University of Connecticut OpenCommons@UConn

Wrack Lines University of Connecticut Sea Grant

Summer 2015 For the Birds- Great Gull Island Juliana Barrett University of Connecticut - Avery Point, [email protected]

Follow this and additional works at: https://opencommons.uconn.edu/wracklines

Recommended Citation Barrett, Juliana, "For the Birds- Great Gull Island" (2015). Wrack Lines. 100. https://opencommons.uconn.edu/wracklines/100 FOR THE BIRDS Since 1969, Hays and her team has overtaken much of the interior have been collecting data on every of the Island. When the birds arrive adult bird, chick and nest on Great in the spring, they see relatively open Great Gull Island Gull. The 45-year old dataset is the ground, but by late spring the wild by Juliana Barrett he voices of thousands longest continuous record of any radish has grown up to two feet tall of common terns with bird in North America. In addition, and forms dense cover. This makes their “kee-arrr” flight call they have tried various techniques it difficult for the nest checkers, fill the air on a spring over the years to improve the volunteers who conduct twice daily Tmorning on Great Gull Island. nesting habitat for the birds. There field checks looking for and marking Calmly walking through the din is were only a few birds nesting on nests and counting eggs and chicks. Helen Hays, director of the Great Great Gull in the late 60s / early Gull Island Project. Helen Hays is a 70s and vegetation has limited the Connecticut Sea Grant, UConn renowned ornithologist, as well as an areas where terns can nest since the Extension and Department of inspiration, who has dedicated her monitoring work began. Hays and Ecology and Evolutionary Biology work to researching and improving her team have taken down buildings are partnering with the American nesting habitat for nesting common and structures left from Fort Michie. Museum of Natural History, and roseate terns on Great Gull Island. They’ve tried burning, flooding areas U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Since 1969, Hays and other museum with seawater, shoveling, bulldozing, Environmental Protection Agency’s staff and volunteers have worked to and plowing, all in an effort to Long Island Sound Study Futures restore nesting tern colonies to the clear vegetation and open more Fund, Massachusetts Audubon and Island. nesting habitat for the terns. All University of Rhode Island to discuss and conduct habitat management Great Gull Island New York is a to improve the nesting habitat 17-acre island at the eastern end of for the birds. UConn faculty Long Island Sound and is owned by are working with partners on the American Museum of Natural vegetation management of nesting History. The former site of Fort areas and using photography Michie, the island is home to one of obtained with an unmanned flying the largest concentrations of nesting aircraft (quadcopter) to assess common terns (Sterna hirundo) the effectiveness of management in the world (9,500 pairs). The actions. In addition, a habitat common terns lay their eggs in open management plan for Great Gull shallow ground nests called “scrapes” Island will document the history of on the interior of the island. During management actions and propose periods of rain or extreme heat, they ideas for continued work. The may build the nest up by pulling difficulty with any management seaweed, shells, small twigs or rocks Photo credit: Nancy Balcom work is that the birds are present into the nest. Common terns are on the Island from April 27 to listed as Threatened in New York these efforts cleared areas for at least September 22 – corresponding closely and as a Species of Special Concern the beginning of the nesting season with the vegetative season. No large- in Connecticut. Spaces between the when the birds are selecting nesting scale management work can be done boulders placed around the edge of sites, but by midsummer, vegetative while the birds are present. the island to stabilize the shoreline, as growth was prolific. well as some of the retaining walls of Hays received an Honorary Doctor the fort, offer nesting sites for 1,300 Both invasive and nuisance plants of Science from UConn’s College pairs of roseate terns (S. dougallii), one pose a problem on parts of the of Liberal Arts and Science at the of the largest nesting concentration island. They impact the nesting May 2015 graduation ceremony of this federally endangered species habitat of the birds, which nest on in recognition of her outstanding in the Western Hemisphere. As a site the ground and in the crevices of contributions to ornithological that acts as a “source of birds” for the rocks surrounding Great Gull. research and conservation. other areas along the New England For example, black swallow-wort coastline, it is critical to maintain and (Cynanchum louiseae) grows rapidly improve the nesting habitats on Great over the rocks, blocking access to Gull Island. the crevices that the roseate terns ABOUT THE AUTHOR: use for nesting. Another plant, wild Juliana Barrett is an educator with radish (Raphanus raphanistrum) Connecticut Sea Grant/UConn Extension

14 • Wrack Lines: A Connecticut Sea Grant Publication Great Gull Island by Juliana Barrett

Helen Hays, a renowned ornithologist

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