Celebrating Earth Day in Gloriously Green Greenwich

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For Earth Day, everybody gets into the action—like setting up the nesting gourds at Greenwich Point Park for the return of the long distance traveling Purple Martins, courtesy of Conservation Commission Director Denise Savageau, husband and wetland scientist Mike Aurelia, and grandkids, Jack and Molly. Contributed photo.

By Anne W. Semmes
Sentinel Columnist

Tomorrow is the day for nature lovers—April 22, Earth Day—celebrating its 47th anniversary, courtesy of U.S. Sen. Gaylord Nelson, awarded our country’s highest civilian honor, the Presidential Medal of Freedom for his role in founding Earth Day in 1970.

Tomorrow is a day to revel in spring, be it cloudy, rainy, or sunny.

Where does one begin in this beautiful shoreline town? Bird lovers might head for Greenwich Point, to search out migratory Purple Martins arriving from their wintering grounds in the Bahamas, Central and South America. Ready and waiting are their nesting gourds, put up each spring by our Conservation Commission Director, Denise Savageau, and her husband, Mike Aurelia, wetlands scientist, near the gateway to Greenwich Point Park. This year they had help from their grandkids, Jack, 8, and Molly, 10.

Mike reports the birds regularly return the second week of April and yes, one was spotted on Easter Sunday on Greenwich Point as noted on e-Bird.

Your next move might be a gesture to save trees at the Island Beach parking lot at the 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. paper shredding event. Load up your trunk with as many as six boxes of old tax documents and other sensitive material, then see them shredded. You’ll pay $2 per box. For box sizes, call 203-629-2876 or email GreenwichRecycles@gmail.com.

A caution to those wanting a glimpse of that impressive long-eared owl spotted on Greenwich Point: the word is to give the bird some space, says Audubon educator Ted Gilman. Better to go bird walking with Ted first thing at 7 a.m. at Audubon Greenwich and you’ll learn more than you ever dreamed about birds and how they sound.

Ted reports more than birds being spotted on his 7 a.m. Wednesday morning bird walks in the Fairchild Wildflower Garden. “A bright-eyed young lady spotted a red fox and a wild turkey. The fox was the first one I can remember being seen on one of my public bird walks in all my years.” Check out Audubon’s full spring calendar at http://greenwich.audubon.org/sites/g/files/amh711/f/audubon-greenwich-spring-017-calendar.pdf.

Cos Cob Park has its attractions. Take a coffee and sit up top under the observing roof to watch the nesting ospreys—also newly returned from the tropics, busy atop their platform in the Harbor. Forget your binoculars? A laptop allows you to connect to the Osprey Webcam for a closeup: http://ct.audubon.org/act-osprey-cam?_ga=1.205537235.159467342.1488468085.

At this writing there were three eggs discovered when one bird flew off and another took its place. You can get addicted to observing how these wild and wonderful birds parent.

For migratory fish and eel lovers, mark your calendar for April 30 for the Mianus River Fishway Open House at the Mianus River Dam in Cos Cob. Veteran Fishway volunteer Mike Aurelia reports the alewives have been arriving. Alewives and blueback herring are one of two types of migratory river herring that make their way from the saltwater to spawn in fresh water, the alewives to Mianus Pond, the bluebacks up the Mianus River. The migration continues through early June. But take note, the eels don’t go up the fishway. “We’ve installed several nets that the elvers (young eels) use to get over the dam,” Mike notes.

Thank Denise Savageau and her Conservation Commission for creating the access walkway from the Greenwich Adult Day Care Center that allows for volunteer monitoring and public access to the fishway. In season, Denise’s conservation staff coordinates a team of volunteers to monitor the fishway twice daily.

For those wanting to get their hands in the earth in a planting way, or to learn how it’s done, Patty Sechi, the founder of Greenwich Community Gardens invites you to Opening Day at Armstrong Court Community Garden from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.

“We will be happily, merrily working together to get the garden spiffed up for the season,” says Sechi, “and taking a nice group lunch break around 12:30, when we can all share our thoughts for the day. We gladly welcome volunteers from the community. We need help installing 13 rain barrels and moving a few a garden beds and filling garden beds with soil. Bring your work gloves and a bag lunch. Tools, snacks, desserts and water provided. The rain date is Sunday, April 23 from 1 to 5 p.m. For more information, visit www.greenwichcommunitygardens.org or contact Ann Shifman-Deibler at als9343@aol.com.

Tree planting is on offer in back country at the Greenwich Land Trust’s Louise Mueller Preserve at 370 Round Hill Rd. But get there at 10 a.m., when the tree planting and flower planting and seed starting begins. You’ll see a wildlife release, with lunch provided by Whole Foods Market! But let them know you’re coming by emailing sophie@gltrust.org.

Last, have a taste of honey straight from the bees at the Garden Education Center’s Sweet Bee Friendly Workshop from 1 to 3 p.m. You’ll learn beekeeping hints on growing a happy healthy hive. Head for 130 Bible St. in Cos Cob. Cost: $10 Adults, $5 children 6-12. For more information, visit www.gecgreenwich.org or email gec@gecgreenwich.

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