An Audubon Bird Sanctuary
Port O'Connor, Texas

© 2000-11 Sundown Island Island

Spring Workday A Big Success!

Twenty-six Sundown-Island volunteers gathered for the February 19, 2005 Spring Workday at the Audubon Bird Sanctuary located between the Matagorda and Intracoastal channels. The weather was overcast and cool. Although windy, the trip to the island was easy both ways. The Arlitts, Steve Marwitz, and Trevon Fluitt furnished boats to take volunteers and supplies to the island. Formosa sponsored the workday by providing funds for expenses and for the volunteer lunch. Steve Marwitz, Formosa Director of Security and Risk Management, and his wife, Cheryl joined the volunteers. Dr. Lin from the Formosa Plastics Environmental Division furnished new trees to be planted around the new pond.

Steve and Cheryl Marwitz at Clark's Marina, ready to go to Bird Island for workday.

Petra Hockey, Ron Arlitt and Matthew Arlitt cleaned, watered, replanted and fertilized trees in five tree plots. Many of the trees planted during the fall workday were four to five feet high. Although these trees aren’t ready for nesting birds yet, they will eventually provide nesting habitat for herons, egrets and spoonbills, and more.

Two “Posted Signs” warning the public to stay off the island because it is an Audubon bird sanctuary were installed on the North and Northeast end of the island. Jeremy Cecil, Abel DeLeon, Ed and Andrew Olson and Mark Elwonger worked on sinking the signposts and mounting the signs. The Kingfisher Dredge crew installed a third sign later during the week. The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service furnished the signs.

Peggy Wilkinson shows off the new pond signs for the island.

In preparation of the Spring Workday, harley Cravey (volunteer) and Chester Smith, Audubon Warden, made “pond signs.” Since the island is so large and the interior topography all looks the same, it is difficult to direct volunteers to specific locations. The numbered “pond signs” and a new island map will make it easier for volunteers to find the work locations. Jeremy Cecil and Abel DeLeon installed the three of the five pond signs during workday. The Kingfisher dredge crew installed the third sign on the following Monday.

Abel DeLeon, a civil engineer with the U. S. Army Corps of Engineers, came with his daughter Alexis from Corpus Christi to survey the dredge project that he designed to save the Windmill and dock from the severe erosion caused by Hurricane Claudette. This project included dozing a new pond on the Northeast end of the island and using the sand to build up the shoreline by the windmill and the dock. Steve Marwitz, Larry Tisdale, Tim Wilkinson and Dave Barley worked on running nearly 300 foot of pipe from the windmill to the newly created pond.

Approximately thirty pair of Great Blue Herons are on the island seeking nesting sites in the vegetation. Hundreds of Brown Pelicans were on the south end of the island, some carrying nesting material about. Several pelicans with red pouches were also seen.