Into the Woods*

These particular weeks of Spring, before foliage takes to bud and bloom, be sure to peek into the woods and spy a Barred owl basking in the sunlight…

*West End, Fishers Island

From the Field, Video Snippet, Justine Kibbe, April 16, 2019

This juvenile (1st yr. plumage) Common Eider grabs a bite of aquatic plant growth from under the floating FIDCO dock, Silver eel Cove.

From the Field, Video Snippet, Justine Kibbe, April 11, 2019


Black-crowned night herons (BCNH)* appear to be everywhere these days, especially out from under the ferry dock on Fishers Island.

At about three years of age, this heron sports its “adult plumage”.

’Tis the breeding season, with two long, white plumes flitting in the breeze.

*Silver eel Cove

From the Field, Video Snippet, Justine Kibbe, April 11, 2019

Eastern painted turtles gathering between sun and shadow.

From the Field, Field Note, Justine Kibbe, April 9, 2019

Black-crowned Night Heron roosting this afternoon in treetops within Ferguson Museum Sanctuary, Fishers Island. At just about sunset, this nocturnal resident will forage for fish at Duck pond.

With remarks From the Field, this week marks the return of Great Blue Herons as well as Great Egrets, especially in coves northside.

Keep your eyes peeled…

From the Field, Field Note, Justine Kibbe, April 9, 2019

Black-crowned Night Heron roosting this afternoon in treetops within Ferguson Museum Sanctuary, Fishers Island. At just about sunset, this nocturnal resident will forage for fish at Duck pond.

With remarks From the Field, this week marks the return of Great Blue Herons as well as Great Egrets, especially in coves northside.

Keep your eyes peeled…

From the Field, Video Snippet, Justine Kibbe, April 9, 2019

Piping Plover pair returns. House hunting on Sanctuary of Sands, Fishers Island.

Please tread lightly.

From the Field, Field Note, Justine Kibbe, April 6, 2019

There is still a lot to learn about the lives of Piping Plovers during their winter migration. These delicate shorebirds can fly as far as the Gulf of Mexico before returning to the North Atlantic coast. With development and disappearing habitat, we can only imagine the effort these winged visitors expend to come home to this safe sandy spot on Fishers Island.

Although these two Piping Plovers are not banded, I’m grateful to see the “same pair” return after several years of monitoring.

*site fidelity

From the Field, Video Snippet, Justine Kibbe, April 6, 2019