AAfCW 2013 Volunteer Update #6

This is the sixth weekly update by the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds (AAfCW) for the 2013 season. Today's update includes reports of Piping Plover and American Oystercatcher from April 29 through 4:00 p.m. on May 6 with sightings of birds by volunteers and staff spanning that period.

Informational updates:

Least and Common Terns have returned to Connecticut and as of now we have received only a few unofficial reports of sightings. They will begin to rapidly increase in number and geographical spread in the next week. Please provide reports on their numbers and breeding status as you would for Piping Plovers and American Oystercatchers so that we can track them just as closely. Nesting is beginning to take off for the Piping Plover and American Oystercatcher but there is still time for birds to find new habitat and decide to nest there - please keep this in mind on beaches without sightings of them thus far. As we may finally see rain this week please remember that we do not want to monitor during cold or rainy conditions when birds are on nests because of the potential to disturb them and harm the eggs.

Survey and monitoring updates:

Piping Plover
3 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/29
2 pairs, 4 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/29
1 pair, 4 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/30
1 pair at East Broadway Milford on 4/30
1 pair, 1 nest at Bluff Point on 4/30
2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/1
1 pair, 6 adults, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/1
6 pairs, 3 nests at Milford Point on 5/2
2 adults at Sandy Point Stonington on 5/2
4 pairs, 1 adult at Long Beach on 5/3
6 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/3
1 pair at East Haven (private) on 5/3
2 pairs, 6 adults at Bluff Point on 5/4
1 adult at Long Beach on 5/4
4 pairs, 2 nests at Milford Point on 5/4
5 pairs, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/4
2 adults at Long Beach on 5/5
1 pair at East Broadway Milford on 5/5
1 pair, 2 adults, 2 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/5
1 pair, 5 adults at Bluff Point on 5/5
3 adults at Long Beach on 5/5

American Oystercatcher
3 pairs, 1 nest Sandy/Morse Points on 4/29
2 pairs, 1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/29
4 pairs, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/30
1 adult, 1 nest at Bluff Point on 4/30
1 pair at Kelsey Island Branford on 5/1
1 adult at Silver Sands State Park on 5/1
4 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/1
3 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/1
1 adult at Bluff Point on 5/1
3 pairs, 2 nests at Menunketesuck Island on 5/2
1 pair at Duck Island on 5/2
2 pairs at Milford Point on 5/2
5 pairs, 1 adult at Sandy Point Stonington on 5/2
3 adults at Long Beach on 5/3
2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/3
2 pairs at Bluff Point on 5/4
3 adults at Long Beach on 5/4
3 adults at Milford Point on 5/4
2 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/4
2 pairs, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/5
1 pair at Bluff Point on 5/5

This concludes update #6 through 5/6/13 as of 5:00 p.m.


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