This past Saturday the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service hosted a Stewart B. McKinney luncheon and awards ceremony at the Connecticut Audubon Society managed Stratford Point with the consent of the site owner, DuPont. The event was meant as a "thank you!" to all of their volunteers, Friends Groups, and staff of their partner organizations including Audubon Connecticut and Connecticut Audubon Society, the two organizations that make up the two halves of the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds. The weather was very cooperative as it turned out to be an absolutely stunning day.
With 40-something people in attendance the event was a great success as everyone discussed conservation efforts, birds and birding, monitoring, and the progress of coastal waterbirds thus far in 2012.
Here is a photo of an award received by the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge being named U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Endangered Species Recovery Champions for 2011, a testament to the hard work of all its volunteers.
Lining up at the grill on the beautiful day.
Everyone in attendance also kindly brought side dishes and desserts.
Refuge Manager Rick Potvin speaking to the group.
Rick and Ranger Shaun Roche giving out awards to volunteers.
One such recipient was Ewa Holland, a past volunteer who is now an AAfCW waterbirds technician.
We thank USFWS and all of our volunteers for the wonderful afternoon and for all of their constant and vigilant efforts on Connecticut's beaches.
Scott Kruitbosch
Conservation Technician
All photos © Scott Kruitbosch and not to be reproduced without explicit permission
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