The swans on Gorhams Pond are Mute Swans, and they are not native to Connecticut. Mute swans originated in Europe and Asia and were brought to the United States by wealthy homeowners who wanted ornamental waterfowl on their properties. But some escaped, started reproducing and continued growing their populations. They can eat about 8 pounds of vegetation in a day!

Osprey live along lakes, rivers, estuaries, coastal marshes and shorelines. Ospreys eat fish, almost exclusively. When they catch them in their talons, the bottoms of their toes have special spicules which give them a good grip . An osprey can carry a fish weighing up to 4 pounds. The fish are turned to a headfirst position for flight to reduce air resistance.

In Connecticut osprey arrive from their southern wintering sites in late March. The same pair may breed together for years, and use the same nesting site, adding sticks and seaweed to their existing nest each year. 1 to 3 eggs are laid in April and After about 2 months the eggs hatch and both parents care for the chicks. The baby osprey will stay with the parents for about 2 months. The lifespan of an ospey is about 10 to 25 years in the wild.

Smooth cordgrass is the dominant grass species in salt marshes and coastal beaches of the Atlantic coast. It grows 3-8 feet tall in moist, sandy regions that are brackish to very salty.