Friday, May 23, 2025

Amoskeag Fish Ladder


    I had plans to hang with my friend Nicole on Monday. We had hoped to go birding on Plum Island but the forecast was for really strong wind so we ditched those plans. A few rare birds showed up at Swan Point Cemetery so we went there early hoping to see them. We did not see any of the three rare birds reported but did see three other rare species (Lincoln's Sparrow, Yellow Bellied Flycatcher, and Least Flycatcher).

   From there we went to the Amoskeag Fish Ladder in Manchester, NH. The fish ladder side steps a dam on the Merrimack River making it easier for species like herring and shad to reach breeding grounds. I wen t last year and saw a Smallmouth Bass and a Sea Lamprey besides seeing the herring. 

   The viewing area of the fish ladder is open Monday-Friday 9-3 pm. It is weird to me but it is closed on weekends. It is free. There are two windows where you can watch fish in resting steps on the ladder. The room isn't very big and each window is about ten feet across. 

   The water was a little cloudier than when I went last year. We couldn't see the bottom or the other side of the wall. Still, we saw tons of herring. The only other species we saw was one bluegill. We spent about an hour looking at the fish.

   If this is something that interests you the season runs only in the spring while fish are making their way upriver. Check out the Amoskeag Facebook page for dates. The viewing is best on a sunny day because the light penetrates the water and makes it easier to see the fish.



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