Sea wall settlement confidential | Otago Daily Times

Sea wall settlement confidential | Otago Daily Times Online News : Otago, South Island, New Zealand & International News

The Dunedin City Council and engineering consultants CPG have reached a settlement on who is responsible for the replacement of damaged sea wall ramp and stairs at St Clair.

However, part of the agreement was that details of it remained confidential, infrastructure services committee chairman Cr Andrew Noone said.

The council signed off the settlement at its last meeting, in August.

The council and and CPG are now discussing options and designs for new access to the beach.

The city council believed the stairs and ramps from the Esplanade at St Clair to the beach failed several times - most recently last September - because of a combination of construction and design faults.

Design consultant Duffill Watts and King and construction company Naylor Love agreed to strengthen and repair the ramp and stairs at no cost to the council, and facilities were replaced in 2007.

Duffill Watts and King had since merged with CPG and CPG had not accepted liability for subsequent failings.

Council transportation operations manager Graeme Hamilton said a settlement had been reached between the parties in August, and while "the ink was still drying", he described it as a "better than 90% agreement".

The council had allocated $130,000 in its 2012-13 budget for replacing the beach access at the Esplanade.

Mr Hamilton said things were now moving in a "favourable and progressive" direction, and a meeting to develop design options was held yesterday.

There were several ideas on the table about the best beach access and location, which were what the parties were starting to work through.

It was unclear how long it would be before there would be any decision about the access or when the work would be completed.

-debbie.porteous@odt.co.nz

Sandwich Tern!

Charlie Barnard Jr., one of our endlessly helpful volunteers, was able to find a Sandwich Tern on the morning of August 26. He has a track record of spotting this very rare tern at the mouth of the Housatonic River at Stratford's Short Beach in previous years, and he did it yet again in the same area. After wading out to the sandbars to scope through hundreds of Common Terns, he thought he had heard one calling but could not locate it. That is the sort of thing that drives birders crazy because, especially with such big rarities, there is usually no way you can "call" a bird and lock down its identity off one brief sound.

Charlie persisted and soon found the Sandwich Tern out in the open on the outermost bar, just past the edge of a large group of Common Terns. He said:

The tern was distinctly bigger than the Commons. It had black legs and a black bill with a pale yellowish tip. However, the shaggy feathering at the back of the crown was not visible. Also, the crown was mostly black, with only the foremost 1/3 of the crown having turned white. At this time of the year, I would have thought that the entire crown should have been white with black, shaggy feathering being present only at the extreme rear of the crown.  When the bird bent forward to preen, some shaggy feathering could be seen at the rear of the crown, but none was visible when the bird held it's head up.

At the distance he was from the bird the only viable photography option was digiscoping (holding a camera up to a spotting scope, finding the image, and snapping a shot). This is an extremely tricky endeavor at best, from actually getting any image to appear to focusing the scope just right, sometimes with strong winds blowing, and not being able to do much at all about the light. Nevertheless, Charlie got a shot that clinches the identification, and that is all one can hope for in such a situation. It is the farthest tern in the photo.

If you right-click on the photo and view the file full-size the tern will show up much larger. However, here are two cropped and edited versions, altering the light and saturation which allows us to better see the bird and the yellow tip of the large bill, a definitive field mark for the species.

A moment after he took this photo the terns were spooked off the bar. Charlie lost it among the hundreds of individuals flying about, and it was not relocated. This is why everyone should try to have a camera with them at all times while out surveying, even if it is only one on a smartphone (and these have improved a great deal). At least this great bird did not elude us entirely - thanks Charlie!


Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds, Audubon Connecticut and the Connecticut Audubon Society partnering to improve conditions for coastal waterbirds in Connecticut.

McNeil Island

We spent most of the day mapping our way around McNeil Island.  As a result of its prison status, the island has actually avoided the intense waterfront development typical of much of the rest of Puget Sound.  Much of the shoreline consists of remarkably pristine bluffs and forested shorelines, although almost every stream and small estuary has been blocked off or otherwise altered.  We saw strange groin-like structures extending offshore in two places and the remains of old ship or barge hulls on the north side.

The erosion control structures of choice were massive piles of coiled cable (old submarine nets? but they looked like giant mattress springs) and tall stacks of precast Ecology blocks.

This is a place with a complicated history and probably an even more complicated future. It has been both a federal and a state penitentiary and now it's still used to house various types of offenders.  But as the use of the island as a prison has gone down, interest in what happens next goes up.

AERIAL VIEW

Hyde Point

This little pair of spits is located just north of Hyde Point on the east side of McNeil Island.  Most of our mapping was from the boat, but we had permission to land and this was a great spot to pull the boat up and wander over to look at the back-barrier marsh.  The aerial view shows the relationship of these two small lagoons - the southern one tucked into a cove in the upland, the northern one enclosed within a hooked spit.

AERIAL VIEW

At one time, I suspect these two lagoons may have been connected with everything draining out the north end, but now they seem to be plumbed separately since the southern one has it's own tidal channel.

Gertrude Island

Gertrude is another small island just offshore of McNeil, this one on the north side at the mouth of Still Harbor.  It's off limits to folks like us to protect the seals that haul out on the beaches - particularly at the south end.  The east side is very sheltered, with salicornia growing on the beach and a low bank overhung with trees. The west side is a bit more exposed and there is more evidence of erosion.

The funky little spit at the south end appears to be a low terrace -- the flat surface is well above normal backshore elevations and consists of a low erosional scarp.  Another geologic question goes unanswered!

AERIAL VIEW

Pitt Island

Pitt Island is pretty small - a hectare or so of madrone and fir and poison oak sticking out of the narrow channel between the Key Peninsula and McNeil Island.  Wave action from the north (infrequent but significant fetch) and from the south (frequent but sheltered) results in two small cusps at the east and west ends - about the extent of the beach on this island.

AERIAL VIEW

This is part of the McNeil Island Corrections (now Commitment) Facility, so we had permission to land (although it took a phone call to remind the guards with the bullhorn on McNeil about that).

Some of these outcrops were a reminder that I don't know my South Sound geology as well as I'd like.

Garry Point

Garry Point is the end of the road in Steveston, where the Fraser River heads out to sea.  I suppose Steveston was originally built on the natural levee along the historic distributary, but now it's simply the bottom left corner of the sprawling city of Richmond.  

AERIAL VIEW

Garry Point Park was created with fill (dredged sediment from the river, I assume) and then armored with riprap and shaped to create a series of pocket beaches along the riverside.

Roberts Bank

The Fraser River delta extends out into Georgia Strait, forming the large, shallow Roberts Bank.  The Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal is located at the end of a long causeway that extends across Roberts Bank to end just short of the U.S. border.  A parallel causeway a couple of kilometers to the north serves the large coal and container terminals.

AERIAL VIEW

The two jetty-like projections have undoubtedly mucked up circulation and sedimentation patterns in the vicinity, but they sure move a lot of ferry passengers to Vancouver Island and a lot of Rocky Mountain coal to steel plants in Japan and Korea.

Leucistic Piping Plover

The following engrossing and astounding story of a leucistic Piping Plover comes as quite a surprise to all of us. The information and photos below are from Jim Panaccione, a Biological Science Technician at Parker River National Wildlife Refuge. The Parker River NWR is in Newburyport, Massachusetts, which is where the bird took up residence this season. Jim sent this information to Kristina Vagos, Wildlife Biologist at the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service's Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge, and she sent it on to me, AAfCW Coordinator Scott Kruitbosch, knowing that all of us and all of you would be fascinated by it.

Just look at this bird!

Again...whoa!

And the most shocking, with its mate!

Leucism is essentially a lessened pigmentation of the feathers, as normal colors still occur over a sizable portion of the body. It is not the same condition as albinism, a mutation that prevents melanin from being produced at all, and a case where the bird above would be completely white. Leucism is rare in birds, and we cannot remember ever seeing a Piping Plover with the condition. A little Google work led me to this bird from North Carolina in 2009 that appears different from the Massachusetts individual.

If you have been a birder for decades, it is likely you have seen or will see a leucistic bird at some point, especially if you have feeders in your yard and are able to watch thousands of individuals come and go each year. Something like a leucistic Northern Cardinal or an American Tree Sparrow would be a more expected sight, but we cannot definitively say it would occur more often in these species than in Piping Plovers. We simply have a much greater chance of seeing it because we are exposed to far more individuals of those species on a constant basis as opposed to, at most, tens of Piping Plovers in a given year if we are watching them across the entire state of Connecticut.

Jim provided us with some information on this individual. It is a female, as you may have been able to tell from examining her mate. He says:

She had a four egg clutch that hatched before the June 3rd storm and all the chicks survived the storm. They must have taken the chick WAY behind the dunes, because our beach was swallowed up by the storm surge including some areas where the tide over-topped the dunes and a few blow-outs. In the end they were able to fledge 2 chicks.

We have noted on several occasions how adept Piping Plovers are in particular at moving their young around the beach when it is experiencing dangerous weather conditions. The storm on June 3 that Jim is referring to was a low pressure system that came up the Ohio Valley on June 1. It moved across into the Mid-Atlantic region and spawned a great deal of rain for our area, weakening and transferring its energy to a small coastal low off the Gulf of Maine by June 3 that lingered for a couple of days. In Connecticut, we had widespread rainfall surpassing two inches in some areas on June 2. It also coincided with some of the highest tide cycles of the season, and the extra water did not help matters. You can see this blog post from that week discussing some of the tidal issues we were afraid of experiencing.

Fortunately for us, the tidal damage we sustained this season spared many early-season nesting birds, especially Piping Plover pairs. With that said, we did lose over ten American Oystercatcher nests, several Piping Plover nests and even more chicks, hundreds of Common Tern nests, and dozens of Least Tern nests, at minimum. This is an unpleasant fact of life for these coastal birds, and something only exacerbated by climate change and rising sea levels. Jim's girl was a great example of what can happen to an otherwise successful and fit parent, but it appears she did well managing her young ones during the storm. We would have to guess that she probably lost those two chicks to predation at a later date.

The most intriguing take away from this bird is the fact that her appearance did not seem to hinder her in any way when it came to finding a mate despite the fact that we know (in some species) and surmise (in many others) that plumage features help to drive breeding selection. Would it have been another story had the leucistic bird been a male instead, with females perhaps not wanting to choose to mate with him? We can only guess, for now. It goes without saying we should all keep an eye out for this unique bird. She has probably gone long past Connecticut by now on her journey south, but in a little more than six months she will hopefully be nearing our region once again.

Our thanks to Jim for the photos and story as well as Kris for passing it along!


Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds, Audubon Connecticut and the Connecticut Audubon Society partnering to improve conditions for coastal waterbirds in Connecticut.

A Single Finned Surfboard

Dean Dampney felt the need for a bit of an all-rounder in a surfboard, so he had this made by Angourie's Col Liddle. 7'3" x 22" x 3", hullish in the back, bit of V, bit of double concave, big old single in it and there's a seriously functional and aesthetically appealing surfboard. Been the nice bloke that he is, Dean took it to Bali to do a bit of testing and as the documentation shows, it's a screamer. I think I could find a use for one of these.

Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds update #24

This is the twenty-fourth update by the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds (AAfCW) for the 2012 season. It includes reports of Piping Plover, American Oystercatcher, Least Tern, and Common Tern received from 12:00 p.m. on August 20 through 12:00 p.m. on August 27 with sightings of birds spanning August 20 through August 27 by our staff and volunteers.

Informational updates:

We have one fencing removal date coming up this week (with Harkness Memorial State Park and Bluff Point still to be scheduled):

Thursday, August 30 at 10:00AM - Griswold Point in Old Lyme

For anyone who is interested, to limit traffic down a private road and with relatively little parking area, staff and volunteers will meet up at the park and ride off of Exit 70 in Old Lyme, carpooling to the site from there. This is right where Shore/Neck Roads meet and along I-95.

In addition to the usual cautions everyone should keep in mind about being in the sun on a warm day carrying heavy materials, the tide will be at its highest exactly when our operation is taking place on Thursday. Anyone who helps will not only get wet, they will be in at least thigh/waist deep water crossing over to get out to the spit. Please plan for this if you are coming, and email us at ctwaterbirds@gmail.com with any other questions or for more information.

Fencing removal was completed at Sandy/Morse Points in West Haven today, August 27. The site is now considered completed for the season. Thank you to everyone who came out to help take down the fencing, and for everyone’s continued efforts as we near the end of the field season for our focal species. Please keep in mind that if you wish to continue working with birds in the fall you can join us and conduct International Shorebird Surveys through the end of October, or simply share eBird checklists with us if you are out birding and record any shorebirds, long-legged waders, or terns, plus Horned Larks. If you need more information about these surveys, please email us at ctwaterbirds@gmail.com at any time.

Survey and monitoring updates:

Piping Plover
Volunteer and staff surveys:
2 juveniles at Harkness Memorial State Park on 8/22
1 juvenile at Harkness Memorial State Park on 8/22
1 adult at Long Beach on 8/22
1 juvenile at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/23
1 juvenile at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/24
3 juveniles at Harkness Memorial State Park on 8/24

American Oystercatcher
Volunteer and staff surveys:
2 pairs, 1 juvenile at Milford Point on 8/20
3 pairs, 2 juveniles at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/20
1 adult at Long Beach on 8/21
2 pairs at Milford Point on 8/21
1 pair at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/21
2 pairs, 1 juvenile at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/21
1 pair at Milford Point on 8/21
1 pair at Thimble Islands on 8/22
1 pair at Kelsey Island on 8/22
2 pairs, 1 juvenile at Milford Point on 8/22
1 pair, 1 adult, 1 juvenile at Stratford Point on 8/22
1 pair, 1 juvenile at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/22
1 pair at Cockenoe Island on 8/23
1 pair at Sheffield Island on 8/23
2 pairs, 2 juveniles at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/24
3 adults at Pear Tree Point Marina on 8/24
3 adults at Vincent Island on 8/24
4 adults at Greenway Island on 8/24
1 pair, 1 juvenile at Stratford Point on 8/25
2 pairs, 2 juveniles at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/25
2 pairs, 2 juveniles at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/27

Least Tern 
Volunteer and staff surveys:
19 adults, 13 juveniles at Long Beach on 8/20
11 adults, 5 juveniles at Griswold Point on 8/20
2 adults, 3 chicks, 3 juveniles at Griswold Point on 8/22
5 adults, 10 juveniles at Long Beach on 8/23
5 adults, 2 chicks, 4 juveniles at Griswold Point on 8/24
1 adult, 3 juveniles at Bluff Point on 8/24

Common Tern
Volunteer and staff surveys:
50 adults, 19 juveniles at Long Beach on 8/20
45 adults/juveniles at Milford Point on 8/20
100 adults, 22 juveniles at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/20
780 adults/juveniles at Stratford Point on 8/22
16 adults, 6 juveniles at Long Beach on 8/23
38 adults, 16 juveniles, 200 adults/juveniles at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/24
1,200 adults/juveniles at Stratford Point on 8/25
100 adults/juveniles at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/25

This concludes update #24 through 8/27/12 as of 4:00 p.m.

Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds, Audubon Connecticut and the Connecticut Audubon Society partnering to improve conditions for coastal waterbirds in Connecticut.

Whimbrel at Sandy/Morse Points

Earlier this week Lucas Coe-Starr observed a Whimbrel at Sandy/Morse Points in West Haven, and after passing on word of the cool bird, he sent us these photos he took as well.

Whimbrels are rare in Connecticut in spring, though they are seen enough to be labeled as uncommon at selected sites along the coast during fall migration. So far this season, apart from West Haven and New Haven sightings, we have observed them at Bluff Point and at the mouth of the Housatonic River in Milford and Stratford. Seeing more than one or two is also a rare sight, and for the most part this happens only because of a storm (such as after Tropical Storm Irene). Their long, curved bill and large lanky size makes them a distinctive sight even in flight at a considerable distance. They have a lengthy and loud rolling call that can also allow you to identify them from afar.

One exciting way to learn about Whimbrel movements, from staging areas to their incredible sustained flights for thousands of miles, is to follow the satellite-tracked birds from the Center for Conservation Biology at the College of William & Mary and Virginia Commonwealth University. You can check it out on their website here: http://www.ccb-wm.org/programs/migration/Whimbrel/whimbrel.htm

If you navigate to the tracking maps section, you can view where past birds have been and where currently transmitting individuals are right now! Be warned, keep track of them is highly addictive and will make you want to go out and see some Whimbrels for yourself.


Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds, Audubon Connecticut and the Connecticut Audubon Society partnering to improve conditions for coastal waterbirds in Connecticut.

Rocky Hill Meadows highlights

The following information comes from Patrick Comins, Director of Bird Conservation for Audubon Connecticut:

Since shorebirds do use some inland sites, we are doing shorebird counts at Rocky Hill Meadows to determine how important this area is for migratory shorebirds. Our staff and volunteers have documented significant use of the area by migrant shorebirds, waterbirds and other birds. Fourteen species of shorebirds, including Stilt Sandpiper, Upland Sandpiper, American Golden Plover and Pectoral Sandpiper have been recorded there this fall, and Buff-breasted Sandpiper should show up any day now. The area has also been supporting large flocks of up to 250 migrant Bobolinks. Some rare birds have been found in this flock, including a Dickcissel and a Lark Bunting. Just this week a Least Bittern was discovered in a small wetland on the site.

Take a look at this beautiful Stilt Sandpiper photo at Rocky Hill Meadows by Bill Asteriades!

For more photos of the area and some of the birds it supports, please see: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.252301338206511.36805.168520783251234&type=1


Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds, Audubon Connecticut and the Connecticut Audubon Society partnering to improve conditions for coastal waterbirds in Connecticut.

Striving for Fit: What to Look for during the College Search

‘The importance of fit’, when it comes to choosing a college to attend, is an expression that students and parents will be accustom to hearing during the college search process. But what does ‘fit’ really mean and why is it so important when choosing a college? As students in the college search process, you all want to find the right college, but this is often harder than it sounds. There are a multitude of elements and factors that should go into choosing a college, but often students and parents will look over some or all of the factors that need to be addressed. Instead, students may choose a college purely based on ranking, how good their sport teams are, if there significant other attends the school, and many other reasons that should not be a part of a very important decision.

1 in 3 students who enroll into college will transfer at some point during their time at college. This is an alarming statistic and although in some cases this cannot be avoided, many times this does not need to occur and would not occur, if the student spent more time researching colleges. Avoiding a transfer to another college will save a student and family time, money, and energy. Very early on in the college search process, students need to examine within themselves and start discussing with their parents and counselors about their own personal skills, interests, and values. Understanding what they may be can greatly help students connect to certain schools out there, which match who they are as an individual. Remember, it is not about the best college, but the right college for you!

When discovering who you are as an individual, and finding colleges that meet your needs, you most likely will discover that there are multiple colleges that are right for you. This is a good discovery! When finding these colleges that are a right fit for you, not only will students be happier there, but chances are, they will have a better shot of being accepted! If you follow these five considerations while searching for colleges, you will be in great shape when it comes to making the final decision in spring of senior year!!

1) Academic Rigor- When searching for and applying to schools, students need to explore the classroom and academic environment specific to that college. Students must try to find the colleges that provide a style of instruction that is best matched to the way the student learns. If you are an individual who strives in the most competitive of environments, working on your own at most times, and rise to occasion when working with the toughest of teachers/professors, then look for similar collegiate programs. However, you may be someone who needs a little more guidance and support from professors, and do much better with courses that are not so competitive. You know who you are, and this is perfectly OK, but you want you realize this before attending a school in the fall.

2) Geographic Location - Get to know the campus and surrounding area of possible colleges. Realize that for the most part, this is where you will live for the next 4 years of your life! So it would make sense that you should be happy with the location of where you go to school. Are you happier in the city or in a rural environment? Would you prefer going to a college with 45,000 students or one with 1,500 students? Would you like to be less than 2 hours away from home, so you can come home whenever you like, or are you adventurous and would like to live out on the West Coast for awhile? We all have our preferences on where we are happiest and no one is wrong here! You may find a school that meets all of your other needs, but if you absolutely love the city, a school in the middle of Idaho, most likely will not make you happy! So make sure you are honest and accepting with where you are happiest, and visit the colleges you are most serious about! All schools look warm and welcoming on the internet, but you can only get a real feel by visiting colleges!

3) Major/Program Offerings- It is extremely important to apply and eventually attend a school that offers a program that matches a student’s interests. It is perfectly normal not to know what you want to do for a career in high school, but you can surely breakdown your choices to a few that best interest you. Make sure the college offers numerous majors you may see yourself doing, and this will surely help in the process.

4) Cost of Tuition/Financial Aid- Far too often, students will find a college that is really great for them, but find out in March, that they just are not receiving enough financial aid and the college will just cost too much to attend. Taking out loans is definitely an option and may be inevitable, but do yourself a favor, and create a list of schools that have a wide variety of cost of attendance. I think it is best for all students to apply to 6-8 schools, for many reasons, but one reason is that some colleges may help out financially much more than others. So if you research schools diligently and apply to 6-8 colleges that you love, the deciding factor may come down to money. If this is the case, it may make it much easier to choose the school that will not have you in debt until you have grandchildren, because you have done the research and you love the school!

5) Chances of Admission- You must be realistic when it comes to applying to colleges. Students should all be applying to 2-3 safety schools, 2-3 target schools, and 2-3 reach schools. If your list contains all reach schools, you may be in trouble come March. I  absolutely think all students should strive for ‘reach’ schools, but there needs to be schools on the list that students are confident they will be accepted into. So you should not only be making sure you apply to the schools that are right for you, but be realistic with your chances of getting in!

So, remember, there are a multitude of factors that need to go into making this life decision. Students and families should not focus solely on any one factor, but the combination of all of them. College is not just about going to the classroom, but is about growing and living in the right environment and community. Please try to remember these basic ideas when searching, applying, and eventually settling on the college that is the right fit for YOU!

-Joseph D. Korfmacher, MASC

Blue Yonder

The Aussies are at it again- here's a teaser for a new film from James MacMillan and Mick Waters and it looks fun- anything with Derek Hynd and/or Ozzie Wright in it is absolutely worth the effort I figure. James was featured in a segment of Mick's really great 'Little Black Wheels' (which we will happily sell you for $25, shipping included- just email to info @ foamandfunction.com). He had gone through a major back injury/surgery situation and was told he probably would never surf again, yet he managed to condition himself back into water whic is impressive stuff (and it puts my whining about not surfing because of crappy summer waves into context.)

Fencing removal dates Sandy/Morse Points and Griswold Point

We have two more string fencing removal dates now set by CT DEEP, and the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds would appreciate any volunteers who could help us out at these locations:

Monday, August 27th at 10:00AM - Sandy/Morse Points in West Haven
Thursday, August 30th at 10:00AM - Griswold Point in Old Lyme

Assisting not only helps AAfCW but it also greatly aids those at CT DEEP who have extremely limited time, and it limits the stress on the birds. Please remember that taking down fencing in August can be physically demanding because of the heat and humidity, and those who join us should remember a few things:
-wear sunscreen
-drink plenty of water or sports drink
-do not attempt to carry too many stakes, there are enough volunteers so that no one should overexert themselves
-anyone who needs to limit physical exertion should stick to winding up string rolls
-take as many breaks as needed

Please email us at ctwaterbirds@gmail.com if you can join us on either or both days, thank you!

Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds, Audubon Connecticut and the Connecticut Audubon Society partnering to improve conditions for coastal waterbirds in Connecticut.

Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds update #23

This is the twenty-third update by the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds (AAfCW) for the 2012 season. It includes reports of Piping Plover, American Oystercatcher, Least Tern, and Common Tern received from 12:00 p.m. on August 13 through 12:00 p.m. on August 20 with sightings of birds spanning August 13 through August 20 by our staff and volunteers.

Survey and monitoring updates:

Piping Plover
Volunteer and staff surveys:
1 adult, 6 juveniles at Griswold Point on 8/13
1 adult, 2 chicks at Harkness Memorial State Park on 8/13
1 juvenile at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/15
1 juvenile at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/15
1 adult, 1 chick at Harkness Memorial State Park on 8/15
1 adult, 1 juvenile at Griswold Point on 8/15
1 adult, 1 chick at Harkness Memorial State Park on 8/15
1 juvenile at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/17
1 adult, 3 juveniles at Harkness Memorial State Park on 8/18
1 adult at Long Beach on 8/19

American Oystercatcher
Volunteer and staff surveys:
1 pair at Griswold Point on 8/13
1 pair, 1 juvenile at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/13
2 pairs, 1 chick at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/14
1 pair, 1 chick at Milford Point on 8/14
1 pair, 1 adult, 1 chick at Milford Point on 8/14
3 pairs, 2 chicks at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/15
2 adults, 1 chick at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/15
1 pair, 1 chick at Milford Point on 8/15
2 pairs, 1 chick at Milford Point on 8/15
2 pairs, 1 adult, 1 chick at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/15
2 adults at Pine Islands on 8/16
1 pair, 1 chick at Bluff Point on 8/16
4 adults at Pear Tree Point Marina on 8/16
3 adults at Vincent Island on 8/16
4 adults at Greenway Island Jetty on 8/16
1 pair, 1 juvenile at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/17
1 pair, 1 chick at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/17
1 pair, 1 juvenile at Milford Point on 8/17
3 adults at Bluff Point on 8/17
2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/17
1 pair at Sheffield Island on 8/17
1 pair at Harkness Memorial State Park on 8/18
1 pair, 1 juvenile at Bluff Point on 8/18
2 pairs at Milford Point on 8/19
1 pair, 1 chick at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/19
1 adult at Menunketesuck Island on 8/19
1 pair, 1 adult, 1 juvenile at Stratford Point on 8/19
24 adults, 4 juveniles at Stonington Point on 8/20
1 pair, 1 juvenile at Sandy Point Stonington on 8/20
2 adults at Menunketesuck Island on 8/20
3 adults at Salt Island on 8/20

Least Tern 
Volunteer and staff surveys:
41 adults, 4 chicks, 30 juveniles at Griswold Point on 8/13
2 adults at Harkness Memorial State Park on 8/13
17 adults, 9 juveniles at Long Beach on 8/13
30 adults, 7 juveniles at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/13
11 adults, 12 juveniles at Long Beach on 8/14
3 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/15
1 adult at Silver Sands State Park on 8/15
6 adults, 4 chicks at Griswold Point on 8/16
2 adults at Bluff Point on 8/16
15 adults, 17 juveniles at Long Beach on 8/16
1 adult at Bluff Point on 8/18
1 adult, 1 juvenile at Stratford Point on 8/19

Common Tern
Volunteer and staff surveys:
2 adults at East Broadway Milford on 8/13
34 adults, 10 juveniles at Griswold Point on 8/13
7 adults, 3 juveniles at Long Beach on 8/13
2 adults at Silver Sands State Park on 8/14
50 adults, 8 juveniles at Milford Point on 8/14
22 adults, 8 juveniles at Long Beach on 8/14
1,000 adults/juveniles at Stratford Point on 8/14
41 adults, 18 juveniles at Milford Point on 8/15
223 adults, 71 juveniles at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/15
200 adults/juveniles at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/15
2 adults at Griswold Point on 8/16
110 adults, 55 juveniles at Pine Islands on 8/16
2 adults at Silver Sands State Park on 8/16
50+ adults, 27 juveniles at Long Beach on 8/16
380 adults, 42+ juveniles at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/17
800 adults/juveniles at Stratford Point on 8/17
10 adults at Bluff Point on 8/17
600 adults/juveniles at Stratford Point on 8/18
4 adults at Harkness Memorial State Park on 8/18
3 adults, 52 adults/juveniles at Bluff Point on 8/19
700 adults/juveniles at Stratford Point on 8/19

This concludes update #23 through 8/20/12 as of 4:00 p.m.


Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds, Audubon Connecticut and the Connecticut Audubon Society partnering to improve conditions for coastal waterbirds in Connecticut.

Milford Point fencing removal

The Milford Point fencing removal party took place on Wednesday, August 15, with everyone meeting at the Coastal Center at 11AM. This was an effort on a much smaller scale with only the stakes, string fencing, and signage on the spit remaining. Nevertheless, our staff and volunteers along with CT DEEP wanted to get it accomplished as soon as possible. There were some showers and, more importantly, thunderstorms in the area.

We also wanted to minimize the impact on birds resting on the spit, from the American Oystercatcher pair with their chick to hundreds of peeps and even the long-legged waders. Our great crew got things underway quickly and we really made rapid progress. 

We completed the rest of our work while just as the thunderstorms on Long Island began to rumble a little more towards our direction. Thank you to all of the volunteers who came out to assist us, and if you would like to help take down some fencing with AAfCW and CT DEEP, please keep an eye out for dates at Sandy/Morse Points, Bluff Point, and Harkness Memorial State Park.

Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds, Audubon Connecticut and the Connecticut Audubon Society partnering to improve conditions for coastal waterbirds in Connecticut.

Testing Season: SAT or ACT?

Testing season is just around the corner…for seniors you are taking final shots at the SAT or ACT in hopes to raise your scores, and juniors you most likely are just beginning to plan your attack on which tests to take and when. Although there are many schools that are test-optional (meaning they do not require SAT or ACT scores for students to apply—please  click on the link to see a list of these schools), the majority of colleges do need to see a score report from one of these tests. Later in the year, I will be discussing the reasons these tests exists, and the pros and cons, but for now, I think it is helpful to give a few more helpful tips about each test, so you can decide which will be the best representation of you when it is time to apply to college!

As you will see the main differences between the two tests deal with format, timing, and scoring.

SAT  (http://sat.collegeboard.org/home)

Length: Standard time of 3 hours and 45 minutes, consisting of 10 sections.

Format: The test is broken up into 3 math sections, 3 critical reading sections, and 3 writing sections. The tenth section is experimental, will not be scored, and will be either on math, critical reading, or writing. Although this section is experimental and will not be scored, students are unaware of which section is the experimental one. All sections are comprised of multiple choice questions, however, the writing section also includes an ESSAY and the math section also includes student response questions. The essay will always come first, with the rest of the sections to follow randomly.

Scoring: Each section is scored out of 800 points; therefore the highest possible score one can receive on the SAT is a 2400. The essay portion is scored 2-12 and is included in the overall writing score.

Guessing Penalty: There is a guessing penalty on the SAT, which means if you get a multiple choice question wrong; you will be deducted ¼ of a point. You will lose zero points for leaving a question blank. However, student response questions on the SATs should all be attempted, because you will lose points for either getting it wrong or leaving it blank.

Reporting Scores: Because of score choice, you can choose which test dates you report to colleges. You cannot choose an individual section to send (i.e. June math section), but if you send multiple tests dates, most colleges will super score the results, giving you the highest score possible for your report.

 ACT (http://www.actstudent.org/)

Length: Standard time of 3 hours and 25 minutes, consisting of 4 sections with an optional writing section (30 minutes long).

Format: The four sections are English, Math, Reading, and Science Reasoning. There is only one section for each subject area, so the sections are longer with fewer breaks than the SAT. The writing section is optional on the ACT, but some schools do require this part, when submitting the ACT scores.

Scoring: Each section is scored on a scale of 1-36 (36 is the best score one can receive). Overall, there is one ACT composite score, which is an average of all four sections.

Guessing Penalty: There is no guessing penalty on the ACT meaning you lose the same amount for an incorrect answer and a question left blank.

Reporting Scores: You have the option of sending or not sending any of the test date scores to colleges. However, because of the scoring methods, you cannot combine or super score ACT scores from multiple test dates.

 Quick differences between the SAT and ACT

Science section: SAT- NO / ACT-YES

Trigonometry in math section: SAT- NO / ACT-YES

Multiple choice: SAT-mixture / ACT-ALL

Guessing penalty: SAT- YES / ACT- NO

It is also important to know that although both tests will focus on what you have picked up in high school, the ACT is more knowledge-based. Therefore, one easy way to decide which test is best for you is to look at your GPA and PSAT scores. For those who have a high GPA and low PSAT scores, the ACT may be the way to go for you. Regardless of GPA, for those who did well on the PSAT, then you might as well keep going with what worked for you!

So, in the end, how will you choose which test to take? Well luckily you don’t have to choose, because you can take both as often as needed! My advice is always to take the SAT at least once in junior year, and see how you do. If you do not feel comfortable and your scores are low, then look into the ACT option. Although the two tests are similar in some ways, as you have read there are many differences and students may perform better on one than the other. All schools will take both tests with equal validity, so find the one that best suits you and show yourself off to the colleges of your choosing!

-Mr. Joseph D. Korfmacher, MASC

Welcome!!!

     Welcome everyone to the recently established Mr. K’s College Knowledge Blog! I hope to provide you with knowledge on everything to do with college admissions. The target audience for this blog is anyone going through the college search and application process. The blog is here to assist students and parents during the process with college admissions trends and updates, reminders, leading research on college admissions and just overall helpful information. I also would like to use this blog as a place to assist students and their families on the emotional and psychological transition into college. Leaving home for the first time and being away from family can often be a stressful time for everyone involved, and I hope to provide helpful tips and strategies to aid the entire family in dealing with this change. The goal of this blog is to simply get as much information out to you as possible on a weekly basis.

     Before you start reading my blog, let me introduce myself. My name is Joseph Korfmacher and I am a college counselor at Xavier High School in Manhattan. I have my Master’s in school counseling and have worked in the college counseling scene for the past four years. Through my time as a counselor, I have seen how stressful and time consuming this process can be for both students and parents. There is so much information on this topic available, and the time seems to fly by for most people. It is this blog’s mission to give clear and concise information on the happenings in college admissions as often as possible. Please check out this blog if you are looking for helpful tips, strategies, or are just hungry for as much information possible on this subject. I hope to be an accommodating stopping point on your road to attending college. Please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions at korfmacherj@xavierhs.org

 -Mr. Joseph D. Korfmacher, MASC

The Olden Days

Bing & Greg Noll at Malibu with Simmons boards c.1951

The Queen Mum & Duke?!

Ukranian Bathing Beauties

Australian Surfer Girl, they've been lookers for decades.

One For The Ladies (It's not Kidman although easily mistaken for him) Yeah, it's still tiny and I'm going nuts. Many of these fine images were lifted from Joe Tabler's weekly surf email. Joe sells surf related books and mags on Ebay and sends out a regular 'interesting stuff' that's well worth getting in on.