More on Bald Eagles on Fishers Island by Jessica NeJame, Land Trust Coordinator A successful nest of bald eagles on the Island is a great ecological sign, indicating that Bald Eagles along the Connecticut River are expanding. Bald Eagle and other raptor populations (including Osprey) were severely impacted by
Land Trust Report by Bob Miller, Vice-President Land Trust I am happy to report that our purchase of sixteen additional acres of environmentally sensitive land from FIDCO is on track. A revised Memorandum of Understanding was signed on February 26, 2026, and surveyors and counsel are now working to procure Town approval
The Henry L. Ferguson Museum Newsletter Vol. 41, No. 1 • Spring 2026 Elizabeth McCance From the President Elizabeth McCance After this winter’s serial storms and low temperatures, I can’t wait to get back to Fishers for warmth, sunshine, friends, and Museum
My Lifelong Osprey Studies: Scientific Adventures on Our Coast by Paul R. Spitzer In the spring of 1968, I began a lifelong journey of scientific understanding based on Osprey field study. My Osprey mentors, ornithologist Roger Tory Peterson and his wife Barbara, had moved to Old Lyme, CT, in 1954,
Nature Notes: Dragonflies and Damselflies (Odonata) by Terry McNamara Butterflies, flitting about during the summer and spring, are pollinating flowers while feeding themselves. Their bright colors and intricate patterns catch the eye, evoking a sense of beauty in the observer. Members of Odonata—dragonflies and damselflies—also elicit a favorable reaction when viewed by humans.
Early History of the Catholic Church on Fishers Island by Pierce Rafferty While researching within online newspaper archives, I recently stumbled upon a July 1893 article whose headline caught my eye: “A Hundred Years Since Mass Was Celebrated on Fishers Island.” The article recounted that Father Daniel Sheehy of St. Ambrose Catholic Church, Brooklyn,
The Museum’s Evolving Mission by Mike McNamara As a small, single-room organization grows into a multifloor museum dedicated to the social and natural history of Fishers Island, a shift in identity and purpose is natural. This shift becomes even more significant when considering the Museum is also Fishers Island’s largest natural land conservator, stewarding
Introduction to the HLFM’s Strategic Plan Vision, Mission, and Values The Museum is at a unique point in its history. In the last few years, it has expanded its programming, its projects, and its level of professionalism. Simultaneously with these system-level changes, there was a clear need to prepare for the future transitions of
The Janet Harvey Sanctuary & the Silver Eel–Race Point Coastal Trail by Kate Stevens, Special Projects Coordinator Janet Harvey Sanctuary In December 2023, the Fishers Island Waste Management District granted a license to the Henry L. Ferguson Museum to manage, restore, and protect approximately five acres of natural coastline habitat
Along the Trails by Jack Schneider, Land Trust Manager Clay Pit Trail Redirect. A section of Clay Pit Trail has been rerouted. The path now slopes downhill from the Block Island Sound overlook and continues beneath an elevated canopy dominated by mature maples and an uncluttered understory, bypassing the corridors
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F.I. Sketchbook 2005
