AAfCW 2013 Volunteer Update #19

This is the nineteenth 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 29 through 4:00 p.m. on August 5 with sightings of birds by volunteers and staff spanning that period.

Informational updates:

As we enter migration season please keep an eye out for any banded or flagged birds! Piping Plover and American Oystercatcher are color banded and flagged in our area. Least, Common, and Roseate Terns are also frequently seen with bands in Connecticut. You can find more information on some recent Piping Plover banding projects here in our blog and what to do if you see one: http://ctwaterbirds.blogspot.com/2013/07/watch-for-flagged-piping-plovers.html

Please remember all of our beaches may have higher numbers of birds passing through, including species not seen yet this year, because of migration. Let's see how many we can tally in the next month along with our breeding birds! All of this is important data and we thank you for the continual efforts.

Survey and monitoring updates:

Piping Plover
1 adult at Harkness Memorial State Park on 7/29
9 juveniles at Griswold Point on 7/29
1 pair, 1 adult, 2 hatchlings, 3 juveniles at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/29
5 juveniles at Griswold Point on 7/30
2 adults, 5 fledglings, 2 juveniles at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/30
1 pair, 1 adult, 4 fledglings, 1 juvenile at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/30
1 adult at Long Beach on 7/30
1 adult, 1 fledgling, 1 juvenile at Long Beach on 7/31
4 juveniles at Milford Point on 7/31
8 juveniles at Griswold Point on 8/1
2 adults, 7 juveniles at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/1
1 hatchling, 10 juveniles at Milford Point on 8/1
5 adults, 2 fledglings, 1 juvenile at Milford Point on 8/1
1 adult, 2 hatchlings at Long Beach on 8/1
10 adults, 3 juveniles at Griswold Point on 8/2
3 fledglings at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/2
2 adults, 8 juveniles at Milford Point on 8/3
5 juveniles at Griswold Point on 8/3
2 hatchlings, 3 fledglings at Milford Point on 8/4
8 juveniles at Griswold Point on 8/4

American Oystercatcher
1 adult at Griswold Point on 7/29
1 adult at Shore Rock on 7/29
2 adults at Griswold Point on 7/29
1 pair at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/29
1 adult at Griswold Point on 7/30
1 pair at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/30
1 pair, 3 juveniles at Governor Island Thimble Islands on 7/30
1 adult at Red Point Rocks Thimble Islands on 7/30
1 pair at Thimble Island on 7/30
1 pair, 1 juvenile at Salt Island on 7/30
5 pairs, 1 juvenile at Menunketesuck Island on 7/30
4 pairs, 2 fledglings at Cockenoe Island on 7/31
1 pair, 1 fledgling at Chimon Island on 7/31
1 adult at Betts Island on 7/31
1 pair, 1 fledgling at Long Beach Island on 7/31
3 adults at Sheffield/Shea Island on 7/31
1 adult at Calf Pasture Island on 7/31
1 pair at Goose Island on 7/31
1 pair, 1 juvenile at Milford Point on 7/31
1 adult at Griswold Point on 7/31
1 pair, 1 adult, 1 juvenile at Duck Island on 7/31
1 pair at Branford Harbor on 7/31
1 pair at Kelsey Island on 7/31
1 pair, 1 juvenile at Umbrella Island on 7/31
2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/31
2 pairs, 2 juveniles at Milford Point on 8/1
1 pair, 3 juveniles at Governor Island Thimble Islands on 8/1
2 pairs, 2 juveniles at Milford Point on 8/1
1 adult at Jordan Cove on 8/1
1 adult at Inner White Top Guilford on 8/2
4 pairs, 1 adult at Menunketesuck Island on 8/2
3 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/2
13 adults at Milford Point on 8/3
2 adults at Griswold Point on 8/3
4 adults, 1 juvenile at Milford Point on 8/4

Least Tern
24 adults, 2 juveniles at Griswold Point on 7/29
5 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/29
12 adults, 6 fledglings, 2 juveniles, 2 nests at Harkness Memorial State Park on 7/29
36 adults, 2 juveniles at Griswold Point on 7/30
3 adults, 3 juveniles at Long Beach on 7/30
6 adults, 1 fledgling at Long Beach on 7/31
2 pairs, 8 adults, 2 hatchlings, 4 juveniles at Milford Point on 7/31
2 adults, 2 juveniles at Long Beach on 7/31
1 adult at Silver Sands State Park on 7/31
26 adults at Griswold Point on 7/31
6 adults, 2 fledglings at Bluff Point on 7/31
1 adult at Silver Sands State Park on 8/1
4 pairs, 6 adults, 2 hatchlings, 2 fledglings at Milford Point on 8/1
12 adults, 10 hatchlings, 2 fledglings at Harkness Memorial State Park on 8/2
6 adults, 2 fledglings at Bluff Point on 8/2
12 adults at Griswold Point on 8/2
15 adults, 5 fledglings at Menunketesuck Island on 8/2
1 juvenile at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/2
3 adults at Long Beach on 8/3
20 adults, 3 juveniles at Griswold Point on 8/3
1 pair, 3 juveniles at Bluff Point on 8/4
1 pair, 14 adults, 8 fledglings at Griswold Point on 8/4
6 adults, 3 fledglings at Bluff Point on 8/4

Common Tern
85 adults, 25 juveniles at Griswold Point on 7/29
3 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/29
22 adults at Harkness Memorial State Park on 7/30
15 adults, 4 juveniles at Griswold Point on 7/30
2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/30
100 adults, 35 fledglings at Cockenoe Island on 7/31
1 adult at Long Beach on 7/31
62 adults, 12 juveniles at Milford Point on 7/31
1 adult Silver Sands State Park on 7/31
14 adults, 1 fledgling Griswold Point on 7/31
1 juvenile at Silver Sands State Park on 7/31
6 adults Silver Sands State Park on 8/1
18 adults, 2 juveniles Milford Point on 8/1
3 adults, 1 juvenile Griswold Point on 8/2
1 adult at Sherwood Island State Park on 8/2
30 adults, 4 fledglings at Menunketesuck Island on 8/2    
12 adults, 2 fledglings at Sandy/Morse Points on 8/2
1 adult at Long Beach on 8/3
3 adults at Griswold Point on 8/3
6 adults, 1 fledgling at Griswold Point on 8/4

This concludes update #19 through 8/5/13 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.