AAfCW 2013 Volunteer Update #15

This is the fifteenth weekly update by the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds (AAfCW) for the 2013 season. Today's update includes reports of Piping Plover, American Oystercatcher, Least Tern and Common Tern from July 1 through 4:00 p.m. on July 8 with sightings of birds by volunteers and staff spanning that period.

Informational updates:

A huge thank you to everyone who volunteered their time to cover some of the fireworks displays with AAfCW and CT DEEP staff! Your extra effort was much appreciated and the birds seem to have come through the nights that we were present very well while we educated even more beachgoers. Please keep in mind to be safe yourselves during this heat wave and try to be on the beach only in the early morning or late evening when the temperatures are cooler and sun is low in the sky. This protects you, the growing birds, and any eggs on the beach. Stay hydrated and stay cool!

Survey and monitoring updates:

Piping Plover
6 pairs, 5 adults, 3 hatchlings, 9 fledglings, 1 nest at Griswold Point on 7/1
2 pairs, 9 adults, 4 fledglings at Bluff Point on 7/1
3 pairs, 4 hatchlings, 5 fledglings at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/1
1 pair, 3 fledglings at Shell Avenue Milford on 7/2
1 pair, 2 hatchlings at Long Beach on 7/2
1 pair, 2 fledglings at Shell Avenue Milford on 7/2
2 adults, 2 hatchlings at Long Beach on 7/2
8 pairs, 7 hatchlings, 10 fledglings, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/2
6 pairs, 1 adult, 4 hatchlings, 6 fledglings, 1 nest at Milford Point on 7/2
1 pair, 2 hatchlings at Long Beach on 7/2
3 pairs, 4 adults, 3 hatchlings, 5 fledglings at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/3
1 pair, 1 adult, 2 hatchlings at Long Beach on 7/3
1 pair, 3 adults, 5 hatchlings, 6 fledglings at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/3
7 pairs, 1 adult, 6 fledglings, 1 nest at Milford Point on 7/3
2 pairs, 2 adults, 2 hatchlings, 1 nest at Long Beach on 7/3
14 adults, 3 hatchlings, 6 fledglings at Griswold Point on 7/4
6 adults at Bluff Point on 7/4
2 pairs, 2 adults, 2 hatchlings, 1 nest at Long Beach on 7/4
5 adults, 6 fledglings, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/5
3 pairs, 3 fledglings at Bluff Point on 7/5
1 adult at Milford Point on 7/6
2 pairs, 1 adult, 2 hatchlings, 2 fledglings, 1 nest at Long Beach on 7/7
6 adults, 6 fledglings at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/8
10 adults, 10 fledglings at Milford Point on 7/8

American Oystercatcher
1 pair at Griswold Point on 7/1
1 pair at Bluff Point on 7/1
1 pair, 1 fledgling at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/1
1 pair at Shell Avenue Milford on 7/2
3 pairs, 3 adults, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/2
2 pairs, 2 adults, 2 fledgling at Milford Point on 7/2
4 pairs, 2 adults, 4 fledglings at Cockenoe Island on 7/2
3 adults, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/3
1 adult at Long Beach on 7/3
5 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/3
1 pair at Griswold Point on 7/4
1 adult at Bluff Point on 7/4
1 pair at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/4
2 pairs, 2 adults, 2 fledglings at Milford Point on 7/4
1 adult at Horse Island on 7/4
1 pair, 1 fledgling at Umbrella Island on 7/5
1 pair, 1 fledgling at Pages Cove on 7/5
1 pair at Kelsey Island on 7/5
4 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/5
1 pair, 1 fledgling at Salt Island on 7/6
3 pairs at Menunketesuck Island on 7/6
2 pairs, 2 fledglings at Duck Island on 7/6
3 adults at Milford Point on 7/6
2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/8
2 pairs, 1 fledgling at Milford Point on 7/8

Least Tern
63 pairs, 1 hatchling, 63 nests at Griswold Point on 7/1
16 pairs, 16 nests at Bluff Point on 7/1
2 pairs, 3 adults, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/1
3 adults at Russian Beach on 7/2
1 pair, 4 adults at Long Beach on 7/2
3 pairs, 29 adults, 2 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/2
10 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/3
4 adults at Long Beach on 7/3
2 pairs, 34 adults at Long Beach on 7/3
20 pairs, 20 adults, 20 nests, 2 hatchlings at Griswold Point on 7/3
79 adults at Griswold Point on 7/4
1 adult at Silver Sands State Park on 7/4
14 adults at Stratford Point on 7/4
16 adults at Bluff Point on 7/4
30 adults at Long Beach on 7/4
1 pair, 5 adults, 1 nest at Pleasure Beach on 7/4
7 adults, 3 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/5
5 pairs, 5 adults, 5 nests at Bluff Point on 7/5
50 adults at Milford Point on 7/6
2 adults at Russian Beach on 7/7
18 adults at Long Beach on 7/7
5 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/8

Common Tern
4 adults at Griswold Point on 7/1
3 adults at Sherwood Island State Park on 7/2
1 pair, 3 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/2
30 adults at Milford Point on 7/2
11 adults at Griswold Point on 7/3
3 adults at Griswold Point on 7/4
3 adults at Stratford Point on 7/4
2 adults at Long Beach on 7/4
2 adults at Sherwood Island State Park on 7/7
1 adult at Russian Beach on 7/7
20 adults at Milford Point on 7/8

This concludes update #15 through 7/8/13 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.