AAfCW 2017 Volunteer Update #9

This is the ninth 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 12:00 p.m. on June 5 with sightings of birds by volunteers and staff since the previous update on May 29.

Informational updates:

Yet more wet weather is on the way this week with rain expected on multiple days. The inclement conditions continue to make life more difficult for our birds, from washed out nests to more effort expended in keeping hatchlings well fed and warm. Please keep this in mind and that, as always, we ask that you please skip your monitoring if there is rain on the forecast or occurring at the beach when you arrive. Checking the local radar before you head out is always a good idea. While we know you will miss the birds but they need extra space and freedom to move during poor weather, and the beaches will have fewer visitors to educate as well.

While Piping Plovers are extremely widespread this year our Least and Common Terns seem to be rather concentrated in a handful of areas. As said last week, please remember that we do not need detailed tern data such as egg counts or even nest counts, and that caution while not flushing them off eggs is paramount. Thank you for all making a real difference on our beaches in picking up trash, talking to beachgoers, maintaining fencing and signage, reporting loose dogs, educating boaters, and everything all of you do every day to facilitate a successful season.

Survey and monitoring updates:

Piping Plover

1 adult, 1 nest at Peck Ave. West Haven on 5/29
7 pairs, 2 hatchlings, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/29
11 pairs, 1 adult, 10 hatchlings, 9 nests at Long Beach on 5/29
1 pair, 2 hatchlings, 1 nest at Pleasure Beach on 5/29
5 pairs, 3 nests at Milford Point on 5/29
2 pairs, 2 adults, 1 hatchling, 1 nest at Long Beach on 5/30
3 pairs at Sandy Point Island on 5/30
1 pair, 3 hatchlings at Pleasure Beach on 5/30
1 pair at Short Beach on 5/30
1 adult, 1 nest at Sherwood Island State Park on 5/30

1 pair, 7 adults, 1 hatchling at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/30

1 pair at Short Beach on 5/30

3 pairs, 5 adults, 6 hatchlings, 5 nests at Long Beach on 5/30

10 pairs, 8 nests at Milford Point on 5/30
1 adult at Short Beach on 5/31
6 pairs, 6 hatchlings, 1 nest at Hammonasset on 5/31
5 pairs, 1 adult, 3 nests at Bluff Point on 5/31
7 pairs, 2 hatchlings, 4 nests at Bluff Point on 5/31
5 pairs, 1 adult, 2 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/31
1 pair, 1 nest at Peck Ave. West Haven on 5/31
1 pair at Short Beach on 5/31

1 pair, 4 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/31

8 adults, 2 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/31

6 pairs, 4 nests at Milford Point on 5/31

12 adults, 4 nests at Milford Point on 6/1
10 adults, 8 hatchlings, 4 nests at Long Beach on 6/1
1 pair, 3 hatchlings at Pleasure Beach on 6/1
1 pair, 1 nest at East Broadway Milford on 6/1

2 pairs, 2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/1

11 pairs, 9 nests at Milford Point on 6/1
12 adults, 2 hatchlings, 6 nests at Long Beach on 6/1

10 pairs, 1 hatchling, 5 nests at Milford Point on 6/1

5 pairs, 3 adults, 5 hatchlings at Hammonasset on 6/2
2 adults, 4 hatchlings at Harkness Memorial State Park on 6/2
1 pair, 3 hatchlings at Pleasure Beach on 6/2

9 adults, 2 hatchlings, 5 nests at Long Beach on 6/2

1 pair, 4 adults, 2 nests at Long Beach on 6/2

3 pairs, 10 adults, 1 hatchling, 6 nests at Milford Point on 6/2

1 adult at Short Beach on 6/2

4 pairs, 1 adult, 5 hatchlings, 2 nests at Bluff Point on 6/2

5 adults, 3 hatchlings, 4 nests at Long Beach on 6/3

3 pairs, 1 adult, 1 hatchling, 4 nests at Milford Point on 6/3

2 pairs, 5 adults, 3 nests at Long Beach on 6/3

1 pair, 3 adults, 2 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/3

6 pairs, 2 adults, 9 hatchlings, 4 nests at Long Beach on 6/4
1 adult, 1 nest at Peck Ave. West Haven on 6/4

6 pairs, 2 hatchlings, 3 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/4

American Oystercatcher

3 pairs, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/29
1 pair at Long Beach on 5/29
1 pair, 1 nest at Pleasure Beach on 5/29
12 adults at Milford Point on 5/29
1 pair, 1 nest at Pleasure Beach on 5/30
3 pairs, 3 adults at Milford Point on 5/30

1 adult at Long Beach on 5/30

1 pair at Calf Pasture Beach on 5/30
1 pair at Silver Sands State Park on 5/30

1 pair, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/30

1 pair at Long Beach on 5/30
9 pairs, 1 adult, 17 hatchlings at Sandy Point Island on 5/30
2 pairs at Sandy Point on 5/31
7 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/31

3 adults at Milford Point on 5/31

2 pairs at Hammonasset on 5/31

1 pair, 1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/31

2 pairs, 2 hatchlings, 1 nest at Bluff Point on 5/31
15 adults at Milford Point on 6/1
1 pair, 3 adults at Long Beach on 6/1
1 adult at Pleasure Beach on 6/1
1 pair at Cos Cob Park on 6/1
1 pair at Diving Island on 6/1
2 pairs, 4 hatchlings at Greenwich Island on 6/1
2 pairs at Great Captain Island on 6/1
1 pair, 1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/1
3 pairs, 1 adult at Milford Point on 6/1
1 pair, 1 nest at Pleasure Beach on 6/2
3 pairs, 1 adult at Hammonasset on 6/2

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

1 pair at Ocean Beach State Park on 6/2

1 pair, 1 adult at Milford Point on 6/2

1 pair at Tuxis Island on 6/2
2 pairs at Gull Rocks on 6/2
2 pairs, 1 nest at Horse Island, Joshua Cove on 6/2
1 pair at Fish Islands on 6/2
1 pair, 2 hatchlings at Crab Island on 6/2
1 pair at Contentment Island Rocks on 6/2
1 pair, 1 nest at Long Beach on 6/2
1 pair at Long Beach on 6/3

3 pairs, 2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/3

1 pair at Long Beach on 6/3

3 pairs at Milford Point on 6/3

1 adult, 1 nest at Long Beach on 6/4

2 pairs, 1 adult, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/4

Least Tern

18 pairs, 15 nests at Long Beach on 5/29
1 pair at Pleasure Beach on 5/29

70 adults at Long Beach on 5/29

1 pair at Pleasure Beach on 5/30
3 adults at Short Beach on 5/30
4 pairs, 3 nests at Milford Point on 5/30
4 pairs at Sandy Point Island on 5/30
1 pair at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/31

10 adults, 4 nests at Milford Point on 5/31

4 pairs, 2 nests at Hammonasset on 5/31
10 adults at Milford Point on 6/1

1 pair, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/1

56 adults, 6 nests at Long Beach on 6/1
5 pairs, 1 adult, 4 nests at Hammonasset on 6/2

2 pairs, 3 adults, 5 nests at Long Beach on 6/2

1 pair, 1 nest at Milford Point on 6/2

1 adult at Bluff Point on 6/2

6 pairs, 6 nests at Harkness Memorial State Park on 6/2

3 pairs, 11 adults at Long Beach on 6/3

50 adults at Long Beach on 6/4

2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/4

Common Tern

1 adult at Pleasure Beach on 5/30

1 pair at Long Beach on 5/30

11 adults at Sherwood Island State Park on 5/30
4 adults at Hammonasset on 5/31
2 pairs at Diving Island on 6/1
1 pair at Joshua Cove on 6/2
5 pairs, 3 nests at Crab Island on 6/2

3 adults at Bluff Point on 6/2

This concludes update #9 through 6/5/17 as of 5:00 p.m.