Cockenoe Island Preparing for Summer Visitors
#WESTPORT, CT - As spring finally overtakes winter along the coast of Connecticut, shoreline communities are preparing for summer visitors. “Before you know it, shorebirds such as terns will be arriving, and other shorebirds like Piping Plover and American Oystercatcher will be sitting on nests” says Rick Potvin, Refuge Manager of the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge. One of the Refuge’s partners in shorebird population conservation is the Town of Westport through its Conservation Department. Cockenoe Island not only provides a place for the residents of Westport to recreate, it also provides excellent habitat for shorebirds and long-legged waders, including herons and egrets. The trick is to try to provide visitor access and recreational opportunities while providing for the needs of wildlife. This task falls to…