Rhode Island

The Pelican Brief

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The visiting American White Pelican towers over a group of Double-crested Cormorants on the southern tip of Rock Island. (Photo by Jason Major)

An American White Pelican was sighted in the vicinity of Rock Island and Passeonkquis Cove on September 25, 2022 and remained through September 29, 2022.

According to available records for Rhode Island, there have been eighteen sightings of this large waterbird since 1946, including one for Warwick in 1996.

With a wingspan up to ten feet and a maximum body weight of 30 pounds—16 being average—this pelican normally breeds in large colonies on lakes in the interior of southern Canada and the northern plains of the western United States. It migrates in large gregarious flocks to winter along the Gulf of Mexico and in Florida.

So how and why did a solitary pelican that’s usually west of the Mississippi stray so far to the northeast? It could have been confused by the intense smoke from forest fires as it left the breeding grounds and was separated from its traveling companions as it flew to the wintering grounds.

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Wild Flowers from Four Continents

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Many of the plants at Salter Grove are wildflowers from other continents! Here, however, they are usually considered weeds because they readily colonize waste areas and lawns. Rarely are they given a second look before they are pulled up or mown down. Some of these are quite interesting and have been showcased east of the parking lot.

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New Bird Species Recorded for the Park

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Photo courtesy of Kathy Schnabel

In January, two new bird species were observed at opposite ends of the park. An American Kestrel was first seen on Jan. 2, 2020 and then photographed the next day by Kathy Schnabel in the area of the parking lot.

Adopting a sit-and-wait approach, Art Jacques bird-watched from the bench on Audubon field on Jan. 23 and counted 15 species within 30 minutes and added the Field Sparrow to the list of birds observed at Salter Grove.

Salter Grove is a great place to sit and watch the wildlife!

In case you didn’t know, Salter Grove is considered a birding hotspot by eBird, a website where members submit their birdwatching results. Based on checklists on eBird since 2006 and field notes from other observers, the Salter Grove bird list now stands at 124 species—not too shabby for a 12-acre park!

Survey Says: Salter Grove Visitors Want Safe Breakwater Access and Improved Play Areas

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Access to the popular Salter Grove breakwater for sightseeing and fishing remains an important feature for park visitors.

The results of our survey are in and it’s clear that concerned citizens and park visitors want safer access to the breakwater and an improved playground at George B. Salter Memorial Grove! Learn more about the results below:

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Our First Grant Funding! A Seed To Grow On

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Seedling

The New England Grassroots Environmental Fund has recognized the work of Friends of Salter Grove and awarded our group a $992 Seed grant, our first source of funding.

“These grants are intended to support community groups who represent the most exciting energy in the environmental movement, and that are not being reached by traditional funders,” said Peter Becker, coordinator of FoSG.

The Fund officials cited “clear objectives and skilled volunteers to ensure their realization” as winning elements in FoSG’s application.

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Junior Scientists Study Salter Grove

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Students from St. Peter School test the salinity of Salter Grove's waters, May 23, 2016

Students from St. Peter School test the salinity of Salter Grove’s waters, May 23, 2016

On May 23, 2016 the fourth- and fifth-grade students from St. Peter School in Warwick visited Salter Grove with their teachers to learn about interactions of plants and animals with their environment and explore the many different natural ecosystems of the park. It was a great way to learn about nature and how to conduct scientific work “in the field.”  Below are some photos from the day’s events taken by FoSG member Jason Major.

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