Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds update #9

This is the ninth update by the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds (AAfCW) for the 2012 season. It includes reports of Piping Plover, American Oystercatcher, Least Tern, and Common Tern received from 12:00 p.m. on May 7 through 4:00 p.m. on May 14 with sightings of birds spanning May 7 through May 14 by our staff and volunteers.


Survey and monitoring updates:

Piping Plover
Volunteer and staff surveys:
1 pair, 1 nest at East Broadway Milford on 5/7
3 pairs, 1 adult, 4 nests at Milford Point on 5/7
4 pairs, 1 adult, 4 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/7
5 pairs, 5 nests at Griswold Point on 5/8
1 adult, possible nest at Grass Island on 5/8 (FIRST OF SEASON LOCATION)
7 adults, 5 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/8
3 pairs, 3 adults, 4 nests at Long Beach on 5/8
2 pairs, 3 adults, 4 nests at Long Beach on 5/8
1 adult, 1 nest at East Broadway Milford on 5/8
5 pairs, 1 adult, 4 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/8
6 adults, 4 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/8
5 pairs, 3 adults, 2 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/9
1 adult, 1 nest at East Broadway Milford on 5/10
3 pairs, 1 adult, 4 nests at Long Beach on 5/10
5 pairs, 5 nests at Milford Point on 5/10
2 pairs, 1 adult, 3 nests at Long Beach on 5/11
5 pairs, 1 adult, 6 nests at Griswold Point on 5/11
6 pairs, 1 adult, 5 nests at Bluff Point on 5/11
1 pair, 1 adult, 2 nests at Harkness Memorial State Park on 5/11
1 pair at Silver Sands State Park on 5/12 (FIRST OF SEASON PAIR)
1 pair, 4 adults, 3 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/12
5 adults, 4 nests at Long Beach on 5/12
6 pairs, 4 nests at Bluff Point on 5/12
6 adults at Long Beach on 5/12
5 pairs, 4 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/12
3 pairs, 3 adults, 5 nests at Milford Point on 5/13
4 pairs, 1 adult, 5 nests at Milford Point on 5/13
5 pairs, 3 nests at Long Beach on 5/13

American Oystercatcher
Volunteer and staff surveys:
2 pairs, 1 adult, 1 nest at Milford Point on 5/7
1 pair at Griswold Point on 5/7
1 pair at Gull Rock on 5/8
1 pair at Grass Island on 5/8
1 pair at Griswold Point on 5/8
1 adult, 1 possible nest at Bluff Point on 5/8
2 pairs, 1 adult, 2 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/8
2 pairs, 2 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/8
2 adults at Long Beach on 5/8
1 pair, 1 nest at Griswold Point on 5/8
2 pairs at Long Beach on 5/8
3 pairs, 1 adult, 3 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/9
2 pairs, 2 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/10
2 pairs, 1 adult, 2 nests at Milford Point on 5/10
1 pair at Long Beach on 5/10
1 pair, 1 nest at Griswold Point on 5/11
1 pair at Bluff Point on 5/11
2 pairs, 1 nest at Milford Point on 5/11
2 pairs, 2 nests at Long Beach on 5/11
1 pair, 3 adults, 2 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/12
4 adults at Long Beach on 5/12
2 adults at Bluff Point on 5/12
4 adults at Long Beach on 5/12
2 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/13
2 pairs at Milford Point on 5/13
2 pairs, 1 nest at Milford Point on 5/13
1 pair, 3 adults at Long Beach on 5/13
1 pair at Barn Island on 5/14
1 pair, 1 adult at Bluff Point on 5/14
2 pairs, 1 nest at Griswold Point on 5/14
2 pairs, 1 adult at Menunketesuck Island on 5/14
1 adult, 1 nest at Branford on 5/14
2 pairs, 2 nest at Milford Point on 5/14
1 pair at Long Beach on 5/14

Least Tern 
Volunteer and staff surveys:
15 adults at Long Beach on 5/8
18 adults at Long Beach on 5/8
4 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/9
12 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/10
31 adults at Long Beach on 5/10
1 adult at Milford Point on 5/10
4 adults at Stratford Point on 5/11
12 adults at Griswold Point on 5/11
8 adults at Bluff Point on 5/11
34 adults at Long Beach on 5/11
20 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/12
30 adults at Long Beach on 5/12
18 adults at Long Beach on 5/12
20 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/13
7 adults at Milford Point on 5/13
42 adults at Long Beach on 5/13
7 adults at Lewis Gut on 5/13

Common Tern
Volunteer and staff surveys:
2 adults at Long Beach on 5/8
6 adults at Stratford Point on 5/8
2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/9
8 adults at Stratford Point on 5/11
1 adult at Bluff Point on 5/11
96 adults at Stratford Point on 5/12
2 pairs, 2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/12
1 adult at Silver Sands State Park on 5/12
3 adults at Long Beach on 5/12
13 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/13
11 adults at Long Beach on 5/13
18 adults at Stratford Point on 5/14


There have been no reports of terns other than Common or Least and the early Caspian, but there should be more very soon. Be on the lookout for Roseate Tern!

The first two Black Skimmer were reported by a trusted observer at the mouth of the Farm River on the East Haven/Branford border. Please keep an eye out for the unique species at a beach near you! Long-legged waders can now often be seen feeding in high numbers such as the 37+ Great Egret observed along Long Beach on May 14 along with 3 Snowy Egret, 1 Great Blue Heron, 1 Yellow-crowned Night-Heron, and 1 Black-crowned Night-Heron.

Shorebirds of all species are now passing through the state in appropriate and expected numbers, and nearly any can be seen at coastal sites and other appropriate stopover habitat. As an example of what can be spotted, feeding and resting at Stratford Point on the morning of May 14 was an impressive group containing: 91 Black-bellied Plover, 17 Semipalmated Plover, 8 Spotted Sandpiper, 1 Willet, 38 Ruddy Turnstone, 1 Red Knot, 98 Sanderling, 127 Semipalmated Sandpiper, 29 Least Sandpiper, 249 Dunlin, 2 Short-billed Dowitcher.

This concludes update #9 through 5/14/12 as of 4:45 p.m.


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