— 2007 Season —
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| Lighthouse on Pond Island. Credit: USFWS |
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service acquired Pond Island from the U.S. Coast Guard in 1973. The 10 acre island is located in the mouth of the Kennebec River, and until 1937 supported a common tern colony. North and South Sugarloaf Islands are within a quarter of a mile from Pond Island and until 1987 supported roseate and common terns.
At one point in time, North Sugarloaf was the largest roseate colony in Maine. The terns were displaced by nesting gulls on all three islands, until the restoration program was initiated on Pond Island in 1996. One pair of common terns nested in 1996, and five pairs nested in 1997, however, none of these nesting attempts produced any chicks. In 1998, when the one pair of terns nesting on Pond failed to hatch their eggs, NAS transplanted two common tern chicks from the nearby Jenny Island. The chicks were immediately cared for by the adults and later fledged from the island. In 1999, Pond Island produced its first tern chick in more than 60 years, when 10 pairs of common terns nested successfully. Later in the season, 11 additional pairs nested with a total of 20 chicks produced.
Significant great horned owl predation as well as occasional mammal predation have resulted in fluctuations in the size of the Pond Island colony.
In 2007 the island supported 316 pairs of common terns and three pairs of Arctic terns. Although the colony has recently supported up to nine pairs of roseate terns, no roseates nested on Pond Island this year. Unfortunately, the island continues to experience.
Pond Island is cooperatively managed by National Audubon Society and the Service.
Common Tern Nesting on Pond Island: 1996 – 2007
