McCormick Island
Encyclopedia
McCormick Island is a 100 acre (0.404686 km²) island, located in the city of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
. It's one of the larger islands that makes up the Sheets Island Archipelago (3,675 acres) in the Susquehanna River
. Other islands surrounding are Sheets Island, and Governor’s Mansion Island. It is directly south of the I-81
bridge, and can be seen from many different places in Harrisburg. It also is relatively close to Wade Island, another popular stopover for birds in migration. Wade Island is protected and access is not permitted. The various shorebirds present on McCormick Island represent an attraction for bird enthusiasts. Wade Island Rookery, Pennsylvania's largest multi-species nesting island, which also is a great attraction.
McCormick Island regularly supports thousands of waterfowl during the migratory season, such as the Common Loon, Horned Grebe, Red-breasted Merganser
, Lesser Scaup
, and Bufflehead
. McCormick Island also represents the highest concentration of wading birds in Pennsylvania during the breeding season including the Great Egret
, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Black-crowned Night-Heron. The island also provides important breeding habitat for the Black-crowned Night-Heron, which is classified as a candidate- at risk species in Pennsylvania and under consideration for Pennsylvania endangered species status. Thus McCormick Island is declared an Important Bird Area
(IBA) by The National Audubon Society. Any disturbance on the island could possibly impact the bird habitat. McCormick Island provides a great avian habitat because of the forested wetland complex and shallow foraging areas, and open water. Typically, the main birds spotted on McCormick Island are: Great Blue Heron
, Green Back Heron, Black-Crown Night Heron, Egrets, and Bald Eagles. Non avian species documented on the island include river otter, beaver, muskrat, snapping turtle, yellow-bellied slider
turtle, map turtle and water snake. American toad populations are abundant on the islands.
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania
Harrisburg is the capital of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 49,528, making it the ninth largest city in Pennsylvania...
. It's one of the larger islands that makes up the Sheets Island Archipelago (3,675 acres) in the Susquehanna River
Susquehanna River
The Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...
. Other islands surrounding are Sheets Island, and Governor’s Mansion Island. It is directly south of the I-81
Interstate 81
Interstate 81 is an Interstate Highway in the eastern part of the United States. Its southern terminus is at Interstate 40 in Dandridge, Tennessee; its northern terminus is on Wellesley Island at the Canadian border, where the Thousand Islands Bridge connects it to Highway 401, the main freeway...
bridge, and can be seen from many different places in Harrisburg. It also is relatively close to Wade Island, another popular stopover for birds in migration. Wade Island is protected and access is not permitted. The various shorebirds present on McCormick Island represent an attraction for bird enthusiasts. Wade Island Rookery, Pennsylvania's largest multi-species nesting island, which also is a great attraction.
History
Like most of the Susquehanna River islands, McCormick is made up of layered flood deposits laid down over many years. Paleoindians used this island as a seasonal encampment nearly 8,000 years ago. As floods occurred, many of the previous remains of the Indians became buried. Thus McCormick Island is layered with many different artifacts of previous societies. Stone tools have been recovered, cooking hearths, ceramics, beads, and metal objects. Possible post and pole objects have also been discovered. McCormick Island now contains a large, protected Native American archaeological site.Ownership
On August 15, 2007, the Central Pennsylvania Conservancy (CPC) purchased McCormick Island from the City of Harrisburg for a total cost in excess of $125,000. The main goal intended in the purchase is to preserve this vital asset for birds close to being endangered, as well as protecting other habitats. McCormick remains open to the public with walking trails and places for picnicking and camping. River recreation activities such as fishing, boating, canoeing and jet skiing are permitted. Strict rules apply to trash and disposal to help reduce the pollution on the island.Climate
The climate of the McCormick Island is temperate, neither too warm nor too cold, neither too wet nor too dry. There are few extremes in the weather. A temperate climate however, can have very changeable weather. One day it may be raining, the next it may be sunny. This changeable weather occurs in summer as well as in winter. January is also said to be the coldest month of the season.Animals
Red-breasted Merganser
The Red-breasted Merganser is a diving duck.-Taxonomy:The Red-breasted Merganser was one of the many species originally described by Linnaeus in his 18th-century work, Systema Naturae.-Description:...
, Lesser Scaup
Lesser Scaup
The Lesser Scaup is a small North American diving duck that migrates south as far as Central America in winter. It is colloquially known as the Little Bluebill or Broadbill because of its distinctive blue bill...
, and Bufflehead
Bufflehead
The Bufflehead is a small American sea duck of the genus Bucephala, the goldeneyes. This species was first described by Linnaeus in his Systema naturae in 1758 as Anas albeola.-Description:...
. McCormick Island also represents the highest concentration of wading birds in Pennsylvania during the breeding season including the Great Egret
Great Egret
The Great Egret , also known as the Great White Egret or Common Egret, White Heron, or Great White Heron, is a large, widely-distributed egret. Distributed across most of the tropical and warmer temperate regions of the world, in southern Europe it is rather localized...
, Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, Black-crowned Night-Heron. The island also provides important breeding habitat for the Black-crowned Night-Heron, which is classified as a candidate- at risk species in Pennsylvania and under consideration for Pennsylvania endangered species status. Thus McCormick Island is declared an Important Bird Area
Important Bird Area
An Important Bird Area is an area recognized as being globally important habitat for the conservation of bird populations. Currently there are about 10,000 IBAs worldwide. The program was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife International...
(IBA) by The National Audubon Society. Any disturbance on the island could possibly impact the bird habitat. McCormick Island provides a great avian habitat because of the forested wetland complex and shallow foraging areas, and open water. Typically, the main birds spotted on McCormick Island are: Great Blue Heron
Great Blue Heron
The Great Blue Heron is a large wading bird in the heron family Ardeidae, common near the shores of open water and in wetlands over most of North and Central America as well as the West Indies and the Galápagos Islands. It is a rare vagrant to Europe, with records from Spain, the Azores and England...
, Green Back Heron, Black-Crown Night Heron, Egrets, and Bald Eagles. Non avian species documented on the island include river otter, beaver, muskrat, snapping turtle, yellow-bellied slider
Yellow-bellied slider
The yellow-bellied slider is a land and water turtle belonging to the family Emydidae. This subspecies of pond slider is native to the southeastern United States, specifically from Florida to southeastern Virginia, and is the most common turtle species in its range...
turtle, map turtle and water snake. American toad populations are abundant on the islands.
Plants
McCormick Island and surrounding islands are primarily deciduous forest and dominated by river birch, sycamore, silver maple, tulip poplar and poison ivy. Several plant species of Pennsylvania concern inhabit the island including aster-like boltonia, flat-leaved pondweed, umbrella magnolia, blue-eyed grass, and umbrella flatsedge.See also
- HeronHeronThe herons are long-legged freshwater and coastal birds in the family Ardeidae. There are 64 recognised species in this family. Some are called "egrets" or "bitterns" instead of "heron"....
- Wade IslandWade IslandWade Island is located in the Susquehanna River in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Itself a part of Sheets Island Archipelago, the small island is home to Pennsylvania's large nesting colony of herons and egrets....
- Important Bird AreaImportant Bird AreaAn Important Bird Area is an area recognized as being globally important habitat for the conservation of bird populations. Currently there are about 10,000 IBAs worldwide. The program was developed and sites are identified by BirdLife International...
- The National Audubon Society
- Susquehanna RiverSusquehanna RiverThe Susquehanna River is a river located in the northeastern United States. At long, it is the longest river on the American east coast that drains into the Atlantic Ocean, and with its watershed it is the 16th largest river in the United States, and the longest river in the continental United...