AAfCW 2016 Volunteer Update #16

This is the sixteenth 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 July 5 through 12:00 p.m. on July 11 with sightings of birds by volunteers and staff.

Informational updates:

We still have a number of beaches with young birds on them and monitoring will be very necessary throughout July into August. Your observations of disturbances including kite flying or surfing, trash and bonfires, dogs or other human activities are always appreciated as well. Some individual birds that have completed the breeding season are beginning to disperse or even migrate, so please keep an eye on our beaches for banded or flagged Piping Plovers or American Oystercatchers moving into Connecticut from neighboring states or regions. Please remember to email Laura.Saucier@ct.gov along with us if you see any banded or flagged birds, and to get as much information about them and their tagging information as possible (within reason and with the safety of the birds being paramount). Photos are always helpful, too. Thank you!

Survey and monitoring updates:

Piping Plover
1 pair, 1 hatchling at Silver Sands State Park on 7/5
1 pair, 4 hatchlings at Short Beach on 7/5

3 pairs, 1 adult, 2 hatchlings, 9 fledglings, 1 nest at Long Beach on 7/6

1 pair, 1 hatchling at Silver Sands State Park on 7/6
1 pair, 4 hatchlings at Short Beach on 7/6
6 pairs, 7 hatchlings, 4 fledglings at Milford Point on 7/6
1 pair, 1 hatchling at Silver Sands State Park on 7/6

6 adults, 2 hatchlings, 5 fledglings at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/6

4 pairs, 3 adults, 6 hatchlings, 6 fledglings, 1 nest at Long Beach on 7/6

11 adults at Long Beach on 7/6

4 adults, 1 hatchling, 11 juveniles at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/6
1 pair, 1 hatchling at Silver Sands State Park on 7/7
1 adult, 1 hatchling at Silver Sands State Park on 7/8

2 pairs, 16 adults/juveniles, 3 fledglings, 1 nest at Long Beach on 7/8

9 adults, 7 fledglings at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/9

1 pair, 1 hatchling at Silver Sands State Park on 7/9

1 adult, 1 hatchling at Silver Sands State Park on 7/9
3 pairs, 2 adults, 2 hatchlings, 4 fledglings, 1 nest at Hammonasset on 7/9
1 adult, 1 hatchling at Silver Sands State Park on 7/10

2 pairs, 7 adults, 7 hatchlings, 11 fledglings at Long Beach on 7/10

2 pairs, 1 nest at Long Beach on 7/10

1 pair, 18 adults, 1 hatchling, 5 fledglings at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/10

2 adults, 1 hatchling, 4 fledglings at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/11

American Oystercatcher

1 pair, 2 hatchlings at Branford Harbor Channel Marker on 7/6
1 adult at Umbrella Island on 7/6

1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/6

1 pair, 1 fledgling at Green Island on 7/6
1 pair at Long Beach on 7/6
1 pair, 1 hatchling at Darrow Rocks on 7/6
1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/6
1 pair, 1 nest at Compo Beach on 7/8

2 adults at Long Beach on 7/8

1 pair, 1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/9

3 adults at Silver Sands State Park on 7/10
1 pair, 1 nest at Compo Beach on 7/10
3 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/10

Least Tern

1 adult at Silver Sands State Park on 7/6
2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/6

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

4 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/6
8 pairs, 4 hatchlings, 3 nests at Long Beach on 7/6

18 adults at Long Beach on 7/6

5 adults, 1 hatchling at Silver Sands State Park on 7/8

15 adults, 3 hatchlings at Long Beach on 7/8

6 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/9

2 adults at Silver Sands State Park on 7/9
4 adults at Silver Sands State Park on 7/10
14 adults, 6 hatchlings at Long Beach on 7/10

36 pairs, 3 hatchlings at Long Beach on 7/10
2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/10

2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/11

Common Tern

1 adult at Silver Sands State Park on 7/6

2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/6

10 pairs at Green Island on 7/6
9 adults at Darrow Rocks, Kelsey Island on 7/6

1 adult at Long Beach on 7/6

6 adults at Menunketsuck on 7/6
2 adults at Silver Sands State Park on 7/8
10 adults at Hammonasset on 7/9
2 adults at Silver Sands State Park on 7/10
1 adult at Long Beach on 7/10

2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/10

This concludes update #16 through 07/11/16 as of 2:00 p.m.