may not truly reflect what has happened.  However, we've had some big numbers each of the last three days, with a single 10 minute count exceeding 100 fish today!

So clearly we're not at the end. 

This year's count looks like it's settling in on the third highest count over the last eight years, with 2012 being the highest annual count, and 2008 the second highest.  However, based on the last three days (nominally 800 fish!) perhaps we can break into second place!  We'd need to observe more than 1200 more fish....

See the year to year comparisons here.

So What do the Herring Eat?

We don't fully understand how the herring know when and where to go each year.  However, when they get to Middle Pond and Mystic Lake, they are obviously tired and hungry.

So what are they eating this time of year?

Zooplankton!  More specifically, a type of copepod.  Here's a microscope picture of an actual copepod currently living in Mystic Lake.  

Microcyclops Rubellus

Two days of 300+ fish in 90 Minutes!

We seem to be at the peak of the 2013 run this week.  Wednesday, 4/17, and Saturday, 4/20 both have counts exceeding 300 fish, with a couple of counts still not yet reported.  Friday, 4/19 is also nearly 300 fish for an adjusted 90 minute count.

We also have blown past the previous third best year of the last seven with more than 2000 fish counted to date, three weeks into the annual migration.  See the Year to Year comparison posted here.  Numbers shown in Red on the log indicate that some count reports have not yet been received.

Today is the end of week 3 of the run.  Most migrations last 4-5 weeks, so if you have not counted yet, or would like to count again, now's the time to contact us for that last chance!  The schedule for open counting slots is posted here.

With lots of fish showing up at Mill Pond over the last couple of days, the flume at the entrance to Middle Pond is full of fish.  Stop by and take a look soon, as they march into the ponds!

Middle Pond Flume - 4/21/13

Middle Pond Flume - 4/21/13

 
Several counters have reported the run "boiling" with fish at some hours.  I also saw an osprey carrying a herring, but was still counting, so didn't get a picture.  He was gone by the time I finished my count.

Please send us photos if you get a chance, and we'll post them for all to see!

Triple Digit 10 Minute Counts!

Yesterday, April 17, saw beautiful weather and two triple digit 10 minute counts in mid-afternoon!  We've blown well past the 1000 fish count and seem to be in the thick of the run now.  Our new leaderboard count is

172 Fish in 10 minutes!

What is it like to try to count this many fish?  Yesterday's counter, Ruth, recorded some of the action and posted it on YouTube to share with those of us who haven't yet seen the biggest part of the run.

Here it is :



Several of us have seen the big bird who is also interested in all the goings on.

Photo courtesy counter BG

2013 Leaderboard Fish Count Set Today!

While we haven't set a new high daily count for the 2013 run, we did set a new 10 minute high count of 89 fish!  This counter had also counted earlier in the morning, with a single digit count.  What a difference four hours can make!

We'll continue to post the Leaderboard results as they change going forward to keep it interesting. 

2013 Leaderboard - 89 Fish

The Year to Year totals are updated as well - a red number means the daily reports are not yet completely in.  Today's incomplete total shows just under 1000 fish, and this is with all counts to date adjusted as needed to follow the state protocols.

Keep them coming!

The Long Awaited Year to Year Comparisons!

Well, we are now two weeks into our 2013 count.  With the cooler weather, the run has cooled off a bit, so we're taking the time to update our database.  We were not as prompt in our preparations as the herring were in starting the run.  Anyhow, we've now updated our comparisons to previous years for interest.  The Year to Year Comparisons are located on the Home Screen Link, which is here.

While we have a good start, officially the daily numbers are not as high as previously reported....

Why is that?

In the enthusiasm of the count over the last week, we've had lots of volunteers filling all twelve slots.  When we actually do 12 counts/day, we have to discount them slightly to better follow the state statistical model.  We ideally have three slots filled in every 4 hour window to maintain a 2 way, 3 period, stratified random sample.  Wow - sure sounds like a lot of statistical mumbo jumbo!  It is a bit; however, the state experts have verified that this model will help them better project the actual numbers that pass through our run, since there are also herring that run outside the 12 hour window that we are tracking, as well as the other 50 minutes in each hour.  So by randomly getting 9 counts in 12 hours, with the missed hours being sprinkled throughout the day, not just at the beginning or end of the day, it is more likely that our 90 minutes of daily counts (nine 10 minute counts) will extrapolate to a reasonably accurate projection of a "true" daily count, since we don't have the resources to count continuously.

So while the peak daily count reported on April 10 was for more than 300 fish, that was for 12 intervals, or 120 minutes of counts, so it has been adjusted to 237 fish to reflect 90 minutes of statistical counts.

By properly tracking these adjustments, the state will then extrapolate our 90 minutes of daily data for a complete daily count.

Are there any budding scientists out there who want to learn more?  Drop us a comment and we'll share the state protocol with you, so that you can help calculate the "real" numbers of herring!

They're still coming!

We had a great start to the week with such beautiful weather and now winter is back!  But, on Tuesday we had 214 fish come through, on Wednesday we had 316 and on Thursday we had 263 counted.  So we are really close to that 1000 mark (we're at 990 right now!!!)  Hopefully, after today, the weather will brighten up and warm up and they'll come back in full force.  There are still quite a lot of fish in the river!
Thank you so much to all of the counters!  You are all doing a wonderful job!

Another great day!

We had another great day today, both weather wise and herring wise!  We finished the day with counting 214 fish and yesterday we counted 131 fish going over the board!

It's supposed to get cold again, so I hope we can keep up the momentum with these guys!!

Finally!!!

We had a super day today with fish.  As soon as the weather warmed up a little, the fish showed up!  We had double digits all afternoon!  We counted 103 fish today and that's not even the final total!!  So thank you for putting up with the zero counts all weekend and the really cold wind blowing yesterday.  Let's hope this keeps up!  Tomorrow is supposed to be even warmer than today so keep your fingers crossed...

Remember, if you take any pictures you would like to share, feel free to send them along and we'll put them on the blog!!

And we're trying again...

So, even though the temperatures have been quite low, every day we have been seeing fish coming through.  There haven't been a lot of fish, but we had 3 at 5:00 yesterday and 2 more at 6:00.  So, we're going to go for it!  Please check the calendar everyone!!!  There are a lot of open hours available so let's try to fill in that schedule!!  Dress warmly and be prepared for a lot of zero counts until the weather warms up a little!!

They were here!!!

Well, the fish were here, very briefly.  And then the weather turned.  So, we counted today and got all zero counts.  So, we went up to the flume at Middle Pond, and there they all were!!

 

 

We didn't notice any other fish coming through and the water temps were very low, so we're going to suspend the count for now and keep our eyes open for more fish to come through.  It has to warm up eventually!!

 

 

 

You can see that there were plenty of fish!

 

 

 



Are they here? Or not...

Well, we received news today that there were fish in the run!!  So, we went down to check it out and there were indeed about 20-25 fish.  But, and this is a big BUT, the temperature is supposed to plummet tonight and be cold for the next few days.  So, we will count today and tomorrow and see what happens.  If last year was any indication, the run will stop again until it warms up again.  So, we will keep you posted!