AAfCW 2018 Volunteer Update #9

This is the ninth regular weekly update by the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds (AAfCW) for the 2018 season. Today's update includes reports of Piping Plover, American Oystercatcher, Least Tern and Common Tern from July 17 through 6:00pm on July 24 with sightings of birds by volunteers and staff spanning the period.

Informational updates:

Our weather took a quick downturn in recent days with wet and stormy conditions canceling monitoring and damaging some more of our fencing and signage across Connecticut. This week may continue that pattern on and off, sometimes unpredictably - please keep an eye on the short term forecasts, radar, and the skies before you head out. Our staff is repairing or taking fencing down in applicable areas. Please let us know if you see anything that needs our attention. Otherwise our birds continue to fledge and feed young while beginning to stage in certain areas. We may see some with bands or flags that we have not recorded previously, so please continue to note and submit any that you are able to spot and identify. Let's keep educating as much as possible during the busy beach season, too - and thank you all!

Survey and monitoring updates:

Piping Plover
1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/17
5 adults, 8 fledglings at Milford Point on 7/17
4 adults, 5 fledglings at Long Beach on 7/17
2 pairs, 1 adult, 4 fledglings at Long Beach on 7/17
1 adult, 1 fledgling at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/18
1 adult, 1 hatchling, 1 fledgling at Shell Avenue Milford on 7/18
2 adults, 2 hatchlings, 6 fledglings at Milford Point on 7/18
4 adults, 3 hatchlings, 5 fledglings at Long Beach on 7/18
19 adults/fledglings at Milford Point on 7/19
3 adults, 2 fledglings, 1 adult/juvenile at Long Beach on 7/19
2 pairs, 4 fledglings at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/19
1 adult, 2 fledglings at Waterford Town Beach on 7/19
1 adult at Griswold Point on 7/20
19 adults/fledglings/juveniles at Milford Point on 7/20
1 adult, 1 hatchling at Bluff Point on 7/20
10 fledglings at Milford Point on 7/21
6 fledglings at Milford Point on 7/22
12 adults/fledglings at Milford Point on 7/23
1 adult, 4 fledglings at East Broadway Milford on 7/23
1 adult, 3 fledglings, 2 juveniles at Milford Point on 7/23
4 adults, 1 fledgling at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/24

American Oystercatcher
1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/17
1 pair at Long Beach on 7/17
6 adults at Milford Point on 7/17
2 pairs at Milford Point on 7/18
1 pair at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/18
1 pair at Long Beach on 7/19
1 pair at Quinnipeag Rocks on 7/19
1 pair at Silver Sands State Park on 7/19
1 pair at Waterford Town Beach on 7/19
8 adults at Milford Point on 7/19
1 pair, 1 adult, 1 hatchling at Bluff Point on 7/20
6 adults, 4 fledglings at Hammonasset on 7/20
3 pairs at Milford Point on 7/20
1 pair at Griswold Point on 7/20
1 adult at Hammonasset on 7/20
3 pairs, 1 adult at Milford Point on 7/21
1 adult at Milford Point on 7/21
4 pairs at Milford Point on 7/22
3 pairs, 5 adults at Milford Point on 7/23
8 adults at Milford Point on 7/23

Least Tern
13 adults, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/17
3 pairs, 17 adults, 3 nests at Milford Point on 7/17
3 adults at Long Beach on 7/17
6 adults at Milford Point on 7/18
1 pair at Long Beach on 7/19
1 adult at Milford Point on 7/19
1 adult at Bluff Point on 7/20
1 pair at Milford Point on 7/20
2 adults at Hammonasset on 7/20
2 adults at Milford Point on 7/21
14 adults at Milford Point on 7/22
3 adults at Milford Point on 7/23
8 adults at Milford Point on 7/23
6 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/24

Common Tern
15 adults/juveniles at Milford Point on 7/17
22 adults, 3 juveniles at Milford Point on 7/19
5 adults at Waterford Town Beach on 7/19
3 adults, 1 juvenile at Long Beach on 7/19
21 adults at Griswold Point on 7/20
25 adults, 7 juveniles at Hammonasset on 7/20
2 adults at Bluff Point on 7/20
53 adults, 2 juveniles at Milford Point on 7/22
50 adults/juveniles at Milford Point on 7/23
80 adults/juveniles at Milford Point on 7/23

This concludes update #9 through 7/24/18 as of 7:00 p.m.

AAfCW 2018 Volunteer Update #8

This is the eighth regular weekly update by the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds (AAfCW) for the 2018 season. Today's update includes reports of Piping Plover, American Oystercatcher, Least Tern and Common Tern from July 10 through 8:00pm on July 16 with sightings of birds by volunteers and staff spanning the period.

Informational updates:

Over the next week we should see mostly seasonable conditions and continued good beach weather for our birds and the many visitors to our shores. Your education of beachgoers is always welcome and greatly appreciated. We have heard a lot of great and positive stories from interactions with the public this year amidst the typical disturbances, so please keep including all in your reports. Thank you so much for helping to clean our beaches as well and removing trash from *outside* of string fenced areas.

If you visit Pleasure Beach or Sandy/Morse Points you may see our WildLife Guards crew also conducting outreach and monitoring - please do say hello!

See more about the WildLife Guards on the Audubon Connecticut and Roger Tory Peterson Institute websites:
http://ct.audubon.org/conservation/coasts/wildlife-guards
http://rtpi.org/education/wildlife-guards/

And check out their Facebook page:
https://www.facebook.com/AudubonWildlifeGuards/

While we have the WildLife Guards visiting our shores, they are not there all the time and your observations and continued monitoring is still needed as usual through the end of August.

Survey and monitoring updates:

Piping Plover
1 adult, 1 hatchling at Shell Ave. Milford on 7/10
1 adult, 1 hatchling at Silver Sands State Park on 7/10
1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/10
5 pairs, 2 hatchlings, 7 fledglings at Milford Point on 7/10
3 adults, 2 hatchlings, 4 fledglings at Milford Point on 7/10
10 pairs, 14 fledglings at Long Beach on 7/10
1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/10
1 adult, 1 hatchling at Shell Ave. Milford on 7/11
7 adults, 1 hatchling, 3 fledglings at Bluff Point on 7/11
1 adult, 1 hatchling at Silver Sands State Park on 7/11
1 adult, 1 hatchling at Shell Ave. Milford on 7/12
9 adults, 8 fledglings, 2 hatchlings at Milford Point on 7/12
1 adult, 1 hatchling at Silver Sands State Park on 7/12
1 pair, 1 adult, 4 fledglings at Hammonasset on 7/12
5 pairs, 7 fledglings, 2 hatchlings at Milford Point on 7/12
1 adult, 1 fledgling at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/12
2 pairs, 3 adults, 2 hatchlings at Bluff Point on 7/13
1 adult, 1 fledgling at Silver Sands State Park on 7/14
1 fledgling at Silver Sands State Park on 7/14
1 fledgling, 1 juvenile at Long Beach on 7/14
2 pairs, 3 adults, 3 hatchlings, 5 fledglings at Long Beach on 7/15
11 adults, 7 fledglings at Milford Point on 7/15
1 pair, 1 hatchling at Griswold Point on 7/16
1 adult, 1 fledgling at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/16
1 adult, 2 hatchlings at Waterford Town Beach on 7/16
15 adults, 4 juveniles at Long Beach on 7/16
1 adult, 1 hatchling at Shell Ave. Milford on 7/16
2 pairs, 6 adults, 5 fledglings, 7 juveniles at Long Beach on 7/16

American Oystercatcher
1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/10
2 pairs, 1 adult at Milford Point on 7/10
2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/10
2 pairs, 1 adult at Long Beach on 7/10
2 pairs, 1 fledgling at Bluff Point on 7/11
1 pair at Long Beach on 7/11
2 pairs, 4 adults at Milford Point on 7/12
1 pair at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/12
4 pairs at Milford Point on 7/12
1 pair at Hammonasset on 7/12
11 pairs, 10 fledglings at Sandy Point Island on 7/12
1 pair at Lewis Island on 7/13
1 pair at Cedar Island on 7/13
3 adults at Hen Island on 7/13
1 adult at East Stooping Island on 7/13
1 pair, 1 adult, 1 hatchling at Bluff Point on 7/13
1 pair, 1 adult at Long Beach on 7/14
4 pairs at Milford Point on 7/15
1 pair at Griswold Point on 7/16
1 pair at Long Beach on 7/16
2 adults at Silver Sands State Park on 7/16
1 pair at Long Beach on 7/16

Least Tern
5 adults at Milford Point on 7/10
25 adults, 2 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/10
3 pairs, 1 adult at Milford Point on 7/10
4 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/10
4 adults, 1 nest at Milford Point on 7/12
3 adults at Hammonasset on 7/12
4 adults, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/12
1 adult at Bluff Point on 7/13
12 adults at Milford Point on 7/15
6 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/16
5 adults at Long Beach on 7/16

Common Tern
10 adults at Milford Point on 7/10
1 pair at Long Beach on 7/10
5 adults at Milford Point on 7/10
6 adults at Hammonasset on 7/12
13 adults at Thimble Islands on 7/13
3 adults at Bluff Point on 7/13
1 pair at Long Beach on 7/14
8 adults at Milford Point on 7/15
1 adult at Silver Sands State Park on 7/16

This concludes update #8 through 7/17/18 as of 7:30 a.m.

AAfCW 2018 Volunteer Update #7

This is the seventh regular weekly update by the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds (AAfCW) for the 2018 season. Today's update includes reports of Piping Plover, American Oystercatcher, Least Tern and Common Tern from July 2 through 12:00pm on July 9 with sightings of birds by volunteers and staff spanning the period.

Informational updates:

July is a month of change as we see hopefully all of our young birds grow up and be able to leave their beach later in the summer. Many of our Piping Plovers are now reaching fledgling and juvenile stages being able to fly and function on their own. However, we also still have hatchlings running around the very busy beaches. Please keep monitoring as scheduled and submitting your data as soon as possible. It is a great time of year for education as well with so many kids visiting the shoreline.

Thank you so much to everyone who put in the extra effort in monitoring over the holiday and/or attending fireworks events to assist CT DEEP and AAfCW staff. We appreciate everyone who continues to do a tremendous job on our beaches as we head into the latter half of another very successful season.

Survey and monitoring updates:

Piping Plover

5 pairs, 2 adults, 7 fledglings at Long Beach on 7/2

20 adults, 12 fledglings, 2 hatchlings at Milford Point on 7/3

8 adults, 2 juveniles, 1 hatchling at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/4

1 adult, 1 hatchling at East Broadway Milford on 7/4

1 pair, 19 adults, 6 hatchlings, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/4

2 pairs, 3 adults, 13 hatchlings at Milford Point on 7/4

1 adult, 1 hatchling at Silver Sands State Park on 7/4

4 pairs, 8 adults, 3 hatchlings, 6 fledglings, 1 nest at Long Beach on 7/4

4 adults, 3 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/4

1 adult, 1 hatchling at Silver Sands State Park on 7/5

2 pairs, 7 adults, 7 hatchlings, 1 fledgling at Milford Point on 7/5

8 adults, 12 fledglings at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/5

1 pair, 1 adult, 4 hatchlings at Harkness Memorial State Park on 7/5

1 pair, 2 hatchlings at Waterford Town Beach on 7/5

2 pairs, 5 adults, 7 fledglings at Long Beach on 7/6

1 pair, 10 adults, 2 fledglings at Long Beach on 7/6

1 adult, 1 hatchling at Silver Sands State Park on 7/7

4 pairs, 1 adult, 6 fledglings at Long Beach on 7/7

1 pair, 4 adults, 12 hatchlings, 1 fledgling at Milford Point on 7/7

5 adults, 1 juvenile at Bluff Point on 7/8

17 adults, 11 juveniles at Long Beach on 7/8

1 adult, 1 hatchling at Silver Sands State Park on 7/8

1 pair, 12 adults at Long Beach on 7/8

1 pair at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/8

4 pairs, 1 adult, 1 hatchling, 2 fledglings at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/8 

6 pairs, 3 adults, 10 hatchlings at Long Beach on 7/8

American Oystercatcher

2 pairs, 1 adult at Long Beach on 7/2

2 pairs at Tuxis and Gull Rocks on 7/2

8 adults at Milford Point on 7/3

1 pair at Salt Island on 7/3

7 pairs, 1 adult, 1 nest at Menunketesuck Island on 7/3

2 pairs, 1 adult at Duck Island on 7/3

4 adults at Silver Sands State Park on 7/3

3 pairs at Vincent and Greenway Islands on 7/3

1 adult at Milford Point on 7/4

2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/4

1 pair at Long Beach on 7/4

1 pair at Ram Island on 7/5

2 adults, 1 pair at Salt Island on 7/5

3 pairs at Waterford Town Beach on 7/5

3 pairs at Milford Point on 7/5

1 adult at Long Beach on 7/6

2 adults at Silver Sands State Park on 7/7

3 pairs at Milford Point on 7/7

1 adult at Long Beach on 7/8

2 adults at Long Beach on 7/8

1 pair, 1 adult at Long Beach on 7/8

1 pair at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/8

Least Tern

20 adults at Milford Point on 7/3

7 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/4

4 pairs at Milford Point on 7/4

15 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/4

7 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/4

3 pairs at Milford Point on 7/5

14 adults at Waterford Town Beach on 7/5

12 pairs, 12 nests at Harkness Memorial State Park on 7/5

3 pairs at Milford Point on 7/7

12 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/8

4 pairs, 4 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/8

1 pair at Long Beach on 7/8

Common Tern

1 adult at Milford Point on 7/3

3 adults at Salt Island on 7/5

5 adults at Harkness Memorial State Park on 7/5

5 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/8

This concludes update #7 through 7/9/18 as of 4:00 p.m.