Because of concerns about Covid-19, the Coastal Center is running outdoor programming only and asking participants of those programs to practice physical distancing and wear masks. Click HERE for current programs.The Coastal Center building is closed and all indoor programs are cancelled until further notice.
The Nature Store has items available for pre-order and pick up. Click HERE for details.

From left: Connecticut Audubon Society Executive Director Patrick Comins, Alderman Marty Hardiman, Alderman Frank Smith, Milford Mayor Ben Blake, Coastal Center Board Chair June Renzulli and Southwest Regional Director Shari Greenblatt.

The Connecticut Audubon Society celebrated the 25^th anniversary of its Coastal Center at Milford Point with a small gathering of dedicated friends, neighbors and supporters on Wednesday, October 21. The afternoon, outdoor event was the kick-off to acknowledge a milestone that will be recognized with other events and activities in the year ahead.

Against the background of the Charles Wheeler Salt Marsh and Wildlife Management Area, Milford Mayor Ben Blake presented a proclamation affirming the Center’s “esteemed services for the past quarter century.” In his remarks, Blake emphasized the value of Connecticut Audubon’s presence in the Milford community saying, “The Coastal Center has been a treasure for kids and students of all ages.”

Connecticut Audubon’s Southwest Regional Director Shari Greenblatt expressed disappointment that, “due to the pandemic, we could not invite all our members, volunteers and supporters to be here today to thank them in person for all the ways they have contributed to the Center’s growth and success. The Coastal Center is a gem in Milford that we are very proud of, but it’s taken the work of many people to achieve this together.” 

During this anniversary year, the community and Connecticut Audubon supporters will have additional chances to participate in the celebration. Announcements will be made soon about an upcoming photo contest in partnership with Milford Photo, and a “25 for 25 Fundraising Campaign.”

For 25 years, the Coastal Center at Milford Point has educated children and adults, promoting awareness and fostering the preservation of Long Island Sound’s ecosystem, birds and other wildlife inhabitants. Greenblatt said, “The Center now reaches thousands of schoolchildren annually with both on-site and outreach programs. We also offer summer camps, public programs, and a wildlife sanctuary that serves as a partner in many statewide conservation efforts and which is treasured by birders and other visitors year-round.”

Designated an Audubon Important Birding Area in 2002, the Coastal Center at Milford Point received the Best Recreational Award for 2020 from the Milford Chamber of Commerce and Milford Living Magazine, and was listed as Number 5 in the Top 15 Things to Do in Milford by the Crazy Tourist website.

The Connecticut Audubon Society conserves Connecticut’s environment through science-based education and advocacy focused on the state’s bird populations and habitats.

Thanks to your generous donations, we surpassed our goal of $5000 and had a successful day of identifying birds!

Your support made a difference and we could not have done it without you.

During The Big Sit. Milford Point, Milford, CT. 11 Oct 2020. © Frank Mantlik

Sunday, October 11 was a great weather day, with warm temperatures in the mid 60’s and favorable skies and winds. The core team consisted of Frank Gallo, Jim and Patrick Dugan, Tina Green, and Frank Mantlik. We began at 4:19 a.m. and ended at 7:15 p.m., about 15 hours of straight birding. 

Several visitors/birders came by throughout the day to cheer us on, bird, or bring provisions. Thank you all!

The predawn birding was superb, listening for nocturnal migrants, night birds, and ducks and other water-birds in the marsh. The calm night air allowed us to hear calling migrant Swainson’s, Gray-cheeked, and Hermit Thrushes, as well as a hooting Great Horned Owl, Clapper Rails and many duck and heron species. 

Our final tally was 108 bird species identified including a Jaeger species, a tie for our third highest Count.

Highlights included 12 species of ducks (including 7 Northern Shovelers and all three Scoter species), Wild Turkeys, 12 species of shorebirds (including American Golden Plover and Pectoral Sandpiper), a Jaeger species (rare in CT) far out over the Sound, a record number of Common and Red-throated Loons, Great Cormorant, American Bittern, 6 Bald Eagles, a Great Horned Owl, 2 Purple Finches, flocks of Pine Siskins, 7 species of sparrows, Baltimore Oriole, 5 species of warblers, and a Rusty Blackbird. An exciting highlight was watching a Peregrine Falcon chasing a migrant Red Bat at dawn, right near our Sit platform!

Our complete list, with photos, is here:  https://ebird.org/checklist/S74719992

This is a wonderful way to kick off our 25th Anniversary.

Thank you for your generosity and support!    

During The Big Sit. Milford Point, Milford, CT. 11 Oct 2020. © Frank Mantlik

The Big Sit during the Coronavirus pandemic. Milford Point, Milford, CT. 11 Oct 2020. © Frank Mantlik

During The Big Sit. Milford Point, Milford, CT. 11 Oct 2020. © Frank Mantlik

This week the Regional Water Authority partnered with the Coastal Center to urge residents to curb water use. Media coverage featured Connecticut Audubon’s SW Region Director Shari Greenblatt, and volunteer Lori Romick, explaining the savings and conservation benefits the Center has seen since adopting the use of rain barrels donated to the Center several years ago by the RWA.  https://www.wtnh.com/news/connecticut/new-haven/rwa-discounts-rain-barrel-costs-to-encourage-water-conservation-lower-residents-water-bills/

Martins perching on June 26, 2020. Photo © Frank Mantlik

July 29, 2020 — Play a direct roles in conservation by adopting a Purple Martin gourd!

Your adoption will help maintain the structures and support the staff effort to monitor and clean the nests each week — essential tasks for protecting Purple Martins.

Supporting the colony also makes a great gift for members of your family or friends!

The cost is only $60 per gourd. Click here to adopt your gourd today!

Here’s what supporters of the project are saying:

“CONGRATULATIONS TO ALL THE VOLUNTEERS WHO ARE CARING FOR OUR PURPLE MARTIN COLONY!  HOW EGGCITING!!  AND HOW PRECIOUS ARE THOSE NEWLY HATCHED🐣BABIES!🐣🐦

“THANK YOU FOR POSTING THIS AND KEEPING US INFORMED ON THEIR PROGRESS!!  NATURE IS THE BEST!!

Bev”

” Thank you! It is wonderful to see the terrific report and photos. Really appreciate all your hard work!
Carol D.”

Purple Martins have declined in many areas nationwide, including Connecticut and New England. According to the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, competition with invasive House Sparrows and Starlings for nesting space, and pesticides poisoning their food supply, are contributors to their decline. They are considered a Threatened Species in Connecticut.

The team at work checking, cleaning and keeping records at the colony. Photo © Frank Mantlik

Purple Martins are completely dependent on human-made structures, either boxes or gourds, for their survival. Our colony is the third largest in Connecticut, and last year we had the most successful year with 170 chicks fledging!

When you adopt a gourd, a numbered gourd will be assigned to you. A paper gourd with your name (or a name you indicate on the registration) will be hung in the windows at the Coastal Center.

Purple Martin supporters receive weekly updates about the gourds, the status of the nests being built in them and a copy of the end-of-season report.

May 15, 2020 — The Osprey returned to their summer home at the Coastal Center this spring, but due to the restrictions of Covid-19, it was sadly without the celebration and fanfare of the Center’s Return of the Osprey annual fundraiser event.

Despite this disappointment, our local community partners recognized the abrupt change in needs at this precarious time. By allowing us to redirect their already-pledged support, their funding enabled our educators to provide science-based curriculum and programs to school teachers making the transition to distance learning.

With great appreciation for their generosity and donations, we thank: Anonymous, Wakefern Food Corporation, Subway, Milford Rotary (CT), Milford Boat Works, The Community Foundation for Greater New Haven, Valley Community Foundation, and Susan and Dan Patrick.

The CT DEEP has excellent advice for what to do if you find an “orphaned” bird. Click this link. Photo by Stephanie Galea/The Connecticut Audubon Society

May 6, 2020 — Have you found an abandoned bird?

Birds and other wildlife that seem to be abandoned or orphaned at this time of year often are not actually abandoned orphaned.

The Connecticut DEEP has advice about what to do if you find a bird that you think is abandoned. There are several alternatives.

Click here to learn about them.

Please do not bring injured or orphaned animals to any Connecticut Audubon Society facility. Connecticut Audubon is not authorized to accept injured or abandoned animals.

But if it is obviously injured, it may need help. The CT DEEP has more information here about dealing with distressed wildlife.

Explore our centers and sanctuaries on your mobile device

Soar through our centers and sanctuaries with this free app, which highlights unique and interesting features at each stop. Take one of our tours while you’re onsite or plan ahead with detailed directions and maps to your nearest Connecticut Audubon location.

Features include:

• Tours of our Centers and Sanctuaries
• Bird IDs with photos and descriptions
• Tips on how to create a native garden for birds and pollinators
• Interactive maps

For Android and other non-Apple devices, visit the web-based app. Software platform © Cuseum, Inc.

This App was made possible by Planet Fuel Charitable Fund.

Frank Mantlik, Markus Bergvind, and Milan Bull preparing to remove baby Purple Martins from their nests. Connecticut Audubon photo by Patrick Comins.

July 10, 2019 – Five years after they were removed from the state’s list of threatened species, Purple Martins continue to thrive at Connecticut Audubon’s Coastal Center at Milford Point, with the number of hatchlings having essentially doubled since 2016.

Purple Martins – North America’s largest swallow – continue to be listed as a “special concern” species in Connecticut. But the dramatic increase shows that population gains are achievable with the kind of careful, diligent management work being undertaken at the Coastal Center and several other important locations in the state.

State wildlife biologists, Connecticut Audubon staff, and a handful of volunteers met at the Coastal Center on Tuesday, July 9, to attach tiny identifying bands to the legs of newly-hatched martins. The color-coded bands will eventually provide information about how the birds move throughout the region and occupy other martin colonies in future years.

Over three hours of work under a canopy on one of the Coastal Center’s observation platforms, the team banded 154 of the 159 birds that have hatched this year (five chicks were too young to band).  

In 2015 through 2018, the numbers banded at the site were 79, 93, 107, and 128. In other words, from 2015 through this year, the number of young Purple Martins banded at the center has just about doubled.

The martins nest in a colony of man-made gourds at the edge of the Wheeler tidal marsh, near the Coastal Center’s parking lot. Michael Aurelia, a Connecticut Audubon Board member, works with Frank Mantlik, a member of the Coastal Center regional board, and Markus Bergvind, the Important Bird Area Coastal Ranger at Milford Point, to monitor and maintain the nests each week. This year, Purple Martins nested in 40 of the 71 gourds.

To watch a live stream of the birds nesting inside one of the gourds, click here.

CT DEEP staff weighing, ageing, and banding baby Purple Martins. Photo by Frank Mantlik.

With help from grants from the Connecticut Ornithological Association, Connecticut Audubon has added new gourds at the Milford Point colony in recent years. Patrick Comins, Connecticut Audubon’s executive director, said the extra nesting space probably helped attract new, younger birds from other colonies. As those birds grow older, they get better at hunting and raising chicks, which leads to more nestlings.

The bird-banding session was led by three wildlife biologists from the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection – Laurie Fortin, Brian Hess, and Shannon Kearney. They weigh each baby bird (weights typically range from the mid 20s to the 50s, in milligrams), attempt to determine how old each bird is (about seven to 14 days, usually), and afix the identifying tags (orange indicates that the bird was banded at the Coastal Center).

Martins banded at the Coastal Center in previous years have been seen in New York and throughout much of New England.

The Milford Point colony is one the three most important of about 30 throughout the state. In eastern North America, Purple Martins rely almost completely on man-made nests. They need large, open areas to hunt the insects that make up their diet. 

Until 2015, Purple Martins were listed as threatened in Connecticut. But the success of colonies throughout the state, and the discovery of colonies unknown to officials, prompted an improvement in its status to “special concern” – meaning that its population is still low, and its range and habitat are restricted, and that it still requires special efforts to maintain populations.

Connecticut Audubon focused on Purple Martins and other birds that hunt insects while flying in its 2013 Connecticut State of the Birds report, “The Seventh Habitat and the Decline of Our Aerial Insectivores.”

A Purple Martin about to eat a dragonfly. Connecticut Audubon photo by Patrick Comins.

In an article in the report, John Tauntin, executive director of the Purple Martin Conservation Association, noted that continent-wide the martin population has been stable for the last half-century. But the population in the states and Canadian provinces bordering the Great Lakes, and in New England, has declined significantly, for reasons that aren’t clear.

“Regardless of the reasons for the declines,” he wrote, “recruiting more people to provide high-quality, well-managed housing is key to restoring Purple Martin housing.”

Among the other successful colonies in Connecticut are those at Sherwood Island and Hammonasset Beach state parks. Connecticut Audubon erected martin gourds last year at its Deer Pond Farm preserve in Sherman and although martins have visited none have nested there yet.

Local rite of spring honored Milford resident Carol Dunn and Wakefern Food Corp./Shoprite/Garafalo Markets for their contributions to local environmental sustainability

Against a backdrop of the sun setting over the 840-acre Charles Wheeler Wildlife Management Area, the Connecticut Audubon Society’s Coastal Center in Milford hosted its annual Return of the Osprey event, Saturday, April 13. The sold-out gathering is the largest yearly fundraising event at the Center. It supports the Center’s work to promote awareness and preservation of Long Island Sound’s ecosystem, and the conservation and environmental education programs and activities offered throughout the year.

After a warm welcome from Connecticut Audubon’s Southwest Regional Director Shari Greenblatt, a highlight of the evening was the recognition of key community contributors to the Center’s efforts. Connecticut Audubon Executive Director Patrick Comins presented the Volunteer Appreciation Award to Carol Dunn who has been actively involved with the organization for 22 years. Dunn serves on the Milford Regional Board, is a docent, and since 1994 has been monitoring 20+ Osprey nests for Connecticut’s DEEP. She is also responsible for the installation and monitoring of monofilament collection bins, including one at the Center. “Carol is one of the biggest supporters and protectors of Osprey, and a truly dedicated citizen scientist,” stated Comins.

The Corporate Recognition Award was presented to Harry Garafalo of Wakefern Food Corp./Shoprite/Garafalo Markets. Wakefern/Shoprite and Harry Garafalo have been supportive of the Center and the Return of the Osprey event for many years. “In addition to ShopRite’s sponsorship of this event, we are grateful to their employees who come every year for a volunteer workday at the Center,” said Comins. “Their commitment to sustainability makes them valuable environmental partners in this community. And their leadership and support inspires many others to share that awareness of, and dedication to, environmental stewardship and conservation.”

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General Information

The boardwalk leading to the Sound. Photo courtesy of Anthony Donofrio.

Connecticut Audubon Society’s Coastal Center at Milford Point is located on an 8.4-acre barrier beach, next to the 840-acre Charles Wheeler Salt Marsh and Wildlife Management Area at the mouth of the Housatonic River.

The Coastal Center promotes the awareness and preservation of Long Island Sound’s ecosystem, and the birds and habitats it supports. Visitors to the center have access to the Sound and to tidal salt marshes, barrier beaches, tide pools, and coastal dunes.

The Coastal Center is a bird-watcher’s paradise – 315 species have been seen here, including many rarities.

We offer a full range of educational programs and events for families, children, and adults.

The Coastal Center provides educational exhibits, a tide pool demonstration tank, a salt-marsh laboratory, and program and meeting rooms.

The Coastal Center’s grounds encompass the 8-acre Smith-Hubbell Wildlife Refuge and Bird Sanctuary, a boardwalk and three other observation platforms, including a 70-foot covered  tower for panoramic vistas.

Viewers from around the world watch the Center’s seasonal Osprey Cam, operated from our 18-foot tall nesting platform.