FISM 2nd Annual Fishers Island Eelgrass Boat Tour
2024-07-27 09:00 (America/New_York) | Fishers Island Ferry District
Join the Fishers Island Seagrass Management Coalition for its 2nd Annual Eelgrass Boat Tour with guest speaker Jamie Vaudrey, Ph.D., Assistant Research Professor of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut
WHEN: Saturday, July 27, 2024, @ 9 am
LOCATION: Fishers Island Ferry District
TICKETS: $60/per person
We will board at the Fishers Island Ferry Dock and cruise to some of our island’s best eelgrass locations. Dr. Vaudrey will discuss eelgrass around Fishers Island, its importance in the Long Island Sound ecosystem, and what threatens its survival. Learn to identify and distinguish these amazing plants from salt marsh grasses, widgeon grass, and seaweeds. The most up-to-date information about eelgrass restoration projects happening on Long Island Sound will also be provided. Attendees will take home a special FISM gift to commemorate this can’t-miss experience.
Seating is limited to 27 people, so reserve your spot today!
Register Today!

Jamie Vaudrey, Ph.D.

Dr. Vaudrey’s research interests are in ecosystem dynamics in the coastal zone, specifically in the effect of land use on the coastal environment and how anthropogenic changes to the landscape may change our coastal ecosystems. She is specifically interested in the relationship between human activities and the expression of eutrophication in large systems (Narragansett Bay, Long Island Sound) and small embayments of these larger systems. She also has an interest in seagrass systems as indicators of a desirable state of water quality and inputs to coastal systems. She has been involved with a variety of seagrass projects throughout New England, including assessing the genetic diversity of eelgrass, evaluating restoration projects, and developing a model to assist with the siting of restoration projects.
Vaudrey received a B.A. in Biology with a minor in Philosophy from Wellesley College, MA, and a Ph.D. in Oceanography from the University of Connecticut. She is currently research faculty in the Department of Marines Sciences at UConn and has recently been the UConn lead for the establishment of a National Estuarine Research Reserve in Connecticut, which opened its door in July 2022.

Speaker Jamie Vaudrey, Ph.D., Assistant Research Professor of Marine Sciences, University of Connecticut during the 2023 Fishers Island Eelgrass Boat Tour.

Eelgrass from Barleyfield Cove, one of the locations visited during the 2023 Fishers Island Eelgrass Boat Tour.

Dr. Vaudrey shows an attendee how to distinguish seagrass from seaweed.

For more information on the Fishers Island Seagrass Management Coalition, please visit the FISM website:
fiseagrass.org

Quetzals: Icons of the Cloud Forest
2024-07-28 16:00 - 17:00
Renowned ornithologist and author Alan Poole will present an illustrated talk based on his new book, Quetzals: Icons of the Cloud Forest, that celebrates one of the world’s most alluring group of birds and the forests that nurture them.
Native to the cloud forests of Mexico, and Central and South America, quetzals have played an essential role in the cultures of those lands, where their radiant, brightly colored feathers have been worshipped as sacred objects and coveted as luxury goods for millennia. Drawing on scientific and historical facts, Poole details the natural history and cultural significance of these legendary birds.
Alan F. Poole, an Associate of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology, is the former editor of Birds of North America and the author of Ospreys: The Revival of a Global Raptor.
WHEN: Sunday, July 28, 2024
TIME: 4 p.m.
PLACE: Museum, 2nd Floor
Book signing and reception to follow.

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Save the Animals
2024-07-31 14:00 - 15:00 | Henry L. Ferguson Museum, 1109 Equestrian Ave, Fishers Island, NY, 06390, United States
Many animals are facing the threat of extinction, but you can help! Meet live animals and learn how you can help their species with some simple tips.
WHEN: Wednesday, July 31, 2024
TIME: 2 to 3 p.m.
LOCATION: In person at the Museum
A Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center (DPNC) family program for ages five and up.
Suggested donation $10.

All Wednesday children’s programs are in person at the Museum.
Attendance is limited to 15 children so advance registration is recommended.
Please phone: 631-788-7239 or email fimuseum@fishersisland.net
(note the name and date of the specific program and the name and age of the attendee/s).

Short-eared owl, Karen Viste-Sparkman/USFWS

Peregrine falcon with prey on Napatree Point headlands, November 7, 2017. Photo credit: The Watch Hill Conservancy

Northern Harrier, Tom Koerner/USFWS, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Northern Leopard Frog, USFWS

The House that History Flowed Through
2024-08-04 16:00 - 17:00
Museum Director Pierce Rafferty’s illustrated talk chronicles how the history of Fishers Island from the Colonial era to date can be traced through the evolution of a single island structure: the Mansion House.
WHEN: Sunday, August 4, 2024
TIME: 4:00 p.m.
PLACE: Museum, 2nd Floor and virtual via Zoom
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The Fox Mansion House showing rear addition and adjacent farm buildings Circa 1880s
Museum Collection

Side-angle view of the Mansion House 1887
Museum Collection. Donated by Polly Edmonds

Side angle view of original residential section of Mansion House Hotel and its porches Circa 1895
Photograph by James S. Casey. Museum acquisition

Social event at the Mansion House Circa 1895
Museum Collection. Donated by Polly Edmonds

The Piazza at Music Room, Mansion House, Fishers Island, N.Y. Circa 1913
Published by Brown & Dawson, Stamford, Conn. Museum Collection. Donated by Harry and Susie Ferguson

Mansion House, Fishers Island, N.Y. Circa 1920
Printed color postcard
Published by J. Soloman, New London, Conn.
Museum Collection. Donated by Pierce Rafferty

Owners and handlers posing with their dogs at the Mansion House Hotel, Fishers Island, N.Y. Circa 1927. Museum Collection.

The audience watching a bench show at the Mansion House Hotel, Fishers Island, N.Y. Circa 1928. Museum Collection.

Interior view of the Drawing Room extension, Mansion House Hotel, Fishers Island, NY Circa 1938
Photograph by T.A. Conroy, Jr., Brookline, Mass.
Museum Collection. Donated by Harry and Susie Ferguson

Children’s Costume Dance, Mansion House Ballroom, Fishers Island, NY Circa 1938
Photograph by T.A. Conroy, Jr., Brookline, Mass
Museum Collection. Donated by Harry and Susie Ferguson

Young women on putting green at rear of Mansion House, Fishers Island, NY Circa 1939
Photograph by Peyser & Patzig, Inc., New York
Museum Collection. Donated by Harry and Susie Ferguson

The Old Mansion House, Fishers Island, N.Y. Circa 1939
Hand-colored printed postcard
Published by Eagle Post Card View Co., New York
Museum Collection. Donated by Pierce Rafferty

Wildflowers
2024-08-07 14:00 - 15:00
Flowers come in an incredible array of shapes, sizes and colors. Students will have a chance to dissect a flower and learn the roles pollination plays in plant reproduction. Create a beautiful craft!
WHEN: Wednesday, August 7, 2024
TIME: 2 to 3 p.m.
LOCATION: In person at the Museum
Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center (DPNC) family program for ages five and up.
Suggested donation $10.

All Wednesday children’s programs are in person at the Museum.
Attendance is limited to 15 children so advance registration is recommended.
Please phone: 631-788-7239 or email fimuseum@fishersisland.net
(note the name and date of the specific program and the name and age of the attendee/s).

Jellyfish Near Fishers Island and Beyond
2024-08-11 16:00 - 17:00
Dr. Mary Beth Decker, marine scientist and educator at Yale University, will introduce us to jellyfish biology and the ecological roles that jellyfish play in our coastal and open-ocean ecosystems.
WHEN: Sunday, August 11, 2024
TIME: 4:00 p.m.
PLACE: In person at the Museum, 2nd Floor and virtual via zoom
As a research scientist, Mary Beth studies how oceanography and climate change affect marine predators, such as jellyfish and seabirds, and their prey in coastal and oceanic ecosystems.
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Lions Mane Jellyfish, photo by Mary Murphy

Lions Mane Jellyfish, photo by Connor Jones

Lions Mane Jellyfish, photo by Mary Murphy

FIND 2024
2024-08-12 09:00 - 2024-08-16 12:00
FISHERS ISLAND NATURE DISCOVERY
2024 – The 5th Year of FIND
A Week (5 DAYS) of Learning Programs for Young Island Naturalists Ages 5 to 10.
FIND offers a week of learning programs for young Island naturalists on a variety of environmental topics relating to the natural history and stewardship of our Island.
Using the Ferguson Museum as a base, the programs provide an indoor/outdoor learning experience that introduces our children to the Island’s natural resources and some of the challenges faced in maintaining its fragile ecology. Led by educators, the children discover the Island’s natural history through a combination of hands-on exploration, observation, and interpretation.
WHEN: The 2024 FIND program will run for one week from August 12 to August 16; Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to noon.
WHO: 20 children max, all between the ages of 5 to 10. Depending on numbers, attendees will either be in one group, or split into two groups by age.
Each group will be led by educator/s from the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center (DPNC), assisted at times by Museum staff and guest naturalists.
WHERE: Outdoor locations will vary based on the daily plan, but will include Fishers Island’s beaches, woods, and ponds. Indoor learning will take place at the Museum and will include art and science projects related to the daily subject matter.
COST: The cost per participant is $400 for the week. To promote group cohesion and learning, we encourage all participants to attend all five sessions.
REGISTRATION: Please call the Museum (631-788-7239) or e-mail info@fergusonmuseum.org to reserve a spot for your child/children (and note the FIND program and the name and age of the attendee/s). The registration and payment form will then be sent to you.
This is a wonderful opportunity for young children to develop a love of nature and ecology through participatory learning both at the Museum and in the field.
2023 FIND

2019 FIND

Creepers and Leapers
2024-08-14 14:00 - 15:00
Live frogs, snakes and salamanders provide an up-close introduction to the interesting adaptations of our native amphibians and reptiles.
WHEN: Wednesday, August 14, 2024
TIME: 2 to 3 p.m.
LOCATION: In person at the Museum
Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center (DPNC) family program for ages five and up.
Suggested donation $10.

All Wednesday children’s programs are in person at the Museum.
Attendance is limited to 15 children so advance registration is recommended.
Please phone: 631-788-7239 or email fimuseum@fishersisland.net
(note the name and date of the specific program and the name and age of the attendee/s).

Plastic in the Water, Plastic on the Land, and Plastic in You!
2024-08-18 16:00 - 17:00 | Henry L. Ferguson Museum, 1109 Equestrian Ave, Fishers Island, NY, 06390, United States
Dr. Megan J. Wolff, policy director at Beyond Plastics, will speak about what efforts individuals can make to reduce their personal consumption and exposure to plastics with a focus on the threat of microplastics to your health.
Plastic pollution is a bad neighbor. Michele Klimczak of the Fishers Island Conservancy, along with other organizations and volunteers, works tirelessly to clean up beach litter, but there is always more washing ashore, and plenty more being manufactured and discarded every day. Plastic waste is on track to triple by 2060. As plastic breaks up into microplastics it disperses into the environment. Researchers are finding plastic particles almost everywhere they look, including inside the human body.
What are the impacts of these plastics, and what can we do to stop them?
WHEN: Sunday, August 18, 2024
TIME: 4:00 p.m.
PLACE: At the Museum, 2nd Floor and virtually via Zoom.
Reception to follow.
Co-hosted with Fishers Island Conservancy.
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Animal Rehabilitation Stories
2024-08-21 14:00 - 15:00
Discover the interesting and important work wildlife rehabilitators do to help injured animals! We will talk about what it means to be a rehabilitator, what you can do at home to protect wildlife and meet some of the Nature Center’s non-releasable animal residents.
WHEN: Wednesday, August 21, 2024
TIME: 2 to 3 p.m.
LOCATION: In person at the Museum
A Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center (DPNC) family program for ages five and up.
Suggested donation $10.

All Wednesday children’s programs are in person at the Museum.
Attendance is limited to 15 children so advance registration is recommended.
Please phone: 631-788-7239 or email fimuseum@fishersisland.net
(note the name and date of the specific program and the name and age of the attendee/s).

Season of the Osprey
2024-08-24 16:00 - 17:00 | Fishers Island Theater
CT filmmaker Jacob Steinberg brings his celebrated PBS Nature Special “Season of the Osprey” to the FI Theater for a night of entertainment and conservation education.
Jacob Steinberg. Photo courtesy of John Steinberg
This unique film, narrated by Paul Giamatti, captures the struggles, failures and triumphs of an osprey family over the course of a summer on the Connecticut River.
WHEN: Saturday, August 24, 2024
TIME: 4 p.m.
PLACE: FI Movie Theater
Following the screening there will be a Q&A and discussion with the filmmaker.
No admission charge.
Voluntary contributions will go to the Ken Edwards Wildlife Conservation Fund of the HLFM.

Osprey. Photo courtesy of Jacob Steinberg

Male osprey delivers stick to nest. Photo courtesy of Jacob Steinberg

Osprey couple. Photo courtesy of Jacob Steinberg

Osprey with chicks. Photo courtesy of Jacob Steinberg

Osprey. Photo courtesy of Jacob Steinberg

Menhaden
2024-08-25 16:00 - 17:00
Filmmaker Jacob Steinberg will present an illustrated talk documenting his current work in progress: a film illustrating the critical importance of menhaden to our fisheries and our development as a nation.
Jacob Steinberg. Photo courtesy of John Steinberg
WHEN; Sunday, August 25, 2024
TIME: 4:00 p.m.
PLACE: In person at the Museum, 2nd Floor and virtual via Zoom.
Jacob Steinberg is an Emmy Award nominated cinematographer. Born in New York, he studied digital filmmaking at the New York Film Academy. An expedition leader, wilderness medic, and mountaineer, he has travelled worldwide. For over a decade, Jacob has worked as a guide and expedition leader in Peru, documenting subject matters including wildlife conservation, indigenous culture, and natural history.
Leveraging a valuable combination of filmmaking, project management, and natural history expertise, he founded CosmoVision Media Group in 2012. He leads an exceptional team of experienced filmmakers and collaborating scientific experts, all focused on bringing to public awareness stories of importance and lasting impact. His commitment to the natural world is unwavering, creatively harnessing technical sophistication to tell meaningful stories.
Menhaden photo credit: Virginia Institute of Marine Science
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FISM Summer Meeting 2024
2024-08-27 12:00 - 13:30
Join the Fishers Island Seagrass Management (FISM) Coalition for their 2024 Summer Meeting with guest speaker Cayla Sullivan, EPA Life Scientist.
FISM will discuss project updates, including the eelgrass mapping project and eco-mooring pilot study. Following the updates, Cayla Sullivan will speak on the eelgrass projects around Long Island Sound and Fishers Island’s important role in the future of eelgrass in the region.
WHEN: Tuesday, August 27, 2024
TIME: 12:00 to 1:30 p.m.
LOCATION: In person at the Museum, 2nd Floor and virtual via zoom
To join remotely, contact Hannah Vagts at fishersislandseagrass@gmail.com
Discover more about Fishers Island Seagrass at fiseagrass.org

Download Flyer

Rock Cycle Ruckus
2024-08-28 14:00 - 15:00 | Henry L. Ferguson Museum, 1109 Equestrian Ave, Fishers Island, NY, 06390, United States
Rocks are amazing! Learn about the cycle they go through as they turn from sedimentary to metamorphic to igneous and back again by playing games and seeing lots of awesome rock samples!
WHEN: Wednesday, August 28, 2024
TIME: 2 to 3 p.m.
LOCATION: In person at the Museum
A Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center (DPNC) family program for ages five and up.
Suggested donation $10.

All Wednesday children’s programs are in person at the Museum.
Attendance is limited to 15 children so advance registration is recommended.
Please phone: 631-788-7239 or email fimuseum@fishersisland.net
(note the name and date of the specific program and the name and age of the attendee/s).

The Wondrous World of Fireflies
2024-09-08 16:00 - 17:00 | Henry L. Ferguson Museum, 1109 Equestrian Ave, Fishers Island, NY, 06390, United States
Illustrated talk presented by biologist and professor emerita at Tufts, Dr. Sara Lewis.
Fireflies are surely among our greatest ambassadors for Earth’s natural magic. For centuries their ethereal beauty has sparked wonder and inspired poets, artists, and children of all ages. Yet they hold so many mysteries! Join us at the Museum to hear where they got their bright lights, explore their remarkable lifestyles, learn about human activities that put fireflies at risk, and find out what you can do to help protect these dazzling creatures.
WHEN: Sunday, Sept. 8, 2024
TIME: 4 p.m.
LOCATION: In person at the Museum, 2nd floor and virtual via zoom link below
Dr. Sara Lewis is a biologist and professor emerita at Tufts who has spent the past thirty years studying firefly behavior, ecology, and evolution. She currently coordinates global firefly conservation efforts as co-chair of the IUCN Firefly Specialist Group. In addition to writing numerous scientific articles, Prof. Lewis has given a TED talk and has written popular articles for Scientific American, Undark, CNN, The Guardian, and National Wildlife. Her work has been featured in the New York Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, and BBC, along with numerous radio shows and podcasts. She is also the author of Silent Sparks: The Wondrous World of Fireflies, an entertaining and highly accessible journey into their luminous lives.
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Sara Lewis with fireflies at TED Talk

Pyralis photo by Terry-Priest

Invasive Plant Guided Trail Walk
2024-10-12 13:00 - 14:00
Join us for a guided walk on Clay Point Road Trail, one of the HLFM Land Trust’s newest Fishers Island trails!
WHEN: Saturday, October 12, 2024
TIME: 1-2 pm
PLACE: Meet at the Museum @ 12:45 pm before proceeding to the Clay Point Road Trail.
DRESS: We recommend long pants, long sleeves, and gloves to protect yourself from thorns and poison ivy.
Light refreshments and Q&A at the end of the trail walk!
Program is FREE but registration is requested in advance.
RegisterDid you know that some invasive plants are easier to identify and remove during the fall? During this walk we will help you develop the practical skills required to improve the Fishers Island native landscape on your property!
What can you expect to discover?
Our incredible guides have many years of experience removing invasive plants on Fishers Island. As they guide you through the Clay Point Road Trail, they will:

Point out invasive plants
Describe how they identified them and distinguished them from native plants
Demonstrate what they would do when removing them
Provide the ideal timeline for the invasive plant’s removal

Will there be time to answer your specific questions?
Yes! After the walk, we will have some light refreshments available at the end of the trail. Our guides will be available to address any questions they were unable to get to previously at that time. We will provide notepads and pens at the beginning of the event so you can record all the information you need!
Why Clay Point Road Trail?
The Land Trust has been working diligently to remove invasive plants from their properties, but as a newer trail, it has not yet undergone the extensive invasive plant management that other trails have benefited from. This gives us a unique opportunity to find many species of invasive plants in one, short, easily accessed trail! We want to take advantage of this moment to share this experience with the Fishers Island community.
Clay Point Road Trail is trail #9 on the above map which can also be accessed here. On the day of the event we will have a sign on the main road to show you where to turn to find the trail.
We hope to see you there for this fun fall event!
This event is organized by the Fishers Island Seagrass Management Coalition
and sponsored by the Henry L. Ferguson Museum and the Fishers Island Conservancy.

The History of English Springer Spaniel Field Trials on Fishers Island
2024-10-13 16:00 - 17:00 | Henry L. Ferguson Museum, 1109 Equestrian Ave, Fishers Island, NY, 06390, United States
Museum Director Pierce Rafferty will give an illustrated talk co-hosted by Ted Lagala, Eastern Regional Field Governor, Parent Club of the Breed, ESSFTA, commemorating the 100th anniversary of the first English Springer Spaniel Field Trial that was held on F.I. in 1924.
Discover how Walton Ferguson, Jr. and a small group of friends and relatives staged the first Springer trials ever held in America and founded the AKC parent club for the breed. Catch a glimpse of the camaraderie of gatherings at the Mansion House Hotel and in the field, the trials’ rigorous tests, and the champion dogs that made sporting history here.
WHEN: Sunday, October 13, 2024
TIME: 4pm
PLACE: In person at the Museum, 2nd Floor and virtual via zoom
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Dual Trial Champion Tedwyns Trex, owned by Mr. and Mrs. Walton Ferguson, Jr., Fishers Island, N.Y. Date unknown. Museum Collection. This famous Springer was born in England in 1925 and won a field trial championship in that country and sired five field trial champions before being imported to the United States by Mr. and Mrs. Walton Ferguson, Jr. In America, he was both a field trial and bench show champion, the first Dual Trial Champion (Dual Tr. Ch.) on this continent.

Holiday Sale!
2024-11-29 10:00 - 13:00, 2024-11-30 10:00 - 13:00 | Henry L. Ferguson Museum, 1109 Equestrian Ave, Fishers Island, NY, 06390, United States
Holiday Sale! Get 20% off all items in the Museum Gift Shop this Friday and Saturday, from 10am to 1pm.
We’ve got tons of new items in stock, from books to posters to stationary to educational toys to stuffed animals, and more. There’s something for every naturalist in your life, no matter the age. The large format images on the second-floor gallery are also for sale and proceeds benefit the Museum’s Art Fund.

19th Annual Thanksgiving Trail Clearing & Beach Clean Up
2024-11-29 14:00 - 16:00
The Henry L. Ferguson Museum
Presents the
19th Annual
Thanksgiving Trail Clearing, Beach Clean Up, Invasive Removal
(NO OYSTER AFTERPARTY THIS YEAR)
Friday, November 29, 2024
UPDATED TIME: 2 – 4 p.m.
WE NEED YOUR HELP! You and your family and friends are invited to join the rest of the HLFM community for some hale and hearty in-the-field-fellowship on the Friday afternoon after Thanksgiving. Together we’ll clear invasives from trails, de-vine trees, and pick up debris along the beach. It’s a wonderful tradition, now in its 19th year—as good for the soul as it is for the Island. ALL are WELCOME!
Please note that the Oyster Afterparty at the Museum will not occur this year out of respect for the remembrance of Dee Ross being held at the American Legion Post #1025 from 3 – 5 p.m.
WHERE / WHAT:
Be sure to arrive promptly at 2 p.m. for hot cider and autumn treats as you get your team assignments and pep talk from Board Member Scott Reid before proceeding to the Museum’s Land Trust trails and beaches. This year we will be expanding assignments to include invasive plant control in order to clear vines on select trails, as well as clean-ups at several beach areas.
TOOLS:
Please bring tools you can handle safely (clippers, loppers, etc.) NO CHAINSAWS. We will provide heavy-duty garbage bags for beach and path cleaning.
DRESS:
We suggest you wear long pants, long-sleeved shirts, socks and gloves to battle beastly thorns and poison ivy.
Please take photos of your team in action and share them with the Museum.
We look forward to resuming the popular Oyster Afterparty again next year.
Community members gather at the Museum for the 18th Annual Trail Clearing in 2023.
For further information please contact:
Scott Reid
646.431.8536
bsr1265@gmail.com
or
Pierce Rafferty
631.788.7239
info@fergusonmuseum.org
Happy Thanksgiving!
And as a reminder if you’re holiday shopping. . .
The Museum store will also be open Friday/Saturday and it’s filled with gifts for naturalists of all ages. The large format images on the second floor gallery are for sale and proceeds benefit the Museum’s Art Fund.
While at the Museum, please check out and enjoy the current annual exhibit on display “A Birds’ Eye View – Aerial and Drone Photography of Fishers Island”, curated by Pierce Rafferty and generously sponsored by Altus Partners.
The Land Trust’s trail system is maintained throughout the year by the HLF Museum and volunteer opportunities are also always available.
Interested in learning more about invasive plant management?
Trail guides Terry McNamara (pictured at the top of this page) and Diana Fiske (pictured below) recently led thirty community members on a guided trail walk through Clay Point Road Trail. For more information on plants encountered during this Invasive Plant Guided Trail Walk view the article by clicking the photo below.
Trail photos by Hannah Vagts, FISM Coordinator

The 12th Annual HLFM Holiday Party
2024-12-22 17:00 - 19:00 | Henry L. Ferguson Museum, 1109 Equestrian Ave, Fishers Island, NY, 06390, United States
Join us for an evening of Holiday cheer, convivial conversations, and tasty light fare by Karla Heath. Adults and children of all ages are welcome, as are visiting relatives and house guests!
While at the Museum, be sure to visit (or revisit) the 2024 annual exhibit.
We hope to see you there!

Winter Waterfowl of Fishers Island and the Surrounding Region
2025-01-19 16:00 - 17:00
Join us for a Virtual Illustrated Talk by Kim Hargrave, interim executive director of the Denison Pequotsepos Nature Center, Mystic, Conn.
Kim Hargrave
TIME: Sunday, January 19, 2025 @ 4:00 – 5:00 P.M.
PLACE: Virtual via Zoom
Discover the wondrous world of winter waterfowl as we explore the unique species that grace Fishers Island and the surrounding coastlines during the colder months. Learn more about their remarkable cold-weather adaptations and incredible migration patterns. From the elegant long-tailed duck to the striking red-breasted merganser, learn basic identification tips for a variety of species.
Goldeneye photo by Todd McCormack
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Winter Birds and Waterfowl Walk
2025-01-25 10:00 - 11:30
Join us for an in-the field Water Fowl Watch led by birder and naturalist Maggie Jones. Meet at the Museum at 10 a.m.and we’ll drive to the first site from there. (If you don’t have a car, you can carpool with others.)
DATE: Saturday, January 25th, 2025
TIME: 10 a.m.
LOCATION: Meet at Museum Parking Lot
Please dress for the weather and don’t forget your binoculars! Length of walk is one hour to one hour and half.
This Penni Sharp Nature Walk is sponsored in loving memory of Penelope “Penni” Sharp, birder, botanist & HLFM president from 2003 until 2014.
Brant photo by Justine Kibbe

Beyond Your Back Door: Connecting with Nature Where You Live
2025-02-23 16:00 - 17:00
A virtual illustrated talk by trained naturalist and master gardener Jim Sirch, who will use his blog to take a deeper dive into the amazing natural events happening right in our own backyards – and beyond – throughout the seasons.
During the pandemic, people working from home found themselves spending more time in their yards and local green spaces. They began to look beyond the grass that needed mowing and leaves that needed raking, and started to notice the wildlife that lived there. They observed songbirds, raptors, snakes, toads, tiny native bees and more, often marveling at what they saw. In response to questions about what they were observing, Jim Sirch created a nature blog to help others better understand and learn about phenological changes – natural events happening throughout the year. In this talk, Jim will share his broad understanding of geology, plants and wildlife and their interconnectedness within particular ecosystems.
WHEN: Sunday, February 23, 2025
TIME: 4 p.m.
PLACE: Virtual via zoom
Join Zoom WebinarAbout Jim Sirch
Vice President of the Connecticut Horticultural Society, Jim Sirch is a UConn Master Gardener, past president and board member of his local land trust, and on the board of the Mountain Laurel chapter of Wild Ones, a nonprofit dedicated to native plants. Recently retired from his position as Education Coordinator for the Yale Peabody Museum of Natural History, he founded the Peabody-Beardsley-Maritime chapter of the citizen science program Frogwatch USA, the country’s largest chapter.
Jim is passionate about helping others decrease their lawns and re-wild their yards. He co-founded a native plant seed library at his local public library. Jim holds a B.S in Forestry from West Virginia University, a B.S. from Miami University in Science Education; and an M.S. in Environmental Studies Administration from Antioch University. He is also a recipient of the Sigmund Abeles Award from the Connecticut Science Teachers and Supervisors Association for outstanding science teaching and professional development. Jim lives in a 19th century farmhouse in Connecticut with his wife and daughter.
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Webinar ID: 879 5743 2563
International numbers available: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/keBEBfwIjT

Between Land and Sea: The Atlantic Coast and the Transformation of New England
2025-03-09 16:00 - 17:00
A virtual illustrated talk by Christopher L. Pastore, author and Assistant Professor of History at the University at Albany, State University of New York based on his book “Between Land and Sea: The Atlantic Coast and the Transformation of New England”
One of the largest estuaries on the North Atlantic coast, Narragansett Bay served as a gateway for colonial expansion in the seventeenth century and the birthplace of American industrialization in the late eighteenth. Christopher Pastore presents an environmental history of this watery corner of the Atlantic world, beginning with the first European settlement in 1636 and ending with the dissolution of the Blackstone Canal Company in 1849. Between Land and Sea traces how the Bay’s complex ecology shaped the contours of European habitation, trade, and resource use, and how littoral settlers in turn reconfigured the physical and cultural boundaries between humans and nature.
Narragansett Bay emerges in Pastore’s account as much more than a geological formation. Rather, he reimagines the nexus of land and sea as a brackish borderland shaped by the tension between what English settlers saw as improvable land and the perpetual forces of the North Atlantic Ocean. By draining swamps, damming rivers, and digging canals, settlers transformed a marshy coastal margin into a clearly defined edge. The resultant “coastline” proved less resilient, less able to absorb the blows of human initiative and natural variation than the soggy fractal of water and earth it replaced.
Today, as sea levels rise and superstorms batter coasts with increasing ferocity, Between Land and Sea calls on the environmentally-minded to make a space in their notions of progress for impermanence and uncertainty in the natural world.
WHEN: Sunday, March 9, 2025
TIME: 4 p.m.
PLACE: Virtual via zoom
Join Zoom WebinarAbout the Author
Christopher L. Pastore is Associate Professor of History at the University at Albany, State University of New York, where he teaches courses in environmental history, early America, and the Atlantic world. He holds a Ph.D. in American History and M.S. in college teaching from the University of New Hampshire, an M.F.A. in nonfiction Creative Writing from New School University, and a B.A. in Biology from Bowdoin College. He has held research fellowships at the University of Munich, Trinity College Dublin, and most recently at the Yale Center for British Art and as a Fulbright scholar at the University of the Andes in Bogotá, Colombia.
A Rhode Island native, Pastore grew up sailing, fishing and exploring Narragansett Bay. His journalistic work has appeared in the New York Times, Boat International, Cruising World, Newport Life, Offshore, Restoration Quarterly, Real Simple, and Sailing World, where he worked as Associate Editor. He also served as Editor of American Sailor and Junior Sailor, the official publications of U.S. Sailing, the sport’s national governing body. In 2005, he published a biography of Rhode Island yacht designer Nathanael G. Herreshoff (1848-1938) titled Temple to the Wind: The Story of America’s Greatest Naval Architect and His Masterpiece, Reliance (Lyons Press, 2005), early selections from which earned him the 2003 National Arts Club Annual Award for Nonfiction. He is currently writing an environmental history of the early modern Atlantic world with a special focus on slimy things in the sea.
PHOTO CREDIT: Martin Johnson Heade, Rhode Island Shore, 1858, Los Angeles County Museum of Art, Gift of Charles C. and Elma Ralphs Shoemaker.
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Join via audio:
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Webinar ID: 845 8512 2588
International numbers available: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kC54oDps3

Earth Day Battle of the Invasives: Buckthorn and Bittersweet Blitz
2025-04-19 14:00 - 16:00
In honor of Earth Day, please join the Fishers Island Conservancy and the H.L. Ferguson Museum and Land Trust in tackling invasive plants and cleaning up beach debris.
WHEN: Saturday, April 19
TIME: 2-4 PM
PLACE: Meet at the Museum at 2 p.m. to get an assignment before hitting the trails and Parade Grounds.
Reception with light snacks at the Museum to follow.
Please bring tools that you can handle safely (clippers, loppers, etc.) NO CHAINSAWS. We’ll have some tools available.
We suggest you wear long pants, long-sleeved shirts, socks and gloves to battle beasts thorns and poison ivy.

Questions?
Contact Jessica NeJame at jnejame@fergusonmuseum.org
Courtney MacDonald at courtneymacdonald@gmail.com

Bittersweet Berries

Buckthorn Berries

Bittersweet girdling

Buckthorn

This event is co-hosted by
the Fishers Island Conservancy and the H.L. Ferguson Museum and Land Trust

The Rumrunner Wrecks of Fishers Island
2025-04-27 16:00 - 17:00
In this virtual illustrated talk, Museum director Pierce Rafferty utilizes and expands selected portions of his 2019 talk on prohibition entitled “Scotch on the Rocks” with a focus on the five rumrunner wrecks on Fishers Island, especially Steam Yacht Thelma Phoebe on Chocomount Beach, April 1923.
WHEN: Sunday, April 27, 2025 (Moved from April 20)
TIME: 4 p.m.
PLACE: Virtual via zoom
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Join via audio:
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+1 386 347 5053 US
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Webinar ID: 817 0154 6488
International numbers available: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kc35uI0rZs

American Seacoast Defenses and the Long Island Sound
2025-05-18 16:00 - 17:00 | Zoom
Join us for a VIRTUAL illustrated talk by Mark Berhow, author and chairman of the publications committee for Coast Defense Study Group
WHEN: Sunday, May 18, 2025
TIME: 4 p.m.
PLACE: Virtual via zoom
From the establishment of the United States in 1790 through 1950 the federal government fortified its major deep water harbors to deter attack from foreign navies. Long Island Sound has been a prominent location for these defense programs because of its many natural harbors and its “back door” access to New York. Rapid developments in warship and artillery technology during this time led to an evolution of seacoast fortifications with increasing effective range as reflected in the Long Island defenses. The saga of these forts and the changes that led to their eventual closure will be covered in this presentation.
Mark Berhow is a retired research chemist who worked for the USDA Agricultural Research Service in Pasadena, California and Peoria, Illinois. He has had a long interest in American military history and the defenses of United States. He is actively involved with the Coast Defense Study Group as the chairman of its publications committee and is currently the editor in chief of the Coast Defense Journal and the CDSG Newsletter. He has written both books and articles on American seacoast and air defenses.
Join zoom webinarPhone one-tap:
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Join via audio:
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Webinar ID: 896 8205 2336
International numbers available: https://us02web.zoom.us/u/kbfGyh3G49

Right Place, Right Plant - Native Plants and Practical Uses
2025-05-24 11:00 - 13:00
Native plants are essential to repairing and sustaining our fragile ecosystem on Fishers Island. But what makes them unique, and how can we use them effectively? Join us, at the Museum for a discussion of native plants and practical gardening tips!
WHEN: Saturday, May 24, 2025
TIME: 11 am – 12 pm (Talk), 12-1 pm (Reception)
PLACE: In person at the Museum, 2nd Floor and virtual via zoom
By understanding the impact of our actions on land, we can make a significant difference. Non-native plants often require extra maintenance, like fertilizer and pesticides, which can harm our delicate ecosystem. Fishers Island’s sandy, porous soil does not retain these chemicals once applied; instead, they flow into our waters. Fertilizer runoff is a significant source of nitrogen pollution that damages marine habitats and creates algal blooms. The fertilizer and pesticides that do not run into the water damage soil quality and harm native insects. Planting native is an easy win for our entire ecosystem.
At this event, we will hear from experienced peers and professionals to discover more about Fishers Island’s native landscape, the role of invasive plants in the food chain, and how we can use native plants within our landscaping projects. Dr. Adam Mitchell, Terry McNamara, Dianne Crary, Diana Fiske, and Melie Spofford will each give a lightning talk about native plants and happily answer your questions.
After our speakers take you on a journey to learn about Fishers Island’s native plants, we will hold a reception that will host various Fishers Island contractors, lots of helpful handouts, and a plant sale.
Don’t miss out on this unique opportunity! Space for the in-person talk is limited, so secure your spot today.
RegisterJoin Zoom WebinarDownload Flyer

Backyard Birding with Ken
2025-06-01 09:00 - 10:00
Join us at the Museum for coffee, pastries, and birdwatching with local naturalist Ken Edwards, Sr.
When: Sunday, June 1, 2025
Time: 9-10 am
Place: At the Museum, Gazebo (back deck)
Ken is well-known on the Island and beyond for his wide breadth of wildlife knowledge and his particular passion for birds. Together, we’ll watch the feeder at the H. Lee Ferguson, Jr. Sanctuary and identify birds as they flit through the canopy. All ages welcome.
American Goldfinch (male) photo by Dave Menke, USFWS
