AAfCW 2014 Volunteer Update #5

This is the fifth weekly update by the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds (AAfCW) for the 2014 season. Today's update includes reports of Piping Plover, American Oystercatcher and Least Tern from April 28 through 3:00 p.m. on May 5 with sightings of birds by volunteers and staff spanning that period.

Informational updates:

On the right-side of this blog in the "Important Documents" column is a PDF document from CT DEEP titled, "Connecticut Dog Laws & Who To Contact" describing who to contact in different situations during monitoring as well as the dog laws at various state beaches. Please download it and view it. If you have any questions please email Laura.Saucier@ct.gov.

The weather prevented some surveys from occurring last week and disrupted monitoring but this week should be more cooperative outside of a couple days. We lost a number of Piping Plover and American Oystercatcher nests due to washout. The birds have already started to re-nest and we should find many this week. Please email rsuzf@hotmail.com and Laura.Saucier@ct.gov along with us at ctwaterbirds@gmail.com if you find a new nest.

Least Terns have arrived and Common Terns should be seen this week as well. Please report both species to us as you do with Piping Plovers and American Oystercatchers. Thank you, good luck and enjoy monitoring!

Survey and monitoring updates:

Piping Plover
1 pair at West Haven between Washington Ave and East Ave on 4/282 pairs, 3 adults, 2 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/28
1 pair at West Haven between Washington Ave and East Ave on 4/28
2 pairs, 2 adults at Long Beach on 4/28

2 pairs, 7 adults, 2 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/28

1 pair, 4 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/29

1 pair, 1 adult at Long Beach on 5/1
4 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/1
1 adult at West Haven between Washington Ave and East Ave on 5/1
4 pairs, 1 adult, 1 nest at Milford Point on 5/1
1 adult at Silver Sands State Park on 5/2
5 pairs, 1 nest at Milford Point on 5/2
2 pairs at Bluff Point on 5/2
3 pairs, 9 adults at Griswold Point on 5/2
1 pair, 1 adult at Long Beach on 5/2
16 adults at Griswold Point on 5/3

2 pairs, 3 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/3

1 pair, 2 adults at Long Beach on 5/3

6 adults, 1 nest at Milford Point on 5/5

1 pair at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/5

American Oystercatcher
3 pairs, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/28

3 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/28

2 pairs, 1 adult at Thimble Islands on 4/29

2 pairs, 1 adult at Griswold Point on 4/29

1 pair at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/29

1 pair at Long Beach on 5/1
2 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/1
2 pairs at Milford Point on 5/1
2 pairs at Milford Point on 5/2
1 pair at Bluff Point on 5/2
3 adults at Long Beach on 5/2
2 adults at Pleasure Beach on 5/2
1 adult at Griswold Point on 5/3

1 adult at Quinnipeag Rocks on 5/3

2 pairs, 5 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/3

1 pair at Long Beach on 5/3

4 adults at Milford Point on 5/5

3 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/5

Least Tern
8 adults at Long Beach on 5/2
1 adult at Pleasure Beach on 5/2

4 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/3

4 adults at Long Beach on 5/3

2 adults at Milford Point on 5/5

6 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/5

This concludes update #5 through 5/05/14 as of 4:00 p.m.