Audubon Connecticut at Stratford Point
By Will Perret
Land Steward
Photos By : Andrea Byrne and Jackson
[This series of
articles is intended to acquaint you with more of the Stratford areas and communities that are a part of our town. We invite you to share stories of your own neighborhood and what it means to you. Please write to editor@stratfordcrier.com We look forward to hearing from you.]
Many longtime residents of Lordship may know Stratford Point as the former Remington Gun Club, which operated as a trap and skeet shooting facility from 1926-1986. What residents of Stratford may not know is that you will now find a vibrant wildlife sanctuary that has been managed by Audubon Connecticut (a state office of the National Audubon Society) since 2015.
Since a massive remediation effort that took place during 2000-2011, Stratford Point has been meticulously stewarded to provide for birds, pollinators, and a host of other wildlife. Our Sanctuary also serves as an important connector between units of the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge (such as Great Meadows in Stratford), and multiple other natural areas including Long Beach/Pleasure Beach and the Connecticut Audubon Society Coastal Center at Milford Point.
Stratford Point is also listed as a globally important Bird Area for migrating Semipalmated Sandpipers, and provides critical migratory stop-over habitat for a host of other shorebirds and song birds. In total, there have been 298 avian species officially observed at Stratford Point.
From wintering waterfowl like American Wigeon, Greater Scaup, and American Black Duck, to migrating Warblers in the spring and fall, to nesting Purple Martins and Tree Swallows in the summer, Stratford Point truly abides by Audubon Connecticut’s mission to protect birds and the places they call their seasonal home.
Sacred Heart University also heads the “Living Shoreline” project, which most notably comprises hundreds of reef ball units along our northeast facing shore that have been installed to combat severe coastal erosion issues on the property. This project, first piloted in 2014 and expanded in 2017, is the largest example of a “Living Shoreline” in New England.
Stratford Point, owned by Sporting Goods Properties, Inc., a subsidiary of Corteva Agriscience, and managed by Audubon Connecticut is open to the public Monday-Friday 9 a.m.-4 p.m.
Walk our trails, enjoy the native gardens, and observe plentiful wildlife at one of the premier birding/pollinator spots in the state.
Audubon Connecticut at Stratford Point is located at 1207 Prospect Drive, Stratford. Visit www.ct.audubon.org for more information.
