2016 AAfCW Training Completed

On Saturday, March 12, the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds (Audubon Connecticut and the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History), the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection completed successful training sessions for many of our fantastic past and new volunteer shorebird and tern monitors. Our collective staffs welcomed nearly 80 volunteers to Stratford Point, and thankfully we may end up near 100 regular monitors for the 2016 season.

USFWS’ Shaun Roche, Visitor Services Manager, Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge

Laura Saucier, Wildlife Biologist from CT DEEP

Discussing law enforcement with the group

Corrie Folsom-O’Keefe, Audubon Connecticut Important Bird Area Coordinator, speaking about the “Be A Good Egg” program

These citizen scientists and educators will hit the beaches come April, monitoring Piping Plovers and American Oystercatchers with other species like the Least and Common Terns returning in May. If you would like to join us on the Connecticut shore this spring and summer please email us at ctwaterbirds@gmail.com to sign-up. Even if you cannot regularly monitor a beach you may be able to assist in outreach or education, lend a hand at string fencing and signage parties, or survey for other waterbird species. We usually have at least 200, and sometimes 300 or 400, dedicated, caring volunteers each year, and we would love to have you become one of them. Thank you all!