Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds update #21

This is the twenty-first 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 30 through 12:00 p.m. on August 6 with sightings of birds spanning July 30 through August 5 by our staff and volunteers.

Survey and monitoring updates:

Piping Plover
Volunteer and staff surveys:
4 adults, 3 juveniles at Long Beach on 7/30
1 adult, 3 chicks at Griswold Point on 7/30
2 chicks at Harkness Memorial State Park on 7/30
1 adult/juvenile at Milford Point on 7/30
1 adult, 2 juveniles at Bluff Point on 7/30
1 pair, 1 adult, 2 juveniles at Milford Point on 7/30
1 pair, 2 adults, 2 chicks, 2 juveniles at Sandy/Morse Point on 7/30
1 pair, 2 adults, 1 chick, 1 juvenile at Sandy/Morse Point on 7/31
1 adult, 3 juveniles at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/31
1 adult, 1 chick at Harkness Memorial State Park on 8/1
1 adult, 4 juveniles at Bluff Point on 8/1
1 adult, 6 juveniles at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/1
3 pairs, 1 adult, 3 juveniles at Long Beach on 8/1
1 juvenile at Milford Point on 8/2
1 pair, 2 adults, 2 juveniles at Sandy/Morse Point on 8/2
6 adults, 3 juveniles at Long Beach on 8/2
4 adults, 5 juveniles at Long Beach on 8/2
1 adult, 1 juvenile at Milford Point on 8/3
1 adult, 4 juveniles at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/3
6 adults/juveniles at Long Beach on 8/4
2 adults, 1 adult/juvenile at Long Beach on 8/4

American Oystercatcher
Volunteer and staff surveys:
1 pair at Kelsey Island on 7/30
1 pair, 3 adults, 1 chick at Milford Point on 7/30
1 adult at Bluff Point on 7/30
2 pairs, 3 chicks at Vincent Island on 7/31
2 pairs, 4 adults, 1 chick at Milford Point on 7/31
3 pairs, 3 chicks at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/31
3 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/31
1 pair at Bluff Point on 8/1
1 adult at Ram Island on 8/1
1 pair at Griswold Point on 8/1
4 adults, 1 chick at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/1
1 pair at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/2
3 pairs, 1 chick at Milford Point on 8/2
2 pairs, 1 chick at Milford Point on 8/2
2 pairs, 1 chick at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/2
9 adults at Menunketesuck Island on 8/2
1 pair, 1 adult at Griswold Point on 8/3
1 pair at Pine Island on 8/3
1 pair, 1 chick at Milford Point on 8/3
2 pairs, 2 chicks at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/3
1 adult at Calf Pasture Beach on 8/4
2 adults, 1 chick at Milford Point on 8/4
2 adults at Pleasure Beach on 8/4
1 pair, 1 chick at Milford Point on 8/5

Least Tern 
Volunteer and staff surveys:
39 adults, 7 juveniles at Long Beach on 7/30
52 adults, 4 chicks, 13 juveniles, 4 nests at Griswold Point on 7/30
2 pairs, 8 adults, 3 chicks, 5 nests at Harkness Memorial State Park on 7/30
1 adult, 1 possible nest at Milford Point on 7/30
2 adults at Bluff Point on 7/30
1 adult at East Broadway Milford on 7/31
32 adults at Milford Point on 7/31
65-100 adults, 26 chicks, 38 juveniles, 6 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/31
24 adults, 34 juveniles at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/31
1 pair, 18 adults, 2 juveniles, 3 nests at Harkness Memorial State Park on 8/1
1 pair, 2 chicks at Bluff Point on 8/1
60 individuals at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/1
1 adult at Silver Sands State Park on 8/1
23 adults, 6 juveniles at Long Beach on 8/2
19 adults, 20 juveniles at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/2
75 adults/juveniles at Milford Point on 8/2
7 adults, 3 juveniles at Long Beach on 8/2
37 adults, 9 juveniles at Milford Point on 8/3
56 adults, 3 chicks, 50 juveniles at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/3
3 adults at Calf Pasture Beach on 8/4
32 adults, 20 juveniles at Milford Point on 8/4
6 adults at Stratford Point on 8/4
35 adults/juveniles at Long Beach on 8/4
32 individuals at Long Beach on 8/4
10 individuals at Milford Point on 8/5

Common Tern
Volunteer and staff surveys:
1 adult, 2 juveniles at Long Beach on 7/30
47 adults, 27 juveniles at Griswold Point on 7/30
2 adults at Harkness Memorial State Park on 7/30
25 adults/juveniles at Great Captain's Island on 7/30
1 adult at Bluff Point on 7/30
102 adults/juveniles at Milford Point on 7/31
2 pairs, 47 adults, 2 chicks at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/31
19 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/31
4 adults at Harkness Memorial State Park on 8/1
7 adults at Bluff Point on 8/1
175 adults/juveniles at Stratford Point on 8/1
50 individuals at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/1
2 adults at Silver Sands State Park on 8/1
51 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/2
75 adults/juveniles at Milford Point on 8/2
6 adults at Silver Sands State Park on 8/2
29 adults, 4 juveniles at Long Beach on 8/2
160 adults/juveniles at Stratford Point on 8/3
6 adults at Milford Point on 8/3
116 adults, 1 chick, 13 juveniles at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/3
47 adults/juveniles at Calf Pasture Beach on 8/4
14 adults, 2 juveniles at Milford Point on 8/4
526 adults/juveniles at Stratford Point on 8/4
36 adults at Long Beach on 8/4
105 adults/juveniles at Long Beach on 8/4
450 adults/juveniles at Stratford Point on 8/5

Monday, Monday night, and Tuesday will have winds favorable to migration in the middle of a difficult southerly flow, so watch for a lot of turnover in our other target species.

This concludes update #21 through 8/6/12 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.