Photo by Tom Koerner/USFWS. (Lontra canadensis) by Terry McNamara The sight of a group, or “romp,” of otters crossing the bank of a pond with their playful, loping gait can’t fail to elicit a smile. Sleek and weasel-like, these carnivorous mammals have rich brown fur and grow to between three and four feet
Eelgrass dampening wave action, Barley Field Cove, F.I. Photo: seagrassli.org. What Is Seagrass, and Why Should We Care About It? by Elizabeth McCance Commonly mistaken for seaweed, seagrass is a flowering plant complete with roots, stems, and flowers that is adapted to life underwater. Globally, there are about 60 species of seagrass. The
American mink (Neovison vison). Photo by Pdreijnders from Wikimedia Commons American Mink (Neovison vison) by Terry McNamara Each year there are reported sightings of a chocolate to dark brown weasel-like animal about two feet in length with a bushy tail. Detailed observations mention white on the animal’s chin and throat and a tail
by Terry McNamara In last year’s newsletter we discussed the two most common snakes that you are likely to encounter on our island: the Northern Black Racer and the Eastern Garter Snake. There are two other species of snake that inhabit Fishers Island. You may have encountered the Eastern Ribbon Snake (Thamnophis s. sauritus). It
Excerpted from: Birds, Plants & Fish of Fort H.G. Wright by the late Edwin Horning [1998]. Silver Eel Cove: Island climate; plants, animals, and folks around the docks Docks on Silver Eel Cove with Pump House in background, circa 2001. “Silver Eel Cove” (where the Fishers Island ferries dock) was a pond before
Nature Notes by Terry McNamara Northern Black Racer adult When you walk on Fishers Island during the summer months, you’re likely to encounter a snake or two in the fields or open woodlands. Turn over a few rocks, and you might find a few more. You’ll probably get no more than the briefest
Nature Notes Excerpted from “Rocks, Plants, Birds and People of Fishers Island” [1999] by the late Edwin Horning Eastern Screech Owl Birds No Longer Nesting or Decreasing Barn Owl: This owl once nested in the old ice house on the shore of Middle Farm Pond. The last time that it nested there was
by Terry McNamara The crab species most of us are familiar with on Fishers Island is the green crab (Carcinus maenas). On the docks on the Fishers Island Sound side of the island, countless crabs have been hauled from the water with drop lines by youngsters. On the south side of the island these crabs
Fresh Water Turtles of Fishers Island by Penni Sharp Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta) On any sunny spring or summer day, anyone passing by one of Fishers Island’s freshwater ponds may catch a glimpse of turtles basking on an exposed rock or fallen tree. These turtles are most likely to be painted turtles (Chrysemys
Cinnamon fern (Osmunda cinnamomea). HLFM Sanctuary, 5/15/13. Ferns of Fishers Island by Penni Sharp Fishers Island is a botanically diverse island with a number of different habitat types supporting different plant communities. Nearly 1000 species of vascular plants were identified in a 2003 study of the island flora. The flora of Fishers Island
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F.I. Sketchbook 2005
