2005 Spring Workday - SundownIsland's Photos

Spring 2005 Workday on Sundown Island

SundownIsland > Ron Arlitt and son Matthew and Petra Hockey are waiting for the group to head out to the island.

SundownIsland > Steve and Cheryl Marwitz, at Clark's Restaurant, are ready to head out to the island for Spring workday.

SundownIsland > It was hard to believe how much sand has been added to bring the shore line back to the end of the dock!

SundownIsland > Larry Tisdale (left) and Ed Olson (right) tie up the Egret II while Chester Smith and Dave Barley secure the line on the boat.

SundownIsland > Trevan Fluitt (in the boat) brought a group of volunteers to the island. Jeremy Cecil is bringing the tractor battery to shore while Chester gives Trevan pick up information.

SundownIsland > Hannah Olson captured this group of Brown Pelicans flying by, checking us out as we were unloading the boats.

SundownIsland > New trees were donated by Dr. Lin from Formosa to be planted along the edge of the new pond.

SundownIsland > Petra Hockey, Ron Arlitt and Matthew worked on five separate tree plots on the island. They weeded, repotted, fertilized and treated for fire ants on all five plots.

SundownIsland > Weeds take over quicly on the island. Ron, Petra, and Matthew are weeding one of the new tree plots.

SundownIsland > The dredge pipe ran from the Northeast side of the island to the Northwest side. This view is from the dock side of the island.

SundownIsland > This view of the dredge pipe runs from the dock (see Windmill) to the North end of the island and over some of the newly deposited sand.

SundownIsland > The dredge pipe continuesnow moving to the Northwest side of the island.

SundownIsland > This part of the dredge pipe is along the North-Northwest side of the island. One of the dredge crew is setting it up to start pumping.

SundownIsland > Just before leaving this area, the dredge pumping began. The dredge crew is trying to provide more area for birds that lay their eggs in clear sandy areas.

SundownIsland > There were a fair number of Black Skimmers (orange and black bill) on the North end of island, shown with the sleepy Laughing Gulls in the background.

SundownIsland > These Laughing Gulls were quite annoyed at the photographer. The American Avocets behind them seem to be unbothered by the rucus.

SundownIsland > American Avocets are regular winter visitors to the island. This group wanted to take a snooze, but had one eye open, watching the photographer.

SundownIsland > This group of adult Pelicans were hanging out on the North end of the island. Notice the two Pelicans with the red neck. There are probably 15 to 20 of these on the island now.

SundownIsland > Notice the juvenile Ring-billed Gull in the background. The plumage is typical of the bird's first winter.

SundownIsland > Erosion is a never ending battle on Sundown Island. This is eroding shoreline on the west side of the island.

SundownIsland > Rebekah Olson walked around the perimiter of the island to pick up trash. She also had an encounter with some really slippery mud.

SundownIsland > Cheryl Marwitz is picking up trash close to the dredge fill site on the Northwest end of the island.

SundownIsland > Linda Barley and Connnie Knepp (sisters) are picking up trash and trying to figure out how best to move through the mud ahead.

SundownIsland > Peggy Wilkinson and son Tyler with friends from HoustonBrad and Rachel

SundownIsland > William Tennison (photographer's helper) with Marcy Spears (Photographer and Sundown Island Webmaster)

SundownIsland > Hannah and Rebekah Olson, just after lunch. They prepared the picnic lunch for the volunteers that was sponsored by Formosa.

SundownIsland > Jeremy Cecil with his Aunt, Peggy Wilkinson

SundownIsland > Back: Tim Wilkinson, Larry Tisdale, Dave Barley, Chester Smith (Warden), Steve Marwitz, William Tennison; Front: Peggy Wilkinson, Linda Barley, Connie Knepp, Cheryl Marwitz, Petra Hockey

SundownIsland > Alexis DeLeon (from Corpus Christi) came with her Dad, Abel DeLeon who came to the island to survey the dredge project and help out on workday.

SundownIsland > Peggy and Tim Wilkinson are just about to take Brad, Rachel, and Tyler on a tour of the island. This is Brad and Rachel's first visit to Sundown Island.

SundownIsland > Mark Elwonger and Andrew and Ed Olson are piecing together two pieces of wood to mount one of the new "posted signs" provided by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services.

SundownIsland > It took a couple of adjustments before Ed Olson was satisfied with the fit for the sign post.

SundownIsland > Mark Elwonger screws the two posts together while Andrew and Ed hold the top in position.

SundownIsland > Rebekah Olson walks along the dredge pipe, while Andrew and his Dad, Ed Olson carry the "posted sign" to be mounted.

SundownIsland > Hannah Olson hauled the ladder over the sign installation so that Andrew and Ed could mount the new sign on the posts.

SundownIsland > The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service provided three of these signs to replace the ones that were blown down or destroyed by Hurricane Claudette last summer.

SundownIsland > Dave Barley walks back along the 300 foot of pipe that he, Larry Tisdale and Steve Marwitz ran from the windmill to the new bond.

SundownIsland > Besides running 300 foot of pipe, Larry Tisdale, Steve Marwitz and Dave Barley also installed valves on some of the pipe to control the water flow from the windmill.

SundownIsland > 300 feet of pipeis a lot of pipe! Here's a view of the pipe from the edge of the new pond looking back towards the windmill.

SundownIsland > Time was running out...Dave Barley, Larry Tisdale, Abel DeLeon and Chester Smith were discussing how much of the pipe/pond project could be completed before the end of workday.

SundownIsland > Chester Smith (far right) talks to the dredge crew as they put the finishing touches on the pond.

SundownIsland > 2005 Spring Workday > 45-IMG_1940

SundownIsland > The dredge crew walks back towards the windmill next the pipe and the just dozed sand that will be used to cover the pipe.

SundownIsland > Dave Barley watches as two of the dredge crew start to bury the pipe.

SundownIsland > Mark Elwonger joins in to help the dredge crew cover the pipe.

SundownIsland > Peggy shows off the new pond signs made by her Dad, Chester Smith and volunteer Charlie Cravey.

SundownIsland > Jeremy Cecil and Abel DeLeon were able to install three of the five pond signs before workday ended. The pond signs will help direct volunteers to specific parts of the island. Otherwise... it all looks the same.

SundownIsland > Time to wrap it up. Peggy hauls some trash from the tractor shed back to the boat dock.

SundownIsland > As the work was winding down, Chester came over the hill towards the tractor shed with lumber that will be used for a project next time.

SundownIsland > If you looked like this when you left the islandyou had a really good day!

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