In 2002, the National Audubon
Society's Seabird Restoration Program, in cooperation with the Maine
Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and U.S. Fish and Wildlife
Service Gulf of Maine Coastal Program initiated a tern restoration
program on Outer Green Island in Casco Bay. CBEP provided funding
to assist with this program. Outer Green Island is a 5.5 acre
island located 5 miles east of Portland. Historically, the island
served as a tern colony until 1914. Outer Green was selected
becasue of its rich seabird nesting history and because of its remote
location (hopefully reducing predator visits).
During the first season, in order to attract the target species, a
resident field camp was established and 100 decoys and a solar powered
CD sound system broadcasting tern colony calls were placed on the
southeast corner of the island. In just three years, the colony
grew to over 650 pairs of Common Terns and 13 pairs of Roseate Terns (a
federally-listed endangered species)! In 2004, Audubon also
initiated a Leach's Storm-Petrel attraction program on Outer Green
Island; storm petrels nested on the island until approximately 1918,
but no longer nest in Casco Bay. The goal of this project is to
re-establish a breeding site in Casco Bay.