AAfCW 2014 Volunteer Update #13

This is the thirteenth weekly update by the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds (AAfCW) for the 2014 season. Today's update includes reports of Piping Plover, American Oystercatcher, Least Tern and Common Tern from June 23 through 4:00 p.m. on June 30 with sightings of birds by volunteers and staff spanning that period.
 

Informational updates:

Several fireworks celebrations are taking place in Connecticut this week and we could use your help! Email us at ctwaterbirds@gmail.com if you can be at Stratford's Short Beach, Milford Point, or Sandy/Morse Points in West Haven on the evening of July 3. Our staff will be on these beaches and at other locations along with CT DEEP and the more help we can get the more we can do to ensure a successful evening for our birds while continuing our outreach and education efforts. Thank you!

Survey and monitoring updates:

Piping Plover 

3 pairs, 2 adults, 3 hatchlings, 1 nest at Sandy Point Stonington on 6/23
2 pairs, 2 adults, 2 hatchlings, 2 fledglings at Harkness Memorial State Park on 6/23
14 adults, 8 hatchlings at Milford Point on 6/23
9 pairs, 21 hatchlings, 4 fledglings at Milford Point on 6/23
5 pairs, 8 hatchlings, 4 fledglings at Griswold Point on 6/24
7 pairs, 11 hatchlings, 4 fledglings, 1 nest at Griswold Point on 6/24
6 pairs, 8 hatchlings, 1 nest at Bluff Point on 6/24
2 pairs, 2 hatchlings at Mumford Cove on 6/24
3 pairs, 5 adults, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/24
1 pair, 4 hatchlings at Shell Avenue Milford on 6/25
1 pair, 4 hatchlings at Shell Avenue Milford on 6/25
4 pairs, 2 adults, 5 hatchlings at Bluff Point on 6/25
1 pair, 4 hatchlings at Short Beach on 6/25
7 pairs, 3 hatchlings, 7 fledglings, 2 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/25

4 pairs, 1 adult, 7 hatchlings, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/25

7 adults, 2 hatchlings, 10 fledglings at Griswold Point on 6/25
15 adults, 8 hatchlings, 5 fledglings at Milford Point on 6/26
3 pairs, 10 hatchlings, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/26
4 adults at Pleasure Beach on 6/26
9 adults, 9 fledglings, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/26
1 pair, 4 hatchlings at Shell Avenue Milford on 6/27
1 pair, 4 hatchlings at Short Beach on 6/27
1 pair, 2 hatchlings at Long Beach on 6/27

1 adult at Pleasure Beach on 6/27

18 adults, 3 hatchlings, 2 fledglings at Griswold Point on 6/27
1 pair, 1 nest at Pleasure Beach on 6/28
1 pair, 4 hatchlings at Short Beach on 6/28
1 pair, 4 hatchlings at Shell Avenue Milford on 6/29
12 adults, 8 hatchlings, 8 fledglings at Milford Point on 6/29
1 pair, 4 hatchlings at Short Beach on 6/29

American Oystercatcher
7 pairs, 1 adult, 5 fledglings at Sandy Point Stonington on 6/23
2 adults at Shore Rock on 6/23
2 adults at Milford Point on 6/23
2 pairs, 1 hatchling, 1 nest at Milford Point on 6/23
1 pair, 1 fledgling at Quinnipeag Rock on 6/24
1 pair, 1 nest at Mumford Cove on 6/24

1 pair at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/24

1 adult at Long Beach on 6/24
1 pair at Ram Island on 6/25
1 pair, 1 adult at Bluff Point on 6/25
1 adult, 2 hatchlings at Branford Harbor Channel Marker on 6/25
1 pair at Green Island on 6/25
1 pair, 1 fledgling at Umbrella Island on 6/25
1 adult at Kelsey Island on 6/25
3 pairs, 2 nests at Faulkner Island on 6/25

1 pair, 1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/25

1 pair, 2 hatchlings at Vincent Island on 6/25

1 adult at Greenway Island on 6/25

1 adult at Fish Islands on 6/25

1 pair, 5 adults at Thimble Islands on 6/26
1 pair, 1 nest at Lewis Island on 6/26
3 pairs, 1 fledgling, 1 nest at Milford Point on 6/26
1 adult at Long Beach on 6/26
4 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/26
1 pair, 1 nest at Duck Island on 6/27
1 pair, 1 fledgling at Salt Island on 6/27
7 pairs, 1 adult, 2 hatchlings, 2 nests at Menunketesuck Island on 6/27
1 adult at Short Beach on 6/27
2 adults at Pleasure Beach on 6/28
15 adults, 1 fledgling at Milford Point on 6/29

Least Tern

50 adults at Milford Point on 6/23
25 pairs, 10 adults, 25 nests at Milford Point on 6/23
45 adults at Griswold Point on 6/24
30 pairs, 10 adults, 30 nests at Griswold Point on 6/24
3 pairs, 2 adults, 10 nests at Bluff Point on 6/24
2 pairs, 2 nests at Mumford Cove on 6/24

1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/24

2 adults at Silver Sands State Park on 6/25
4 adults at Short Beach on 6/25
3 pairs, 4 adults, 2 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/25
3 pairs, 1 adult, 3 nests at Bluff Point on 6/25

1 pair, 4 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/25

2 adults at Long Beach on 6/25

4 adults at Vincent Island on 6/25

2 pairs, 3 hatchlings at Sasco Hill Beach on 6/26
2 adults at Silver Sands State Park on 6/26
40 adults at Milford Point on 6/26
1 pair, 1 nest at Pleasure Beach on 6/26
1 pair, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/26
4 adults, 2 nests at Pleasure Beach on 6/27
2 pairs, 4 adults, 1 nest at Pleasure Beach on 6/28

6 adults at Long Beach on 6/29

25 adults at Milford Point on 6/29

Common Tern

24 adults at Thimble Islands on 6/20
11 adults at Sandy Point Stonington on 6/23
1 adult at Milford Point on 6/23
1 pair, 4 adults at Milford Point on 6/23
3 pairs at Griswold Point on 6/24
2 pairs at Bluff Point on 6/24
2 pairs, 2 adults at Umbrella Island on 6/25

5 pairs, 6 nests at Vincent Island on 6/25

5 adults at Thimble Islands on 6/26
2 adults at Milford Point on 6/26
1 pair at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/26
1 adult at Short Beach on 6/27

This concludes update #13 through 6/30/14 as of 5:00 p.m.

Help at Short Beach in Stratford

Good evening all,

Entering this season Stratford's Short Beach was not on the list of beaches for monitoring as it did not have Piping Plovers in recent years. However, we have a pair there this year that have successfully nested and as of today there are four hatchlings present.

CT DEEP is looking for some help this weekend at Short Beach during what should be a busy time - even a quick visit to check on them and if possible, educate some beachgoers, would be tremendously appreciated. CT DEEP is contacting the Town of Stratford to allow our monitors in free of charge. Thank you for any assistance you can provide! Remember we will also be looking for help on the evening of July 3 in Stratford, Milford and West Haven, so please let us know if you can join DEEP and AAfCW staff that night. Thanks again for all your efforts.

AAfCW 2014 Volunteer Update #12

This is the twelfth weekly update by the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds (AAfCW) for the 2014 season. Today's update includes reports of Piping Plover, American Oystercatcher, Least Tern and Common Tern from June 16 through 4:00 p.m. on June 23 with sightings of birds by volunteers and staff spanning that period.

Informational updates:

We need your help for fireworks celebrations! Please email us if you can plan to be at Stratford's Short Beach, Milford Point, or Sandy/Morse Points in West Haven on the evening of July 3. Our staff will be on these beaches and at other locations along with CT DEEP and the more help we can get the more we can do to ensure a successful evening for our birds while continuing our outreach and education efforts. Thank you!

Survey and monitoring updates:

Piping Plover

1 pair, 3 hatchlings at Shell Avenue Milford on 6/16
1 pair, 1 hatchling at Shell Avenue Milford on 6/16
2 pairs at Pleasure Beach on 6/16
1 pair, 1 hatchling at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/16
3 pairs at Milford Point on 6/17
5 pairs, 1 adult, 2 hatchlings, 3 nests at Sandy Point Stonington on 6/17
13 adults, 7 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/17
2 pairs, 6 adults, 7 hatchlings, 4 fledglings at Griswold Point on 6/17
1 adult, 1 nest at Short Beach on 6/17
1 adult, 1 nest at Long Beach on 6/17
1 pair, 4 hatchlings at Shell Avenue Milford on 6/17
8 pairs, 25 hatchlings at Milford Point on 6/17

4 pairs, 2 adults, 7 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/17

13 adults, 7 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/17

5 pairs, 2 adults, 6 hatchlings, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/17

10 adults, 9 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/18
2 pairs, 2 hatchlings at Mumford Cove on 6/18
3 pairs, 2 adults, 7 hatchlings at Bluff Point on 6/18
2 pairs, 2 nests at Pleasure Beach on 6/18
8 pairs, 10 hatchlings, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/18

5 pairs, 6 hatchlings, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/18

1 pair, 3 hatchlings at Shell Avenue Milford on 6/19
1 pair, 4 hatchlings at Shell Avenue Milford on 6/19
15 adults, 15 hatchlings at Milford Point on 6/19
1 pair, 1 nest at Long Beach on 6/19
1 pair, 1 nest at Pleasure Beach on 6/19
1 pair, 1 nest at Short Beach on 6/19

2 pairs, 9 adults, 4 hatchlings, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/19

2 pairs, 2 nests at Pleasure Beach on 6/20

3 adults at Pleasure Beach on 6/20

1 pair, 4 hatchlings at Shell Avenue Milford on 6/21

1 pair, 4 hatchlings at Long Beach on 6/21

2 pairs, 2 nests at Pleasure Beach on 6/21

1 pair, 4 hatchlings at Shell Avenue Milford on 6/22

1 pair, 2 adults, 7 fledglings at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/22
1 pair, 4 hatchlings at Shell Avenue Milford on 6/23

6 adults, 4 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/23

2 pairs, 6 adults, 6 hatchlings, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/23

American Oystercatcher

1 pair, 2 hatchlings at Branford Harbor Channel Marker on 6/16
1 pair, 1 nest at Green Island on 6/16
1 pair at Darrow Rocks on 6/16
1 pair, 1 fledgling at Umbrella Island on 6/16
1 pair at Salt Island on 6/16
6 pairs, 1 hatchling, 1 nest at Menunketesuck Island on 6/16
1 pair, 1 nest at Duck Island on 6/16

1 pair at Great Captain's Island on 6/16

1 pair at Milford Point on 6/17
8 pairs, 1 adult, 7 hatchlings at Sandy Point Stonington on 6/17
2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/17
3 pairs, 1 hatchling, 1 nest at Milford Point on 6/17

2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/17

1 pair at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/17

2 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/17

1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/18
1 pair, 1 nest at Mumford Cove on 6/18
1 pair, 1 fledgling at Quinnipeag Rock on 6/18
1 pair, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/18

2 pair at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/18

1 adult at Long Beach on 6/18

7 adults, 2 nests at Milford Point on 6/19
4 adults at Long Beach on 6/19
2 adults at Milford Point on 6/19

2 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/19

1 pair, 1 fledgling at Salt Island on 6/20
5 pairs, 1 fledgling, 3 nests at Menunketesuck Island on 6/20
2 pairs, 1 nest at Duck Island on 6/20

2 pairs, 1 adult, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/22

4 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/23

2 pairs, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/23

 

Least Tern

12 adults at Milford Point on 6/17
1 pair at Sandy Point Stonington on 6/17
10 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/17
60 adults at Griswold Point on 6/17
2 adults at Long Beach on 6/17

4 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/17

10 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/17

9 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/17

1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/18
2 pairs, 2 nests at Mumford Cove on 6/18
2 pairs, 2 nests at Bluff Point on 6/18
5 pairs, 5 nests at Pleasure Beach on 6/18
4 pairs, 4 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/18

6 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/18

1 adult at Long Beach on 6/18

2 pairs, 2 nests at Sasco Hill Beach on 6/19
50 adults at Milford Point on 6/19
8 pairs, 2 nests at Pleasure Beach on 6/19
1 adult at Long Beach on 6/19

5 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/19

10 pairs, 3 adults, 10 nests at Menunketesuck Island on 6/20

1 pair, 1 adult, 1 nest at Pleasure Beach on 6/20

1 pair, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/22

2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/23

1 pair, 5 adults, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/23

Common Tern

3 pairs, 3 nests at Umbrella Island on 6/16
1 pair at Green Island on 6/16
1 pair at Kelsey Island on 6/16

1 adult at Great Captain's Island on 6/16

2 pairs at Sandy Point Stonington on 6/17
1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/17
4 adults at Milford Point on 6/17

1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/17

3 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/17

2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/18

1 adult at Long Beach on 6/18

1 adult at Long Beach on 6/19

1 pair, 1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/19

This concludes update #12 through 6/23/14 as of 4:00 p.m.

“Be a Good Egg” Outreach Program comes to Sandy Point, Long Beach, and West Beach

This summer Audubon Alliance volunteers and technicians will be staffing information booths at Long Beach, Sandy Point, and West Beach (adjacent to the Menunkatesuck sand flats) where Piping Plovers and/or other beach nesting birds are found. By reaching out to visitors to these important bird habitats, the volunteers are playing a key role in increasing community awareness about beach-nesting birds, the threats they face, and how to help them. Beachgoers visiting the booths learn about the birds and their habitat needs and are asked to take the “Be a Good Egg Pledge” to 1) stay outside of string fenced areas, 2) not bring dogs to the beach, and 3) properly dispose of trash.   

The Be a Good Egg program was developed by Audubon North Carolina and comes to CT this summer with support from the Long Island Sound Futures Fund and in partnership with the Stewart B. McKinney NWR and the CT DEEP Wildlife Division. If you’d like to take the pledge, stop by one of the tables on the first or third Saturday or Sunday (just Sandy Point and West Beach) of June, July, and August. The take home pledge card can be downloaded here. If you would like to help staff an info booth, contact IBA Program Coordinator, Corrie Folsom-O’Keefe at cfolsom-okeefe@audubon.org or 203-264-5098 ext. 310.

AAfCW 2014 Volunteer Update #11

This is the eleventh weekly update by the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds (AAfCW) for the 2014 season. Today's update includes reports of Piping Plover, American Oystercatcher, Least Tern and Common Tern from June 9 through 4:00 p.m. on June 16 with sightings of birds by volunteers and staff spanning that period.

Informational updates:

We seem to be near the peak of Piping Plover hatchlings running around our beaches with some locations having over 10 each. The more time you can spend monitoring and educating the public the better during what should be a warmer and drier stretch of weather coming up.

Fourth of July celebrations are coming up in 2-3 weeks across Connecticut. We will need volunteer assistance in Stratford at Short Beach, Milford at Milford Point and West Haven at Sandy/Morse Points, all likely on the night of July 3, and potentially more beaches/nights. Please email us if you can help on the 3rd!

Survey and monitoring updates:

Piping Plover

6 adults, 6 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/9
2 pairs, 2 nests at Long Beach on 6/10
1 adult at Short Beach on 6/10
2 pairs, 3 hatchlings, 1 nest at Mumford Cove on 6/10
1 pair, 1 nest at Shell Avenue Milford on 6/10
7 adults, 9 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/10
1 pair, 1 nest at Shell Avenue Milford on 6/11
6 pairs, 2 adults, 9 hatchlings, 2 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/11
8 pairs, 14 hatchlings, 1 nest at Griswold Point on 6/11
4 pairs, 2 adults, 7 hatchlings, 1 nest at Bluff Point on 6/11
3 pairs, 3 nests at Sandy Point Stonington on 6/11
1 adult at Silver Sands State Park on 6/11
1 pair, 1 nest at Shell Avenue Milford on 6/11
12 adults, 12 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/11

2 pairs, 2 adults, 6 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/11

3 pairs, 4 adults, 8 hatchlings, 1 nest at Griswold Point on 6/11

13 adults, 14 hatchlings at Milford Point on 6/12
5 pairs, 11 adults, 1 nest at Bluff Point on 6/12
5 pairs, 12 adults, 1 nest at Harkness Memorial State Park on 6/12
6 pairs, 3 adults, 10 hatchlings, 1 nest at Griswold Point on 6/12
7 adults, 8 hatchlings, 1 nest at Griswold Point on 6/14
1 adult, 1 nest at Shell Avenue Milford on 6/14
9 pairs, 28 hatchlings at Milford Point on 6/14
1 adult, 1 nest at Short Beach on 6/14
2 adults, 1 nest at Long Beach on 6/14
12 adults, 14 hatchlings at Milford Point on 6/15
3 adults, 4 hatchlings, 1 nest at Bluff Point on 6/15
16 adults, 8 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/16
17 adults, 8 hatchlings at Milford Point on 6/16

American Oystercatcher

2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/9
2 adults at Long Beach on 6/10
1 pair, 3 adults at Short Beach on 6/10
1 pair at Griswold Island on 6/10
1 pair, 1 nest at Mumford Cove on 6/10
8 pairs, 5 hatchlings, 3 nests at Sandy Point Stonington on 6/11
2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/11
3 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/11
1 adult at Griswold Point on 6/11
1 pair at Harkness Memorial State Park on 6/11
15 adults, 2 nests at Milford Point on 6/12
1 pair at Bluff Point on 6/12
1 pair, 1 adult at Quinnipeag Rock on 6/12
1 adult at Tuxis Island on 6/12
1 adult at Griswold Point on 6/14
3 pairs, 1 hatchling, 2 nests at Milford Point on 6/14
4 adults at Milford Point on 6/15
2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/16
4 adults at Milford Point on 6/16

Least Tern

10 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/9
1 adult at Seaside Park on 6/10
4 pairs, 3 adults, 4 nests at Long Beach on 6/10
2 adults at Russian Beach on 6/10
9 adults at Short Beach on 6/10
2 pairs, 2 nests at Mumford Cove on 6/10
22 adults, 3 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/10
1 pair at Sandy Point Stonington on 6/11
2 pairs at Barn Island on 6/11
14 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/11
10 pairs, 10 adults, 8 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/11
30 pairs, 10 adults, 25 nest at Griswold Point on 6/11
2 pairs, 1 nest at Bluff Point on 6/11

1 pair, 4 adults, 2 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/11

60 adults at Milford Point on 6/12
1 pair, 1 adult, 1 nest at Bluff Point on 6/12
4 pairs, 6 adults, 10 nests at Harkness Memorial State Park on 6/12
27 adults, 13 pairs, 19 nests at Griswold Point on 6/12
45 adults at Griswold Point on 6/14
60 adults at Milford Point on 6/15
2 pairs, 2 nests at Bluff Point on 6/15
4 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/16
30 adults at Milford Point on 6/16

Common Tern

2 adults at Silver Sands State Park on 6/10
2 adults at Seaside Park on 6/10
2 adults at Long Beach on 6/10
1 pair at Russian Beach on 6/10
19 adults at Short Beach on 6/10
2 adults, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/10
2 pairs at Sandy Point Stonington on 6/11
2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/11
6 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/11
2 adults at Griswold Point on 6/11
2 adults at Milford Point on 6/12
10 pairs, 10 nests at Cockenoe Island on 6/12

This concludes update #11 through 6/16/14 as of 5:00 p.m.

Five-egg Piping Plover nest

About a week ago CT DEEP's Rebecca Foster discovered a cool oddity among the several Piping Plover nests at Milford Point. Take a look at this photo, right in the center, where there is a small depression. This nest has five eggs in it!

Piping Plovers lay four-egg nests almost 100% of the time. When they have completed the four-egg nest CT DEEP goes in to add a predator exclosure, the metal framing you see in Rebecca's photo above. In this case Rebecca says she exclosed the nest when it had four eggs, as usual, and the birds ended up laying another one. In all her summers of working with the Piping Plovers in Connecticut she had never seen this before.

Audubon Connecticut Field Technician Sean Graesser tells me he knows of at least a pair of birds on Long Island in the past that had a six-egg nest. Suffice it to say we are all very intrigued as to how this will turn out. Will all of the eggs hatch? I am guessing no but if they do seeing mom and dad running around with five little ones would be entertaining.

AAfCW 2014 Volunteer Update #10

This is the tenth weekly update by the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds (AAfCW) for the 2014 season. Today's update includes reports of Piping Plover, American Oystercatcher, Least Tern and Common Tern from June 2 through 1:00 p.m. on June 9 with sightings of birds by volunteers and staff spanning that period.

Informational updates:

As we continue through the end of the spring and enter the summer we will be continually seeing more bird and human activity on our beaches with more nests and young to come. Please remember to visit our blog for dozens of documents including our datasheets, outreach materials, species fact sheets and more: http://ctwaterbirds.blogspot.com/

This PDF file from CT DEEP is one of the most important containing contact information, instructions on what to do in difficult situations and with disturbances plus dog laws on beaches: http://rtpi.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/05/WHO-TO-CONTACT-IN-AN-EMERGENCY_CT-Dog-Laws.pdf

As always if you have any questions email us at any time - thank you!

Survey and monitoring updates:

Piping Plover

1 pair, 1 nest at Shell Avenue Milford on 6/2
8 pairs, 2 adults, 4 hatchlings at Griswold Point on 6/2
3 adults, 1 hatchling at Harkness Memorial State Park on 6/2
2 pairs, 2 adults, 2 nests at Long Beach on 6/2
2 pairs, 1 nest at Pleasure Beach on 6/2

8 adults, 3 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/2

6 adults at Milford Point on 6/3
7 pairs, 11 hatchlings, 3 nests at Griswold Point on 6/3
4 pairs, 8 hatchlings, 2 nests at Bluff Point on 6/3
2 pairs, 2 nests at Mumford Cove on 6/3
3 pairs, 1 adult, 5 hatchlings, 2 nests at Bluff Point on 6/3
15 adults, 8 hatchlings, 2 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/3

1 pair, 1 nest at Long Beach on 6/3

10 adults, 9 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/3

3 pairs, 2 nests at Long Beach on 6/4
2 pairs at Pleasure Beach on 6/4
9 adults, 7 hatchlings, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/4
3 pairs, 4 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/4

1 pair, 1 adult, 1 nest at Long Beach on 6/4

1 adult, 1 nest at Long Beach on 6/5
1 pair at Pleasure Beach on 6/5
1 adult, 1 nest at Short Beach on 6/5
2 pairs, 2 adults, 4 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/5
15 adults, 7 nests at Milford Point on 6/6
6 pairs, 12 hatchlings, 2 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/6
8 pairs, 15 hatchlings, 4 nests at Milford Point on 6/6

2 adults at Long Beach on 6/6

1 pair at Long Beach on 6/7

7 adults, 10 hatchlings at Griswold Point on 6/8
1 pair at Long Beach 6/8

American Oystercatcher
1 adult at Griswold Point on 6/2
1 pair at Harkness Memorial State Park on 6/2
1 pair at Long Beach on 6/2
1 pair at Pleasure Beach on 6/2

4 adults, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/2

6 adults at Milford Point on 6/3
1 pair, 1 nest at Bluff Point on 6/3
1 pair, 1 nest at Griswold Island on 6/3
1 pair, 1 nest at Mumford Cove on 6/3
1 pair at Bluff Point on 6/3
1 pair, 1 adult, 1 hatchling at Tuxis Island on 6/3
3 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/3
1 pair, 4 adults at Long/Pleasure Beach on 6/3
1 pair, 1 nest at Bluff Point on 6/3

1 pair at Long Beach on 6/3
2 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/3

1 pair at Sixpenny Island on 6/4
4 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/4
1 pair, 4 adults at Long Beach on 6/4

2 pairs, 2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/4

1 adult at Long Beach on 6/4

3 adults at Long Beach on 6/5
1 adult, 1 hatchling at Tuxis Island on 6/5
2 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/5
8 adults at Milford Point on 6/6
3 pairs, 3 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/6
2 pairs, 2 nests at Milford Point on 6/6

1 pair at Long Beach on 6/7

Least Tern

14 pairs, 6 nests at Long Beach on 6/2

7 pairs, 4 nests at Pleasure Beach on 6/2

24 adults, 6 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/2

10 adults at Milford Point on 6/3

2 pairs, 1 adult, 2 nests at Mumford Cove on 6/3

8 adults at Bluff Point on 6/3

6 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/3

25 pairs, 10 adults, 25 nests at Griswold Point on 6/3

6 pairs, 1 nest at Bluff Point on 6/3

2 pairs, 7 adults at Long Beach on 6/3

25 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/3

8 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/4

4 pairs, 10 adults, 3 nests at Long Beach on 6/4

7 pairs, 2 nests at Pleasure Beach on 6/4

6 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/4

4 adults at Long Beach on 6/4

21 adults at Long Beach on 6/5

4 adults at Pleasure Beach on 6/5

2 pairs, 2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/5

40 adults, 3 nests at Milford Point on 6/6

12 pairs, 5 adults, 5 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/6

32 pairs, 27 nests at Milford Point on 6/6

2 adults at Long Beach on 6/6

6 adults at Pleasure Beach on 6/6

5 adults, 2 nests at Sasco Hill Beach on 6/7

45 adults at Griswold Point on 6/8

5 adults at Sherwood Island State Park on 6/8

1 pair, 3 adults at Long Beach on 6/8

Common Tern

6 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/2
2 adults at Milford Point on 6/3
4 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/3

2 adults at Pleasure Beach on 6/4

1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/4

2 adults at Long Beach on 6/5

8 adults at Milford Point on 6/6

4 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/6

6 adults at Milford Point on 6/6

This concludes update #10 through 6/9/14 as of 1:00 p.m.

Observing Piping Plovers

At this point of the season our Piping Plovers are mostly (thankfully!) attending to nests with eggs about to hatch or taking constant care of hatchlings. Viewing them requires a bit of skill and patience. The most important thing we want to do is give them as much room as possible. We emphasize giving them space and allowing them to be safe as the number one priority over data.

Elizabeth Medina-Gray sent me this beautiful photo last week which I enjoyed even more because this is precisely how we want our monitors to view our birds.

 
You'll note that this individual is standing in wet sand as it is foraging along the tide. It is not agitated or performing a distraction display, merely feeding and going about its business. Elizabeth said it flew in to feed in front of her - she was obviously walking in the correct place for monitoring, right along the water, giving the birds the entire beach. A long lens helps a great deal, too.

Thank you to Elizabeth and all of our monitors for the great work done thus far in 2014!

Egg collection

As all of the talk is about eggs and young right now with Piping Plover and American Oystercatchers hatching young and Least Terns and Common Terns making nests I thought I would go into our archives at the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History to give you a different view of them.

You'll see in the first case Piping Plover eggs on the far right of the top photo. They are relatively large in comparison to some other common species, more so than I thought they would be. In the second photo you can find Least Tern eggs in the middle and Common Tern eggs on the bottom left - they look massive and almost appear closer in size to the Mallard eggs than those of the Least.

When on the beach monitoring we are not looking for you to go up to nesting areas and count eggs. For the most part this would be disruptive to the birds and potentially fatal if they were kept off of the eggs for too long, especially in very cool or hot weather. Piping Plover nests are exclosed by CT DEEP with AAfCW assistance once they reach four eggs, so if you see one of the exclosures over a nest you will know how many are there. Terns can be counted by watching them sitting on the beach in colonies as they incubate their nest. If you would like to view eggs up close come visit us at RTPI - 311 Curtis St., Jamestown, NY.

AAfCW 2014 Volunteer Update #9

This is the ninth weekly update by the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds (AAfCW) for the 2014 season. Today's update includes reports of Piping Plover, American Oystercatcher, Least Tern and Common Tern from May 27 through 4:00 p.m. on June 2 with sightings of birds by volunteers and staff spanning that period.

Informational updates:

Please remember to email eholland@audubon.org for parking passes to Sandy/Morse Points if you are in need and to let us know if you have any access problems to any of your beaches. We are still finding more nests of all four of our focal species at the moment and assisting with erecting fencing, exclosures and signage.

As many of you have already done please email rsuzf@hotmail.com and Laura.Saucier@ct.gov along with us at ctwaterbirds@gmail.com to immediately alert us to any nests you find of Piping Plovers and American Oystercatchers as well as Least Terns and Common Terns. There will be more terns nesting soon and we hope to protect them as quickly as possible.

If you have not been sending us data thus far or are unable to monitor but scheduled please submit data and information as soon as possible or let us know if you cannot volunteer. Thank you all for your hard work and terrific finds!

Survey and monitoring updates:

Piping Plover

1 adult, 1 nest at Shell Avenue Milford on 5/27
1 pair, 1 nest at Short Beach on 5/27
2 pairs, 1 adult, 4 hatchlings, 2 nests at Milford Point on 5/27
2 pairs, 4 hatchlings at Harkness Memorial State Park on 5/27

8 adults, 4 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/27

3 adults at Mumford Cove on 5/27

1 adult, 1 nest at Short Beach on 5/28

7 adults, 4 hatchlings at Griswold Point on 5/28

3 pairs, 1 adult at Bluff Point on 5/28

2 pairs, 2 adults, 3 nests at Long Beach on 5/28

1 pair, 1 nest at Shell Avenue Milford on 5/29
8 pairs, 8 hatchlings, 6 nests at Milford Point on 5/29
1 nest at Shell Avenue Milford on 5/29
6 pairs, 7 adults, 8 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/29
1 pair, 1 nest at Shell Avenue Milford on 5/29
1 pair, 1 nest at Shell Avenue Milford on 5/30
5 pairs, 6 hatchlings, 3 nests at Milford Point on 5/30
1 pair, 1 nest at Short Beach on 5/30
3 pairs, 1 adult, 4 nests at Long Beach on 5/30

8 adults, 3 nests at Long Beach on 5/30

1 pair, 11 adults, 4 hatchlings, 3 nests at Griswold Point on 5/31
3 adults, 2 nests at Long Beach on 5/31
2 pairs, 1 nest at Pleasure Beach on 5/31

5 pairs, 5 hatchlings, 2 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/31

1 pair, 1 nest at Long Beach on 5/31

1 adult, 1 nest at Long Beach on 6/1

2 pairs, 1 adult, 1 nest at Long Beach on 6/2

American Oystercatcher
4 pairs, 4 hatchlings, 4 nests at Cockenoe Island on 5/26
2 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/27
1 pair, 1 adult at Harkness Memorial State Park on 5/27
1 pair at Chimon Island on 5/27
1 pair at Long Beach Island on 5/27

2 pairs, 1 nest at Mumford Cove on 5/27

1 adult at Rocky Island on 5/27

5 pairs, 2 nests at Menunketesuck Island on 5/28

8 adults at Long Beach on 5/28

1 pair at Fish Islands on 5/29
1 adult at Great Captain's Island on 5/29
6 adults, 2 nests at Milford Point on 5/29
2 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/30
1 pair at Kelsey Island on 5/30
1 adult at Umbrella Rocks on 5/30
1 adult at Green Island on 5/30
2 pairs, 2 nests at Milford Point on 5/30
1 pair at Long Beach on 5/30
1 pair at Long Beach on 5/30

2 pairs, 10 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/31

3 adults at Griswold Point on 5/31
1 pair at Long Beach on 5/31

2 adults at Long Beach on 5/31

1 pair at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/1

1 pair at Long Beach on 6/1

2 adults at Long Beach on 6/2

Least Tern

10 adults at Griswold Point on 5/27
5 adults at Harkness Memorial State Park on 5/27

8 adults, 2 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/27

7 pairs at Mumford Cove on 5/27

4 adults at Shell Avenue Milford on 5/28
1 pair, 4 adults at Menunketesuck Island on 5/28
3 pairs, 5 adults at Bluff Point on 5/28

4 pairs, 5 adults at Long Beach on 5/28

40 adults at Milford Point on 5/29
4 adults at Silver Sands State Park on 5/29
15 adults at Silver Sands State Park on 5/29
2 pairs, 6 adults at Short Beach on 5/29
10 pairs, 15 adults at Long Beach on 5/30
9 adults at Sasco Hill Beach on 5/31
7 adults at Griswold Point on 5/31
11 pairs, 4 adults at Long Beach on 5/31
7 pairs, 2 adults, 4 nests at Pleasure Beach on 5/31

30 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/31

3 pairs, 11 adults at Long Beach on 5/31

26 adults at Long Beach on 6/1

3 pairs, 7 adults at Long Beach on 6/2

Common Tern

6 adults at Compo Beach on 5/27
3 adults at Short Beach on 5/27
6 adults at Silver Sands State Park on 5/28
10 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/29
10 adults at Milford Point on 5/29
1 pair at Silver Sands State Park on 5/29
18 adults at Green Island on 5/30
1 adult at Silver Sands State Park on 5/30
12 adults at Milford Point on 5/30
5 adults at Long Beach on 5/30

1 pair at Long Beach on 5/30

2 adults at Griswold Point on 5/31

6 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/31

15 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/1

1 pair at Long Beach on 6/1

This concludes update #9 through 6/2/14 as of 5:00 p.m.