ISHRA NEWSLETIER Islesof Shoals Historical and Researchassociation Volume 7 Number 1 February 1998
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, f ISHRA NEWSLETIER Islesof Shoals Historical and ResearchAssociation Volume 7 Number 1 February 1998 FAll MEETING (from Secretary Don Bassett's minutes) he meeting was held at Tthe Seacoast Science Center at 7pm on Tuesday, November 11, 1997. President Bob Hochstetler opened the meeti ng. The minutes of the last meet- ing, a copy of which were ava i Iable for perusa I before the meeti ng, were accepted without correc- tion. Bob asked members willing to serve as officers or directors to contact Wendy Lull (Seacoast Science Center: 603-436- Committee Reports 8043), chairperson of the Nominations Committee. Several positions will be open, including all the offi- Collections cers. Bob recommended that the treasurer, to be Maryellen Burke reported that many manuscripts elected, have access to a computer and a Quicken from the Vaughn Collection on Star Island have program. He also distributed a printout of courses been sent to the Portsmouth Athenaeum to provide a that will be available at the Shoals Marine Lab next safe environment and constant temperature for summer and announced that Ernestine Firth would preservation as well as making the material more have copies of her booklet of poems, Star Songs, for accessible for research. Maryellen asked for help in sale after the meeting. finding a primary source record of Celia Thaxter's Treasurer Bob Tuttle reported that ISHRA started birthplace on Daniel Street in Portsmouth. She the year on January 1, 1997, with a balance of $3, wants to verify this before suggesting that ISHRA 362.00. Transactions during the year resulted in an consider putting a plaque at the site. income of $11,890.00 (principally from the receipt of deposits for the Star Island Weekend) and Publications expenses of $6,930.00, leaving a balance of Janice Warren thanked contributors to the August, $4,960.00. The current membership is 320; this 1997, newsletter: Tricia Miller, Bob and Dot Tuttle, includes 65 persons who have not paid dues for Dave MacEachran, Amy Cook, and Donna Titus. 1997-1998. Bob announced that the Board of She encouraged others to contribute to the new Directors has considered raising the dues from newsletter feature, "Ask ISHRA", and hopes to get a $5.00 to $10.00 for individual members and $15.00 dialogue going. The first "Ask ISHRA" featured an for families. This matter will be considered at the article by Dave MacEachran about a chair fished next Board meeting. Bob Hochstetler announced from Gosport Harbor. Dave would like to get infor- that he had audited the treasurer's books and found mation about the history of the chair, a Windsor them to be in proper order. He asked for someone with a telescoping leg. Dave brought photographs of to volunteer to serve as auditor next year. the chair for inspection. ISHRA Newsletter February 1998 Programs October on Smuttynose installing new siding on Richard Stanley reported that 60 people attended the Rosamond Thaxter's cottage and performing other ISHRA Star Island Weekend, September 12-14, maintenance work. 1997. The 1998 weekend is tentatively set for September 11-13. In an unrelated matter, Richard Nominations noted the availability of a signed edition of Celia Bob Hochstetler introduced Wendy lull as the Thaxter's second book of poems (1894) in a Nominations Committee chairperson, adding, "If Concord, MA, bookstore, priced at $400. Jean you hear from her, you wi II know why." Ragonese moved that ISHRA purchase the book as a gift to the Portsmouth Athenaeum. There was a voice Other vote of approval. Maryellen Burke, however, cau- After the committee reports, Peter Randall reported tioned that the Athenaeum might already have a sim- on his four-day weekend on Star Island the last ilar book and would check this. (Update: Maryellen weekend in September. During the weekend, Donna found that the Athenaeum does have a copy of this Titus had an art workshop and'John Perrault a ballad book and such a gift would duplicate the holding.) workshop. Jane Vallier, author of Poet on Demand, made a presentation. The weather was beautiful. Smuttynose Rangers Richard Stanley introduced the speaker for the Dave MacEachran reported a good 1997 season for evening, Diane Deluca, Senior Biologist and the Rangers. The Smuttynose Rangers Overseers are Ornithologist with the Audubon Society of New working on a reorganization plan and Rangers will Hampshire. She presented a beautiful slide show on be notified by mail when this is completed. Dave the tern restoration project on White and Seavey's also noted that Richard Stanley spent the month of islands. (See below) The Tern Restoration Project he evening's program about the tern restoration described their activities Tproject on White Island was presented by Diane in more detail in the Deluca of the Audubon Society of New Hampshire. August ISHRA newslet- Deluca stated that the results of their efforts were far ter.) Beside attracti ng beyond the expectations for the first year of the pro- terns, the program had to ject. She gave a history of terns in New Hampshire, discourage the gulls that where a tern population of 15,000 thrived at the would prey on tern's Shoals through the mid 1900's. The bulk of them nests. Deluca noted that were at lunging Island where they survived until the although there are 4,000 1950's. Now they are on the endangered list in New pairs of gulls presently at the Shoals, White Island Hampshire. The decline of the terns was directly has not been their principal habitat. The historic related to a dramatic increase in gulls created by the presence of the Coast Guard, with dogs, discouraged open landfills along the Atlantic seaboard between their settlement there. Deluca's group deterred the 1930 and 1950. As gulls multiplied at the Shoals, the gulls with firecracker sounds, bricks in their nests, tern population moved inland. The Audubon Society and an imported dog. has been monitoring terns in coastal New In mid-May the first tern landed. The researchers Hampshire since 1981. The tern project on White were surprised to spot Arctic and Roseate Terns as and Seavey Islands was jointly supported by well as Common Terns. From a blind, mating rituals Audubon, N.H. Fish and Game Commission, DRED were observed by mid-June. July saw several nests and the N.H. Coastal Program. Shoals Marine lab and August 2, the first hatch. In all there were five supplied logistical support with a boat that landed nests and seven chicks. The last two chicks hatched the staff on White. by the end of August and as far as the researchers To attract the terns back to White Island, more could determine, all of the young survived. The than eighty decoys were placed on Seavey Island researchers had not expected nesting activity in the and sounds of a tern colony were piped in twenty first year and were not prepared to band the chicks four hours a day on a solar-powered speaker device that appeared. As terns return to their birthplace to that, remarkably, held its charge from April through nest, Deluca looks forward to welcoming the new October. (Amy Cook, one of the resident biologists, colony back to White Island next season. Page2 ISHRA Newsletter February 1998 Courses, Programs and Outings at the Shoals Summer 1998 Adult Education Programs Star Island Conferences at the Shoals Marine laboratory The conferences begin June 9 and end September No prerequisites, but because of course content and 20. The Blue Brochure published by the Star Island the rugged nature of Appledore Island the courses Corporation in January provides detailed conference are limited to adults and children 12 years of age or descriptions and rates. Opening registration is older. The total cost includes room, board, and all March 10 and conferences fill quickly. To receive a field trips, but does not include ferry fares or trans- brochure, send a self-addressed 6x9" envelope with portation to and from Portsmouth, New Hampshire. two (2) ounces postage to the Star Island Corporation, Attention BB, 110 Arl ington Street, Island Bird Study Boston, MA 02116-5320. Note: If you have attended May 22-24. ($250 per person) a conference or made a donation within the last A Garden is a Sea of Flowers three years, you are on the mailing list. July 22-24. ($250 per person) Star Island Elderhostel For more information and registration material, Two Elderhostel programs will be offered in 1998. telephone 607-255-3717 or write Shoals Marine Elderhostell: August 30 - September 4 Laboratory, G-14 Stimson Hall, Cornell University, $340 per person Ithaca, NY 14853-7101. Watercolors: The Perfect Outdoor Medium. The following two courses are offered in conjunc- Birding on an Ocean Island. tion with Cornell's Adult University (CAU). Eiderhostelll: September 7-12 Fins, Feathers, Flukes and Flow: How life in $340 per person the sea and sky is shaped by wind and water Protecting Our Environmental Heritage: August 22-27. ($795 per person) Coastal Issues. An Island Through Time: The cultural and An Experience With the World's Great Religions. geographical history of the Isles of Shoals History of American Popular Songs. August 27-30. ($495 per person) An Elderhostel catalog may be obtained from Register for these two courses directly with CAU: Elderhostel, P.O. Box1959NH, Wakefield, MA phone 607-254-6260; e-rnail [email protected]; 01880. Registration material is included. One may or write Cornell's Adult University, 626 Thurston register by phone after May 5 (at which time the Avenue, Ithaca, NY 14850. courses may be filled) at 617-426-8056. Celia's Garden Tours on Appledore ISHRA Weekend on Star Island These tours are arranged through the Shoals Marine The weekend is tentatively scheduled for September Laboratory office in Ithaca, New York (address and 11-13.