AAfCW 2016 Volunteer Update #9

This is the ninth weekly update by the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds (AAfCW) for the 2016 season. Today's update includes reports of Piping Plover, American Oystercatcher, Least Tern and Common Tern from May 16 through 11:00 a.m. on May 23 with sightings of birds by volunteers and staff.

Informational updates:

We have our first American Oystercatcher chicks hatching now in multiple locations during what seems to be a strong season for the species, and we will have hatchling Piping Plovers this week as well. It has been a difficult year so far for our Piping Plovers as more nests were lost last week due to tides and/or abandonment in some cases. Once again please remember from training in March that CT DEEP is selectively exclosing Piping Plover nests this year while participating in a regional study evaluating exclosure success. Therefore there will be complete, four-egg nests that we are aware of and that CT DEEP has already recorded that do not get a metal exclosure placed over them. Please do report nests that you believe are "new" to CT DEEP and us as usual, or any nests that are washed out or otherwise appear to be abandoned.

Please remember that this upcoming weekend is Memorial Day. The holiday will mean busier beaches with a lot more traffic, especially if the weather is cooperative as it appears it will largely be. Many of these visitors will not know about our birds or why they're important and need to be educated on what is happening on the beach. If you have any extra time to monitor outside of your usual shifts please try to visit any of our beaches next Saturday, Sunday and Monday during this critical nesting time at the unofficial beginning of summer. Temperatures all week should be warm and more beachgoers than usual may be present from Wednesday onward. Thank you in advance! The next update will likely come next Tuesday after we wrap up a busy weekend.

Survey and monitoring updates:

Piping Plover
6 pairs, 1 adult, 6 nests at Long Beach on 5/16
6 pairs, 3 nests at Hammonasset on 5/17
6 adults, 2 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/17
10 adults at Long Beach on 5/17
15 adults, 2 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/18

3 pairs, 3 adults, 1 nest at Long Beach on 5/18

1 pair, 5 adults, 1 nest at Milford Point on 5/18

3 pairs, 6 adults, 5 nests at Milford Point on 5/18
4 pairs, 4 nests at Harkness Memorial State Park on 5/18
6 pairs, 1 adult, 5 nests at Griswold Point on 5/18
1 pair, 1 nest at Pleasure Beach on 5/19

3 pairs, 8 adults, 2 nests at Milford Point on 5/19

2 adults at Long Beach on 5/20

2 pairs, 3 adults at Long Beach on 5/20
1 pair, 3 adults at Long Beach on 5/20

2 pairs, 2 adults, 2 nests at Bluff Point on 5/20

4 pairs, 3 adults, 2 nests at Milford Point on 5/20

6 pairs, 1 adult, 3 nests at Hammonasset on 5/20
8 pairs, 2 adults, 4 nests at Milford Point on 5/20
6 pairs, 1 adult, 6 nests at Long Beach on 5/20

8 pairs, 4 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/21
6 pair, 1 adult, 3 nests at Hammonasset on 5/22

American Oystercatcher
1 pair at Long Beach on 5/16
2 pairs at Hammonasset on 5/17
1 pair, 1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/17
1 pair, 2 hatchlings at Lewis Island, Thimbles on 5/17
1 pair, 1 nest at Thimble Island # 18 on 5/17
1 pair, 2 hatchlings at Govenor Island, Thimbles on 5/17
1 pair, 1 nest at Griswold Point on 5/17
1 pair, 1 nest at Griswold Point on 5/18
3 pair, 2 hatchlings, 1 nest at Milford Point on 5/18
2 adults at East Broadway Milford on 5/18

1 pair at Long Beach on 5/18

4 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/18

2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/18

1 pair, 5 adults, 3 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/18

10 pairs, 1 adult, 7 hatchlings, 3 nests at Sandy Point Island on 5/18

1 adult at Stratford Point on 5/19
4 pairs, 2 hatchlings at Milford Point on 5/19
1 pair, 1 nest at Channel Marker, Branford Harbor on 5/19
1 pair, 2 hatchlings at Green Island on 5/19
1 pair, 1 nest at Darrow Rocks, Kelsey Island on 5/19
1 pair at Pleasure Beach on 5/19
3 pairs, 2 hatchlings, 1 nest at Milford Point on 5/20
1 pair at Long Beach on 5/20
1 pair at Long Beach on 5/20
1 pair at Long Beach on 5/20

1 adult at Bluff Point on 5/20

1 pair, 2 hatchlings at Milford Point on 5/20
1 pair, 1 adult at Mason Island on 5/20
1 pair at Hammonasset on 5/20

2 pairs, 1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/21
2 pairs, 3 adults at Hammonasset on 5/22

Least Tern
8 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/18

8 adults at Long Beach on 5/18

6 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/18

1 pair, 28 adults at Milford Point on 5/18
2 pairs, 1 adult at Harkness Memorial State Park on 5/18
15 pairs, 10 adults at Griswold Point on 5/18

6 adults at Stratford Point on 5/19
60 adults at Milford Point on 5/19
9 adults at Long Beach on 5/20

8 adults at Long Beach on 5/20

10 adults at Bluff Point on 5/20

30 adults at Milford Point on 5/20

13 pairs, 2 adults at Hammonasset on 5/20

1 pair at East Broadway on 5/20
1 pair, 4 adults at Silver Sands State Park on 5/20
10 pairs, 20 adults at Milford Point on 5/20
3 pairs, 4 adults at Long Beach on 5/20
6 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/21
12 pairs, 12 adults at Hammonasset on 5/22

Common Tern
6 adults at Lewis Island, Thimbles on 5/17
3 adults at Governor Island, Thimbles on 5/17
2 adults at East Broadway Milford on 5/18

3 adults at Milford Point on 5/18

8 adults at Sandy Point Island on 5/18
2 adults at Peck Ave West Haven on 5/18
2 adults at Harkness Memorial State Park on 5/18
3 pairs at Griswold Point on 5/18

4 adults at Stratford Point on 5/19
5 adults at Milford Point on 5/19
4 pairs at Umbrella Island on 5/19
10 pairs at Green Island on 5/19
6 pairs at Darrow Rocks, Kelsey Island on 5/19
4 adults at Long Beach on 5/20

30 adults at Long Beach on 5/20

2 adults at Milford Point on 5/20
2 pairs at Mason Island on 5/20
3 pairs, 3 adults at Hammonasset on 5/20
1 pair, 1 adult at East Broadway Milford on 5/20
2 adults at Silver Sands State Park on 5/20
2 pairs, 1 adult at Milford Point on 5/20   
2 pairs at Long Beach on 5/20
4 pairs, 2 adults at Hammonasset on 5/22

This concludes update #9 through 05/23/16 as of 12:00 p.m.