The Ash Creek Conservation Association telephoned Bruce Nelson (the Building Dept Inspector who has been assigned to inspect Ganim's Dock) this morning but he has not yet been able to visit the site. "Projects that already have permits are the priority". He does not see any opportunity to go there until next week.  Construction was continuing as of 6.00 pm last evening but we believe he was just finishing up the stair from the high level to the lower dock.

Attached is a photo of Ganim's Dock as of 4.00 pm today. It is basically finished. There may be some detail work still to be done from the dock itself. The barge left a few minutes after the the photo was taken.  We have made a number of phone calls to the Building Department, but still do not know if the inspector has come out yet.

For previous posts on the installation of Ganim's dock, please click on:

http://www.blackrockonline.org/day-3-ganims-dock-installation

Thank you, Lynn Norris, for sending us this terrific photo of the osprey sitting on their platform on Ash Creek.  Sadly, we think 6/21st should have produced chicks so just may not be viable eggs.  They certainly have had rough weather to contend with !!!  This evening 6 pm "she" was again on nest and "he" was on drift wood  keeping watch. Lynn's neighbor, Con Filardi, said the male keeps beinging more sticks!!  I guess he is positive about hatchlings... soo am I ...

Still no building permit and the City of Bridgeport inspector either did not arrive to inspect the work or did not stop the progress of the work.

The Connecticut Post featured the Ash Creek Conservation Association's volunteer work in the Project Limulus study on the front page of the Sunday paper on June 15, 2008 with full color photographs.  The article was called, "In Search of the Horseshoe Crab: Study Tracks Smaller Numbers" by Genevieve Reilly, Staff Writer, with a subtitle of "Volunteers help find sea creature, prevent demise". 

To see complete article go to www.connpost.com

Volunteers needed for Project Limulus spawning surveys at Ash Creek  

On May 15, 2008 at 6:30 PM, Connecticut Audubon's Milan Bull, led a guided tour of the spring migration of shorebirds along the Ash Creek tidal estuary.  Kraig Steffen, Vice President created this photo journal of the event:

We started out near the sand spit at St Mary's in the light rain.  

We quickly saw some interesting birds, including the Night Heron above (last two photos).

The Fairfield Inland Wetlands Commission approved the Long Term Conservation Area Management Plan proposed by Blackrock Realty, the developer of the Fairfield Metro Center project, at a May 15 meeting, in a 4-0 vote with one abstention.

Horseshoe crabs are among the most primitive creatures on this earth.  They are one of the few species that existed when the dinosaurs roamed the earth, but they have been on the decline since the 1900’s.  No one knows why. 

Over two dozen volunteers gathered on Saturday, April 26 at 10 AM for the annual spring clean up of Ash Creek and St. Mary's-by-the-Sea.  The Ash Creek Conservation Association co-sponsored this event with Save the Sound.  Members of the Westport Unitarian Church Youth Group joined the effort as well as residents of Black Rock and Fairfield.   Coffee and other refreshments were served starting at 9:30 AM as the volunteers divided into groups to clean different sections of St.