Ornithology ISLE 2014

For our first ISLE program of the season we had five boys join us for a week of ornithology themed activities including bird-house building, bird bingo, and morning bird hikes. By the end of the program students were able to identify by site and sound the top 25 birds that call Hurricane home during our summer season.

Students also enjoyed some silly moments trying on bird costumes (like the Osprey in this photo) to learn more about how different birds are adapted to the environment that they live in. 

Some of the birds that we were able to see during the week were Cedar Waxwings, Bald Eagles, Ospreys, Yellow-Rumped Warblers, and Winter Wrens. We helped students visualize bird songs by looking at spectrograms and they were challenged to come up with their own mnemonics to remember the unique songs for each bird. Some standard mnemonics that professional birders use are “witchity-witchity-witchity” for the Common Yellowthroat Warbler, and “Oh Sam peabody-peabody-peabody” for the White-Throated Sparrow.

The Red-Billed Tropicbird flies next to a Tern

One of the highlights of the week was a special day trip out to see offshore nesting seabird colonies on Seal Island with local naturalist and ornithologist John Drury. John took us around the perimeter of Seal Island and then we were met by Nicole, a researcher with Project Puffin, who is living on the island this summer monitoring puffin and tern chicks at their nesting sites. Birds that nest on Seal Island during the summer include Razorbills, Puffins, Great Cormorants, Common and Arctic Terns, Eider Ducks, and Black Guillemots. We were also lucky enough to see a Red-Billed Tropicbird, an out-of-range visitor to the area, which usually is found along the Baja Peninsula on the West Coast of Mexico.  John Drury believes that this bird followed some Terns and has been happily nesting in the area since.

On our final evening we enjoyed a cookout on the south end of the island and a spectacular view of the full moon rising over the water. It was really fun to watch these students get excited about birding and become talented amateur ornithologists!

Students enjoy a quiet moment as the full moon rises over Heron's Neck lighthouse

Register for our 2015 Ornithology ISLE program here! 

Casco Bay High School Service Learning

This past winter, Casco Bay High School seniors Neil, Clare, and Lizzy collaborated with Hurricane Island Foundation to design and lead a four-day expedition on Hurricane during late spring for sixteen of their fellow high school peers and two chaperones. The expedition was called, “How To Be Comfortable Being Uncomfortable In the Outdoors,” and focused on bringing young people together through time spent in the outdoors. The idea came about for their senior project, a great example of how Casco Bay High School’s model as an Expeditionary Learning Mentor School encourages students to engage and take the lead with their learning.

Despite chilly temperatures and a morning waking up to snow, students fully engaged with their surroundings on Hurricane. Neil, Clare, and Lizzy did a great job at creating and leading daily lessons, which included leadership exercises, hiking and exploring the island, learning about Hurricane Island’s history, teaching and implementing Leave No Trace practices, and a two-hour reflective solo.

They also incorporated an element of service learning into their time on Hurricane. Every morning students helped Hurricane staff with various projects around the island including landscaping, building repairs and cleaning, and brush clearing, which proved to be a tremendous help.

During the students’ final night on Hurricane, Neil, Clare, and Lizzy led a reflection circle, prompting students to think about their time on Hurricane, how it was impactful, and what lessons from their experience they hoped to translate into their life back home. Reflections resonated around how grateful they were for the relationships they made with their peers in thanks to the close and connected community that Hurricane Island’s environment encourages. Casco Bay High School’s experience was a great example of how Hurricane Island can be used as a site for implementing tremendous leadership skills and making close connections with your fellow island peers.