Phragmites: A relentless enemy. The towering reeds grow an inch apart and are choking the Island’s tidal marshes, overtaking native vegetation and leaving no room for ducks, herons and egrets to land. FIConservancy plans to fight back, starting in November.
I am so happy to have seen a spotted sandpiper pair south of the airport runway on Sanctuary of Sands. A lone sandpiper has arrived every spring since 2015, and now there are a pair of these exquisite shorebirds!
According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology:
The spotted sandpiper occurs across North America. It has richly spotted breeding plumage, a teetering gait, stuttering wingbeats and showy courtship dances.
Female spotted sandpipers arrive at breeding grounds early to establish and defend territory. Females also may mate with four different males at a time, but it is the male that incubates the eggs and cares for the young.
From the Field, Field Note Justine Kibbe June 3, 2019
FIConservancy Naturalist Justine Kibbe reported: “As Fishers Island prepares for a very busy July and August, it’s wonderful to witness the rallying of community to protect our precious wildlife.”