Multiple people reported late afternoon beaver sightings on the West End in April. The first was April 18 near the airport, and the second was April 19 at the Gatehouse. This is a good thing! Beavers are critical to the healthy ecology of streams and wetlands.
The Fishers Island Fire Department (FIFD) reported a successful planned burn Mar. 27 of 36.04 acres of restored grasslands along the airport runway and on the Parade Grounds. But what do our volunteers actually do to conduct a safe burn in specifically prescribed areas? Don Beck, FIConservancy Board Member and Fishers Island Club golf course superintendent explains…
Piping Plover pair returns to Fishers Island. House hunting on Sanctuary of Sands, South Beach.
FIConservancy Naturalist Justine Kibbe has been monitoring Piping Plovers in the South Beach area of Fishers Island for several years. Officially designated a “threatened” species, Piping Plovers are named for their melodic mating call.
Piping plovers eat freshwater and marine invertebrates that wash up on shore. They require a specific habitat to survive and are therefore an indicator of the “health” of a marine area. Their speckled eggs blend seamlessly into the coastal environment. Please tread lightly.
Fishing vessel “All for Joy”, with yellow spill boom in place, is secured to a barge at Mohawk Northeast, Inc., Thames River, New London/Groton CT. Joe & Tracy Brock Photo
It took 20 days, but the capsized fishing vessel “All for Joy” was finally removed from the mouth of Hay Harbor at 6:05 p.m. Mar. 30.
The commercial fishing vessel capsized south of the Race March 10 and eventually came to rest at the mouth of Hay Harbor, leaking fuel that reached to the shore of Fishers Island. Two fishermen were rescued unharmed.
By 6:30 a.m. March 12, the smell of diesel fuel was “overpowering” on the north side of the Island, particularly at North Hill west past Hay Harbor. Heavy winds and seas prevented divers from safely capping the leaking fuel at that time, because there were too many hazardous pieces hanging and floating around the capsized vessel.
According to the US Coast Guard, all of the tanks on the vessel had been capped by Mar. 13. The current, tide and winds took the fuel into Hay Harbor and along Stony Beach. A crew from Clean Harbors walked the shoreline Mar. 14 to mop up any remaining oil with absorbent pads. They also deployed absorbent booms in those areas where oil was most prevalent. (Reporting by Jane T. Ahrens.)
