Sections of Sandy Point to be off-limits to protect shorebirds

Stonington - Those who use Sandy Point, the popular island in Little Narragansett Bay, will be prohibited from using the northern and southern tips of the island and a large portion of the middle section this summer as a way to protect nesting shorebirds.

The areas are identified on a map prepared by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for an April 8 public forum in which officials will explain how the island can be used. The meeting will be held from 7 to 9 p.m. at the Stonington Community Center.

The Fish and Wildlife Service has agreed to manage the mile-long island for its owner, the Avalonia Land Conservancy, for the next five years.

Last month, fish and wildlife officials held a well-attended forum at the community center to get input from boaters and others who use the island. Not all were happy with the change in management.

Richard Potvin, the manager of the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge, said that in many ways use of the island will not change dramatically from past years except that people will be prohibited from accessing certain areas of the island.

These areas amount to about half the island and are in some areas that people typically use in the summer.

The areas are subject to change and will be posted accordingly. He said the goal is to balance the use of the island with protecting the birds.

Potvin said the island users will still need to obtain an annual permit from the Stonington Community Center, which has managed the island in the past for the land conservancy. In the past, rules have been loosely enforced because the community center did not have the resources to do so.

He said the island will be open from a half-hour before sunrise to a half-hour after sunset.

The island will now become a unit of the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge and be patrolled by fish and wildlife officers.

Potvin said that while a ban on kite-flying may seem strange at first, there is a good reason for it. He said shadows racing across the sand created by kites are seen as predators by nesting birds such as piping plovers.

He said the shadows make young birds go into defense mode, in which they do not eat or put on weight. Adults, meanwhile, may become distracted by the shadows and not see actual predators such as seagulls approaching on the ground.

Sandy Point is home to endangered and threatened species such as American oystercatchers, piping plovers and least terns along with gulls and sandpipers, all of which nest on the island.

The nesting and fledgling of the baby birds takes place during the spring and summer. People and dogs have sometimes damaged the fragile nests and scared off birds.

In the summer, a large number of people drink alcohol on the island, especially on the weekends. Potvin said alcohol will still be allowed on the island but people cannot be under the influence, show signs of impairment or annoy other users.

"You can have beer but you have to be reasonable," he said.

j.wojtas@theday.com