Nesting willets make sure they're noticed

Story by Genie Gregor

I went to the Marsh today, having in mind to do some phragmites cutting and collecting specimens of the plants that might be in bloom now. As I was approaching the site from the bay, I noticed a willet - he made sure he does not go unnoticed - making circles above my head and giving out piercing calls.

Although I knew it was the nesting season for Tringa semipalmata, or the eastern Willet, and they are known to be very defensive parents, I was hoping that their nest was away from my path and, if I have a friendly face and move forward at a leisurely pace, they would let me do my stuff... Not even close! With every new step I took, the willet - it was, probably, the male - grew angrier and more feisty, flying closer to me, his screams more and more offensive.

Then his spouse joined in... 

I retreated. The willets stayed. When I looked back, they were sitting on the osprey platform, shouting unpleasant remarks to me.

Once out of their sight, I was able to pick flowers, i.e. collect plant specimens for our herbarium, peacefully.

A group effort opens a channel

Hurricane Sandy casualty. Many of the flags along the main road were found crumpled, ripped and covered in dried mud.

Becky and Danko tackle the big stuff before the job of clearing organic matter (mostly dead reeds) to create a channel. This will encourage water flow and natural flooding.

Genie and Kim-Nora continue the ongoing effort to remove dead organic matter, which contains millions of plastic fragments.

Danko attends to the matter of trash removal from the marsh to the truck, not a thankless job.

High of 53 °F | Humidity (avg) 52% | Wind @ 15 mph (NW) | High Tide 5.5 ft. @ 9:05 AM | Moon 99% visible.

CUNY oceanography students learn by doing

Dr. K. Schnaars Uvino’s CUNY Oceanography students visit the Marsh to observe and record what they see in the wrack line along the shore. Then they get their hands dirty to help with the clean up effort, a project which will be ongoing for many years to come. I was heartened that the students noticed the huge amounts of plastic and polystyrene debris in the environment. Perhaps seeing the human refuse that clogs the planet's natural systems will lead to revised consumption habits...like trying to avoid [as much as possible] buying products that are packaged in one-use plastics.

All but the last four images are a photo essay created by Erin Rodriguez (third from the right).

Fredericka Dauvergne, Tyerence E. Brown, Ozana Gutierrez, Rachel Brander, Erin Rodriguez, Julia Marrone, and Rob Casimiro (left to right).

Kim-Nora explaining where to look for the wrack line and how to log observations of what’s found there.

 

Tyerence E. Brown doing a stellar clean up job in Rocky Point Marsh.

Rob Casimiro focuses on the small details of liberating the Marsh from human debris.

Fredericka Dauvergne…probably wondering which of the thousands of pieces of plastic to pick up first.

Fredericka Dauvergne, Tyerence E. Brown, and Rob Casimiro (left to right).

High of 47 °F | Humidity (avg) 48% | Wind @ 9 mph (NW) | High Tide 4.9 ft. @ 6:14 AM | Moon 88% visible.

Shervin visits Rocky Point Marsh to survey Sandy damage

First cleanup after Sandy

Looking west at the unwelcome gifts brought by Hurricane Sandy. Some of this debris, mostly plastics and lumber, was carefully arranged in large piles on the perimeter of the marsh. This causes a bit of a set back in terms of the tremendous progress that's been made over the past two years.

Looking west ... a closer look at what we will begin to tackle.

This is where I asked a group of CUNY oceanography students (who came out on a field trip) to help clean the area of plastic bags clinging to the trees.

The difference can been seen, after a couple hours of work.

Kathleen Schnaars-Uvino, Professor of Biology at the School of Professional Studies with her Oceanography students. They surveyed the beach habitat, as well as helped out with the cleanup effort to rid the marsh of post Hurricane Sandy debris.

High of 42 °F | Humidity (avg) 58% | Wind @ 15 mph (NW) | High Tide 4.9 ft. @ 11:44 AM | Moon 70% visible.

Rocky Point Marsh Post-Sandy by Frank De Sisto

Original tidal estuary entrance; note peat deposits in foreground from older beach migration. Looking in-land, 0802hrs., Nov. 11, 2012.

Original tidal estuary entrance; it is now wider than it previously was. Looking towards Jamaica Bay, 0802hrs., Nov. 11, 2012

Original tidal estuary entrance; note peat deposits at right as well as stratified sand and eroded dune line, at left. Looking East, 1421hrs., Nov. 23, 2012.

Original tidal estuary entrance, with micro-surge (at left). Looking towards Jamaica Bay, 1558hrs., Nov. 23, 2012.

Original tidal estuary entrance, with micro-surge detail (at left). Looking towards Jamaica Bay, 1558hrs., Nov. 23, 2012.

Original tidal estuary entrance (at left), with branches. Looking East, 1005hrs., Nov.11, 2012.

New tidal estuary entrance, with dune over-wash fan (at center). Looking inland, 0806hrs., Nov.11, 2012.

New tidal estuary entrance, with dune over-wash fan (at center): note sand deposits from destroyed dune line, center, to upper right. Looking towards Jamaica Bay, 0900hrs., Nov. 11, 2012.

New tidal estuary entrance, with dune over-wash fan (from left, to center); note sand deposits from destroyed dune line, center to upper right. Looking West, 0857hrs., Nov. 11, 2012.

Dune over-wash fans, with rills from subsequently retreating water. Note stressed, but still intact American Beach Grass, showing the direction of the tidal surge. Looking inland, 0839hrs., Nov. 11, 2012.

Dune over-wash fans, with rills from subsequently retreating water. Note stressed, but still intact American Beach Grass, showing the direction of the tidal surge. Looking inland, 0840hrs., Nov. 11, 2012.

Dune over-wash fans, with tracks from Quad-type ATV. Note the dune over-wash fan, running down center of image, indicating the location of the former dune line. Looking East, 1425hrs., Nov. 23, 2012.

Marsh interior. Looking inland, 0858hrs., Nov. 11, 2012.

Marsh interior showing twin drainage culverts. Looking inland, 1058hrs., Nov.11, 2012.

Marsh interior showing redistributed lumber. The wooden platform at center formerly resided atop the culverts seen in previous image. 1050hrs., Nov. 11, 2012.

More redistributed lumber, this time on the Western rim of the marsh. Many of the clearings inside the tree-line are now chocked with lumber, plastic and natural debris. 0857hrs., Nov. 11, 2012.

Looking out past the marsh, across Jamaica Bay, with Brighton Beach in the far background. Note collection of debris on ridge as well as damaged pier, out past the stone jetty. 0855hrs., Nov.12, 2012.