AAfCW 2014 Volunteer Update #3

This is the third weekly update by the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds (AAfCW) for the 2014 season. Today's update includes reports of Piping Plover and American Oystercatcher from April 14 through 4:00 p.m. on April 21 with sightings of birds by volunteers and staff spanning that period.

Informational updates:

Thank you to all of the volunteers who joined us in fencing operations last week! After another cold period we are still waiting for nesting to begin as only one nest has been found thus far (today at Milford Point by DEEP). It should be soon as temperatures will continue to climb and we should avoid any nights below freezing. Please remember that we would like data and information from any visit to our beaches, even if there are no birds found.

Help is needed this week - possibly tomorrow morning - in Groton to load wood into a transport helicopter to bring to Great Gull Island. Please let us know if you are available and we can provide you with the details and confirmation of whether or not it will take place tomorrow morning or on Wednesday or Thursday. There may also be a need for some folks to go out to the island this week to move lumber away from the landing area. Thank you!

Survey and monitoring updates:

Piping Plover
2 pairs, 9 adults at Milford Point on 4/14
2 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/14
2 adults at Long Beach on 4/14
2 pairs, 1 adult at Bluff Point on 4/16
4 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/16
1 pair at Long Beach on 4/17
7 pairs at Milford Point on 4/17
5 adults at Harkness Memorial State Park on 4/17
1 pair, 3 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/17
5 pairs, 1 adult at Milford Point on 4/18
6 adults at Griswold Point on 4/19
3 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/19
4 pairs, 1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/20
1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/21

American Oystercatcher
2 pairs at Milford Point on 4/14
2 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/14
2 adults at Long Beach on 4/14
2 adults at Horse Island on 4/14
4 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/16
3 pairs at Milford Point on 4/17
1 pair at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/17
1 pair at Milford Point on 4/18
1 pair at Compo Beach on 4/18
1 pair at Gulf Beach Milford on 4/18
1 pair at Griswold Point on 4/19
1 pair, 1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/19
5 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/20
1 adult at Long Beach on 4/20
1 pair at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/21

This concludes update #3 through 4/21/14 as of 5:00 p.m.