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2008 Accomplishments:

• Cove Island Park Site Support Group: The Cove Island Wildlife Sanctuary group received 501(c)3 status from the IRS.  This was the first new group to form as a site support group around an IBA in Connecticut and to achieve official status as a non-profit entity.
• Forest Research Grant: Audubon Connecticut was asked by the DEP Forestry Division to organize an effort to submit a proposal to a new US Forest Service competitive grants process on forest health inventory and monitoring.  We were able to gather an impressive array of partners to participate in this project, including, TNC, the Yale School of Forestry, the University of Connecticut and the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station.  The efforts were successful and the groups were awarded a grant for $175,303.00 over two years, of which $10,000 will be coming to Audubon Sharon to support seasonal interns to gather field data and collect historical data on the birds from the project focus area.
• Land and Water Conservation Fund: The Stewart B. McKinney NWR was awarded $710,000 which will add a key parcel to the Salt Meadow Unit IBA in Westbrook, 20 acres at the headwaters to the pristine tidal marsh that also helps to buffer the forest habitat of the refuge.
• Land and Water Conservation Fund: The Silvio O. Conte National Fish and Wildlife Refuge was awarded $2,000,000 which will help to protect grassland habitat in Massachusetts and greatly benefit the southern New England metapopulation of grassland birds, thus helping to ensure that there are viable populations to colonize grassland habitats in Connecticut as we continue to protect and restore grasslands.
• Grassland Reserve: The Connecticut DEP announced that they have come to terms on the purchase of a 400-acre parcel of former tobacco land in Suffield, which will be the first area of permanently protected and managed grassland of this size in Connecticut, as well as another sizable parcel of grassland in Windsor.  These parcels are the first acquisitions by the Connecticut Grasslands Habitat Initiative and represent the first step towards the establishment of a grassland reserve network that was suggested in Audubon’s 2001 grassland report.
• Lighthouse Point Park Master Plan: Audubon Connecticut submitted comments and a summary of the relevant information from our draft IBA Conservation Plan for Lighthouse Point Park in New Haven to the City for consideration in the development of a master plan for the Park.  It had been reported in the press that the Park was among the possible locations being considered for two demonstration wind turbines, which would help the City increase their renewable power portfolio.  We met with City staff and additional partners including the Connecticut Audubon Society, New Haven Bird Club and Connecticut Butterfly Association, and the City was extremely accommodating to our concerns about potential bird collision hazards at the IBA and assured us that that location was no longer being considered.
• IBA Coordinator: Gifts from Emily McKay, the Benjamin Olewine III family, the Fairfield County Community Foundation and the Greater Bridgeport Area Foundation will allow us to hire an IBA Coordinator, something we have called for in our strategic plan since 2001.  We have received an impressive array of resumes for this position, some from as far away as Jordan and Guam and we anticipate making our decision by the end of the month.
• Jeniam Foundation Gift: A gift from the Jeniam Foundation will allow us to provide a small grants program to partners who are implementing conservation actions at IBAs and will allow us to contract with a professional grant writer to help initiate conservation actions at IBAs.  We have been able to allocate a 1:1 match to the Jeniam Foundation’s gift to allow for a total of $20,000 to be allocated to the matching grants program to help partners to implement our IBA conservation plans. This amount will also be met by partner’s funds or services by an additional 1:1 match.
• Partners for Fish and Wildlife: We learned that Northwest Park will be receiving services and equipment from the US Fish and Wildlife Service’s Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program to allow the Town of Windsor create an additional 17 acres of early successional habitat.  This was a major recommendation of the IBA conservation plan.
• Eastern States Alliance: Patrick attended a meeting of Audubon east coast directors of bird conservation from the where it was decided that the two targets for a multi-state conservation initiative should be forests and estuarine habitats, which is in line with Connecticut’s two habitats of highest conservation priority.
• Two IBA Plans Finalized: The first two IBA conservation plans have been finalized in Connecticut for Northwest Park in Windsor and Cove Island Park in Stamford.  The stewardship adoption group in Stamford has distributed the plan to expert volunteers from UCONN Stamford, the Bartlett Arboretum and Penn State University to be used as a guide for future management of the new Cove Island Wildlife Sanctuary.

2005 Accomplishments:

Site Specific Conservation Planning: Audubon Connecticut received a grant from the Jeniam Foundation that will allow us to complete six IBA conservation plans in FY05. The grant will allow for the completion of additional conservation plans in each of the next three years conditional upon the receipt of matching funds. 

2004 Accomplishments:

• Six Important Bird Areas (IBAs) were announced in June of 2004, bringing the total number of announced sites in CT to 21. Sites announced in 2004:
  • Charles Island and Silver Sands State Park, Milford
  • East River Marsh Complex, Guilford
  • Hammonasset Beach State Park, Madison
  • Menunketesuck and Duck Islands and surrounding tidal flats, Westbrook
  • Milford Point/Wheeler Marsh/Mouth of the Housatonic River, Milford
  • Quinnipiac River Tidal Marsh, North Haven, New Haven, Hamden 
• One additional IBA, Barn Island Wildlife Management Area, was announced in September of 2004, bringing the total number of announced sites in CT to 22. 
• Land and Water Conservation Fund. Audubon Connecticut nominated special focus areas along the Connecticut River for the priorities list for the Federal Land and Water Conservation Fund. The Silvio O. Conte was awarded $750,000 for land acquisition under this program in 2004. Several parcels at announced and potential IBAs are being investigated for acquisition.
• Falkner Island Unit of Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) IBA. At the request of the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), Audubon Connecticut arranged a visit by Dr. Steve Kress to the Falkner Island Unit of Stewart B. McKinney. Dr. Kress provided valuable input and management recommendations for this, Connecticut's largest tern colony and the only nesting site in the state for the federally endangered Roseate Tern. As a result of those recommendations, productivity has greatly increased in the colony in 2004 and 15 additional pairs nested on the island, stemming a significant declining trend in this colony in recent years. 
• Barn Island Wildlife Management Area (WMA) Land Protection. The Connecticut DEP was awarded a $1,000,000 grant in December, 2003 for the acquisition of 144 acres adjacent to Barn Island Wildlife Management Area. Because Barn Island WMA meets the IBA criteria, Audubon Connecticut was able to provide substantial information to help bolster the DEP's application for funding to acquire this acreage, through the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's National Coastal Wetlands Conservation Grant Program. It was noted several times in the grant proposal that the area met the criteria for an IBA of global significance (it was approved as a globally significant IBA by the National IBA Technical Committee on June 7, 2004). Through its efforts, Audubon Connecticut was able to bring three additional cooperators to the grant proposal: the Hartford Audubon Society, the New Haven Bird Club and the Dennison Pequotsepos Nature Center. Audubon Connecticut was also able obtain letters of support for this grant proposal from the Hartford Audubon Society, the Connecticut Audubon Society, the Connecticut Ornithological Association and the New Haven Bird Club.
• Barn Island Award: The Connecticut DEP and other conservation partners, including Audubon, were presented with the national 2004 Coastal America Partnership Award on September 10, 2004, in recognition of past and ongoing partnerships for the acquisition and restoration of habitat and research at Barn Island Wildlife Management Area. P. Lynn Scarlett, Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management and Budget, Department of the Interior presented the award. The award recipients were recognized for the above-mentioned efforts. Because of the new acquisition, the Wildlife Management Area now encompasses 1,013 acres, constituting the state's largest protected coastal area. The property had been permitted for development into an 18-hole golf course. Instead, the partners ensured the protection of its significant biological diversity and wildlife habitat. Their work also serves to prevent pollutant loading downstream, and to increase coastal recreational opportunities for the public.
• Strategic Plan. Audubon Connecticut's Science and Bird Conservation Strategic Plan was approved by the Audubon Connecticut Board of Directors in March 2004.
• Five additional IBAs were announced in December 2004, bringing the total number of recognized IBAs to 27. The new sites included:
  • The Connecticut Audubon Society's Bafflin Sanctuary in Pomfret
  • Good Hill Farm Preserve on the Woodbury/Roxbury town line
  • Naugatuck State Forest (East and West Blocks), in Beacon Falls and Bethany
  • Northwest Park, a town-owned park in Windsor
  • Topsmead State Forest in Litchfield

Audubon Connecticut has already had several conservation successes with the IBA program in Connecticut. We will be working in the coming years to develop conservation plans for each of our IBAs. IBA Conservation plans are a critical component of the IBA program, providing Audubon, landowners, land managers and other stakeholders with a strategic approach for future conservation and habitat management activities. This strategic and science-based approach will allow much more effective use of resources to ensure that IBAs will remain important for birds not only for our generation, but for many generations to come.

These conservation plans will define actions to address the most important needs for each IBA in order to maintain and protect key species, and will outline the opportunities to engage landowners in the conservation of IBAs. The conservation plans will also provide interested people with opportunities to become involved in conservation, monitoring and outreach activities at individual IBAs. Informed landowners, stakeholders and citizens are the best way to ensure that IBAs remain the special places that they are.

• Globally Important Bird Areas. Three of the sites, Barn Island Wildlife Management Area, Hammonasset Beach State Park and the East/West River Marsh Complex, were approved by the National Technical Committee as globally significant IBAs, because of nesting populations of Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow, the first such sites in Connecticut. 
• Chapter nature center at the Salt Meadow Unit of Stewart B. McKinney NWR. The Potapaug Audubon Society is working with USFWS staff to create a chapter-run Nature Center at the Salt Meadow Unit of Stewart B. McKinney NWR IBA. 
• Local committee in West Haven adopting Sandy Point. A local group has formed to work towards the conservation of, and educational and recreational opportunities at the Sandy Point IBA. The group consists of representatives from Audubon, the City of West Haven, the New Haven Bird Club, the Connecticut Ornithological Association, the West Haven Economic Development Corporation, the West Haven Chamber of Commerce, Bayer Pharmaceuticals, and several other groups. The Group will be working in the coming year to complete an IBA Conservation Plan for the area. 
• State and Federal Planning. Audubon Connecticut's IBA program has provided information about bird conservation priorities and Important Bird Areas to the DEP for inclusion in the State Comprehensive Wildlife Plan, The Office of Long Island Sound Program's planning process and the state's 10-Year Forestry Resources Plan as well as to the US Fish and Wildlife Service Coastal Program's strategic planning process. Inclusion of Audubon's priorities in these planning initiatives will ensure that bird conservation objectives are considered in the government agency plans. 
• Audubon Center at Bent of the River IBA Kiosk. Because of the Audubon Center at Bent of the River's IBA status, Audubon Connecticut was able to secure funding through the GE Foundation and labor from GE Elfun Volunteers to construct a welcome center kiosk at the Bent of the River IBA in Southbury. The construction of this new informational kiosk will allow visitors to learn about the important bird habitats found here without having to walk nearly ½ mile to the Nature Center. 
• Bent of the River Strategic Planning. Volunteers from General Electric Information Technology Shared Services are assisting with the development of a strategic plan for the Audubon Center at Bent of the River. This plan will help to outline the strategies necessary to develop this Audubon Center at the Bent of the River IBA to its full potential. 
• Support for the University of Connecticut Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow Research Project. The salt marsh birds research project, co-sponsored with the University of Connecticut, completed its second season of fieldwork. Researchers are now completing a final report and assessing additional research needs. This project is providing critical information into the habitat requirements and nesting densities Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow, a species of extremely high conservation concern that nests at the East River Marsh Complex IBA in Guilford. BirdLife International has upgraded the global conservation status of Saltmarsh Sharp-tailed Sparrow under their IUCN RedList from “Near-Threatened” (less concern) to “Vulnerable” (more concern) as a result of information provided by Audubon Connecticut and researchers from UCONN. 
• GE Foundation Grant. The project was made possible as part of a $20,000 grant given to the National Audubon Society by the General Electric Foundation, as well as the hard work of GE Elfun Volunteers, as part of their annual global conference. The City of Stamford and SoundWaters also provided critical logistical support to make this project possible. In addition the aforementioned activities, this grant will support the development of a conservation plan for Cove Island Park.

2003 Accomplishments:

• Construction of a nature trail at Stamford's Cove Island Park IBA. This nature trail revitalized the neglected wooded section of this City-owned park. This project was completed using funds from the GE Foundation and utilized staff from all three Audubon Centers in the state as well as approximately 75 GE Elfun Volunteers. On May 5th, 2003, Audubon employees and volunteers and the Elfun Volunteers created a half-mile long nature trail, lined with wood-chips, constructed a bridge and planted 120 specimens of over 20 species of native trees and shrubs. The tree and shrub species were selected for their high value to birds and other wildlife and included, Pagoda Dogwood, White Oaks, Spicebush, Viburnums and Summersweet Clethra. 
• KT Murphy Field Day at Stamford's Cove Island Park IBA. On June 2nd, 2003, Audubon Connecticut, along with GE Elfun Volunteers, and staff from SoundWaters and the Norwalk Maritime Aquarium used the diverse habitats of Cove Island Park to teach the 500 students of the KT Murphy Elementary School important lessons about science and nature on a full-day field trip to the Cove Island Park IBA on June 2nd, 2003. 
• Invasive Plant Removal Project at the Station 43 IBA in South Windsor. On May 19th, 2003, Audubon Connecticut arranged an invasive plant removal project at the Hartford Audubon Society's Station 43 Preserve in South Windsor. Audubon Connecticut secured funding through the GE Foundation to purchase a tractor and herbicides for the Hartford Audubon Society to use on this project, as well as future habitat maintenance projects at the Station 43 IBA. Hartford Audubon Society, and GE Elfun Volunteers, along with Audubon Connecticut staff and volunteers removed hundreds of Multiflora Rose bushes from the Hartford Audubon Society's property. 
• The New Haven Hawk Festival. Audubon helped enhance the City of New Haven's hawk festival at the Lighthouse Point Park IBA, held on Saturday, September 20, 2003. Audubon arranged for 3 new organizations to participate in the festival, led bird-walks and provided a live raptor show. Audubon Connecticut also provided the City of New Haven with IBA signs that have been posted at this City-owned park, increasing public awareness of the value of the park for birds. The 2004 festival was cancelled due to heavy rain and the event has been rescheduled for September 17, 2005, with a rain date of Sunday, September 18th. 
• GE Elfun Volunteer Day at the Audubon Center at Bent of the River IBA. On July 17th, 2003, more than 120 volunteers from GE and their business partners descended on the Bent of the River for an all day work party. The accomplishments were varied and included:
  • Installation of a water garden, which will provide water to birds and other wildlife in times of drought and cold weather, and draw additional species to within easy public viewing range. The garden has artificial bogs, which will allow the public to view rare species of native plants that they would not normally be able to be readily seen in the state. Bog orchids and 5 of the 9 species of insectivorous plants native to Connecticut are included in the display.
  • Installation of Purple Martin houses and other bird boxes.
  • Construction of a 50' long boardwalk across a wetland to protect the fragile wetland and allow easier access to the sanctuary.
  • Invasive species removal.
  • Mulching and maintenance of the bird and butterfly gardens. 

• GE Elfun Global Conference. On September 13th, 2003, Audubon Connecticut, the GE Foundation, GE Elfun Volunteers, and the City of Stamford, had a volunteer day to improve the habitats of Cove Island Park IBA, as part of the GE Elfun Volunteers Global Conference. More than 100 GE Elfun Volunteers installed a bird and butterfly garden and other plantings, improved the nature trail and installed nesting boxes to attract Purple Martins, Eastern Screech Owls, Barn Owls and American Kestrels to the park. The garden, consisting of 38 species of native plants, specifically chosen for their value to birds and butterflies, will greatly improve the habitat for migrating birds for which Cove Island Park serves as a critical stopover on their long and perilous journeys.

2002 Accomplishments:

• The Great Captains Island Heron and Egret Rookery Study. Audubon's 3-year study of Connecticut's largest heron and egret rookery was completed in 2002. Great Captains Island is an announced IBA. The study provided important information about the habitats of the rookery, the foraging areas utilized by the birds nesting on the island, the productivity and behavior of the nesting birds and the threats to the colony posed by predators and other factors. Audubon Connecticut sought and received funding to complete this study from a variety of sources, including the Geoffrey Hughes Foundation, the Fairfield County Community Foundation, the Town of Greenwich Conservation Commission, and the Quebec Labrador Foundation Sounds Conservancy grants program. The final report and recommendations have been forwarded to the Town of Greenwich, and Audubon will be working with the Town to develop effective conservation strategies for this important habitat.