AAfCW 2016 Volunteer Update #18

This is the eighteenth 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 18 through 11:00 a.m. on July 25 with sightings of birds by volunteers and staff.

Informational updates:

Amazingly we still have Piping Plover nests hatching as of last week on some of our beaches even with the first bird being reported in the Bahamas for the "winter"! We definitely need to continue monitoring full-time as usual throughout the next month. More observations of terns of various ages continue as well, and American Oystercatchers are still in the middle of nesting season with some dispersal and migratory flocks forming. Please keep an eye even on our quieter 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

2 pairs, 4 adults, 3 hatchlings, 4 fledglings at Griswold Point on 7/18
2 pairs, 2 adults, 3 hatchlings at Bluff Point on 7/18

1 pair, 3 adults, 4 hatchlings, 2 fledglings, 2 nests at Long Beach on 7/19

3 pairs, 4 adults, 3 hatchlings, 13 fledglings at Milford Point on 7/19
1 pair, 5 adults, 5 hatchlings, 1 juvenile, 1 nest at Long Beach on 7/19

2 adults, 1 fledgling at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/19

10 adults, 1 nest at Long Beach on 7/19

2 adults, 1 fledgling at Silver Sands State Park on 7/20

1 pair, 4 adults, 3 fledglings at Griswold Point on 7/20

1 adult, 1 fledgling at Silver Sands State Park on 7/20
1 adult, 4 hatchlings at Short Beach on 7/20

7 adults, 5 fledglings, 1 nest at Long Beach on 7/20

1 fledgling at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/20

6 adults, 4 fledglings, 1 nest at Long Beach on 7/20

1 pair, 1 adult, 3 fledglings, 4 juveniles, 1 nest at Hammonasset on 7/20
1 adult, 1 fledgling at Silver Sands State Park on 7/20
12 adults, 5 hatchlings, 7 fledglings at Milford Point on 7/21

1 adult, 3 hatchlings at Milford Point on 7/22

1 adult, 1 fledgling at Silver Sands State Park on 7/22

1 pair, 1 hatchling, 3 juveniles at Hammonasset on 7/22

2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/23
1 fledgling at Silver Sands State Park on 7/24

2 adults, 2 hatchlings, 4 fledglings at Long Beach on 7/24

2 adults, 1 fledgling at Silver Sands State Park on 7/24
1 adult, 1 fledgling at Silver Sands State Park on 7/24

American Oystercatcher

1 adult at Griswold Point on 7/18
1 adult at Jacobs Beach on 7/18
1 adult at Chaffinch Island on 7/18
1 pair, 1 fledgling at Bluff Point on 7/18
3 pairs, 2 adults, 1 fledgling at Milford Point on 7/19
1 pair, 1 juvenile at Lewis Island on 7/19
1 pair at Wayland Island on 7/19
1 pair at Compo Beach on 7/19
2 pairs, 4 adults, 1 hatchling at Hammonasset on 7/20
4 adults at Silver Sands State Park on 7/20

1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/20

1 pair, 3 hatchlings at Horse Island, Joshua Cove on 7/20
1 adult at Goose Rocks on 7/20

1 pair at Griswold Point on 7/20

1 pair at Rocks, Branford Harbor on 7/21
1 pair, 1 hatchling at Umbrella Island on 7/21
1 pair, 1 juvenile at Kelsey Island on 7/21
1 pair, 1 nest at Darrow Rocks on 7/21
2 pairs, 1 adult, 1 hatchling at Hammonasset on 7/21
2 pairs at Silver Sands State Park on 7/21
15 adults at Milford Point on 7/21
1 pair at Salt Island on 7/22
5 pairs, 2 adults, 2 hatchlings, 2 fledglings at Menunketsuck on 7/22
1 pair, 3 adults, 1 hatchling at Duck Island on 7/22
4 adults at Hammonasset on 7/22
3 adults at Milford Point on 7/22

3 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/24

Least Tern

2 pairs, 1 nest at Bluff Point on 7/18
1 adult at Compo Beach on 7/19
10 pairs, 20 adults, 2 fledglings, 8 nests at Long Beach on 7/19

1 pair, 20 adults, 2 hatchlings, 4 fledglings, 1 nest at Long Beach on 7/19

15 adults at Long Beach on 7/19

1 adult at Compo Beach on 7/20
9 pairs, 13 adults, 2 hatchlings, 3 fledglings, 2 nests at Hammonasset on 7/20

25 adults, 6 fledglings at Long Beach on 7/20

40 adults, 4 fledglings at Griswold Point on 7/20

60 adults, 2 nests at Long Beach on 7/20

7 pairs, 10 adults, 4 hatchlings, 2 fledglings, 2 nests at Hammonasset on 7/21
2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/21
45 adults, 5 fledglings at Milford Point on 7/21
36 adults, 14 nests at Menunketsuck on 7/22
17 adults, 3 fledglings, 2 nests at Hammonasset on 7/22

40 adults, 6 fledglings, 1 nest at Long Beach on 7/24

Common Tern

60 adults, 5 juveniles at Griswold Point on 7/18
2 adults at Bluff Point on 7/18
15 adults at Chaffinch Island on 7/18
23 adults, 2 fledglings at Thimble Islands on 7/19
30 adults at Milford Point on 7/19
25 adults, 5 juveniles at Compo Beach on 7/19

1 pair at Long Beach on 7/19

10 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/20

6 adults at Horse Island, Joshua Cove on 7/20

1 pair at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/20

8 adults, 2 fledglings at Umbrella Island on 7/21
22 adults, 12 fledglings at Green Island on 7/21
1 pair, 2 fledglings at Kelsey Island on 7/21
6 adults at Darrow Rocks on 7/21
54 adults, 6 fledglings at Milford Point on 7/21
1 adult at Milford Point on 7/22
8 adults at Menunketsuck on 7/22
30 adults, 5 fledglings at Hammonasset on 7/22
7 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/24

This concludes update #18 through 07/25/16 as of 12:00 p.m.