AAfCW 2017 Volunteer Update #1

This is the first weekly update by the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds (AAfCW) for the 2017 season. Today's update includes reports of Piping Plover and American Oystercatcher through 1:00 p.m. on April 10 with sightings of birds by volunteers and staff since our official start day on April 1.

Informational updates:

In this first weekly Monday update for our season you will find pertinent information and reminders plus data from our volunteers and staff members that have already hit the beach this year.

We have one more spring fencing date open to the public at Bluff Point State Park in Groton on Thursday, April 13 at 10:00am with a rain date of 4/18. We will meet in the parking area and CT DEEP will shuttle people out to the beach. Please RSVP if you can make it to help out if you have not already. Remember that any and all volunteers are welcome including those who are not monitors. Volunteers should bring: work gloves, water, a snack, appropriate footwear, sunscreen, sunglasses, hats and whatever else you may need avoid too much sun. Our beaches can either be quite cool or very warm depending on the day so dress for any weather. A pocket knife or multi-tool can be handy and a sledge hammer or mallet can be helpful to bring. Plan for heavy lifting and toting, but be mindful of your safety. Less intensive work needed includes stringing posts and putting up signs. Please email us at ctwaterbirds@gmail.com if you can make it.

Identification badges are currently being distributed by CT DEEP. Paperwork for those who did not get a chance to sign up at training in March will be ready soon and sent via email as well as posted publicly in our blog. When you submit this information DEEP will provide you with a badge. Thank you to all the new monitors who attended field training this past Sunday, and if you could not attend or still require extra help please let us know. Additionally, if we were waiting to schedule you with your flexible availability, or you have only recently signed up, please finalize your monitoring schedule as soon as you can.

Also please remember to provide your license plate and mailing address by email to ctwaterbirds@gmail.com if you are going to monitor at Sandy/Morse Points in West Haven and do not have a resident sticker.

It should be a beautiful week to start monitoring! Birds are being seen copulating and nesting should commence in the near future. Enjoy your time at the shore and please let us know if you have any questions.

Survey and monitoring updates:

Piping Plover
5 adults at Long Beach on 4/1
3 adults at Hammonasset on 4/2
2 pairs, 2 adults at Milford Point on 4/2
1 pair, 2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/2
1 adult at Long Beach on 4/2
3 pairs, 3 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/3
3 pairs, 3 adults at Bluff Point on 4/5
3 pairs, 2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/5
4 pairs at Long Beach on 4/5
2 pairs, 8 adults at Long Beach on 4/5
2 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/7
5 pairs, 4 adults at Milford Point/NWR on 4/8
8 pairs at Milford Point on 4/9
5 adults at Milford Point on 4/9
2 pairs, 1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/10

American Oystercatcher
1 pair at Hammonasset on 4/2
2 pairs at Milford Point on 4/2
3 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/2
2 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/3
3 pairs at Milford Point on 4/5
1 pair at Griswold Point on 4/5
1 pair at Bluff Point on 4/5
1 pair at Long Beach on 4/5
2 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/5
1 pair at Long Beach on 4/5
1 adult at Pleasure Beach on 4/7
5 pairs at Milford Point/NWR on 4/8
1 adult at Silver Sands State Park on 4/8
3 pairs at Milford Point on 4/9
3 pairs at Milford Point on 4/9
2 pairs, 1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/10

This concludes update #1 through 4/10/17 as of 5:00 p.m.