Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds update #2

Here are the survey and monitoring updates for March 19 through 25.

Piping Plover
Volunteer and staff surveys:
1 pair, 1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 3/20
3 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 3/22
1 pair at Bluff Point on 3/22
5 adults at Long Beach on 3/23
1 adult at Milford Point on 3/23
1 adult at Long Beach West on 3/24
5 adults at Long Beach on 3/25

Anecdotal reports:
3 adults at Griswold Point on 3/21
7 adults at Milford Point on 3/24
2 adults at Milford Point on 3/25

No PIPL have been seen at Silver Sands State Park despite several surveys. No PIPL have been seen at Pleasure Beach on a few surveys.

American Oystercatcher
Volunteer and staff surveys:
1 pair at Sandy/Morse Points on 3/20
2 adults at Stratford Point on 3/21
1 pair at Great Captain Island on 3/22
1 pair at Calf Islands on 3/22
1 pair, 1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 3/23
2 pairs at Milford Point plus possibly more individuals on 3/23
9 adults at Sandy Point in Stonington on 3/23
2 adults at Milford Point on 3/25

Anecdotal reports:
2 adults flying by Calf Pasture Beach in Norwalk on 3/19
2 adults at Hammonassett State Park on 3/22
1 adult at Hammonassett State Park on 3/23
3 adults at Harkness Memorial State Park on 3/24
4 adults at Nathan Hale Drive in Norwalk on 3/24
2 adults at Hammonassett State Park on 3/24
1 adult at Sunken Island on 3/25
2 adults at Stratford Point on 3/25

There have been no reports of Least Tern or Common Tern thus far in 2012.

Staff and volunteers have noted a sizable influx of Great Egret in the last week, with multiple birds being seen migrating in Long Island Sound. They have also been seen in areas such as Griswold Point, Stratford Great Meadows, Stratford and Milford Points, Hammonasset State Park, the Norwalk River, Lake Whitney in Hamden, Station 43 in South Windsor, Konold’s Pond in Woodbridge, Rocky Neck State Park in Niantic,  Selleck’s/Dunlap Woods in Darien, Peck’s Pond in Stratford, Gallinule Pond in Stratford, Southport Beach, Sherwood Island State Park in Westport, the Mianus River Fishway, the Branford River, the Knox Preserve in Stonington, and even more. Their initial arrival appears complete across the state at a relatively early date.

A few more Snowy Egret have been seen including 2 at Rocky Neck State Park in Niantic, 2 at Milford Point, 1 in Stratford Great Meadows, and 1 more in Stonington. The first Yellow-crowned Night-Heron have returned with 1 adult and 3 immature birds seen at Silver Sands State Park in Milford. Black-crowned Night-Heron continue to be seen occasionally around Stratford and Milford only in minor numbers of up to several birds.

This concludes update #2 through 3/25/12 as of 11:00PM.


Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds, Audubon Connecticut and the Connecticut Audubon Society partnering to improve conditions for coastal waterbirds in Connecticut.