Pre-orders are recommended as not all plants on the list will be available the day of the sale. All plant orders MUST be received by MAY 10 and can be picked up May 19-20. Native plant enthusiasts are also welcome to choose from available stock on the days of the plant sale.
First, however, come to the Parade Grounds Sat. May 5 at 3 p.m. for a brief tour and a tutorial by the experts on the best way to count birds. The University of Delaware team of Adam Mitchell, Emily Baisden and Will Aleida will lead the bird count and be available to answer all questions about migratory birds.
FIConservancy President Tom Sargent and his wife Allison will host a reception at their house Sat. May 5 at 6:30 p.m. for all those participating in the Spring Migration Bird Count and for anyone else interested in meeting the University of Delaware experts.
The Spring Migration Bird Count begins Sun. May 6 at 8 a.m. Meet at the Community Center and bring your binoculars!
Restored grassland at Parade Grounds.
It is hard to believe that spring is upon us when the biggest snow storm of the season has just blanketed the east coast. But Red Wing Blackbirds have returned to the island and the White Throated Sparrow could be heard calling “Sam Peabody Sam Peabody” shortly thereafter – a sure sign that the seasonal shift is now upon us.
Tom Sargent
Soon, many of us will be returning to Fishers Island and to the beauty and serenity that the island provides. With summer fast approaching, we at the Fishers Island Conservancy have been getting to work planning exciting initiatives and programs. One of our first yearly projects is our seasonal burn that took place in February in partnership with the Fire Department. Our ongoing work will continue in the Sanctuary with remediation to tackle invasives while over seeding with native grasses and wild flowers. Look for additional bird boxes to provide nesting spots for the Eastern Bluebird as well as abundant Tree Swallows.
Stop by the Demonstration Garden and see how well it fared over the winter and watch it slowly wake with the longer days. Sit on one of the benches and observe the host of wildlife that our native flora attracts. We will have more benches throughout the sanctuary to invite contemplation and a chance to disconnect for a little while. Perhaps you will catch a glimpse of the Northern Harriers that call the sanctuary home. It’s a truly wonderful sight.
The Conservancy will continue to work with Professors Doug Tallamy and Adam Mitchell from the University of Delaware. We will hold our Spring Migration Bird Count the first weekend in May, which promises to be enlightening and fun. All are welcome to go birding with some of the best. The Weed Team from the university will be returning again this June so please say hello when you see them in the field. We will be joined by the Delaware folks in both July and August for the Conservancy’s Sunset on the Beach (Saturday July 21st) as well as Nature Days (Aug.11th). Please stay tuned for specific program events.
In addition to our work in the Sanctuary, our island naturalist Justine Kibbe, has been continuing to engage our students in the Island Sentinels program. She also provides real time year round observations that enhance our understanding of the island’s place in the natural world. We will be welcoming back those involved in eco friendly mosquito control and will perform occasional water testing to assure our beaches and waterways stay as clean as possible. As always, we will work in concert with homeowners to offer remediation plans to further eradicate the “foreign invaders” that disrupt and overwhelm our native species.
As you think of the coming summer and the precious beauty of the Atlantic coast, please remember the Fishers Island Conservancy in your giving plans. Your donation is greatly appreciated.
For the Conservancy,
Tom Sargent, President
Battery Marcy, after the 2018 prescribed burn.
In February, FIConservancy proceeded with its annual prescribed burn. The burn is critical to maintaining grassland restoration. We are grateful for our partnership with the Fishers Island Fire Department for the annual burns and with the Fishers Island Ferry District for the opportunity to establish grassland restoration on grounds owned by Southold and managed by the Ferry District. Click for more information on: Why We Burn.
FIFerry District 2018 Burn Plan
Plum Island Lighthouse. JT Ahrens photo
“Years of observation and research show that Plum Island is an extremely important migratory rest stop, critical home and breeding ground for a wide variety of birds (reportedly in the 100s), fish, and other land and marine mammals.”
– By Jane T. Ahrens
Editor, FishersIsland.net
Olivia Backhaus
Olivia Backhaus, 21, lives in Stonington, CT. She first came to Fishers Island School in seventh grade and graduated in 2014. 2017 was her fifth summer working as a Sentinel for FIConservancy. Her interest in biology was sparked by the experiential nature of the science curriculum at FI School, which used the Island as a living laboratory for learning biology.
Olivia assumed a leadership position in 2016, training and overseeing members of the Sentinel team and assisting with other FIConservancy programs, such as Nature Days. She also spent the summer collating and analyzing daily data collected by the Sentinels and by Justine. Working as a Sentinel has inspired Olivia to major in Biology and minor in Environmental Studies at Sewanee: The University of the South. In the future, she plans to practice environmental law.
Gardner Thors
Gardner Thors, 15, lives in New York City and is a sophomore at Groton School in Massachusetts. He has been a Sentinel for three years, after first volunteering for one summer. As a city kid, he doesn’t get to experience nature and wildlife except for the landscaped Central Park and the infamous pigeons and squirrels of the city. Fishers Island is his wildlife sanctuary. Gardner has been summering here for as long as he can remember, and Fishers holds a special place in his heart. That is why he chose to play a part in the preservation of this environment. Gardner looks forward to learning more about the Island’s ecosystems and sharing what he learns with the Island community. His brother, Wilson, is also a passionate Sentinel.
Wilson Thors
Wilson Thors lives in New York City and is a freshman at Groton School in Massachusetts. 2017 was his first summer as a Sentinel, although he volunteered to monitor for FIConservancy last year. He joined the Sentinel program, because he was curious about his brother’s experiences as a Sentinel. Wilson has always appreciated the natural beauty of Fishers Island, but now he has a deeper love of the Island since learning more about animals and learning that we share this great place with the wildlife.
Kain Upson
Kain Upson grew up summering on Fishers Island, surrounded by the wildlife he now has the privilege of monitoring. 2017 was his first summer as an Island Sentinel. His special interest in biology, and eventually environmental biology, began during his senior year in high school, when a “fantastic” biology teacher was able to steer him in the right scientific direction. He is looking forward to sharing many more summers with the returning migratory and resident animals, who call Fishers Island home.
Conor Wakeman
Conor Wakeman, 19, of Greenwich, Conn., grew up summering on Fishers Island and is a sophomore at University of Pennsylvania studying economics. Conor spent three years as an Island Sentinel and was an emeritus Sentinel in 2017. After seeing an article about Justine Kibbe’s conservation efforts on the Island, he decided to use his love for the environment and wildlife science to help improve the ecological wellbeing of Fishers Island.
Since he loves spending time with nature and watching animals, Conor thought it was a great opportunity to collect data that would help understand this unique environment. During his time as a Sentinel, he worked on improving the efficiency of data collection and helped facilitate research about organizations such as Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute. With his expanding knowledge of the local ecosystem and shifting animal populations, he hopes to raise awareness of FIConservancy and help preserve the Island’s pristine environment.
– Audio Chat by Justine Kibbe October 1, 2017.
I chat with lifelong Islander John Peishoff about the necessity and importance of Fishers Island Stewardship. To date, he’s picked-up, hauled, and taken to the dump 889 wire Lobster pots-line them together; that’s over a half mile!
by Adam Mitchell, PhD candidate at the University of Delaware
The Fishers Island Conservancy’s annual fall migratory bird survey occurred on September 24th, 2017. The survey consisted of a series of point counts, 15 in total, dispersed across the island at every half-mile interval. At each point, birds are recorded by sight and sound for five minutes, permitting a rapid-fire survey to address questions about the number of birds and species of birds using the island as migratory habitat. Participants include trained and amateur birdwatchers and is open to the public.
This year, a total of 48 species of bird were recorded for the survey. The greatest number of species recorded during the survey (9 species) occurred at point 1 (Race Point), point 4 (Ocean View Ave), and point 15 (Money Pond). The species of bird most frequently observed during the survey was the gray catbird (11 of 15 points). The most abundant bird species observed during the survey was also the gray catbird (35 individuals).
The survey includes one threatened species (northern harrier) and two species of concern (osprey, sharp-shinned hawk) for the state of New York. Given the island’s proximity to the coast of Connecticut, we also report bird species that are classified as endangered, threatened, or species of concern for that state. We report two endangered species (northern harrier, sharp-shinned hawk), and four species of concern (American kestrel, brown thrasher, northern parula, saltmarsh sharp-tailed sparrow). We detected 5 species of warbler (common yellowthroat, northern parula, prairie warbler, yellow-rumped warbler, and yellow warbler).
A complete list of species:
American crow
American goldfinch
American kestrel
American robin
Barred owl
Belted kingfisher
Black-capped chickadee
Black vulture
Blue jay
Brown thrasher
Canada goose
Carolina wren
Cedar waxwing
Common grackle
Common raven
Common yellowthroat
Double-crested cormorant
Downy woodpecker
Eastern kingbird
Eastern phoebe
Eastern towhee
European starling
Gray catbird
Greater black-backed gull
Herring gull
House finch
Mallard
Mourning dove
Mute swan
Northern cardinal
Northern flicker
Northern harrier
Northern mockingbird
Northern parula
Osprey
Prairie warbler
Red-bellied woodpecker
Red-wing blackbird
Ruby-throated hummingbird
Saltmarsh sharp-tailed sparrow
Sharp-shinned hawk
Song sparrow
Tree swallow
Tufted titmouse
White-breasted nuthatch
White-eyed vireo
Yellow-rumped warbler
Yellow warbler
Out in the field I caught up with Conservancy’s Autumn Bird Migration Survey and chatted with birds of a feather Adam Mitchell & Will Almeida; discovering 48 bird species in a day that depend on our Island’s healthy native habitat.
– Audio Chat by Justine Kibbe September 24, 2017
In the photo, the group obsessed over a variety of bird called a brown thrasher.
Photo by: A. Sargent