Menunkatuck Annual Report 2023

With great pleasure, we present Menunkatuck’s Annual Report for 2023.

Conservation

View fullsize

Menunkatuck’s UrbanScapes Native Plant Nursery in the Newhallville neighborhood of New Haven is a partnership with Community Placemaking Engagement Network, a neighborhood community action group. We worked with seven neighborhood teens and adults to grow 3500 native perennials and shrubs. We planted many in neighborhood gardens and sold others.

Terry Shaw’s crew continued to install and replace Osprey platforms along Connecticut’s shore.

The Purple Martin colonies at Hammonasset and the Guilford Salt Meadow Sanctuary fledged almost 500 young, with half from Guilford; the Guilford colony has become one of the largest in the state. Tree Swallow nest boxes at Hammonasset, the Ox Pasture Preserve, Guilford Salt Meadow Sanctuary, and West River Memorial Park fledged 300 young birds.

Community Science

The East River Marsh Migration Survey continued with the East River Watershed Research Institute performing additional studies, including water quality monitoring.

The 2022 Christmas Bird Count had Menunkatuck teams scouring the Guilford-Long Island Sound count circle contributing to Audubon’s 122-year-old bird survey.

Advocacy

View fullsize

Lights Out Connecticut, a project to help migrating birds reach their destinations safely by reducing skyglow over our cities, became one of Menunkatuck’s projects. The Connecticut State Legislature passed and the Governor signed a Lights Out law that requires State office buildings to turn their lights out between 11:00 pm and 6:00 am.

Menunkatuck worked with the Audubon Connecticut policy team to pass through the General Assembly two other important laws establishing a Seabird and Shorebird Protection Program and banning the Harvesting of Horseshoe Crabs.

Outreach

Menunkatuck tabled at five events where we publicized our conservation and education activities. Our Facebook page has 2800 followers, and our email list has 1800 subscribers.

Education

Menunkatuck offered 13 Zoom and in-person community programs with an average audience of about 40 people and speakers and attendees from throughout the country.

We continued to stream video from our nest cameras in Clinton, at Hammonasset Beach State Park, and on Falkner Island.

We offered four field trips during the year, including a Bald Eagle watch and a whale watch.

Volunteers and Funding

We had 45 people who donated 2100 person-hours of volunteer time. They installed Osprey platforms, monitored nest boxes, conducted the marsh migration survey, did river cleanups, worked at UrbanScapes, and performed other activities. Their volunteer time was worth more than $70,000.

Menunkatuck leveraged your contributions into grants and gifts totaling more than $5,000.

View fullsize

In addition to maintaining our current projects, during 2023 we plan to use the greenhouse at the Urbanscapes Native Plant Nursery to propagate plants for salt marsh restoration and begin growing native trees for urban forests, establish new native plant demonstration gardens, expand Lights Out Connecticut to include municipal lights out policies, and work to pass through the General Assembly bills to protect wildlife from the indiscriminate use of second-generation rodenticides and to better regulate the use of neonicotinoid insecticides.

Menunkatuck is an all-volunteer organization with no paid staff. The majority of our programs and field trips are free, and any fee we charge is to cover the expenses of a program.

Menunkatuck Annual Report 2022

After two years of Covid restrictions and limitations, Menunkatuck Audubon Society expanded some activities and had significant accomplishments. The chapter territory expanded to by adding Ansonia, Derby, and Seymour. 

Conservation 

View fullsize

Photo:Robin Ladouceur

Menunkatuck’s UrbanScapes Native Plant Nursery in the Newhallville neighborhood of New Haven is a partnership with Community Placemaking Engagement Network, a neighborhood community action group. We worked with seven neighborhood teens and adults growing 3000 native perennials and shrubs. We planted many in neighborhood gardens and sold others. In partnership with Highstead, we had five native plant workshops at the nursery.

Terry Shaw’s crew continued to install and replace Osprey platforms along Connecticut’s shore. 

Menunkatuck is partnering with the Connecticut Ornithological Association and other conservation organizations in Lights Out! Connecticut, a project to help birds reach their destinations safely by reducing skyglow over our cities.

View fullsize

The Purple Martin colonies at Hammonasset and the Guilford Salt Meadow Sanctuary fledged almost 500 young with half from Guilford. Tree Swallow nest boxes at Hammonasset, the Ox Pasture Preserve, Guilford Salt Meadow Sanctuary, and West River Memorial Park fledged 300 young birds. Neither Purple Martin Gourds at the Ewen Farm Preserve in Orange nor West River Memorial Park in New Haven have been colonized yet.

Community Science

The East River Marsh Migration Survey grew to the point where we were able to incorporate it as a separate entity, the East River Watershed Research Institute with additional studies including water quality monitoring.

After canceling the 2020 Christmas Bird Count because of Covid, Menunkatuck had teams scouring the Guilford-Long Island Sound count circle contributing to Audubon’s 122 year old bird survey. .

Advocacy

View fullsize

As part of the Connecticut Forage Fish Alliance, Menunkatuck continued our education and advocacy campaign to save our seabirds from the extinction crisis facing them and advocating for the Forage Fish Conservation Act. Some minor gains were made. The Connecticut State Legislature passed a bill to protect forage fish in the state. A ban on taking of horseshoe crabs except for research and bleeding passed the State House but not the Senate. Other bills concerning balloons, rodenticides, and lights out failed to gain traction. We provided testimony regarding siting offshore wind turbines in the waters off Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Outreach

Before the pandemic Menunkatuck tabled at 8-10 events each year. This year we were able to get back to six events where we publicized our conservation and education activities.

Education

We offered 17 Zoom and in-person programs with an average audience of about 40 people and speakers and attendees from throughout the country.

We continued to stream video from our nest cameras in New Haven, at Hammonasset Beach State Park, and on Falkner Island.

Volunteers & Funding

We had 90 people who donated 1600 person-hours of volunteer time. They installed Osprey platforms, monitored nest boxes, conducted the marsh migration survey, worked at UrbanScapes, and performed other activities. Their volunteer time was worth more than $56,000.

Your contributions to Menunkatuck were leveraged into grants and gifts totaling more than $9,000. We were also the fiscal agent for a $19,200 Guilford Foundation grant to the East River Watershed  Research Institute.

View fullsize

Motos towers are used to track wildlife.

In addition to maintaining our current projects, during 2023 we plan to use the greenhouse at the Urbanscapes Native Plant Nursery to propagate Spartina altiniflora for salt marsh restoration, establish new native plant demonstration gardens, install a Motus tower in the New Harbor area, and distribute nature backpacks to local libraries for loan to patrons.

Menunkatuck is an all-volunteer organization with no paid staff. The majority of our programs and field trips are free, and any fee we charge is simply to cover the expenses of a program.

Hog Island Teen Camp Scholarship - Summer 2022

Do you know a 14-17 year-old birder or nature enthusiast who would be interested in attending a summer camp in Maine?

Menunkatuck Audubon Society is pleased to announce that we are offering an Audubon Hog Island Camp Scholarship to nurture interest in bird study and conservation among young birders and those interested in nature. The 2022 Scholarship will cover the full cost of ($1,690) of the Mountains to Sea Birding for Teens program from June 26-July 1, 2022

Full details are here.

Puffin near Eastern Egg Rock Photo: Jennie Duberstein 

Menunkatuck Audubon Society Accomplishments for 2021

As COVDI-19 restrictions eased, Menunkatuck Audubon Society was able to engage in some activities and make significant accomplishments.

Conservation

Menunkatuck’s UrbanScapes Native Plant Nursery in the Newhallville neighborhood of New Haven is a partnership with Community Placemaking Engagement Network, a neighborhood community action group. We worked with seven neighborhood teens and adults growing 2000 native perennials and shrubs. We planted many in neighborhood gardens and sold others. Thanks to your generosity at last year’s Annual Appeal, we purchased a greenhouse that we will use to get an earlier start on growing plants next spring. UrbanScapes was one of three chapter projects featured during Audubon’s Virtual Convention last summer. 

Terry Shaw’s crew installed more than 10 new and replacement Osprey platforms along Connecticut’s shore. 

Menunkatuck is partnering with the Connecticut Ornithological Association and the Yale Divinity School in Lights Out! New Haven, a project to help birds reach their destinations safely by reducing skyglow over the city.

The Purple Martin colonies at Hammonasset and the Guilford Salt Meadow Sanctuary with 165 fledglings, Tree Swallow nest boxes at Hammonasset, the Ox Pasture Preserve, Guilford Salt Meadow Sanctuary, and West River Memorial Park. We fledged 305 young birds, and Eastern Bluebird nest boxes at the Guilford Salt Meadow Sanctuary and had 14 Eastern Bluebirds fledge. Neither Purple Martin Gourds at the Ewen Farm Preserve in Orange nor West River Memorial Park in New Haven have been colonized yet.

Community Science

View fullsize

COVID-19 prevented us from participating in the 2020 Christmas Bird Count in December.

With the diminishing of the pandemic in late spring and fall, we were able to conduct the East River Marsh Migration Survey with 50 volunteers from our members and friends as well as UConn Researchers and students from Southern Connecticut State University.

Advocacy

As part of the Connecticut Forage Fish Alliance, we continued our education and advocacy campaign to save our seabirds from the extinction crisis facing them, advocating for the Forage Fish Conservation Act. We provided testimony regarding siting offshore wind turbines in the waters off Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Outreach

View fullsize

Mayor Elicker cut the ribbon at the greenhouse.

For the past several years we have been tabling at 8-10 events each year. This year we were only able to do two events, the Orange Country Fair and our Greenhouse Opening celebration at which New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker cut the ribbon.

Education

We offered 21 Zoom programs with an average audience of about 40 people and speakers and attendees from as far away as Australia.

Our streaming video from our nest cameras in New Haven, at Hammonasset Beach State Park, and on Falkner Island continued.

Volunteers & Funding

Amazingly in these difficult times, we had 110 people who donated 2500 person-hours of volunteer time. Working in small groups with all the recommended precautions, they installed Osprey platforms, monitored nest boxes, conducted the marsh migration survey, worked at UrbanScapes, and performed other activities. Their volunteer time was worth more than $70,000.

We were successful in leveraging your contributions into grants and gifts totaling more than $3,000.

In addition to maintaining our current projects including the Osprey platform replacements, nest box monitoring, and streaming nest cam video, during 2022 we plan to use the greenhouse at the Urbanscapes Native Plant Nursery to propagate native plants from seeds, complete nest box trails in Orange, Woodbridge, and North Branford, install a new native plant demonstration garden, expand the East River Marsh Migration Survey, and initiate climate solutions.

Menunkatuck is an all-volunteer organization with no paid staff. The majority of our programs and field trips are free, and any fee we charge is simply to cover the expenses of a program. Members and friends like you play a vital role in supporting our local chapter. With your help, Menunkatuck will continue to serve as the local birding group, environmental educator, and conservation advocate. As always, we welcome your volunteer assistance on any of our projects. 

 Best wishes for a happy holiday season and a better 2022 for us all.

Dennis Riordan, President 

Photos: Robin Ladouceur

Why You Should Do Your Spring Planting in the Fall

Margaret Roach,  in The New York Times last week, reported on an interview with Rebecca McMackin, director of horticulture at Brooklyn Bridge Park. The goals of gardening, says McMackin, are to enhance wildlife and the ecology.

Rather than following the common practice of planting and transplanting in spring, for instance, she suggests shifting virtually all of that activity to autumn — and not cutting back most perennials as the season winds down….

“Why do we plant so much in spring? And why do we hear so much about ample spacing and airflow around plants when, if you look at a meadow, that’s not what you see the plants doing?”

After examining and challenging a number of horticultural wisdoms, she found that some were helpful and others were not….

Gardening is a practice, Ms. McMackin said, “and like any practice it is based on traditions passed down from previous generations.”

But here’s the hitch: “The problem is that many of those people who started the traditions lived in Europe or England several hundred years ago, and kept topiary. They were great at growing plants from all over the world — in foreign environments — and making them do crazy things.”

View fullsize

Wyndcliffe Court

McMackin advocates a different approach.

“Ecological horticulture is animal-centric,” she said. “We encourage the dynamic between plants, wildlife and soil, and strive to figure out how to get those plants to thrive independently of our care. We cultivate gardens with high levels of biodiversity and ecological functionality that can help repair the damage done to this land.”

View fullsize

Diverse native plant garden.

The tradition of spring planting is another aspect of gardening that needs to be examined.

But is spring really the best time for planting, to foster success either horticulturally or ecologically?…

“When we do plant in spring, and then summer arrives, it can be such an extreme environment — hot, dry and windy, too,” she said, and those are hard conditions for plants trying to root in. With a fall planting schedule, the winter that follows is easier on them.

Spring planting is tough on gardeners, too, who have to keep after new installations with regular watering, or risk losing them. Fall planting gives plants time to establish themselves, and some are fully settled by the following summer, so watering isn’t needed then. Peak planting time at the park is from late September through early October or so, with grasses going in earlier in September, for extra rooting time…

View fullsize

At Brooklyn Bridge Park, the gardeners skip most of the traditional fall cutbacks and cleanup. That leaves plenty of seed that can self-sow, or be eaten by birds, and preserves an overwintering habitat in the leaf litter for arthropods. Except where mulch or compost is needed, the approach is hands-off….

Come spring, anything that must be cut back is trimmed in six-inch increments. The chunks are allowed to fall to the ground as mulch, not carted away.

With ecological horticulture and fall planting in mind, now is the time to visit UrbanScapes Native Plant Nursery and choose the perennials and shrubs that will complement your garden next year.

UrbanScapes Native Plant Nursery is located at 133 Hazel St in New Haven. Plants can be ordered online for pick up on Saturdays from 9:30 - 12:00 or you can visit the nursery to pick out plants from our selection of ten native shrubs and 24 native perennials. Shrubs are $20 and $30 and perennials are $10.

Menunkatuck Board adopts EDI statement

At its March 10 meeting the Menunkatuck Board adopted the following statement about Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion,

Just as biodiversity strengthens natural systems, the diversity of human experience strengthens our conservation efforts for the benefit of nature and all people. Menunkatuck Audubon Society must represent and reflect that human diversity, embracing it in all the communities where we work. We are committed to building an anti-racist, equitable, diverse, accessible, fun, and inclusive organization to support birds and people in the chapter area. Respect, inclusion, and opportunity for people of all backgrounds, lifestyles, and perspectives will attract the best ideas and harness the greatest passion to shape a healthier, more vibrant future for all of us who share our planet. We welcome your advice, feedback, questions, constructive criticism, and support as we put this goal into practice.

Menunkatuck also wishes to honor the Indigenous communities native to the chapter area, including the Paugussett, Wepawaug, Quinnipiac, Totocket, Menunkatuck, and Hammonasset people. As we advocate for conservation of the land and its wildlife, we are indebted to the work of Native and Indigenous people who cherished the land for thousands of years before European colonization.