Mike #5

The alewife Mike is named after Dr. Michael Armstrong, Aquatic Biologist IV at the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries (Annisquam River Marine Fisheries Field Station, Gloucester), and also a member of my graduate committee. Mike the river herring was captured in the Ipswich Mills Dam box trap and released there after tagging. Mike was last seen by the stationary receiver at Site 1, downstream of the Ipswich Mills Dam, on May 6, 2007 at 8:03 am.

April 23, 7:00 pm: Mike was captured from the box trap near Site 2 (Ipswich Mills Dam). After being tagged, Mike was released at the trap.

April 24, 7:54 am: Mike spends his first night out of range of the receivers, but arrives early in the morning to Site 3.

April 24,10:57 am: Mike proceeds upstream to Site 4, where the water moves more swiftly. It takes Mike about a half hour to move upstream and out of range of the receiver here.

April 24, 1:38 pm: It's early afternoon, and Mike arrives at Site 5. He passes through the area in only five minutes.

April 24, 6:37 pm: Mike arrives at the Willowdale Dam, Site 6. Due to technical problems with the switch box antenna, we are not sure exactly how long it takes Mike to pass over the fishway. We do know that Mike is not in range of any receiver until...

April 26, 10:16 pm: Mike is seen at the Site 7 receiver, only briefly.

April 27, 2:49 am: After spending the night out of range, Mike reappears at Site 7 in the early morning. He remains within range until 3:14 am, then moves downstream.

April 27, 11:55 am: Mike isn't picked up at the Site 6 (Willowdale Dam receiver) because of problems with the antenna, but he arrives to the Site 5 receiver near noon. He swims by in just four minutes.

April 27, 8:45 pm: Continuing downstream, Mike arrives to the swift waters at Site 4 in the evening.

April 28, 1:21 am: Swimming through the night, Mike makes it to Site 3 in the early morning.

April 28, 4:06 am: Mike keeps on heading downstream, arriving to the area he was released from at Site 2. Mike stays in range for nearly two hours here.

April 28, 11:31 am: Mike is seen upstream at Site 3, swimming in the area here for another two and a half hours. We don't see Mike again until...

April 29, 1:56 am: Again at Site 3, Mike may have been just upstream or downstream out of range overnight.

April 29, 4:41 am: Mike heads downstream and is seen at Site 2 in the early morning. He stays in range for only half an hour then begins moving upstream again.

April 29, 11:40 am: Mike is upstream at Site 3 again, but only remains in range until just after noon. He revisits the receiver again, brieffly, at 7:30 that night.

April 29, 8:18 pm: It doesn't take Mike long to arrive to Site 2 after leaving the range of the receiver at Site 3.

April 30, 7:24 am: Mike is back at Site 3, but then moves out of range. We see him again at 10:55, and early on May 1st.

May 1, 5:29 pm: Mike starts heading further upstream, and is seen in the early evening at Site 4.

May 1, 9:04 pm: Mike is back at Site 5. He is picked up leaving the site at 9:55 the following day.

May 2, 2:33 pm: Because of a sudden power failure at the receiver at Site 4, Mike is next seen downstream at Site 3.

May 2, 7:51 pm: Mike continues to head downstream and is next picked up by the receiver at Site 2.

May 2, 8:02 pm: Mike has passed over the Ipswich Mills Dam and is tracked going past the receiver at Site 1. He is las seen at 8:08 that night, but then makes a return...

May 6, 5:03 am: Mike makes a surprising return to Site 1, and stays in the area of this receiver for three hours.