In order to keep everyone informed on the status of projects and activities of PWGreen, we have posted several status updates:

1.  Removal of Invasive Plants with National Geographic Magazine

On August 21, 2004, Port Washington adults and children joined forces with National Geographic Magazine’s research of invasive species in North America to manually remove invasive plants from the Guggenheim School meadow. With the help of PWGreen, families from Port Washington met on this humid, summer morning in the Guggenheim School meadow to manually remove Mugwort and preserve the native plants like milkweed and native grasses. 

2.  Recent Sightings on the Guggenheim Property

Osrey's have been seen flying over the north side of the property with a fish in its talons.  Ospreys are frequently seen eating their catch in the giant oak tree adjacent to the golf course. The squirrels are busy preparing their food for winter.  They can be seen in the woods carrying various nuts including the black walnuts.  Its a funny sight seeing the squirrels carry the black walnuts, the nuts are encased in a green outer shell, the size of tennis balls.

 
Great Horned Owl, a very impressive bird in size and in their gaze, have been spotted on the property before and their pellets have been found on the snow covered floor of the woods in the winter.  The North Shore Audubon Society was contacted and will continue to monitor the owls on the property.
 
The three varieties of milkweed - butterfly, common and swamp - are all in full bloom.  The amount of butterfly milkweed this year surpasses the amount seen on the property in recent summers - likely due to the revised mowing schedule. 
The goldenrod flowers are just beginning to bloom and can be seen on the edges of the north meadow.  Many other wild flowers are also in bloom.
Many butterflies can be seen during the day.  As a novice, I have been able to identify the Eastern Tiger Swallow Tail and, I believe, the Spice Bush Swallow Tail, but I am less certain of the correct identification of the latter.  There is frequently a small white butterfly with a single black dot on it wing on the butterfly milkweed plants, but I am unable to determine what it is called.
The fireflies are still lighting up the summer skies at night but in increasingly fewer numbers. 
The bats are out at dusk eating those pesty mosquitos.  It is amazing to watch them fly above with their impressive manuevers.

There is definitely one pair of Tree Swallows nesting in box #4 and House Wrens in box #5. 

Other notable birds in the fields included:
 
Northern Flicker
Gray Catbird
Brown Thrasher
Yellow Warbler (3+ pairs)
Red-winged Blackbird
Baltimore Oriole
Common Grackle
American Goldfinch
White-throated Sparrow
 
We also saw bats, a large white egret and flushed a woodcock...another wonderful sighting.

3.  Earth Day Clean Up

PWGreen Board Members and volunteers picked up trash from Leeds Pond Beach front.

4.  Status of Guggenheim property.

PWGreen continues to work with local officials to protect and enhance the property.  The schools administration has recently stated a position of no dumping allowed on the property.  Additionally, PWGreen has developed a mowing schedule for the meadow based on input from our expert advisory board. We are working with the school district to implement this revised schedule and approach.

If you observe any non-school people dumping or driving any vehicle on the property, please report this to the Sands Point Police department at 883-3100.

At this time it does not appear that the school administration has a plan to proceed with developing any portion of the Guggenheim property, although the school board has commissioned a survey of the property, which was completed in early 2005

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