Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds update #24

This is the twenty-fourth 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 August 20 through 12:00 p.m. on August 27 with sightings of birds spanning August 20 through August 27 by our staff and volunteers.

Informational updates:

We have one fencing removal date coming up this week (with Harkness Memorial State Park and Bluff Point still to be scheduled):

Thursday, August 30 at 10:00AM - Griswold Point in Old Lyme

For anyone who is interested, to limit traffic down a private road and with relatively little parking area, staff and volunteers will meet up at the park and ride off of Exit 70 in Old Lyme, carpooling to the site from there. This is right where Shore/Neck Roads meet and along I-95.

In addition to the usual cautions everyone should keep in mind about being in the sun on a warm day carrying heavy materials, the tide will be at its highest exactly when our operation is taking place on Thursday. Anyone who helps will not only get wet, they will be in at least thigh/waist deep water crossing over to get out to the spit. Please plan for this if you are coming, and email us at ctwaterbirds@gmail.com with any other questions or for more information.

Fencing removal was completed at Sandy/Morse Points in West Haven today, August 27. The site is now considered completed for the season. Thank you to everyone who came out to help take down the fencing, and for everyone’s continued efforts as we near the end of the field season for our focal species. Please keep in mind that if you wish to continue working with birds in the fall you can join us and conduct International Shorebird Surveys through the end of October, or simply share eBird checklists with us if you are out birding and record any shorebirds, long-legged waders, or terns, plus Horned Larks. If you need more information about these surveys, please email us at ctwaterbirds@gmail.com at any time.

Survey and monitoring updates:

Piping Plover
Volunteer and staff surveys:
2 juveniles at Harkness Memorial State Park on 8/22
1 juvenile at Harkness Memorial State Park on 8/22
1 adult at Long Beach on 8/22
1 juvenile at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/23
1 juvenile at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/24
3 juveniles at Harkness Memorial State Park on 8/24

American Oystercatcher
Volunteer and staff surveys:
2 pairs, 1 juvenile at Milford Point on 8/20
3 pairs, 2 juveniles at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/20
1 adult at Long Beach on 8/21
2 pairs at Milford Point on 8/21
1 pair at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/21
2 pairs, 1 juvenile at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/21
1 pair at Milford Point on 8/21
1 pair at Thimble Islands on 8/22
1 pair at Kelsey Island on 8/22
2 pairs, 1 juvenile at Milford Point on 8/22
1 pair, 1 adult, 1 juvenile at Stratford Point on 8/22
1 pair, 1 juvenile at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/22
1 pair at Cockenoe Island on 8/23
1 pair at Sheffield Island on 8/23
2 pairs, 2 juveniles at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/24
3 adults at Pear Tree Point Marina on 8/24
3 adults at Vincent Island on 8/24
4 adults at Greenway Island on 8/24
1 pair, 1 juvenile at Stratford Point on 8/25
2 pairs, 2 juveniles at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/25
2 pairs, 2 juveniles at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/27

Least Tern 
Volunteer and staff surveys:
19 adults, 13 juveniles at Long Beach on 8/20
11 adults, 5 juveniles at Griswold Point on 8/20
2 adults, 3 chicks, 3 juveniles at Griswold Point on 8/22
5 adults, 10 juveniles at Long Beach on 8/23
5 adults, 2 chicks, 4 juveniles at Griswold Point on 8/24
1 adult, 3 juveniles at Bluff Point on 8/24

Common Tern
Volunteer and staff surveys:
50 adults, 19 juveniles at Long Beach on 8/20
45 adults/juveniles at Milford Point on 8/20
100 adults, 22 juveniles at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/20
780 adults/juveniles at Stratford Point on 8/22
16 adults, 6 juveniles at Long Beach on 8/23
38 adults, 16 juveniles, 200 adults/juveniles at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/24
1,200 adults/juveniles at Stratford Point on 8/25
100 adults/juveniles at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/25

This concludes update #24 through 8/27/12 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.