Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds update #12

This is the twelfth 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 29 through 2:00 p.m. on June 4 with sightings of birds spanning May 29 through June 4 by our staff and volunteers.

Informational updates:

We have reached some of the highest tides of the season. Piping Plover nests at Long Beach and Milford Point were hit by them on the weekend. There have not been reports of Least Tern nests being washed out, though this only may be a matter of not receiving the information yet. Many were rather high on the beach from what we have seen in some areas because of the extensive habitat created by Hurricane/Tropical Storm Irene, so while some were probably lost it seems (in theory) likely that many are still safe. Tides are also unfortunately higher than predicted, sometimes by even a foot or more, because of the easterly and northeasterly flow we have experienced often in the last few days.

Survey and monitoring updates:

Piping Plover
Volunteer and staff surveys:
2 pairs, 1 adult, 5 chicks, 2 nests at Harkness Memorial State Park on 5/29
6 pairs, 2 adults, 11 chicks, 3 nests at Griswold Point on 5/29
4 pairs, 2 adults, 11 chicks, 1 nest at Milford Point on 5/29
1 pair, 3 chicks at East Broadway Milford on 5/29
3 pairs, 3 adults, 6 chicks, 2 nests at Long Beach on 5/29
2 pairs, 7 adults, 1 chick, 3 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/29
6 pairs, 12 chicks, 2 nests at Milford Point on 5/30
4 pairs, 1 adult, 4 chicks, 3 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/30
6 pairs, 2 adults, 10 chicks, 2 nests at Bluff Point on 5/30
1 pair, 3 adults, 5 chicks, 1 nest at Harkness Memorial State Park on 5/30
3 pairs, 6 adults, 4 chicks, 4 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/30
12 adults, 2 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/30
6 pairs, 1 adult, 13 chicks, 2 nests at Bluff Point on 5/31
1 pair, 3 chicks at East Broadway Milford on 5/31
1 pair, 3 adults, 5 chicks, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/31
1 pair, 3 chicks at East Broadway Milford on 5/31
2 pairs, 2 adults, 4 chicks, 3 nests at Milford Point on 5/31
1 pair, 2 adults, 2 chicks at Long Beach on 5/31
3 pairs, 6 chicks, 1 nest at Harkness Memorial State Park on 5/31
1 pair, 3 chicks at East Broadway Milford on 6/1
2 pairs, 1 adult, 6 chicks, 3 nests at Long Beach on 6/1
1 adult at Pleasure Beach on 6/1
2 pairs, 7 chicks at Milford Point on 6/1
3 pairs, 5 adults, 8 chicks, 1 nest at Bluff Point on 6/1
4 pairs, 8 adults, 9 chicks at Milford Point on 6/1
3 pairs, 9 adults, 4 chicks at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/1
5 pairs, 1 adult, 13 chicks at Milford Point on 6/2
2 pairs, 2 adults, 7 chicks, 1 nest at Long Beach on 6/2
3 pairs, 2 adults, 4 chicks at Long Beach on 6/2
3 adults, 9 chicks at Milford Point on 6/2
1 pair, 16 adults, 5 chicks, 4 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/3
8 adults, 6 chicks at Griswold Point on 6/3
1 pair, 3 chicks at East Broadway Milford on 6/4
6 pairs, 3 adults, 6 chicks, 3 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/4

American Oystercatcher
Volunteer and staff surveys:
1 pair at Griswold Point on 5/29
1 adult at Long Beach on 5/29
1 adult, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/29
1 pair, 2 chicks, at Bluff Point on 5/30
3 pairs, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/30
3 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/30
1 adult at North Brother on 5/31
2 adults at Griswold Island on 5/31
1 pair, 4 adults, 2 chicks, 1 nest at Bluff Point/Pine Island on 5/31
1 pair, 2 chicks at Bluff Point on 5/31
2 pairs, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/31
2 pairs at Milford Point on 5/31
1 adult at Long Beach on 5/31
1 pair, 2 chicks at Bluff Point on 6/1
1 pair at Stratford Point on 6/2
2 pairs at Milford Point on 6/2
1 pair at Long Beach on 6/2
2 pairs at Milford Point on 6/2
1 pair, 4 adults, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/3
1 adult at Griswold Point on 6/3
1 pair at Stratford Point on 6/3

Least Tern 
Volunteer and staff surveys:
1 pair at Harkness Memorial State Park on 5/29
50-60 adults at Griswold Point on 5/29
72 adults at Long Beach on 5/29
24-30 adults, 2 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/29
32 adults at Bluff Point on 5/30
25 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/30
40-60 adults, 2 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/30
50 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/30
30-35 adults, 5-8 nests at Bluff Point on 5/31
24-30 adults, 6 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/31
1 pair at Milford Point on 5/31
96 adults at Long Beach on 5/31
1 adult at Pleasure Beach on 5/31
86 adults at Long Beach on 6/1
1 adult at Pleasure Beach on 6/1
35 adults, most on nests at Bluff Point on 6/1
6 adults at Milford Point on 6/2
41 adults at Long Beach on 6/2
82 adults at Long Beach on 6/2
60 adults, 25+ nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/3
36 adults at Griswold Point on 6/3

Common Tern
Volunteer and staff surveys:
20 adults at Griswold Point on 5/29
4 adults at Milford Point on 5/29
2 adults at Silver Sands on 5/30
2 adults at Bluff Point on 5/30
4 adults at Milford Point on 5/30
16-20 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/30
4 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/30
1 adult at Bluff Point on 6/1
14 adults at Stratford Point on 6/2
6 adults at Milford Point on 6/2
4 adults at Long Beach on 6/2
1 pair, 13 adults, 1 possible nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/3
19 adults at Stratford Point on 6/3


This concludes update #12 through 6/4/12 as of 4:00 p.m.


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