For Thomas St. Andre and Saundra
Winstead, the best parts about the Bay
are the birds. Living in Norfolk on a
branch of the Lafayette River provides
opportunities every day to see the
diversity of waterfowl that inhabit the
watershed, including frequent sightings
of herons, eagles, and egrets. Tom
grew up birdwatching and introduced
Saundra to the hobby when they
got married. “We’ve been doing this
together for 38 years,” Saundra said.
“More and more of our trips have taken
place near the water, and we’ve been
lucky to see the amount and diversity of
wildlife rebound over the years.”
When Tom first moved to Norfolk in
1979, the outlook was not nearly as
positive. “There were debates about an
oil refinery going up,” he said. “Everyone
was dealing with the aftermath of
Kepone [a toxic industrial chemical]
draining into the James River. A lot
of people who made their living on
the water were out of a job because
of pollution and crashing oyster
numbers.” They remembered a friend,
an avid fisherman, telling them that if
they ever saw local striped bass in the
grocery store to get it while they could,
because the fish may not be in the area
much longer.
They also started noticing blue bumper
stickers with the simple phrase “Save
the Bay” and hearing more and more
about CBF speaking out against
polluters. “It was important for us to
step up to the plate,” Saundra said.
“Not just for those of us lucky enough
to live on the water. Clean waterways
impact everyone regardless of where
you live. The whole ecosystem benefits
from clean water.” So they joined CBF as
members in the 1980s, and have been
supporters ever since.
When asked if they’re optimistic
about the Bay’s future, they answered
yes—especially because of the jump in
progress over the last few years. The
water looks cleaner. People can pull
oysters out of the river again after
decades of decline, and grasses are
coming back. But for Tom and Saundra,
it’s all about the birds. Living in the same
spot for over 25 years has given them
a chance to experience the progress
first-hand. “Birds of prey are returning,”
Saundra said. “And pelicans! We never
saw pelicans at the house before, but
now they’ve come back as well.”
This type of progress is made possible
by the continued support of people like
Tom and Saundra. To learn more about
how you can make a larger impact on
the watershed, visit cbf.org/
ChesapeakeLeaders.
Long-time members and Chesapeake Leaders Thomas St. Andre and Saundra Winstead see
improvements in their local water quality and a return of birds to the area.
Looking Out for
the Birds
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SAVE THE BAY 21
