AAfCW 2017 Volunteer Update #3

This is the third 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 2:00 p.m. on April 24 with sightings of birds by volunteers and staff since the previous update on April 17.

Informational updates:

Identification badges are currently being received by monitors if you signed up at training. For those who did not your forms will be ready soon and then you can submit them to CT DEEP at which time they will mail you a badge. Please see the PDF "2017 Piping Plover Monitoring Program" in the right-hand column of this blog as a refresher if you were at training and as required reading for those who were not. It includes a program overview, how to be a good witness, various contact information, dog laws, and more. The second PDF to note is a CT DEEP volunteer time form that you can fill out and return to DEEP at the end of our season in August if you are a registered monitor.

Our beaches are filling up with birds and nests are beginning to be discovered now. Please remember whether it is a marked bird, a disturbance of note that however does not reach "take" status, a new nest, and other significant information, please email CT DEEP (Laura.Saucier@ct.gov and Rebecca.Foster@ct.gov) and AAfCW directly about it with all the information you can as soon as possible.

Both Least and Common Terns begin returning to Connecticut usually right around May 1, so do not expect to see any for another week or more. Remember, if the temperature is below 50, it is raining, or it is especially windy, you should stay home on these stressful days for the birds.

Survey and monitoring updates:

Piping Plover
2 pairs, 2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/17
3 pairs, 1 adult at Long Beach on 4/17
4 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/17
1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/17
8 pairs at Milford Point on 4/17
1 pair at Pleasure Beach on 4/18
3 pairs, 2 adults at Long Beach on 4/18
5 pairs, 6 adults at Milford Point on 4/18
7 pairs at Long Beach on 4/18
1 pair, 1 adult at Long Beach on 4/18
2 pairs, 3 adults at Long Beach on 4/18
1 pair at Long Beach on 4/19
6 pairs at Hammonasset on 4/20
6 pairs, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/20
2 adult at Long Beach on 4/20
4 pairs, 2 adults at Milford Point on 4/20
5 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/20
3 pairs, 2 adults, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/20
1 pair at Short Beach on 4/22
1 pair at Short Beach on 4/22
1 adult at Greenwich Point Park on 4/22
2 pairs at Long Beach on 4/22
1 pair, 4 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/22
3 pairs, 2 adults at Long Beach on 4/22
6 pairs, 2 adults at Long Beach on 4/23
1 pair at East Ave, West Haven on 4/23
1 pair, 7 adults at Long Beach on 4/23
1 pair, 8 adults, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/23

American Oystercatcher
2 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/17
2 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/17
3 pairs at Milford Point on 4/18
1 pair, 1 adult at Long Beach on 4/18
2 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/18
1 pair at Pleasure Beach on 4/18
1 pair at Silver Sands State Park on 4/18
3 pairs at Milford Point on 4/18
2 adults at Compo Beach on 4/18
1 pair at Long Beach on 4/18
1 pair, 1 nest at Lewis Island, Thimbles on 4/18
1 pair at Governor Island, Thimbles on 4/18
1 pair at Island # 18, Thimbles on 4/18
1 pair, 1 adult at Grass Island on 4/19
1 pair at Chaffinch Island on 4/20
1 pair, 1 adult at Horse Island, Joshua Cove on 4/20
2 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/20
1 pair at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/20
1 pair at Hammonasset on 4/20
2 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/20
3 pairs at Milford Point on 4/20
1 pair at Short Beach on 4/21
1 adult at Greenwich Point Park on 4/22
3 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/22
1 adult at Greenwich Point Park on 4/23
3 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/23
1 pair at Silver Sands State Park on 4/23
1 pair at Long Beach on 4/23
3 pairs, 1 adult, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/23

This concludes update #3 through 4/24/17 as of 5:30 p.m.