AAfCW 2017 Volunteer Update #12

This is the twelfth 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 6:00 p.m. on June 26 with sightings of birds by volunteers and staff since the previous update on June 19.

Informational updates:

The weather should be pleasant on many days through the Fourth of July making for excellent beach conditions and a lot of visitor traffic. Please continue your education efforts whenever possible. We now have some Piping Plovers entering the fledgling stage as our young birds begin to learn to fly! Remember that birds are hatchlings for approximately the first month before they grow enough to take flight, and even at this point they are still dependent on their parents or parent. It will still be some time before we have independent juvenile birds.

With all that said we are ending June with Piping Plover re-nests still being exclosed, so please be on the lookout for additional nests and be aware DEEP and AAfCW staff are working as diligently as possible - when weather and time allows - to get these tasks completed. There is a lot to cover at the moment, and the holiday weekend will mean our beaches need all the help they can get. Your efforts are all the more valuable and appreciated during this time - thank you!

Survey and monitoring updates:

Piping Plover

1 pair, 3 hatchlings at East Broadway Milford on 6/19
1 pair, 3 hatchlings at East Broadway Milford on 6/20

2 pairs, 10 adults, 4 hatchlings, 7 nests at Milford Point on 6/20

5 pairs, 6 adults, 11 hatchlings, 2 fledglings, 2 nests at Long Beach on 6/20

6 pairs, 3 adults, 2 hatchlings, 3 nests at Bluff Point on 6/20

1 pair, 6 adults, 5 nests at Milford Point on 6/20

4 pairs, 3 adults, 8 hatchlings, 2 nests at Bluff Point on 6/20

4 adults, 2 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/20

1 pair, 3 hatchlings at East Broadway on 6/20
1 pair, 1 adult at Silver Sands State Park on 6/20
1 pair, 3 hatchlings at East Broadway Milford on 6/21

1 pair, 1 nest at Silver Sands State Park on 6/21

3 pairs, 3 adults, 1 fledgling, 3 nests at Long Beach on 6/21

1 pair, 2 hatchlings, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/21

12 adults, 1 hatchling, 2 fledglings at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/21
25 adults, 18 hatchlings, 2 nests at Long Beach on 6/21
9 pairs, 5 hatchlings, 7 nests at Milford Point on 6/21
7 pairs, 5 hatchlings, 5 nests at Milford Point on 6/22

5 pairs, 2 adults, 4 fledglings, 2 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/22

1 pair, 1 nest at Short Beach on 6/22
9 pairs, 1 hatchling, 7 nests at Milford Point on 6/22
5 pairs, 1 hatchling, 4 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/22
1 pair, 3 hatchlings at East Broadway Milford on 6/23

7 pairs, 1 adult, 3 hatchlings, 7 fledglings, 2 nests at Bluff Point on 6/23

4 pairs, 5 adults, 3 hatchlings, 1 nest at Bluff Point on 6/23
2 adults, 1 nest at Silver Sands State Park on 6/23

2 pairs, 1 adult, 3 hatchlings, 3 nests at Milford Point on 6/23

1 pair, 3 hatchlings at East Broadway/Shell Ave on 6/23
1 pair, 1 nest at Cockenoe Island on 6/23

3 pairs, 5 adults, 2 hatchlings, 3 fledglings, 1 nest at Long Beach on 6/23

1 adult at Waterford Town Beach on 6/23
5 pairs, 1 adult, 3 hatchlings at Hammonasset on 6/23

4 adults, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/24

9 pairs, 7 nests at Milford Point on 6/24
1 pair, 1 nest at Silver Sands State Park on 6/25

1 adult, 1 nest at Silver Sands State Park on 6/25

3 pairs, 7 hatchlings at Bluff Point on 6/25
4 pairs, 6 hatchlings at Mumford Cove on 6/25

6 pairs, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/25
9 pairs, 2 hatchlings, 3 fledglings, 5 nests at Hammonasset on 6/25

1 adult, 2 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/26

American Oystercatcher

3 pairs at Milford Point on 6/20

1 pair, 1 nest at Long Beach on 6/20

1 pair at Bluff Point on 6/20

1 pair, 2 adults at Milford Point on 6/20

2 pairs, 3 hatchlings at Bluff Point on 6/20

1 pair, 1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/20

2 pairs, 3 hatchlings at Bluff Point on 6/20
1 pair, 6 adults at Milford Point on 6/20

3 pairs at Milford Point on 6/21
1 pair at Gulf Avenue Trumbull on 6/21
3 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/21
3 pairs at Milford Point on 6/21
1 pair, 1 adult at Long Beach on 6/21

1 pair at Silver Sands State Park on 6/21

1 pair at Long Beach on 6/21

4 pairs, 1 adult at Milford Point on 6/21

2 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/22
3 pairs, 3 adults at Milford Point on 6/22
1 pair at Long Beach on 6/22
3 pairs, 4 adults at Milford Point on 6/22
1 pair at Silver Sands State Park on 6/23
1 pair, 3 hatchlings at Bluff Point on 6/23
1 adult at Ocean Beach State Park on 6/23
1 adult at Waterford Town Beach on 6/23
2 pairs, 7 adults, 1 nest at Hammonasset on 6/23

1 pair, 1 adult, 2 hatchlings at Bluff Point on 6/23

1 pair, 1 adult at Milford Point on 6/23

3 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/24
12 adults at Milford Point on 6/24
1 pair, 1 hatchling at Bluff Point on 6/25
1 pair, 5 adults, 1 nest at Hammonasset on 6/25
1 pair, 2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/25

Least Tern

2 pairs, 2 adults at Bluff Point on 6/20

2 pairs at Milford Point on 6/20

35 adults at Long Beach on 6/20

6 adults at Milford Point on 6/20

2 adults at Bluff Point on 6/20

50 pairs, 10 adults, 49 nests at Griswold Point on 6/20

3 pairs, 7 adults, 1 nest at Long Beach on 6/21

1 pair at Milford Point on 6/21

3 pairs, 1 nest at Milford Point on 6/21
43 adults at Long Beach on 6/21

4 adults at Milford Point on 6/22

3 pairs, 1 nest at Long Beach on 6/22

2 adults at Bluff Point on 6/23

1 pair at Milford Point on 6/23

2 pairs, 20 adults, 2 nests at Long Beach on 6/23

1 pair at Bluff Point on 6/23
24 adults, 9 nests at Hammonasset on 6/23
1 pair at Milford Point on 6/24
13 pairs, 12 nests at Hammonasset on 6/25
25 adults, 18 nests at Mumford Cove on 6/25

3 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/25

Common Tern

2 adults at Silver Sands State Park on 6/23
1 adult at East Broadway/Shell Ave on 6/23
400 pairs, 200 nests, 34 hatchlings at Cockenoe Island on 6/23
1 pair at Waterford Town Beach on 6/23
17 adults at Compo Beach on 6/24
11 adults at Milford Point on 6/24
2 pairs at Hammonasset on 6/25
4 adults at Milford Point on 6/25

This concludes update #12 through 6/26/17 as of 10:00 p.m.