Menunkatuck Audubon Society: annual report

Showing posts with label annual report. Show all posts

Saturday, December 7, 2013

Menunkatuck Audubon Society Annual Report 2013

Suzanne Botta Sullivan reports on the past year’s activities

I am pleased to report that 2013 was another outstanding year for Menunkatuck Audubon Society. With your financial support and the hard work of the Chapter Board members and many volunteers we have conducted a vast array of programs, field walks, and conservation studies, worked on habitat restoration, increased our partnerships, and much more. With great pride, we list here for your review the significant accomplishments achieved in 2013.

Conservation

The Hammonasset Beach State Park Purple Martin and Tree Swallow Project continued with careful monitoring of five purple martin houses with 60 compartments and 31 tree swallow boxes. Nesting attempts by European starlings and house sparrows are discouraged and as a result success rates for both the purple martin colonies and the tree swallows have flourished (143 purple martin fledged and 114 tree swallows fledged).

Grants from the Audubon Collaborative Grant ($1500) and the Connecticut Ornithological Association ($300) provided funds to help purchase two solar powered sound systems to play recordings to attract purple martins and chimney swifts.

Four kestrel nest boxes were installed at the East River Preserve and the Dudley Preserve in Guilford.

Our partnership with the Northeast Connecticut Kestrel Project continued with securing a $3500 grant from the Nuttall Ornithological Club’s Blake-Nuttall Fund. The grant will be used for geolocator deployment with American kestrels in an attempt to better understand the population movements of central Connecticut’s threatened falcon.

Menunkatuck expanded its role in New Haven by working with Audubon Connecticut, US Fish and Wildlife Service, Common Ground High School, and other organizations in the USFWS establishment of the New Haven Harbor Watershed Urban Wildlife Refuge Partnership, the second such refuge announced by USFWS.

We partnered with the West Haven Watershed Restoration Committee in getting an Audubon IBA Small Matching Grant for $2500 for the Sandy Point Bird Sanctuary Enhancement Project. Non-native invasive plants were removed in the fall. Native species will be planted in spring.

Your support of Menunkatuck Audubon Society helped us secure the following grants and matching grants for us and our partners in 2013.

Audubon Collaborative Grant - $1500

Connecticut Ornithological Association Small Grant - $300

Nuttall Ornithological Club’s Blake-Nuttall Fund - $3500

Audubon IBA Small Matching Grant - $2500

Citizen Science

Our partnership with the Project Limulus horseshoe crab tagging surveys had more than 27 volunteers conduct 16 surveys.

Menunkatuck members participated in Audubon Connecticut’s spring and fall bird migration surveys to identify critical stopover habitat.

Advocacy

Menunkatuck took the lead on an move to institute a ban on balloons in all state parks. Balloons are a serious problem for birds and other wildlife. Menunkatuck’s proposal to DEEP for banning balloons was sent to other Audubon Chapters in Connecticut as well as other environmental groups. Seven other organizations sent letters of support.

Education and Outreach

The Birdathon was held in May. Menunkatuck and The Audubon Shop participated together and more than 100 species were recorded.

As part of the New Haven Harbor Watershed Urban Wildlife Refuge Partnership, Menunkatuck worked with local high school students in migratory bird surveys and in two invertebrate surveys.

We participated in the Yale Peabody Museum’s Earth Day program, the New Haven Migration Festival, and in the Hammonasset Festival.

General Public Meeting

Public programs are held monthly on the second Wednesday of each month (except July and August). Last year the meetings featured a variety of topics and speakers, including programs on birding in South Africa, snakes of Connecticut, a live porcupine, and landscaping with native plants. Our meetings are free and open to the public.

Field Programs

This year Menunkatuck provided four exciting field programs, including a woodcock search at the Guilford Salt Meadows Sanctuary, a spring trip to Central Park and the New York Historical Society’s Audubon watercolors exhibition in New York, and a fall walk at Lake Saltonstall.

Newsletter

The newsletter is printed six times per year. In addition to informing our members and friends about Menunkatuck’s activities and events we include Cindi Kobak’s “Bio-bits” natural history essays. The Newsletter also includes tips on going green and information about upcoming events in our chapter area. Citizen Science highlighted six opportunities for helping scientists with their research. The newsletter is also available online as a PDF. Getting your newsletter electronically saves Menunkatuck about $5.00 per member.

Web Site

Menunkatuck maintains a web site that features a blog, a photo gallery, and a variety of educational information and links. We are also on Facebook with frequent posts with photos, event notices, and links to bird and environmental articles on the Internet.

Volunteers

Menunkatuck volunteers contributed more than 1200 man-hours to conservation, advocacy education, and outreach activities.

Conclusion

As you can see, Menunkatuck is a leader in environmental education, conservation, and advocacy. Please join the Menunkatuck Board in making 2014 an even better year. If you can become more involved please e-mail me at president@menunkatuck.org or speak to any Board member at any event.

~Suzanne Botta Sullivan
(From the January 2014 newsletter.)

Monday, December 17, 2012

Menunkatuck Audubon Society Annual Report 2012

Suzanne Botta Sullivan reports on the past year’s activities

I am pleased to report that 2012 was another outstanding year for Menunkatuck Audubon Society. With your financial support and the hard work of the Chapter Board members and many volunteers we have conducted a vast array of programs, field walks, and conservation studies, worked on habitat restoration, increased our schoolyard habitat programs, and much more. With great pride, we list here for your review the significant accomplishments achieved in 2012.

“What struck me is that it is the individual people and the group as a whole that make what you are doing so extra special. The depth and enthusiasm of your Menunkatuck Audubon board is truly amazing. Your board has diversity of age and experience, strong ties to the community, and the expertise of professional educators.“

-Diane Lewis, Special Consultant to David Yarnold, President, National Audubon Society

Conservation

The Hammonasset Beach State Park Purple Martin and Tree Swallow Project, begun in 2005, continues to produce outstanding results. Nesting attempts by European starlings and house sparrows have been reduced and astonishingly high success rates for both the purple martin colonies and the tree swallows has followed (180 purple martin fledged and 151 tree swallows fledged).

A fifth osprey platform was installed in the Park. Nesting ospreys used all of the new platforms.

Two kestrel nest boxes were installed at the Guilford Salt Meadows Sanctuary with additional boxes planned for other sites in Guilford.

Terry Shaw completes the installation of a kestrel nest box at the Guilford Salt Meadows Sanctuary.

Grants from the Audubon Collaborative Grant and the Environmental Professionals’ Organization of Connecticut program provided funds for supporting our partner Northeast Connecticut Kestrel Project with nest box predator guards and radio tracking equipment.

In partnership with the Madison Conservation Commission Menunkatuck continued the Dune Restoration Project at West Wharf in Madison. Additional beach grass plugs were planted.

Dune grass plugs are planted at the West Wharf dune in Madison.

Additional fishing line recycling bins were installed at boat launches and fishing spots.

Citizen Science

Menunkatuck concluded its partnership with the Connecticut Amphibian Monitoring Project (C.A.M.P.) monitoring a 2.5 square mile area for amphibians. The statewide study sponsored by the Connecticut DEEP and Connecticut Science Center ended its 15-year data collection.

Our partnership with the Project Limulus horseshoe crab tagging surveys had more than 60 volunteers conduct 21 surveys.

Menunkatuck members participated in Audubon Connecticut’s spring and fall bird migration surveys to identify critical stopover habitat.

A partnership with the Seabird Ecological Assessment Network was initiated. SEANET recruits volunteers to survey beaches for sick and dead seabirds.

Advocacy

Menunkatuck partnered with Audubon Connecticut, Quinnipiac Valley Audubon Society, and other conservation organizations in Improving Water Quality and Wildlife Habitat in the Quinnipiac River Watershed. A series of films were shown at the Yale Peabody Museum and at venues in the Wallingford area. A public forum with area legislators was also held. The project is supported by a grant to Audubon Connecticut from the Quinnipiac River Fund.

Another new partnership is with Balloons Blow, an organization that publicizes the harmful effects of balloons on wildlife and the environment.

A rusty blackbird got entangled in balloon string.

Education and Outreach

The Birdathon was held in May. The day was a great success. Menunkatuck and The Audubon Shop participated together and a total of more than 100 species were counted.

Menunkatuck continued to support King-Robinson Magnet School in New Haven. In June we sponsored two programs by A Place Called Hope live birds of prey program.

The Audubon at Home Schoolyard Habitat Program included construction of a large courtyard planter for a hummingbird/butterfly garden at King-Robinson. Audubon Connecticut was awarded a grant by the Carolyn Foundation to partner with Menunkatuck on expanding the program by establishing a wildlife meadow, equipment purchases, and teacher training.

The planter at King-Robinson is constructed with Timbersil, a non-toxic treated wood, and cedar.

Melissa Jones Elementary School in Guilford was given an AAH Healthy Habitat award for its schoolyard gardens and environmentally friendly school culture.

Melissa Jone Elementary School students pose with the Audubon at Home Healthy Habitat sign.

Abraham Baldwin Middle School in Guilford had an AAH habitat assessment in May and during the summer implemented many of its recommendations. Sue Kennedy obtained grants from the Guilford Fund for Education and the Guilford Foundation. With the assistance of students from the Guilford High School Environmental Club a courtyard was converted from an area overgrown with day lilies to a garden with diverse bird and butterfly attracting plants. Art and science teachers used the garden during the fall for curriculum-related studies.

A Baldwin student sketches in the new school garden.

Film Series

Film screenings continued in partnership with Audubon Connecticut and the Blackstone Library. Eight independent documentaries on environmental issues were shown to excellent reviews.

Among the films shown was Mad City Chickens.

General Public Meeting

Public programs are held monthly on the second Wednesday of each month (except July and August). Last year the meetings featured a variety of topics and speakers, including programs on birding in Colombia, ticks, a trip to the Galapagos Islands, and the Connecticut River watershed. Our meetings are free and open to the public.

Field Programs

This year Menunkatuck provided four exciting field programs, including a woodcock search at Durham Meadows, a spring trip to the Livingston Ripley Waterfowl Conservancy in Litchfield, and a fall walk at Hammonasset.

Newsletter

Web Site

Volunteers

Menunkatuck volunteers contributed more than 700 man-hours to conservation, advocacy, education, and outreach activities.

Conclusion

Menunkatuck continues to be a leader in environmental education, conservation, and advocacy. Please join the Menunkatuck Board in making 2013 an even better year. If you can become more involved please e-mail me at president@menunkatuck.org or speak to any Board member at any event.

~Suzanne Botta Sullivan

Sunday, December 18, 2011

Menunkatuck Audubon Society Annual Report 2011

Suzanne Botta Sullivan reports on the past year’s activities

I am pleased to report that 2011 was another outstanding year for Menunkatuck Audubon Society. With your financial support and the hard work of the Chapter Board members and many volunteers we have conducted a vast array of programs, field walks, and conservation studies, worked on habitat restoration, initiated Audubon at Home schoolyard gardens, and much more. With great pride, we list here for your review the significant accomplishments achieved in 2011.

Conservation

The Hammonasset Beach State Park Purple Martin and Tree Swallow Project, begun in 2005, continues to produce outstanding results. With close monitoring, nesting attempts by European starlings and house sparrows have been interrupted and astonishingly high success rates for both the purple martin colonies and the tree swallows has followed (125 purple martin fledged and 135 tree swallows fledged).

A fifth Osprey Platform was built and is waiting for a predator guard before it is installed in the Park. Funding for the materials for the platform came from generous gift from one of our members. All of the new platforms were used by nesting ospreys; unfortunately, only two fledged, the rest having been taken by great horned owls.

The project to Clear Willards Island of Non-native Invasive Plants continues with Menunkatuck and the DEEP working together to prepare the area for planting native shrubs.

An Audubon IBA Grant and an Audubon Collaborative Grant provided funds for planting 440 native fruit- and berry-bearing plants at the Guilford Salt Meadows Sanctuary.

In partnership with the Madison Conservation Commission, Menunkatuck started a Dune Restoration Project at West Wharf in Madison. Non-native invasive plants were removed, beach sand was added, and 8100 beach grass plugs were planted.

Menunkatuck continues as a partner in Connecticut Amphibian Monitoring Project (C.A.M.P.) monitoring a 2.5 square mile area for amphibians. The monitoring is part of a statewide 15-year study sponsored through the Connecticut DEEP and Connecticut Science Center. Two years remain on this study to establish a base line of data on amphibian populations in Connecticut. Volunteers are trained to identify the 22 species of amphibians native to Connecticut and on how to use standard amphibian census techniques like frog call surveys, salamander cover searches, and night road transects for migrating amphibians.

Our partnership with the Project Limulus horseshoe crab tagging surveys had more than 40 volunteers conduct 24 surveys and tag 975 horseshoe crabs, almost triple last years’s total.

Fishing line recycling bins were installed at six area boat launches and fishing spots.

Advocacy

Menunkatuck partnered with Audubon Connecticut, Quinnipiac Valley Audubon Society, and other conservation organizations in Improving Water Quality and Wildlife Habitat in the Quinnipiac River Watershed. A series of films is being shown at the Yale Peabody Museum and at venues in the Wallingford area. Public forums with area legislators are also scheduled. The project is supported by a grant to Audubon Connecticut from the Quinnipiac River Fund.

Education and Outreach

The Birdathon was held in May. The day was a great success. Menunkatuck and The Audubon Shop participated together and a total of more than 100 species were counted.

Menunkatuck continued to support King/Robinson Magnet School in New Haven. In June we sponsored two programs by A Place Called Hope live birds of prey program. In October we provided the transportation for 140 6th, 7th, and 8th graders to travel to Hammonasset to study the ecology of Long Island Sound.

Audubon at Home

Menunkatuck began Audubon at Home activities in the Chapter area. Two AAH schoolyard gardens were begun. Lorrie Shaw obtained a grant from the Guilford Fund for Education to convert two areas at Melissa Jones Elementary School to hummingbird and butterfly gardens. A grant from the National Resource Conservation Service is being used to establish a hummingbird and butterfly planter garden at King/Robinson Magnet School in New Haven.

Film Series

Menunkatuck began a series of film screenings in partnership with Audubon Connecticut and the Blackstone Library. Eight independent documentaries on environmental issues were shown to excellent reviews.

General Public Meeting

Public programs are held monthly on the second Wednesday of each month (except July and August). Last year the meetings featured a variety of topics and speakers, including programs on birding in Iraq, live raptors from A Place Called Hope, a trip to Namibia and Botswana, and a close look at invertebrates. Our meetings are free and open to the public.

Field Programs

This year Menunkatuck provided seven exciting field programs, including a duck/eagle hop along the Connecticut River, a woodcock search at Durham Meadows, a spring trip to the RWA Big Gulph Recreation Area in North Branford, and a fall trip to the Livingston Ripley Waterfowl Conservancy in Litchfield.

Newsletter

Web Site

Volunteers

Menunkatuck volunteers contributed more than 650 man-hours to conservation, advocacy, education, and outreach activities.

Conclusion

Menunkatuck continues to be a leader in environmental education, conservation, and advocacy. Please join the Menunkatuck Board in making 2012 a truly banner year. If you can become more involved please e-mail me at president@menunkatuck.org or speak to any Board member at any event.

~Suzanne Botta Sullivan