AAfCW 2015 Volunteer Update #18

This is the eighteenth weekly update by the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds (AAfCW) for the 2015 season. Today's update includes reports of Piping Plover, American Oystercatcher, Least Tern and Common Tern from July 27 through 4:00 p.m. on August 3 with sightings of birds by volunteers and staff spanning that period.

Informational updates:

Temperatures may be near 90 again tomorrow with the potential for thunderstorms, so please be cautious. We will see cooling as the week continues with the potential for more scattered showers and storms later in the latter half. We are now in August, the final month of the field season, and nesting is coming to a close. Nevertheless, hatchling Piping Plovers, American Oystercatchers, and Least Terns remain on our beaches and need our constant monitoring.

Additionally we should keep in mind that migrant individuals, including banded/flagged birds from other areas, will be coming through the very same nesting hotspots. Please let us know about any unexpected or rare sightings, and keep an eye out for birds like other federally listed species like the Roseate Tern and Red Knot. Any time we are on the beach we can be educating beachgoers about all of the beautiful birds we can see at this time of year.

Survey and monitoring updates:

Piping Plover
1 pair, 2 juveniles, 1 nest at Shell Avenue Milford on 7/28
5 adults, 7 fledglings, 3 juveniles at Hammonasset on 7/28
1 adult, 4 fledglings at Cedar Island on 7/28
3 hatchlings at Long Beach on 7/28
1 pair, 1 nest at Shell Ave Milford on 7/28
1 adult, 6 fledglings at Long Beach on 7/28
1 pair, 1 nest at Shell Avenue Milford on 7/29
1 pair, 1 nest at Shell Avenue Milford on 7/29
8 adults at Long Beach on 7/29
1 adult, 3 fledglings, 1 juvenile at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/30
2 adults, 2 hatchlings, 12 juveniles at Milford Point on 7/30
1 pair, 1 nest at Shell Ave Milford on 7/30
1 adult, 1 hatchling at Milford Point on 7/30
1 adult, 1 fledgling at Bluff Point on 7/31
3 adults, 5 hatchlings, 1 fledgling at Griswold Point on 7/31
6 adults, 9 fledglings, 3 juveniles at Hammonasset on 8/1
3 adults, 4 fledglings, 2 juveniles at Griswold Point on 8/2
6 fledglings, 2 adults at Milford Point on 8/2
1 pair at Bluff Point on 8/2
8 adults at Compo Beach Marina on 8/2

American Oystercatcher
1 adult at Pleasure Beach on 7/28
1 pair, 3 hatchlings at Hammonasset on 7/28
1 adult at Long Beach on 7/28
1 pair at Long Rock off Griswold Island on 7/29
1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/29
1 pair at Long Beach on 7/29
2 pairs, 1 adult, 1 hatchling at Milford Point on 7/30
2 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/30
2 pairs, 1 hatchling at Milford Point on 7/30
1 pair, 1 hatchling at Lewis Island, Thimbles on 7/30
1 pair at Governor Island, Thimbles on 7/30
1 pair, 2 juveniles at Channel Marker on 7/31
1 pair, 1 juvenile at Umbrella Island on 7/31
1 adult, 2 juveniles at Kelsey Island on 7/31
1 pair at Darrow Rocks on 7/31
1 adult at Calf Island on 7/31
2 pairs, 12 adults, 10 fledglings at Menunketesuck Island on 7/31
3 pairs at Milford Point on 8/2
1 pair, 1 adult at Bluff Point on 8/2
1 pair, 3 hatchlings at Hammonasset on 8/2

Least Tern
1 pair at Long Beach on 7/28
20 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/29
60 adults, 1 hatchling, 4 juveniles at Milford Point on 7/30
74 adults, 11 fledglings at Menunketesuck Island on 7/31
4 adults at Griswold Point on 8/2
76 adults, 5 fledglings, 1 juvenile, 2 nests at Milford Point on 8/2
3 pairs, 6 adults, 1 hatchling, 1 fledgling, 2 juveniles, 1 nest at Bluff Point on 8/2

Common Tern
26 adults, 52 juveniles at Hammonasset on 7/28
1 pair at Long Beach on 7/28
7 adults, 10 juveniles at Griswold Island on 7/29
20 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/29
4 adults at Long Beach on 7/29
97 adults, 3 juveniles at Milford Point on 7/30
9 adults, 5 juveniles at Thimble Islands on 7/30
1 pair, 1 adult, 1 fledgling at Great Captain's Island on 7/30
263 adults, 59 fledglings at Menunketesuck Island on 7/31
36 adults, 41 juveniles at Hammonasset on 8/1
100 adults at Griswold Point on 8/2
146 adults, 18 fledglings at Milford Point on 8/2

This concludes update #18 through 8/3/15 as of 5:00 p.m.