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In Westbrook, Their Help was for the Birds

In just one year, the efforts of Friends of the Westbrook Barrier Islands are already bearing fruit—or at least yielding eggs.

Even though two of the three offshore islands, Menunketesuck and Duck, are officially closed to public entry during the spring and summer seasons to protect bird nesting areas, this has not always kept visitors away. To protect the birds and their nesting areas, a group of local residents banded together a year ago as the Friends of the Westbrook Barrier Islands.

The group’s mission was two-fold: first, offer public education to help visitors and residents understand the value and importance of protecting the islands’ bird nesting areas; second, commit to conduct routine patrols of the islands to monitor the nesting areas and make sure visitors did not land on the prohibited islands.

Last week, the Friends met for an end-of-season lunch to take stock of their progress and to recognize those individuals and organizations that had helped the Friends achieve success.

The Westbrook islands this summer were home to the largest least tern colonies ever, according to Rick Potvin, refuge manager for Westbrook’s Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge, Salt Marsh Unit.

At Menunketesuck Island, Audubon Society representative Lewis Martin said that for the first time, five pairs of oyster catchers nested there and, also for the first time, a pair of piping plovers, an endangered bird species, was seen attempting to nest there.

Both Potvin and Martin credited the efforts of the Friends of the Westbrook Barrier Islands and their partners with this year’s marked increase in bird nesting populations at the islands. Specifically, it was the group’s work to educate youth and adults about the shore birds and nesting areas and the Friends’ routine marine patrols that were responsible.

“You guys are the Friends who did that. Thank you for all your support,” said Potvin. “The birds couldn’t have done without the help from you, the Friends.”

At the volunteer recognition lunch, Friends’ President John Rie gave out Environmental Champions awards to individuals, organizations, and businesses that had supported the Friends’ island patrol, bird nest protection, and public education initiatives.

First to receive an award last week were State Representative Devin Carney and State Senator Art Linares, Jr., for their work to arrange a meeting with the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP) to discuss the barrier islands and to secure a commitment from DEEP to complete a management plan for the barrier islands within 18 months.

B.J. Helander was recognized for her work to develop a logo for the new Friends group. Harry Ruppenicker of Harry’s Marine Repair and the Pier 76 marina were thanked for offering slips for the Friends’ patrol boats. Pilots Point Marina was recognized for providing access to a larger boat to take students to the barrier islands. The Town of Westbrook earned thanks for the help provided by Tom ODell, chair of the Conservation Commission, and by Public Works Manager John Riggio for his help picking up and moving signs.

“We’ve been trying to educate the public on the value of the [barrier] islands,” said Rie.

At the beginning of the 2015 bird nesting season, Rie said that the Friends’ had posted new warning signs on Menunketesuck and Salt Island to alert the public that they were closed to protect bird nesting areas and on Duck Island to mark the nesting areas that visitors should avoid. Those signs were recently removed by the Friends now that nesting season is over.

Also recognized at last week’s event was Daisy Ingraham Principal Ruth Rose for her continuing support for the bird education program, The Nature of Learning, taught by Potvin to Daisy 4th graders.

The Nature of Learning

The Nature of Learning education initiative is the highest-rated U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) outreach program in the nation. It was originally developed by USFWS in partnership with the Friends of the Norwalk Islands.

With the help of Potvin, in 2014 nearly 60 Daisy Ingraham Elementary School’s 4th graders benefited from the program and in 2015, 50. The annual program, delivered in each of the past few years, teaches all of the school’s 4th graders about shore birds and the importance of protecting their barrier island nesting areas. The educational unit is divided into two 90-minute classroom sessions and one 90 minute field trip to take the 4th graders and their teachers by boat to Duck Island.

Students learn generally about bird classifications, characteristics, and habitats through hands-on activities and games. Specifically, they are taught about the habitats and birds of the town’s three barrier islands—Duck, Menunketesuck, and Salt—before going out by boat to visit them. They also learn how use by people can be balanced with bird protection on the barrier islands.