Calf Island (Connecticut)

Calf Island
Calf Island is located in Connecticut
Calf Island
Calf Island
Geography
LocationLong Island Sound
Coordinates40°59′35″N 73°38′22″W / 40.993°N 73.6395°W / 40.993; -73.6395
Area27.5 acres (11.1 ha)
Administration
USA
StateConnecticut
CityGreenwich

Calf Island, between 27.5-acre (111,000 m2) and 31.5-acre (127,000 m2) island about 3,000 feet (910 m) from the Byram shore of Greenwich, Connecticut, in Long Island Sound. It is connected at low tide to the Greenwich Land Trust's Shell Island. The size of the island is a best estimate as different sources cite different sizes for the island; while the oldest estimates put it at around 20-acre (81,000 m2) the GIS system puts it at 31.5-acre (127,000 m2) The island is open for visitors; although, as of the summer of 2006, it was getting relatively few of them.[1]

The island is the largest one in Greenwich waters. More than half of the island (on the west side) is a bird sanctuary off-limits to members of the public without permission to visit. The island is available for overnight stays for those with permits, otherwise the east side is open from dawn till dusk.[1]

The island is home to cowbirds, yellow warblers, starlings, catbirds, diamondback terrapins, ospreys, great blue herons and canada geese. great and snowy egrets can also be seen there. sassafras, hickory, maple and beech trees, along with oriental bittersweet and multiflora roses, grow there.[1]

Calf Island (highest of the three large islands in bottom right) as seen facing Port Chester, New York
  1. ^ a b c "Upgrades make Calf Island more attractive to visitors," by Michael Dinan, "Greenwich Time," and "The Advocate" of Stamford, August 15, 2006 to, page 4, "The Advocate"