12-28 



1958, on Long Island in 1970 and in Connecticut in 1971 (Bull, 1974) . 

 The species is now established and not considered rare in southern New 

 England. The glossy ibis is believed to have established itself in 

 North America from its original breeding grounds in Africa in a manner 

 similar to the cattle egret. The first breeding record of this species 

 north of Florida occurred in 1940 and the first record on Long Island in 

 1961 (Bull, 1974) . The species has since expanded and now breeds on the 

 Isles of Shoals, off the coast of New Hampshire (Parsons et al . , 1978). 



A number of the species recorded were at the limits of their 

 normal ranges. The gyrfalcon {Falco rusticolis) is an arctic bird, 

 rarely occurring south of Canada (Robbins et al . , 1966). New Haven is 

 near the southern range of the glaucous gull (Larus hyperboreus) and 

 near the northern range of the clapper rail {Rallus longirostris) , 

 Wilson's plover (Charadrius wilsonia) and skimmer (Rhynchops nigra) 

 (Bull, 1974; Collins, 1959; Sage et al . , 1913; Peterson, 1947). 



ANALYSIS OF IMPACTS OF NHHS OPERATION ON AVIFAUNA 



New Haven Harbor Station has the potential to affect avian 

 populations within New Haven by: 1) inducing avoidance of or attraction 

 to the heated effluent, 2) detrimentally affecting organisms serving as 

 avian food sources, or 3) disturbance by increased ship traffic and 

 interference of the stack and/or transmission lines with flight patterns. 



Possible impacts were evaluated through inspection of the data 

 prior to and after August 29, 1975, when full-time plant operation 

 commenced, attention being focused on changes in numbers of birds and 

 geographical distribution. Possible long-term and subtle effects were 

 evaluated through inspection of the data concerning fish and intertidal 

 and subtidal benthos as these are important food sources for the birds 

 in New Haven Harbor. Any changes in population or distribution of these 

 organisms were noted. 



