To the Editor,
Folks who swim, boat, dive, or fish off the coast of Manchester-by-the-Sea will see some changes to Kettle Island Wildlife Sanctuary soon—improvements that will yield more native tree species on the island and improve habitat for coastal waterbirds.
The 17-acre Kettle Island, which lies a quarter-mile off the coast of Manchester-by-the-Sea, is part of a series of Essex County islands designated as an Important Bird Area because it is home to one of the most crucial wading bird breeding colonies in the Commonwealth. The Great Egret, Snowy Egret, Black-crowned Nigh Heron, and Glossy Ibis are all experiencing dwindling populations, and some have been identified as species of conservation concern.
In mid-to-late September, Mass Audubon will be removing 15 Norway Maple trees from Kettle Island Wildlife Sanctuary. These trees are invasive species, and they crowd out the native tree and shrubs that are used by wading birds as nesting habitat. Once the Norway Maples are taken down, 60 black cherry trees and 20 Eastern red cedars will be planted, both of which are native species and preferred by wading birds for nesting. This fits with Mass Audubon’s longstanding vegetation management practice.
These enhancements to the island will increase both the acreage and diversity of nesting habitats and will offer better protection for these nesting birds. The downed tree trunks and limbs will be used to create protective barriers around the newly opened spaces to reduce the impact of browsing deer.
Kettle Island is unique because it is one of only a handful of places that meets the nesting habitat criteria of these coastal waterbirds, that includes shrubs, early successional trees, and limited human disruptions (Kettle Islands is closed to the public). Work should be completed by the end of September, and Mass Audubon will be monitoring the success of the native tree plantings as well as conducting regular bird surveys.
Mass Audubon would like to acknowledge and thank the Hollis Declan Leverett Memorial Fund, which provides grants for improving native bird habitats through planting and vegetation management. We’d also like to thank the Manchester-by-the-Sea Conservation Commission and Harbormaster’s Office for their support and guidance. In addition, our appreciation goes out to Kettle Island neighbors for cooperation and support over many years. It’s our hope this work will serve as a model for future restoration projects that support nesting wading birds, and we look forward to sharing the results as we continue to manage this rare, ecologically significant community.
Thank you,
Carole McCauley
North Shore Regional Director, Mass Audubon
