When the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers dredged the navigation channels around the coastal bays last winter, the resulting 40,000 cubic yards of sand and dredge spoil were used to restore some of the islands in the coastal bays that had not been seen since the 1930s, including the famed Dog and Bitch Island. Approximately 18,000 cubic yards of sand were specifically pumped onto Dog and Bitch Island, essentially accomplishing the dual goals of finding a home for the dredged material and re-creating the historic small island once essential for migratory bird habitat.
However, a funny thing happened on the way to creating a quiet reserve for threatened or endangered migratory birds, such as terns and skimmers. From the beginning, recreational boaters were drawn to the sandy spit in the Isle of Wight Bay and hundreds of boat operators drop anchor and wade ashore creating a weekend retreat for their families and friends.
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It is the only place to escape the tourists and scum that show up at the beach.
ReplyDeleteWhich is exactly why they built it; for birds.
DeleteDoes the ban have to stay in effect all year? The babies have already hatched and grown by this point. Why not just keep it closed during laying and hatching. I crab in those waters and I can tell you that most of those birds will try to attack you if you even come close to a nesting island with eggs in a boat. Especially the terns. I call them the Angry Birds.
ReplyDeleteIt was built by nature and eroded over time with storms. BTW, a storm is why there is an inlet. Was never built for the birds and can be used by all with time set aside for nesting and hatching.
ReplyDeleteThey have screwed everything else up. Might as well screw up the last island the birds are on.
ReplyDeleteDamm no more nude swimming there.
ReplyDeleteScrew the birds. Certain stretches of 4x4 beaches in Delaware are closed every year for a couple of piping plover nests which crams everyone on top of one another. It sucks I hate those stupid things.
ReplyDelete