Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds update #17

This is the seventeenth 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 July 2 through 12:00 p.m. on July 9 with sightings of birds spanning July 2 through July 8 by our staff and volunteers.

Informational updates:

Fortunately, this week’s weather should be a little better for monitoring, with high temperatures more often in the 80s than 90s and little threat of rain or thunderstorms. A number of beaches have important sights to record, whether it is those young birds at Bluff Point, many hatchling Least Terns that should be coming from Sandy/Morse Points, or already moving and migrating Piping Plovers at Stratford or Milford. One amazing report from the Charla and Steve Spector at Milford Point included at least 26 Piping Plovers! This is a sum of nesting birds plus juveniles and adults who have come from other areas, but it is an impressive total you do not often see in our state. This number surpasses the highest recorded eBird number for any survey in Connecticut ever entered into the database. Let’s see if all of our extra eyes can find an even larger group somewhere.

Observations are beginning to reflect a shift in the season from nesting to caring for young. For example, an increase in Common Tern sightings can be expected as failed breeders move to different foraging areas and successful birds feed their growing chicks from and in different places.

Survey and monitoring updates:

Piping Plover
Volunteer and staff surveys:
1 pair, 9 adults, 3 juveniles, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/2
1 pair, 2 adults, 3 chicks, 1 nest at Harkness Memorial State Park on 7/2
3 pairs, 6 adults, 6 chicks at Griswold Point on 7/2
9 adults, 5 chicks, 3 juveniles at Bluff Point on 7/2
2 pairs, 6 adults, 1 nest at Milford Point on 7/3
8 adults, 15 juveniles at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/3
6 adults, 1 chick at Long Beach on 7/3
6 adults, 4 juveniles at Long Beach on 7/5
3 pairs, 2 adults, 3 chicks, 3 juveniles at Bluff Point on 7/5
5 adults, 5 juveniles at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/5
1 pair, 14 adults, 10 juveniles, 1 nest at Milford Point on 7/5
3 pairs, 5 adults, 3 chicks, 1 juvenile at Bluff Point on 7/6
1 pair, 12 adults, 8 juveniles, 1 nest at Milford Point on 7/6
2 pairs, 4 adults, 4 chicks, 6 juveniles at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/6
10 adults, 3 juveniles at Long Beach on 7/7
8 adults, 2 juveniles at Long Beach on 7/7

American Oystercatcher
Volunteer and staff surveys:
2 adults at Chimon Island on 7/1
3 adults at Shea Island on 7/1
2 pairs at Salt Island on 7/3
1 pair, 1 adult at Menunketesuck Island on 7/3
4 pairs, 10 adults at Cockenoe Island on 7/3
2 pairs, 1 adult, 2 nests at Milford Point on 7/3
2 pairs, 1 adult, 2 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/3
1 pair, 1 adult, 1 chick at Bluff Point on 7/4
2 pairs, 1 adult, 2 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/5
2 pairs, 2 nests at Milford Point on 7/5
1 pair, 1 chick at Bluff Point on 7/5
1 pair at Thimble Islands on 7/5
2 pairs, 1 adult, 1 chick, 2 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/5
2 pairs, 1 nest at Milford Point on 7/5
5 adults, 1 chick at Bluff Point on 7/6
1 pair at Great Captain's Island on 7/6
1 pair, 1 adult at Milford Point on 7/6
2 pairs, 3 adults, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/6
1 pair at Stratford Point on 7/7
1 adult at Long Beach on 7/7
1 adult at Stratford Point on 7/8

Least Tern 
Volunteer and staff surveys:
~200 adults, 31+ nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/2
7 adults at Harkness Memorial State Park on 7/2
60-100 adults, 20+ nests at Griswold Point on 7/2
16 adults at Bluff Point on 7/2
1 adult at Stratford Point on 7/3
2 pairs, 202 adults, 10 chicks, 102 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/3
6 adults at Long Beach on 7/3
2 adults at Silver Sands State Park on 7/4
2 pairs, 8 adults at Long Beach on 7/5
3 adults at Pleasure Beach on 7/5
2 adults at Silver Sands State Park on 7/5
25 adults, 4 chicks at Bluff Point on 7/5
46 pairs, 1 adult, 8 chicks, 43 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/5
12 adults at Milford Point on 7/5
20 adults, 9 chicks, 2 juveniles at Bluff Point on 7/6
5 adults at Milford Point on 7/6
3 adults at East Broadway on 7/6
2 pairs, 150 adults, 17 chicks at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/6
3 adults at Stratford Point on 7/7
16 adults at Long Beach on 7/7
9 adults at Long Beach on 7/7
2 adults at Stratford Point on 7/8

Common Tern
Volunteer and staff surveys:
32 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/2
5 adults at Harkness Memorial State Park on 7/2
92 adults at Griswold Point on 7/2
3 adults at Bluff Point on 7/2
9 adults at Stratford Point on 7/3
3 pairs, 21 adults, 7 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/3
2 adults at Long Beach on 7/3
7 adults at Stratford Point on 7/4
2 adults at Silver Sands State Park on 7/4
1 pair at Long Beach on 7/5
3 adults at Bluff Point on 7/5
65 adults at Milford Point on 7/5
3 adults at Bluff Point on 7/6
2 adults at Greenwich Harbor on 7/6
6 adults at Stratford Point on 7/6
7 adults at Milford Point on 7/6
50-60 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/6
11 adults at Stratford Point on 7/6
4 adults at Long Beach on 7/7
1 adult at Silver Sands State Park on 7/7
56 adults at Stratford Point on 7/8

Some extremely rare shorebirds and terns have been seen lately, including a Little Stint in Rhode Island and two Gull-billed Terns at Milford Point. While we are not particularly seeking data on such finds, discovering rarities is always beneficial in that it brings attention to some of the birds we are looking to protect. We would be thrilled to have some of our monitors identify the next first state record! Watch your shorebirds, please.

This concludes update #17 through 7/9/12 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.