Island Updates

Bird Banding on Hurricane Island

Post By Chloe Tremper, Science Educator

Determining the appropriate band size for this female American Redstart

This past week, Hurricane Island was host to an Institute for Bird Populations (IBP) beginner bird banding class.  The IBP is a nonprofit corporation that studies the causes of bird population declines.  In addition to development of initiatives like Monitoring Avian Productivity and Survivorship (MAPS), a collaborative network of independent banding stations across the U.S. and Canada, IBP also works to train future avian conservationists.  Their hands-on training courses teach skills such as operating mist-nets, bird-handling skills, bird aging and sexing techniques, and data recording using MAPS protocols and forms.  The week consisted of hands-on banding in the mornings followed by afternoon lectures and discussions about avian life histories, banding ethics, the bird banding permitting process, and the role of banding in research and monitoring.

Setting up the mist nets

Male Common Yellowthroat

For anyone unfamiliar with bird banding, it involves setting up mist-nets (finely woven large nets about 10 ft. tall strung between two poles about 25 ft. apart) and checking the nets at regular intervals for entangled birds.  During this class on Hurricane, participants set up the nets, opened them each morning at sunrise (~5:00am), and checked the nets every 40 minutes until around noon.  If entangled birds were found during net checks, they were safely extracted and brought to the lab for processing.  Back at the lab, each bird was identified by species, sexed, aged, weighed, its body condition was checked, and then a small metal band with an identifying number was placed on the bird’s leg.

Female Song Sparrow

The numbered band allows individual birds to be identified if they are recaptured.  For example, if an American Redstart banded on Hurricane is recaptured in Belize, the person who caught it in Belize will know that it migrated all the way from Maine, how old it was when it was first banded, and other important information about that individual bird.  Bird banding data is used for research and management projects across the globe because it allows people to track the migratory patterns, ranges, longevity, and behaviors of individual birds.

Each morning on Hurricane, the banders were up before the crack of dawn so that they were ready to open up the first nets just after sunrise, when birds are most active.  Some of the species banded on Hurricane this week include: Black-throated Green Warbler, American Redstart, Black-and-white Warbler, Golden-crowned Kinglet, Gray Catbird, Song Sparrow, American Robin, Yellow-rumped Warbler, Red-eyed Vireo, Northern Parula, Winter Wren, Cedar Waxwing, Common Yellowthroat, and more! 

Most mornings the banders caught and processed around 15 birds, however on their second to last day they caught 27 individuals! We had a great time hosting the IBP beginner bird banding class and hope to host more in the future! We are also looking forward to learning where the birds banded on Hurricane end up in the world.

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Infrastructure Update

Post by Silas Rogers, Sustainability & Infrastructure Intern

Installing new windows and re-shingling the boathouse

Hurricane Island is a very busy place, and the summer season is in full swing. Not everyone on the island is involved in programs, however. It is essential to keep the island infrastructure in good shape, and Harbor Builders, of Rockport, Maine, have been commuting by boat to the island to carry out improvements to some of Hurricane’s existing buildings. They are installing new windows in the Boathouse, and re-shingling the exterior. The crew is dedicated, and accepts the challenges of working on the island. Working from an off-grid power source, scheduling commutes around weather conditions, working around programs, and getting materials to the island are a few of the complications the job entails.

Jim “Jimbo” Bernardo and his crew have not only made improvements to the Boathouse, but they have replaced the pier planking with new hemlock, are re-shingling a few of the cabins, and most recently they installed a new double door and screen at the north end of the Galley.

Installing the new inverter

Electricians from Rideout Electric worked July 7th to update and improve the solar electric system by installing a new Outback Power Systems 48 volt inverter to power the main buildings. The new system replaced the two 24 volt inverters of the old system, and twenty new AGM batteries replaced the old battery bank, allowing the system to operate at its full capacity of eight kilowatts. One benefit of the Outback inverter is that it can wirelessly controlled from a laptop, tablet, or smart phone, and data can be recorded very accurately.

The island also recently acquired a large wood chipper, on loan from Chip Bauer, a long time supporter of Hurricane Island and co-owner of Harbor Builders. The chipper, powered by a six-cylinder Ford engine, is a very effective way to break down brush, which is then spread on roads and trails.

Island improvements are well on track, and the buildings and grounds are improving little by little, with the help of these friendly people!

Harbor Builder Crew L-R: Ben "BP" Pomeroy, Ben "Okie" Oaks,  Jim "Jimbow" Bernardo, Mark "Putsky" Bowden

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Teaching Leave No Trace (LNT) on Hurricane

Post by Jacque Rosa, Education Intern

“
A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability, and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise.”
— Aldo Leopold, A Sand County Almanac

I read this quote to a group of middle school students as we sat atop the High Cliffs, overlooking the open ocean. Leopold’s words perfectly summed up the past few days we spent learning about and practicing Leave No Trace (LNT), a program that promotes the sustainable use of the natural world through a set of environmental ethics and guidelines. These students were participating in a two-week coastal Maine trip led by Overland, an organization that runs expedition based summer trips for 4th- 12th graders. Their coastal Maine trip includes backpacking in the White Mountains, hiking Mt. Katahdin, sea kayaking, and spending three days on Hurricane Island. During their time here, we explored all seven principles of LNT that aim to guide individuals to leave as little impact as possible in the wilderness. The Leave No Trace educational program began in the early 1990’s, through a collaboration of the U.S Forest Service, the National Outdoor Leadership Service (NOLS), and the Bureau of Land Management.

Thumbs up for outhouses!

Today, the LNT program is taught around the world with the following core principles:

  1. Plan Ahead and Prepare
  2. Travel and Camp on Durable Surfaces
  3. Dispose of Waste Properly
  4. Leave What You Find
  5. Minimize Campfire Impacts
  6. Respect Wildlife
  7. Be Considerate of Others

These principles can be applied to any outdoor activity, from rock climbing and kayaking, to hunting and fishing. If you are planning a visit to Hurricane, or are already enrolled in one of our programs, here are ways you can practice LNT on the island:

1.    Be Prepared For a Day on the Island: Check the weather report before coming out to Hurricane and dress appropriately. Bring layers, water, and food if you are planning to be on the island all day. Talk to a staff member or let someone know where you are hiking on the island and when you will be back, as cell service does not reach beyond our main building.

2.     Stay on the Marked Trails: While our trails can often be muddy, it is crucial to stay on existing trails and trek through any puddles or mud. Creating social trails (trails that are convenient or avoid muddy areas) can erode existing vegetation.

Overlander’s organize a search line to pick up micro-trash at their campsite on departure day. 

3.     Avoid micro-trash: Keep track of all tiny pieces of trash (like the corners of wrappers) and secure them in your pockets or pack. Help keep Hurricane Island beautiful by picking up any trash (including marine debris), even if it is not yours.

4.     Preserve the Past: Artifacts from the quarry are scattered around the island, offering a glimpse into Hurricane’s rich history as a booming quarry town from 1845-1914. Feel free to observe and take pictures of artifacts, but leave any objects you see as you found them in order to preserve the past and the stories they tell.

5.     Keep Our Water Source Safe: Because the quarry acts as our fresh water source, please refrain from swimming in or polluting the quarry. Utilize our composting toilets that are placed around the island to do your business, instead of using the “facili-trees.”

6.     Observe Wildlife From a Distance: Hurricane Island is home to a variety of wildlife including birds, snakes, frogs, deer, raccoon, and meadow voles. Seals and other marine invertebrates can also be spotted along our coastlines. Bring binoculars on your hike to get a closer look, while still keeping a safe distance. Bring drawing or painting materials to record things you see without taking them with you. Please don’t feed any wildlife, as animals will start to rely on human food and become habituated to human presence.

7.     Sharing is Caring: During your time here, please be mindful of other visitors and respect their outdoor experience. Let the sounds of nature prevail as you explore the island and practice trail etiquette, such as stepping aside to let someone pass and keeping pets on a leash.

We encourage everyone to practice these principles on Hurricane Island, and wherever your travels take you. For more information about Leave No Trace, visit their website here. 

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Participants deem Leadership Retreat an overwhelming success

When you hear someone speak of a ‘school leader’ your mind normally goes to images of superintendents or principals and conjures up some jumble of paperwork, meetings, and administration of people and programs. What may not immediately jump to mind are teachers as leaders: the people in the school building without the official title of 'leader' that affect change and motivate others to achieve what they would not or could not on their own.   

For three days at the end of June, school leaders of all kinds converged on Hurricane Island for the second annual Leadership Retreat, which was led by a team of skilled facilitators including Dr. Linda Bowe, Dr. Richard Ackerman, Dr. Gordon Donaldson, Dr. Doug Babkirk and Hurricane Island’s own Barney Hallowell and Dr. Jenn Page. 

The weekend allowed significant facilitated time for leaders to collaborate on critical school initiatives mixed with dynamic activities designed to increase leadership capacity in attendees.  Exploration hikes, gigging (boating) challenges, and collective post-meal time discussions were all part of the experience, which served to both empower attendees and improve their ability to work and communicate effectively.  

No comment on the activities of the Retreat would be complete without mentioning the boat ride out to the island! Pelting rain, 30mph gusts of wind, and a small craft advisory only seemed to strengthen the resolve of the participants to make it out to the island that first day. They were immediately integrated into the Hurricane Island culture when they hit the dock and were met by our capable interns who schlepped bags and showed the leaders to their respective cabins or bunks before sitting them down to a hot meal prepared by our chef Micah.    

Most attendees came with other teachers and administrators from their schools or school districts, comprising small, 2-3 person groups all the way up to a massive 15 person unit that hailed from various levels across the Camden-Rockport School District.  Some teachers even came as individual ambassadors from their schools and were linked to other participants as necessary to help them meet their personal goals. Everyone left the experience with a renewed sense of purpose and a much stronger vision regarding the challenges they brought to the Retreat with them.

In many ways it is really not my place as a facilitator to say whether the Retreat was a "success" or not as that really is determined by individual participants. Luckily, we were joined on the last day of the retreat by Dr. Roland Barth and Dr. Tom Edwards who visited with groups and helped crystalize the experience in a final participant circle. They posed the question, ‘What aspects of the environment here made it so incredibly conducive to your success during this retreat?’.  As the question made its way around the circle participants were allowed to duplicate answers by others before them but, remarkably, almost every participant came up with a new facet of the environment that made the experience so valuable for them.  The list below captures the retreat far better than I ever could in pages of blog posts:

  • Variety
  • Colleagues
  • Trust and risk
  • Dedicated people
  • Intention
  • Time
  • Freedom from distraction
  • Support (personal and professional)
  • Collaboration
  • ‘Island-time’ (everything slows down)
  • Salt water & granite
  • Common goals
  • Honesty
  • Skilled facilitators
  • Courage
  • Commitment
  • Experiential learning
  • Input/feedback from others
  • Caring
  • Hope
  • Connection to the natural world
  • Physical activity
  • Adventure
  • Flexibility
  • Humor
  • Concentration
  • Joy
  • Questioning
  • Playfulness
  • Nourishment
  • Conversations
  • Developing relationships
  • Disclosing your learning
  • Applicability
  • Novelty

A big 'thank you' to all those who participated in the Leader's Retreat this year and we can't wait to build on this success with future retreats!

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Wilderness First Responder

Playing out a scenario means that students are engaged both as patients and as responders-- here a student records and assesses the severity of the situation

We are pleased to announce that there are eight newly trained and certified Wilderness First Responders ready to go out and troubleshoot injuries from sprained ankles to lightning strikes. With guidance from their qualified and fearless Wilderness Medical Associates leader, Deborah, students systematically learned the symptoms of and how to respond to acute stress reactions, compensated volume shock, traumatic brain injuries, hypothermia, and anaphylaxis, among other wilderness emergencies.

These programs are hands-on and active, so students were setting up scenarios all around Hurricane. The reality of these scenarios was also reinforced by the fact that Hurricane is 12 miles offshore, and removed from immediate access to definitive care.  The staff got used to pretend shrieks for help, and the sight of someone walking around the kitchen sporting a fake wound or washing off fake blood was the new baseline for the week.

It is always a pleasure to support wilderness medical training programs, as we look forward to the five-day WFR program as well as a WALS and WEMT programs coming up in August! There is still space in the programs, so reserve your spot by registering today!

“I can’t think of any location better suited for our week-long WFR training. From brilliant sunrises in the boathouse to outdoor showers overlooking the working waterfront to days spent in our rustic classroom to sunset picnics on the beach, Hurricane Island provided an inspiring environment that promoted a sense of camaraderie that made our experience one for the memory books. I treasure my time spent on the island, and look forward to soon returning to the island, her people and her food!”
— Keryn G. WFR Participant

A student gets moulage to act the part of a patient who fell off a ladder in a scenario

Responders team up to safely extricate their patient to a different location so they can properly examine him during a scenario

Newly graduated WFRs!

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First Impressions of Hurricane Island

Below are a few of our intern's first impressions of their new home and workplace for the summer, and the start of their adventures on Hurricane Island.

Bailey Moritz- Spotting porpoises, checking lobster traps, hiking up an appetite for homemade bread, peacefully watching the sun set. What more could one ask out of their first few days on the job? Already we’ve experienced a range of weather conditions, from burning sun to driving rain to wind with a nod of affirmation to the islands name. With each turn of the clouds, a new side of Hurricane Island comes out. It makes me realize that no matter how many days I spend out here, I may never be able to experience every angle of its beauty. That’s a special thing and I’m so excited to be out here!

Walking to the galley the other evening, we could see the Farm to Table guests enjoying the waterfront, students from the WFR training program up on the rocks reenacting anaphylactic shock, and staff members unloading the truck from our campfire cookout. There are so many moving pieces, so much activity going on at once, a span of tasks tiny to daunting, and yet it seems to work in orchestra. Everyone moves about in a perfectly busy sort of sync. Things get done. Things get done together. And there is nothing more welcome that stepping up and doing things that need doing. I am already humbled by the knowledge that is present here amongst the other members of the island community. From bird calls to boating skills, I can tell I’m going to learn so much on a day to day basis. I’ve already got my eye on a handful of edible plants I never knew about. Here’s to a full and engaged summer!

Olivia Lukacic- Giddy nervousness was all I was feeling Monday morning as the interns gathered at the office in Rockland awaiting our boat ride out to the island. And what an amazing day to greet us-but even better than that is the community here that has already welcomed us new friends to the island.

Our whole time, out of the less than forty eight hours that we have been here, has been a wonderful introduction of learning the ropes of the island, gaining understanding of work flows, and watching in awe of how everyone helps out and is constantly evolving in their role.

I am on Hurricane this summer to be an educator and yet I am thrilled by how much I am going to learn and grow myself. On the first day on the island, Oakley took a group of us out on one of the boats to check his recreational lobster traps. Not only was it fun and beautiful but I learned a bunch about boating and the local lobstering community. For example, you can determine the gender of a lobster by looking at a set of swimmerettes on the underside near all the legs by whether they are more delicate and smaller or more robust. Also I used a tool to see if the lobster was large enough to keep! If they are not big enough we tossed them back into the water and sometimes when their claws are up over their heads they look like superman descending into the depths.

We have walked some of the many beautiful trails to look at the variety of ecosystems and see the parts of the island as well as check out the sustainable infrastructure that helps us run off the grid. I think my favorite place as of now is looking out to Two Bush Island since it is a curious island that can be accessed by foot during low tide. I hope to explore it more soon!

Jacque Rosa- It’s day two on Hurricane Island, and it has been another jam-packed day for us interns. Starting a new job is always a whirlwind of names, policies, and duties, but so far it has been nothing but fun.

I moved from Catalina Island (off the coast of Los Angeles), to this one (off the coast of Rockland, Maine). I’m not sure I could get any further across the country if I tried.  Although I’m accustomed to an island lifestyle, life on Hurricane is still full of new experiences, and I am welcoming each one with open arms. This island is a mix of old and new: historic buildings with recent additions, old traditions with a fresh twist, and old timers showing new hires the ropes. To date, all my previous internships and jobs have been in organizations that were quite established, and in some cases, they were quite large too. It is exhilarating to be part of a program that is relatively new and still growing. I am seeing the inner workings of a non-profit organization, from networking and logistics, to lesson plans and program development. I am eager to contribute and help this community grow as the summer goes by.

So far we have explored the island quite a bit. We hiked the perimeter trail and visited the two highest points on the island. While the views from the High Cliffs are gorgeous and the forests offer a huge variety of plants, flowers, and birds, I am especially excited to start digging into the intertidal. Exploring marine habitats are always full of surprises. Under any rock or piece of algae could be an opportunity to catch a glimpse into underwater life.

There seems to be so much to learn here from each person I meet and each place I visit. It is great to be surrounded by people as eager and passionate to learn as I am. Our staff contains a unique mix of knowledge and experience. I have no doubt that together we are going to make wonderful things happen on Hurricane Island. 

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Executive Director Update

Dear Friend of Hurricane Island,

Just about five years ago - in the summer of 2010 - I sat with Peter Willauer aboard his J42, Eight Bells, in the Fox Islands Thorofare to design a new program for Hurricane Island. The Outward Bound school had left Hurricane in 2007, and POW wanted to give the island a new life.

We came up with the "Hurricane Island Center for Science and Leadership" to give kids the chance to learn science in meaningful, hands-on ways, shoulder to shoulder with working scientists, in an extraordinary natural environment. As a public school teacher and principal, I was well-aware of the challenges of providing engaging science instruction within the strictures and confines of the school day. To give students and teachers the opportunity to focus, learn and teach in a place like Hurricane seemed an ideal mission for the island. To address the critical national need for greater science literacy and more students pursuing science fields in college and as careers gave real purpose to our plan. And incorporating sustainable technologies, both out of necessity and for teaching purposes, enhanced the relevance of the off-grid setting of Hurricane Island.

We have run student programs on the island for three years now and are gaining traction - teachers, parents and kids are responding because they have a need for what we're offering. In 2015, we expect to serve more than 700 participants in island programs, with more than 2000 student-program days. They'll include:

Students from Epiphany School in Boston

  • Eastern Maine Skippers, a partnership of seven coastal Maine high schools
  • Epiphany School (Dorchester) and Cambridge School of Weston, Massachusetts
  • Proctor Academy, New Hampshire
  • Waynflete School, Gould Academy, Ashwood Waldorf School, Casco Bay High School for Expeditionary Learning, all in Maine
  • Northeast High School in Philadelphia Bowdoin, Colby, and the Universities of Maine and Vermont
  • ...and an array of our local private and public schools in midcoast Maine

All will be on Hurricane this summer to do engaging, meaningful, hands-on, in-the-field science and to become literate and proficient environmental leaders.

The most important evidence of our success comes from students themselves:

"Being on Hurricane Island and having the opportunity to enjoy nature was the most peaceful time I have ever known in my life... [It] was the first island I had ever been on and the most beautiful place I have ever been. It is almost mysterious; magic happens when you go through the program...From the moment I got on the boat to leave the island, with peace inside me, I knew I needed to come back. At Hurricane, we learned so much about ourselves and about other people. It was like stepping into a tidal pool, a different realm, where you discover so many small things with so much life in a quiet little space."

"The surprising thing is that once I got [to Hurricane], instead of feeling deprived I felt as though I had escaped...Being on Hurricane and free of distractions, I felt more alive; it opened me up to my surroundings...Hurricane Island itself is such a beautiful place, and although it's just an island, it has the ability to change the lives of those who are open to it. Once you look past the stunning beauty of the physical landscape, it has so much more to offer than just a nice view."

"The experience stays with me because I jumped into something completely unfamiliar. I learned on the fly, and managed to exercise then and there what I had learned. It gave me an awesome feeling to know that I was capable of finding my way without relying on modern technology. I felt so empowered and independent; I felt total elation."

This is what we're doing at the Hurricane Island Center for Science and Leadership. We are being the change we want to see in the world. As a primary objective, we are helping middle and high school teachers motivate, prepare, and excite a new generation of science learners and leaders by providing them with an unequalled place to learn and the opportunity to do real, hands-on scientific investigation and observation, with high quality programs, great leadership training, and direct support from career scientists.

That plan we came up with on Eight Bells five years ago is being realized in a remarkably short time. We greatly appreciate the support we've been given since then, and continue to need your interest and contributions. We intend to be the best experiential education and leadership program anywhere, on the most extraordinary island anywhere. I hope you will come out to Hurricane this summer to see for yourself what is being accomplished there.

Sincerely,

 


Barney Hallowell
Executive Director

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Epiphany School

Taking a break along the perimeter trail hike

Few places were left unexplored this past week during our outstanding program with students from the Epiphany School in Boston. We were joined by 16 energetic students and three chaperones for a four-day program that included a little bit of everything, from learning about the natural history of the island to fun leadership activities and rock climbing and sailing in Penobscot Bay!

We started the program learning about the ways that Hurricane Island operates off the grid, and showed students where our power and water comes from as well as how we deal with our food-waste and generate new soil for our gardens through composting.

The second day was a nice mix of learning about the birds on Hurricane with bird bingo and a bird hike (we spotted warblers, sparrows, eider ducks, and eagles throughout the program!), a history hike, and time spent out on Two Bush Island exploring low tide and flipping rocks in search of fun invertebrates. After that we enjoyed a big sailing day: the wind was blowing 15 knots out of the North all morning and then out of the West at 6 knots so we enjoyed full sails and sunny weather--a perfect day to spend on the water.

The rest of the program was packed with rock climbing adventures, learning about lobsters, and going on a botany hike. Rock climbing is definitely not just about the climber: all of the participants took time to learn how to carefully belay each other and communicate between climber and belayer to keep everyone safe and challenging each other to scale up the granite rock face. 

It is always fun to learn about the lobster industry, and students played with herring bait, learned about the lobster life cycle, and went out on the boat with Oakley to watch him haul his recreational lobster traps. Unfortunately, we ended up throwing back everything we caught because the lobsters weren't legal sized! So we had to take a rain check on a lobster dinner, but I suppose that means we will need to get all these wonderful students back out to Hurricane again! 

Bird bingo in action

Enjoying sunset after a busy day

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