Ridgelines Spring 2012

Newsletter of the West Rock Ridge Park Association Spring 2012 FROM THE PRESIDENT Whether you’re a Trumpeter Swan, a rare Falcate Orangetip butterfly, a conservationist, hiker, runner, or bicyclist, West Rock Park is the place to be this spring and summer. We welcome our new park administrator, Joseph Maler, and bid a fond farewell to his predecessor, Lori Lindquist. We are immensely grateful to Lori for her fabulous cooperation and her long service and dedication to the park. Lori is now based at Mashomoquet Brook State Park in Pomfret Center; we wish her the very best. Our Trails Manager Tom Ebersold knows how to work and play in the park. He’s organizing great trail maintenance projects (see pages 2 and 4). Come join him in improving and enjoying our beautiful park. The New Haven Museum has a special exhibit, open through May, focused on West and East Rocks, celebrating art and geology in 19th century New Haven and featuring many paintings and works from the New Haven Museum’s collection and geological objects from the Peabody Museum and Wesleyan University (see Coming Events, page 2). Our friends at Common Ground High School offer many ways to learn about environmental stewardship in general and about West Rock Ridge in particular, with their Open Farm Days, many hikes, and a wonderful new exhibit (see Coming Events, page 2, and article page 7). Celebrate Earth Day on April 21 with a Common Ground hike or the Rock to Rock bike ride, raising funds for environmental organizations. Help with trail work, or join a hike led by Common Ground or the Butterfly Society. In August, enjoy a road race and support Habitat’s great work building homes. West Rock Ridge – the place to be. – Ted (Theodore B.) Lynn, WRRPA President

Rare visitor: A Trumpeter Swan takes off from Konold’s Pond in Woodbridge, in the West Rock conservation area, which surrounds the park (see page 8)

Regicide Drive to summit will open to motorists Memorial Day weekend.

1 COMING EVENTS –MARK YOUR CALENDAR! **New Haven's Sentinels: The Art & Science of East and West Rock, New Haven Museum, 114 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, through May 2012, Tues-Fri, 10- 5; Sat. 12 - 5;. Free 1st & 3rd Sunday, 1-4 The New Haven Museum collaborated with Dr. Jelle de Boer, Professor of Earth Science, Emeritus at Wesleyan University and author of Stories in Stone: How Geology Influenced Connecticut History and Culture, on this exciting project that centers on the changes in the worlds of art and science and the significance and inspiration of New Haven’s local geology from the founding of the colony to our modern city. See www.newhavenmuseum.org or call 203-562-4183.

**Every Saturday, April 7 through November 24, 2012, 10:00 am. - 2:00 pm. Open Farm Days at Common Ground High School, 358 Springside Ave, New Haven (on the park’s border). See www.commongroundct.org for additional special events, family activities, and workshops for adults. **Special West Rock Hikes, organized by Common Ground High School: Explore familiar trails and favorite places as well as venture to parts of the park you have probably never seen. Explore all sorts of trails, including long hikes and plenty that are accessible to less experienced hikers and small children. Friendly dogs welcome, too! Read more about each hike’s departure time, destination, length and difficulty. http://www.commongroundct.org/family_hiking.php Hikes are free, donations welcomed! Saturdays April 21 (Earth Day), June 2 Sundays, April 4, 8, 15, 22, 29, May 6, 13, 20, 27, June 3 **Sat., April 14: Trail Maintenance, as part of Quinnipiac University’s Big Event community service. 9 - noon. The focus will be removing invasive plant species and litter from the South Overlook and Judges Cave area. Contact leader Tom Ebersold, [email protected] for more information. **Sat. April 21: all day Rock to Rock Earth Day Bicycle Ride (see page 3) **Sat., May 5 (raindate: 5/6): Butterfly Walk on the Summit 10 am-noonish The CT Butterfly Society is sponsoring a walk for members (and interested laymen), looking for early butterflies such as the rare Falcate Orangetip (West Rock is one of the few CT locations), Brown Elfin and Juniper Hairstreak. Most of the walking is relatively easy up an old roadway but there may be some trail hiking, which is generally flat but somewhat rocky. MEET: 10 am, West Rock Nature Center parking lot, almost opposite the state park entrance on Wintergreen Avenue, New Haven. A Wilbur Cross Parkway (RT 15) overpass bridge is a hundred feet to the north. **Sat., May 12: 9:00 - noon: Trail Work on the Regicides Trail; installation of stone steps. This is a continuing project to improve the footing and control erosion on a steep section of the trail. Contact Tom Ebersold at [email protected] to register and for more information. ** Sun., June 2: 11:30 - 1:30: Guided hike to Judges Cave and the summit of West Rock Ridge State Park, which offers a stunning view of New Haven and Long Island Sound. Hikers of all ages and abilities are welcome. Meet:Common Grd High Sch, Springside Ave., New Haven. www.commongroundct.org/ for_the_community.php for details.

**Sunday, August 19: 8:30 4th Annual West Rock Challenge Run, have fun, and raise money to support Habitat for Humanity’s great work building houses. Volunteers to help with building or additional contributions to help finance the house are always welcome. See details on page 7. Additional information regarding the West Rock Challenge at www.sleepinggiantbuild.org Summit Drive Opens for Season: May 26 (Memorial Day Weekend) to October 28. One paved mile up Regicide Drive to the spectacular scene from on top of West Rock – the best view in southern Connecticut! It includes everything from Sleeping Giant to East Rock, New Haven, the harbor, Long Island Sound and Long Island. Enjoy!

2 Explore New Haven by bicycle: Rock to Rock is New Haven's biggest Earth Day celebration. Here's how it works: You and a few hundred others travel from West Rock and East Rock, with celebrations on both sides of the city. Along the way, eat tasty food, hear great music, take on environmental service projects, and explore our city's parks and neighborhoods.

Support local environmental groups: Your registration fees and pledges support organizations that are creating a greener, healthier New Haven community. These resources keep their important work strong and growing.

All are welcome: Families and college students, serious riders and weekend warriors are all part of Rock to Rock. Join our rock band. Think you're hard-core? Take detours to the top of the two rocks, or take our 20- or 60-mile routes. Have a little kid in tow? Join us for part of the ride. If you are under 18 or riding with someone under 18, get more info at www.rocktorock.org. Three years ago there were 250 riders and they raised $10,000. Two years ago there were 350 riders and $20,000 was raised. In 2011, 500 riders participated, and raised over $50,000.

The West Rock Ridge Park Association is proud to sponsor Rock to Rock. Learn more and register at www.rocktorock.org For more information, call Joel Tolman, 203-389-4333, x 1214.

3 Trails Recover from Storm Damage By Tom Ebersold, Trails Manager, WRRPA The trails and roads at West Rock Rock endured two assaults in late 2011: Tropical Storm Irene in August and the freak Halloween snowstorm in October. The best way to summarize the effect is to say that there were downed trees and limbs in various places at the park, but the damage was not as nearly widespread as some might have feared or imagined. The typical tropical storm damage were large trees that were uprooted by the winds, and simply fell over, root ball and all. The trees most affected by the October storm were red oaks and beech trees because they still had many leaves, which caught the snow. The oaks and the beech trees snapped off large limbs or the entire crowns. Some trees were uprooted as well. Baldwin Drive suffered the greatest storm damage, probably as much as the rest of the trails combined. All along Baldwin Drive trees were downed by the storm, blocking access to the road. As of late February 2012, state workers had entirely cleared the road of tree limbs about halfway up from the main gate. The other half has downed trees, but is passable. While putting up “No Bikes” signs along the Baldwin Drive crossings of the Regicides Trail, I cut a path for my car. I let the state know about other large trees that fell on the trail during the storms, and they cleared them with chainsaws. The West Rock trails crew had three sessions dedicated to clearing storm damage. I worked by myself on various trail sections, which I was able to do with hand tools, as the limbs from the tree crowns were usually about 4 inches or less in diameter. Thanks to Chuck Hilton and Allan Robertson for providing chainsaw work on the trail in February to clear the downed trees we encountered. On a positive note, these are some trail improvements people can enjoy. The trails crew has started a project to construct rock steps on the Regicides Trail head north from the dip over the West Rock tunnel. These steps will provide more secure footing on this steep section of trail. As of March 2012, we have fourteen steps installed, and will continue to work on this project throughout the spring. Scott Howland, Chuck Hilton, Allan Robertson, John Rek, Michael Giuliano, and Chuck Walters helped with this project. There are plenty of native stones available. The challenge is moving them to the trail, digging a hole, and dropping the rocks into the hole to make the steps.

4 To help reduce erosion, I constructed three waterbars on the Gold Trail near the water storage tank and one on the Purple Trail just west of the Red Trail. These waterbars can also act as a form of steps, but their prime intent is to slow water flow down the trail, and also catch the sediments that wash from up higher. I had time in my schedule this summer and fall, so I was able to reblaze the Regicides Trail from Judges Cave to the Sanford Feeder. I also did extensive pruning along the entire trail, which, in some cases was completely obscured by small birch trees. I reblazed the Westville Feeder, and received permission from New Haven Parks Department to extend the blazes to the parking lot off Blake Street in Westville, making the trail easier to follow. The Connecticut Forest and Parks Association has a new sign-making machine and has provided four signs, three of which I have installed. The Westville Feeder and the Sanford Feeder each have a sign at their trailheads, by the ballfield in Westville, and at Brooks Road respectively. I also installed a Regicides Trail sign at the junction of the trail with the Westville Feeder. I have a sign for the Sanford Feeder at the junction with the Regicides Trail and will install that sign at a later time. I have requested other signs, which should arrive in late spring: the Regicides Trail at Judges Cave, the South Overlook, and at the junction with the Quinnipiac Trail, and the Westville Feeder for its junction with the Regicides Trail. I have been hacking away at invasive plants all over the park with a particular focus on Asiatic bittersweet, a vine that strangles trees, and was partially to blame for some of the downed trees; multi-flora rose, a pricker bush with incredibly sharp thorns; autumn olive, a shrub that crowds out absolutely everything else, and barberry, another thorny shrub that displaces desirable native species. I estimate that I removed about 200 winged euonymus shrubs, better known as burning bush, from the Westville Feeder. I also cut many privet bushes along the Red Trail and the Regicides Trail by the South Overlook. The trails crew provided assistance during two work parties along Baldwin Drive, and one along the Red-White Trail near the Farm Brook Reservoir, with able assistance from Scott Howland, Carl Jordan, and Ted Lynn, with Nancy Specht joining us on the Red-White Trail. We had help from about half a dozen teenagers from Solar Youth on one day, led by Chisom Amaechi. On many of these trips, we removed old bottles and cans and broken glass from along Baldwin Drive and on the Regicides Trail. In February, we hauled out an old metal pool that Chuck Hilton took out in his pickup truck. Trail “elves” to thank for their work this past year include the regulars: Scott Howland and Carl Jordan, plus Chuck Walters, Chuck Hilton, Nancy Specht, Allan Robertson, Ted Lynn, John Rek, and Chisom Amaechi and Solar Youth. Allan is the co-trail manager for the Naugatuck Trail and part of the Quinnipiac Trail, and John manages a section of the Mattabessett Trail at West Peak in Meriden. Trail projects for 2012 include the following: reblazing of the Red and White Trails, which were last reblazed in 2007; continued installation of stone steps on the Regicides Trail, and continued removal of invasive plant species.

[Editor's note: We thank Tom for his incredible dedication to the park's trails, as well as those who helped him. They all gave up so much hiking time to repair and improve the trail system for all hikers.]

A Call for Volunteers: If you are interested in helping make West Rock even more beautiful, please contact Tom Ebersold, Trail Manager of the Regicides Trail. Tom would like to add even more people to the dedicated trails crew at West Rock Ridge, expanding the work beyond the traditional fall clean ups on the famous Blue Trail. If you would like to help or know more about these projects, please contact Tom at [email protected], or by phone at 203-874-7839. (Email is preferred; no phone calls after 9 p.m. or before 8 a.m. please.)

5 PARK UPDATE By Joseph Maler, Administrator, West Rock Ridge State Park I am the park supervisor who has taken over responsibility for West Rock Ridge from Lori Lindquist. Before leaving, Lori took some time to review the day-to-day operations, and she remains close by to assist me in any need. In addition, Jill Scheibenflug and Carl Arsenault, maintainers based at Sleeping Giant State Park for many years, will help guarantee we are ready for the 2012 recreation season. I have been working for the CT Bureau of Outdoor Recreation for nearly 28 years. My schooling is in the automotive field with a strong focus on leadership and business. I started as a seasonal maintainer, learning the basics, and then moved on to provide seasonal law enforcement for several years. It was during this time that I was hired on as a full time maintainer. For the past 13 years I have managed the Osbornedale, Indian Well and Silver Sands State Parks. I am currently responsible for those three parks as well as Sleeping Giant, Wharton Brook, and other small properties, in addition to West Rock Ridge. I started this assignment late in November. I've had few opportunities over the past months to hike around West Rock Ridge. However, Jill, Carl and Davd McEntire and I have worked together to replace the entrance gates at the New Haven end and assemble a to-do list. In the coming months I will be reviewing past procedures and current goals. My objective is to provide visitors with the best experience possible. We plan to open the main gates at West Rock for cars in time for the Memorial Day weekend. I expect to provide a few additional picnic tables, make some road improvements, provide reasonable patrol, and improve signage. This is truly a wonderful park and I look forward to the coming recreation season.

West Rock Values Endure by Jack Phillips The love of nature, love of this particular ridge, and the active citizenship that created our Park are alive and thriving in the next generation, as manifested by students involved with Solar Youth. Solar Youth is a nonprofit organization dedicated to empowering youth from New Haven’s low income communities through environmental exploration, leadership development and community service. Two of Solar Youth’s main program sites are located in the Westville Manor and McConaughy Terrace public housing developments, which border the southeastern and southwestern corners of West Rock Ridge Park, respectively. Youth from these neighborhoods often use the Park as the site for outdoor explorations and community service projects, including Kema and Tatiana, Solar Youth Stewards, trail clearing, litter clean-ups and even building a bridge! Please sled at the West Rock Nature Center on one visit www.solaryouth.org for more information. of the very few snowy days this winter! Youth also learned about animal tracking that day!

Solar Youth Stewards after a long hike to the top of West Rock Park. That day, two separate groups took different trails and met up at Judge’s Cave, where they picnicked and played games, then journeyed on the summit. Also in the photo is James Barnett (third from right), from the Appalachian Mountain Club’s Youth Opportunities Program, which provides equipment and training to Solar Youth.

6 New Exhibits "Explore" West Rock By Joel Tolman What is the story of West Rock? Why do so many species of birds visit West Rock? What’s that purple stone that we see along the Red Trail? What ecological cycles and forces have shaped our park? The students of Common Ground High School on the park's border have been exploring the answers to these and other questions about West Rock Ridge State Park – and now our neighbors can learn these “Lessons from the Land.” Thanks to the students and the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History staff, Common Ground's site has been turned into an outdoor museum, featuring more than 20 interpretive exhibits and wayfinding signs. Each exhibit shares a "lesson" about West Rock’s human and natural history, environmental practices, farming and local food . Grants from the American Honda and Toshiba foundations and others provided funding for the high-quality, interactive exhibits. The draft text and design for every exhibit was developed by students, most as class projects; instead of writing term papers or presentations. Students were challenged to create a lasting product for a real public audience. A handful of the exhibits were created by Lessons from the Land Summer Student Curators, who were paid a small stipend to spend a portion of their summer working on additional exhibits. One was written and designed by middle school students in Common Ground's West Rock Rangers after-school program. To create their exhibits, students identified exhibit topics, took on in-depth research, wrote rough text, and developed draft designs. Based on feedback from peers, teachers, staff from the Peabody Museum, outside experts, and the school's environmental education staff, students refined their work and created final exhibits. Then, school staff worked with our Yale Peabody Museum partners to turn students' work into final exhibits, ready for fabrication. Visit the Lessons from the Land exhibits at www.commonground ct.org/ lessons.php, or contact Joel Tolman (203.389.4333 x1214, jtolman@ commongroundct.org) with questions. Or, even better, visit Common Ground’s site during one of our upcoming Saturday community events, starting April 7, between 10 am and 2 pm. West Rock Challenge 2012: Run and Raise Money for Habitat for Humanity West Rock Challenge 2012" will be held on Sunday, August 19th at West Rock Ridge State Park. The 5K race will begin at 8:30 and the 9 mile run will start at 8:45. Prizes will be awarded to the top 3 women and men in each race; the first female and male to reach the summit in the 9 mile race ("Queen and King of the Rock"); and each age group winner. Runners can register on RunReg.com. Pre-registration is $20 and the fee is $25 for registering on the day of the race. Tee shirts and swag bags will be given to the first 100 runners who register. Additional information will be available at www.sleepinggiantbuild.org. Proceeds from the race will be used to construct Sleeping Giant Build V, a new Habitat for Humanity house that will be built on Congress Ave. in New Haven. Construction will begin in the summer. Volunteers are needed to act as marshals along the race routes. Anyone interested can contact Don Deloge at [email protected]. Volunteers should plan to be at the Lake Wintergreen entrance at 7:30 on the morning of the race. Parking is available at Wintergreen Magnet School.

7 TRUMPETER SWANS HAVE FOUND KONOLD’S POND By Steven P. Broker

Since Sunday, February 5 there has been a steady stream of Connecticut birders to the edges of Konold’s Pond in the West Rock Ridge Conservation Area, Woodbridge (off RT 69). The birders have been coming with binoculars and spotting scopes to see two swans that are gracing the pond. A casual observer might be puzzled by all the fuss. After all, swans are no strangers to Konold’s Pond. They can be seen here year-round, sometimes in large numbers. But, these particular swans are special. Their species is being observed in Connecticut for only the third time in the recorded history of the state avifauna. A word about the seasonal significance of Konold’s Pond is required in order to place this story in context. Konold’s is recognized as an important body of freshwater for fall, winter, and early spring waterfowl. From November and December through late March and early April, numerous species of ducks, geese, and swans migrate to the pond to rest, feed, and prepare for the next breeding season. Mallards and American Black Ducks are among the most abundant ducks found on the pond year-round, and some numbers of them breed here, as well. Wood Duck is another species that gathers at the pond in mid to late February and commences breeding by the start of April in tree hollows along the West River inlet to Konold’s Pond and even on the West Rock ridge top. These birds are joined seasonally by more than a dozen other species of dabbling ducks (Gadwall, wigeons, teal, shovelers, and pintails) and diving ducks (Redhead, scaup, Bufflehead, goldeneyes, and mergansers). The greatest show of late winter/early spring abundance, however, is put on by Ring-necked Ducks (diving ducks) as they form extensive “rafts” of 100, 200, or 300 individuals and frequently disappear from sight to exploit submergent plant food sources, then bob back to the surface. So, at this time of year Konold’s Pond is alive with ducks and also with abundant resident and migrant Canada Geese. Now, back to the swan song. As many as three-dozen Mute Swans (Cygnus olor) collect here in late winter and early spring to use the pond as a staging area for subsequent flights to (mostly coastal) freshwater and saltwater nest sites in the state. One or two pairs of Mute Swans linger at Konold’s Pond each spring and build nests, lay eggs, and raise young here. In addition, the rare Tundra Swan (Cygnus columbianus) – formerly called Whistling Swan - has been documented at Konold’s Pond in past years, including a 15 March 1986 sighting recognized by the Avian Records Committee of Connecticut (ARCC) – the committee that “maintains the official Connecticut State list of bird species acceptably documented as occurring, or having occurred, in Connecticut.”

8 But, the two swans of current great interest are not Mute Swans or Tundra Swans. They are Trumpeter Swans (Cygnus buccinator), the largest swan species in North America and a bird that was pushed to the verge of extinction by the mid-1930s. Well over one hundred years ago, Trumpeter Swans are believed to have had an extensive natural range in North America, from Alaska and the Northwest Territories of Canada south to the continental United States from Washington State and Oregon to Wyoming, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, and New York. Intensive pressure, especially by market hunters, reduced the Trumpeter Swan population by 1935 to a mere 69 individuals plus “unrecorded flocks” in Alaska and Canada. With protections afforded to migrant birds in the twentieth century, the species eventually began a steady rebound, and by 2005 nearly 35,000 trumpeters were being counted on continental censuses. This extraordinary conservation success resulted from active restoration projects in several Canadian provinces and U.S. states and from naturally increasing population sizes. The life history of the Trumpeter Swan is well documented in Birds of North America Online, a project of Cornell Lab of Ornithology. The Trumpeter Swan Society also has extensive information on the restoration efforts that are bringing this species back to previous range distributions. Trumpeter Swans have a body length of five feet (the same as a Mute Swan) and a wingspan just short of seven feet (greater than a Mute Swan). They outweigh Mute Swans slightly, although their slender neck, elongated, straight bill and gradually curving body make them appear lighter and smaller than Mute Swans. The legs and feet are all black, and the bill is black with a thin line of red at the gape. The body is white, but the head and neck take on a rusty color from iron oxide staining due to feeding in bottom muds. Trumpeter Swans are actually more easily confused with the smaller Tundra Swan, but they usually can be distinguished by bill shape. It is not known where the Konold’s Pond trumpeters originated. Some have suggested that the Ontario restoration project is the source of these birds. Others have raised the possibility of recently established Ohio or Michigan flocks. Photographs show definitively that both birds are unbanded, and they have not been seen in association with any banded (hence, traceable) geese or swans. We do know that an apparent pair of Trumpeter Swans has been seen in each of the past three years in Connecticut. The first sighting ever in Connecticut was made on March 28, 2010 at Cranberry (Bog) Pond in Stratford. This trumpeter pair was observed by many birders through the morning of April 1, staying for a total of five days. The second Connecticut sighting was made almost exactly a year later on March 21, 2011 and guess where that was . . . Konold’s Pond, Woodbridge. This pair persisted until at least March 30 (ten days) and again brought in droves of birders. The 2012 discovery of two Trumpeter Swans, again at Konold’s Pond, occurred on Sunday, February 5, so as this article goes to press the trumpeter stay is easily the longest on record for Connecticut. Let’s go out on a limb and assume that it’s the same pair of birds seen in each year. (One bird, the male, is larger than the other, the female.) This raises a series of questions, including most importantly whether Trumpeter Swan pioneers are beginning to establish a new wintering ground in Connecticut. The story is actually far more intricate and complicated than can be addressed here, but for now we have the opportunity to see two gorgeous, majestic, stately, and yes, even sexy birds just below the west-facing cliffs of West Rock Ridge.

9 NEW MEMBERS: WEST ROCK RIDGE PARK ASSOCIATION We warmly welcome the following new members to Address: 648 Mountain Road, Hamden, CT 06514 the West Rock Ridge Park Association: [email protected] Sam and Gail Guy, Jr., Hamden Board of Directors Carl Jordan (Life), Hamden Stephen Broker, New Haven Ann Christmann, Woodbridge Lea Ryan (Life), Hamden Barrie Collins, Bethany Julie Tyson, Hamden William Doheny, Hamden Tom Ebersold, Milford HOW TO JOIN OR RENEW Theodore B. Lynn, Hamden Send your name and address along with your dues to Steven Massey, Bethany the membership chairperson: Ann Christmann, Donald Menzies, Woodbridge 10 Clark Rd., Woodbridge, CT 06525 Polly Schulz, Woodbridge Joanne Sciulli, New Haven Annual dues: $10, Supporting: $20, Life: $100. Nancy Specht, Hamden Make checks payable to: West Rock Ridge Park Michael Walter, Woodbridge Association. Charles Walters, Hamden Executive Board & Committees Please include your interests: President: Theodore B. Lynn Programs, Trail Work, Newsletter, Secretary: (Vacant) Legislative/Political Action, Membership. Treasurer: Joanne Sciulli Membership: Ann Christmann Your membership helps improve the park! Program: Nancy Specht We welcome volunteers, on any committee! Trails: Tom Ebersold Newsletter: Barrie Collins and Amy Lynn Photo Credits: 1, 8, 9, 10: Steve Broker; 4, 5: Tom Ebersold; 6:Solar Youth; 7: Common Grd High School.

WEST ROCK RIDGE PARK ASSOCIATION 648 Mountain Road Hamden, CT 06514

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