Syracuse.com - Figura writing about new Orwell Brook sea lamprey barrier, great blue heron rookery in Sterling (June 6-9)

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I'm gathering comments and photos from readers on how their father influenced their love for the outdoors. Deadline for submitting both is 10 a.m. Tuesday. Send them to [email protected].

An adult great blue heron is surrounded by its young. Now is the prime time to view is eye-opening nesting area, located at the Sterling Nature Center. And by the way, it's one of the locations listed on The Figura Challenge.Mike Greenlar | [email protected] 

Interesting week. I'm sore from shoveling a ton or so of mulch into the flower beds around my house and from hiking this past weekend up Mt. Washington, N.H.

Apart from that, here's the stories I'm working on this week and the next:

- A new sea lamprey barrier/trap that was dedicated on Orwell Brook (a tributary of Salmon River)

- Birds that prey on the young of other birds this time of year (particularly crows)

- The great blue heron rookery up at Sterling Nature Center (it's prime viewing time right now)

- A wrapup of a recent trout fishing venture on the Battenkill (a river that spills into the Hudson River from the east, just south of Lake George.

For Father's Day weekend:

- A collection of reader comments and submitted photos about how their father influenced their love for the outdoors. Deadline for submitting comments (keep to 200 words, is 10 a.m. Tuesday). Send your comments and photos to [email protected]

- Annual Father's Day wildlife photography contest..

Coming up:

- I spend some time at the new DEC training school for environmental conservation officers and forest rangers.

- The marked increase of memberships at local rod and gun clubs in the wake of the SAFE Act.

- A precede story to the opening day of bass fishing season. (June 15).

- A Cicero man who's dedicated to improving the population of purple martins in Central New York.

I laid out the "The Figura Challenge" over the Memorial Day weekend -- challenging readers to to check out 15 Central New York outdoors destinations during the summer. Several readers have already taken me up on it and I'm getting comments and pictures.

Each Thursday on this blog through the summer, I'll give an update on reactions, stories and photos submitted by readers about their travels to these destinations.

Send your impressions and photos of the places you visit on the list to [email protected],

Two new occasional features:

1). "Keeping Watch" a weekly or bi-weekly report from the Region 7 DEC office noting the fional dispositions of recent tickets issued by local conservation officers. Only ones where the defendant has pleaded guilty or is found guilty will be listed.

2). "Ask the Outdoors Guy" a weekly posting noting a question or questions from readers about the outdoors. If I can't provide an answer, I'll find someone who will. Send your questions to d[email protected].

ANYTHING ELSE READERS OF THIS REPORT WOULD LIKE TO SEE ME WRITE ABOUT?

The effectiveness of this report is two-fold. First, it lets readers know what's coming up story-wise. It also allows readers a chance to affect coverage and provide sources for upcoming stories. Bottom line: Keep in touch and give input. You could make a difference as to what appears week to week on the outdoors page! Email me at [email protected] or call 470-6066.

If you want to join The Post-Standard's Outdoors Group and get this emailed directly to you, subscribe here..

FIGURA ON FACEBOOK:

For those who are on Facebook, I also have a PS Outdoors page, which I check several times daily for feedback and story ideas. I also post personal fishing and hunting and other outdoors-related photos from time to time and I ask members to do the same. When you join, please be sure and hit the "like" button.

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog