AAfCW 2017 Volunteer Update #6

This is the sixth weekly update by the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds (AAfCW) for the 2017 season. Today's update includes reports of Piping Plover, American Oystercatcher, Least Tern, and Common Tern through 1:00 p.m. on May 15 with sightings of birds by volunteers and staff since the previous update on May 8.

Informational updates:

We are continuing to discover and exclose Piping Plover nests. These exclosures are very effective against mammalian and avian predators, and serve as a terrific teachable moment while on the beach and speaking with visitors. Please keep in mind that if you see an exclosed nest that it has four eggs and is complete, and we do not need to know any details about the eggs or to have a close look at the adults. Their safety and incubation is most important. You may find nests that are not attended to immediately because we want the birds to complete it before being exclosed. American Oystercatcher nests do not get exclosed, and they are working on nesting in many areas after a lot of frequent washouts as our weather has been uncooperative thus far this spring.

If you have to cancel your monitoring due to the weather there is no need to make it up, and that would be strictly optional. Additionally, there is no need to worry about a minimum hours per month. 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.

Survey and monitoring updates:

Piping Plover

1 pair at Silver Sands State Park on 5/8
1 pair at East Broadway Milford on 5/8

9 adults, 4 nests at Long Beach on 5/8

1 pair, 2 adults, 3 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/8

5 pairs, 4 adults, 7 nests at Long Beach on 5/9

5 pairs, 1 adult, 4 nests at Milford Point on 5/9

1 pair at East Broadway Milford on 5/9

5 pairs, 1 adult, 4 nests at Long Beach on 5/9

10 pairs, 1 adult, 4 nests at Long Beach on 5/9
1 pair at Short Beach on 5/9
5 adults, 4 nests at Long Beach on 5/9
1 pair at East Broadway Milford on 5/9
2 adults, 2 nests at Long Beach on 5/10
11 adults, 6 nests at Long Beach on 5/10

1 pair, 5 adults, 6 nests at Long Beach on 5/10

2 pairs, 7 adults, 1 nest at Milford Point on 5/10

11 adults, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/10

1 adult at Long Beach on 5/10

3 pairs, 4 adults, 1 nest at Bluff Point on 5/10

2 pairs, 2 adults, 1 nest at Long Beach on 5/11

4 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/11

7 pairs, 5 nests at Milford Point on 5/11
8 adults, 7 nests at Long Beach on 5/11
1 pair, 5 adults, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/12

2 pairs, 3 adults, 2 nests at Bluff Point on 5/12

5 pairs, 4 adults, 6 nests at Long Beach on 5/12

1 pair, 2 adults, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/12

American Oystercatcher

1 pair at Long Beach on 5/8

2 pairs, 1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/8

1 pair at Silver Sands State Park on 5/8
1 pair at Long Beach on 5/9
1 pair at Long Beach on 5/9

3 pairs at Milford Point on 5/9

1 pair, 1 nest at Long Beach on 5/9

1 pair at Long Beach on 5/9
1 pair at Long Beach on 5/10
5 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/10

4 pairs at Milford Point on 5/10

1 pair at Long Beach on 5/10

2 pairs, 1 nest at Bluff Point on 5/10

2 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/11

1 pair at Long Beach on 5/11
3 pairs at Milford Point on 5/11

1 pair, 1 adult, 1 nest at Bluff Point on 5/12

3 pairs, 1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/12

1 pair at Long Beach on 5/12

Least Tern
4 adults at Cedar Beach on 5/8

1 pair, 1 adult at Long Beach on 5/8

2 adults at Silver Sands State Park on 5/8
10 adults at East Broadway Milford on 5/8
3 adults at Short Beach on 5/8

14 adults at Long Beach on 5/9

4 adults at East Broadway Milford on 5/9
7 adults at Long Beach on 5/9
8 adults at Long Beach on 5/9
3 adults at Short Beach on 5/9
2 adults at East Broadway Milford on 5/9
14 adults at Milford Point on 5/9

15 adults at Milford Point on 5/10

10 adults at Milford Point on 5/11
15 adults at Long Beach on 5/12

Common Tern

12 Common Terns at Long Beach on 5/10

1 adult at Bluff Point on 5/10

2 adults at Bluff Point on 5/12

This concludes update #6 through 5/15/17 as of 5:00 p.m.