Bluff Point was designated a “Coastal Reserve” by a special act of the Connecticut legislature in 1975 to establish the area “for the purpose of preserving its native ecological associations, unique faunal and floral characteristics, geological features, and scenic qualities in a condition of undisturbed integrity.” Jutting out into the waters of Long Island Sound, this 800-acre wooded peninsula combines coastal woodlands, beach and dune grasslands, coastal plain ponds, coastal bluff, tidal wetlands, intertidal mud flats, and offshore eelgrass beds.
We will take a short, easy walk to explore the rare sandplain habit on which the threatened species Hudsonia tomentosa grows as well as many other species of interest. From there, we can take a short walk to a different habitat, a sand spit which has become a favored nesting site of piping plovers, oyster catchers, terns and horseshoe crabs at a time of year. The vegetation is quite different from the first sandplain and the views of Fishers Island Sound are rewarding.
If anyone is interested, after returning to our cars, we can take a short drive to Mumford Cove, which Sigrun has covered in a recent comprehensive study with additional insight from Lauren Brown and Doug McGrady. Here, we will immediately see a less forested rare sandplain habitat also with the threatened Hudsonia tomentosa but now amidst a rare lichen crust. There is also a listed grass species, many species of Agalinis, glassworts, etc.
Time: 10:00 AM
Leaders: Sue Sutherland, CBS Board Member, suesutherland32@gmail.com, 860-574-5111
Sigrun Gadwa, CBS Conservation & Ecology Chair, sigrun.n.gadwa@gmail.com, 203-537-1869
Pre-registration is not required, but if you share email addresses and phone numbers with the leaders, they will be able to let you know of any changes.
Directions and Parking: from I-95, take Exit 88 Route 117 South and go south to Route One.
Go right on Route One a short distance, then left at the light onto Depot Road.
Continue under the railroad tracks to end and park on the left.