Maritime Aquarium Offering 'Birding Cruises' To Norwalk Islands

NORWALK, CT — Next month, the Norwalk Aquarium will hold two 90-minute cruises designed to give birdwatchers and photographers a closer look at resident and migratory waterfowl species.

Dubbed "Birding Cruises," the boat will take participants out near the Norwalk islands — an island chain in Long Island Sound — giving them close access to osprey, oystercatchers, loons, mergansers, long-tailed ducks, egrets and other waterfowl.

The cruises will take place on April 2 and 3, departing at 9:30 a.m. each day. They cost $31 per person ($27 for aquarium members) and the aquarium strongly recommends reservations. All attendees must be at least 42 inches tall, and guests under 18 must be with a parent or guardian.

Aquarium staff encourage participants to bring cameras and binoculars.

"Early April is a great time to go birding on the Sound because that's when we can see an overlap of migrating species," said Nicki Rosenfeld, a senior education manager and one of the Aquarium's boat captains. "Some birds that winter here haven't left but others that migrate out for the winter will have started to return."

One of the Norwalk islands, Chimon Island, has likely supported as many as 1,200 breeding pairs of herons, egrets and ibises, aquarium staff said.

Cruise guests can get close to that island and several others on the aquarium's R/V Spirit of the Sound, a 64-foot catamaran and the country's first hybrid-electric research vessel.

"By running silently and offering two deck levels for viewing, she's a great platform for observing the natural sights out on Long Island Sound and along the Norwalk islands," Rosenfeld said. "The Birding Cruises will be a bonanza for birdwatchers and photographers, giving them safe and proper access to an offshore resource during a program intentionally created for their interests."

Make reservations here.