NBC Connecticut Feature

Much thanks to NBC Connecticut and Kaitlyn McGrath! In case you missed yesterday's 5pm news on NBC, check out this feature...

Or read the story here: https://www.nbcconnecticut.com/news/local/impacts-from-covid-19-lead-to-lowest-productivity-in-decades-for-local-bird-species/2387445

Please share waterbirds eBird checklists

If you could, please share any eBird checklists that include shorebirds, terns, herons or egrets with the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds at ctwaterbirds@gmail.com whenever you can. We have requested this help in previous years, and please keep them coming in 2020!

There is a button on eBird to share in the upper left when viewing checklists, and if you click that and enter ctwaterbirds@gmail.com you can easily do so with applicable checklists. Even old checklists can be sent if you have any from earlier in the year. This helps us record the staging and nesting areas for these birds - those that we do not monitor every pair in Connecticut as we do for Piping Plovers and American Oystercatchers - and also helps us track volunteer hours for folks who are recording waterbird activity. Please be sure these checklists contain your time spent in the field in the reports to help track level of effort.

This is a huge help in 2020 when we have had a very difficult year for AAfCW and CT DEEP due to COVID-19. The more information, data and time from the field, the better. Your assistance is greatly appreciated. If you are not an "official" monitor, we still would love your time and data, thanks!

Scott Kruitbosch
AAfCW Volunteer Coordinator

Beach Umbrellas

It can be very difficult for our beach nesting birds to find the right beach umbrella to buy for the family. All too often their habitats have been stripped of vegetation for one reason or another, from too much human traffic in sensitive areas to impacts from severe weather or climate change. Beaches are also frequently cleaned by hand and/or machine for our recreation, leaving little besides sand, removing the wrack line and anything else that washes ashore.

I was surveying one of our focal sites with a colleague this summer when we could not find two American Oystercatcher hatchlings. Their parents were around, though we were not very close to them. No birds were interacting with us, which is as it should be. After a few minutes we noticed one hatchling, finally...

That type of cover is very important when it comes to finding a safe spot to hide from predators (including humans, dogs, and cats), and to stay cool on particularly sunny and hot summer days. While we were happy to see this bird, where was the other little one? Look closer! 

In real life, we kept walking down the shoreline, and a couple minutes later we spotted the second hatchling foraging with its sibling and parents. Given the bright conditions in the field, I did not even notice it hunkered down completely in the shade against the driftwood until editing photos that evening. Cover and camouflage made it essentially invisible even with trained staff searching for it, providing a superb demonstration of why habitat quality is so important for our endangered waterbirds.

Scott Kruitbosch
AAfCW Volunteer Coordinator
RTPI Manager of Connecticut Programs

Holidays at the Beach

Yesterday was Labor Day, and we have hit the unofficial end of the beach season in Connecticut. Our Piping Plovers have finished nesting, and there are only a handful left in the state that will soon depart. Even during this year's COVID-19 pandemic the shoreline was filled with people for most of the summer. 

Can you spot the Piping Plover sitting on a nest in the first photo? These images are from July 4, 2020 in Milford. That bird actually incubated through the activity, but the nest was lost a day or two later. This is not to assign any blame to anyone specific or groups of people visiting the shore in general, or to assess whether or not this was in line with best practices for public health and safety with people packed together so tightly including many visitors from neighboring states...it is what it is, and discussions like this go far beyond a blog or Facebook post.

The point is this is what the birds have to cope with annually, made all the more difficult in 2020 with fewer staff, less fencing and signage, and more people flocking to the outdoors than ever, often neglecting the environment by trespassing, harassing wildlife, littering, and so forth. This is all part of why our efforts by volunteers and staff are so vital to protecting endangered species and habitats.

Scott Kruitbosch
AAfCW Volunteer Coordinator
RTPI Manager of Connecticut Programs

Shorebirds Sharing the Shore

We spread the philosophy of sharing the shore with our shorebirds and terns, but sometimes they have to share that same shore with one another. Connecticut's nesting areas are very small - tiny offshore islands, a slice of tidal marsh, patches of sandy beach and dune surrounded by homes or beachgoers. Even when a pair has some space, there are other individuals or pairs to compete with on that territory. Once that is settled, you realize other species are all around you as well. These neighbors may have kids of their own, and then they wander into your yard and your house...

That Piping Plover parent did not appreciate the two young American Oystercatchers entering its exclosure. After some flapping and some yelling, the little ones were run out of the area and pushed back towards the waterline with mom and dad. It was a cute interaction for us to see from afar, but these squabbles expend yet more energy, similar to when visitors push them off their nests or birders and photographers pursue them on the beach. They can even turn dangerous or deadly at times. It's not an easy world out there, and it's all the more reason we must give them every advantage possible each spring, remembering that even with the best of intentions we are a threat as well.

Scott Kruitbosch
AAfCW Volunteer Coordinator
RTPI Manager of Connecticut Programs

Field Season Concludes

Today is September 1, and we are now at the end of the 2020 field season for the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds. This has been a complicated season, and I want to thank all of you very much for dealing with the ups and downs of a confusing, ever-changing, and extremely busy year. It was tough on birds and people, with restrictions on an already reduced staff and our volunteer core, but we had a lot of success stories mixed into the difficult days.

To contribute more as we move into the fall, you can always share your eBird checklists containing shorebirds, terns, and waders with us via the share function and ctwaterbirds@gmail.com. If you have young children in your family, perhaps you'd like to have them spend some time learning about our birds and drawing one of our focal species with a message about conservation. We use this art on string fenced areas, as you may have seen, beachgoers are much more receptive to this than traditional signage. Email us if you have a little artist who'd like to submit their work! Also keep up with our blog to see photos, videos, and more information and sightings of our birds all year long. Make sure you like our Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds Facebook page, too: https://www.facebook.com/AudubonAlliance

If you have yet to submit any of your data and information please do so as soon as possible. We thank you all once again for the tremendous and invaluable work you have done all spring and summer long. We will email numbers on focal species nesting totals for the season later in the autumn once they are finalized by CT DEEP.

Be well, stay safe, and we hope you will join us in 2021.

Scott Kruitbosch
AAfCW Volunteer Coordinator

Spotted Sandpiper

It's not too often you get such a good chance to photograph a Spotted Sandpiper. They are very wary of being approached. They like to fly off a short distance when anyone is near with their distinctive and extremely rapid flap-glide flight. They're usually present at Stratford Point in low numbers for a few months of the year, with more being seen in fall migration (as it is prolonged with young of the year coming through, too). 

This one had the remains of...what do you think? It looks like it may be part of a horseshoe crab. Many of our shorebird species feed on horseshoe crab eggs with hundreds of thousands of individuals or potentially millions relying on that meal in migration on the Atlantic seaboard. Perhaps this bird was lucky to find more than eggs.

Scott Kruitbosch
AAfCW Volunteer Coordinator
RTPI Manager of Connecticut Programs

Stilt Sandpiper

Here is an uncommonly great look at a Stilt Sandpiper from this past weekend. They are seen somewhat rarely in Connecticut during migration, and are more common in central parts of the U.S. This juvenile bird was actually in a pool of freshwater in the roadway at an airport along with Least Sandpipers. I did my best to make it seem it was somewhere more attractive.

The airport visitors driving by and others like me taking its picture were probably among the first humans it has ever seen, at least up close, considering it was born in the arctic, and many shorebirds take a rapid journey south. Thanks for stopping by and being such a good friend!

Scott Kruitbosch
AAfCW Volunteer Coordinator
RTPI Manager of Connecticut Programs

Piping Plover Chick - Nap Time

Now that we have shared the shore all spring and summer it is time to safely share some more of the content. We are currently moving into the fall migratory season with nearly all of our Piping Plovers out of Connecticut and on their way to wintering grounds. I made this short video of a Piping Plover chick that was only several hours old on a lovely May afternoon. It was taken well outside of a fenced area with a 500mm lens on a full-frame DSLR filming 4K that I cropped substantially in editing. In short, I was extremely far away.

Look at that! This fresh bird wanted to find a comfortable place to nap, and it shows why vegetation on the beach is so important. Whether they want to hide from the sun, to evade people or predators, or feel safe for a snooze, our waterbirds need pristine and natural beach habitats that are not manicured and continually groomed for people. As it relaxed and closed its eyes it blended in perfectly with the shells and sand, all the more reason we need to stay out of and away from the areas around nests. No one would ever realize they were about to stop on this little one...

Scott Kruitbosch
AAfCW Volunteer Coordinator
RTPI Manager of Connecticut Programs

Shorebird Presentation

Brad Winn is Manomet’s Director of Shorebird Habitat Management. Brad discusses shorebird migration through Connecticut in this one hour presentation with the Connecticut Audubon Society and the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds as recorded on August 20, 2020.  

Please feel free to share and pass it on to all the shorebird lovers in your life!

Piping Plovers on Crowded Beaches

This was an extremely difficult nesting season for our Piping Plovers. They faced tremendous pressure on Connecticut beaches with increasing activity and far fewer staff and volunteers due to COVID-19. They are a “threatened” species in the Connecticut Endangered Species Act, and federally listed as an endangered species as well. Their nests and chicks fall victim to rising tides, storms and tropical cyclones, boating, fishing, loose dogs, stray cats, an increase in predators due to humans, discarded fishing line and nets, garbage, hotter than normal temperatures, bonfires and parties, overzealous photographers, recreational group activities, aggressive birders, on and on.

Look at that tiny adult on a beach with potentially deadly disturbances and mammalian attackers circulating in and out 24 hours a day. It’s a wonder any survive, ever - young especially! A huge thanks to all the volunteers who have done their best in this unpredictable and all the more tough year.

Scott Kruitbosch
AAfCW Volunteer Coordinator
RTPI Manager of Connecticut Programs

American Oystercatchers on Reef Balls

Here are a couple of American Oystercatchers on the reef balls at Stratford Point earlier this summer. 

That boat going by them in the background is a good reminder of how much boating and offshore human recreation and related activities can impact this species in particular. While we have some oystercatchers nesting on our beaches, the majority of the Connecticut population makes itself home on our offshore islands. It is difficult to find and track all of them across the state, but our amazing field staff does just that annually! 2020 added in some complications, to be sure, and we will be continuing to track them over the next few months as they stage and begin to migrate, with additional individuals already coming into the state on their way south. Fall migration is upon us!

Monitoring Continues

As we move into August we are continuing our monitoring for our endangered waterbirds across the Connecticut coast. As always, please keep your safety in mind at all times. We have had very hot and humid conditions, dangerous for humans, often in the past several weeks. Today we are on our second tropical storm of the season, too! There are often times where we want to postpone or cancel monitoring due to weather like this, and that is perfectly fine.

Our varied breeding conditions continue across Connecticut with young birds and migrants moving through. We are also peaking shorebird migration for the arctic nesting species. We are slowly removing fencing and signage at various sites, and all of it will be completed by staff this year due to COVID-19.

Severe thunderstorms passing by Stratford Point in July - our birds face various threats 24 hours a day

It's very important to collect negative data and know that birds are not present and not nesting in some cases. We always want to keep an eye on any birds there that have nested or attempted to. As mentioned, we are at the time of year where some young are dispersing, and other adults are already heading south. We want to make sure we see these birds at all locations if they show up. Quieter beaches can be a spot where they pass through in migration from Connecticut and even other states.

Some may be flagged or banded, too, an always exciting sight. That goes for Piping Plover, Least Tern, American Oystercatcher, and Common Tern. We want to keep tracking all that happens at the beach with people, especially in such a busy year for the outdoors. In short, all of your observations are vital, and please keep submitting them through the end of August at your beaches. Even if you have no sightings - negative data - it is important to know and record this.

Thank you! Be well and stay safe.

Scott Kruitbosch
AAfCW Volunteer Coordinator
RTPI Manager of Connecticut Programs

Caution at the Shore

Good afternoon, all!

We continue to have a mix of nesting birds, migrant and dispersing birds. Please remember to keep an eye out for flagged/banded birds including Piping Plover, American Oystercatcher, and terns such as the Roseate Tern. You can report any and all via email to us including Laura Saucier (Laura.Saucier@ct.gov) and Rebecca Foster (rsuzf@hotmail.com) of CT DEEP plus us at AAfCW (ctwaterbirds@gmail.com).

Our beaches and offshore islands have had a very different type of year in 2020 due to COVID-19. A few areas have been quieter due to restrictions on visitation. Unfortunately, most have had a more difficult time with increased numbers of visitors including beachgoers, photographers, birders, boaters, and so on, with many of all groups disturbing birds at critical times, causing losses of nests and young. We have done a lot of work behind the scenes and publicly to help educate and inform everyone on how important basic precautions are for our nesting endangered species. 

However, it is certainly best to keep in mind that we want to minimize these disturbances for the rest of 2020, too. For example, we do not require egg counts on nests. If you hear birds calling in alarm, have terns dive bombing you, see a broken wing display, you or others are too close and should carefully move back towards the waterline and out of the area. We do not want to disclose exact nesting locations to the public we may encounter, or broadcast what birds are on what beaches via Facebook, email, forums, text lists, or other widespread media. Certain species, nests and young are very enticing targets for photographers and birders that may become a disturbance in themselves.

This is why we have worked to limit posting these birds in terms of specifics in our media, on mediums like Facebook, and are not putting out detailed nesting locations and counts at the moment. This dynamic continues to change every year, and the growing power of social media, more affordable and accessible equipment, and so forth helps drive more people to the shore, especially during a pandemic. Please do not post or email data and information we collect until later in the year when the nesting season is concluded, and please keep in mind we as volunteers, staff, and caring bird lovers are a potential disturbance at all times, too.

Keep an eye on the heat and the potential thunderstorms this week and throughout the rest of July and August. Thank you, and stay safe!

Roseate Tern Bands

Here is a request for birders to make an effort to read the 3-character "field-readable" codes on the bands of any terns they come across - but especially Roseate Terns:

Researchers really would like to know the identities and ages of the individuals that are being seen at that time of year that far away from the breeding colony sites at Falkner Island and Great Gull Island. Research on Cape Cod suggests that there are many more young nonbreeding 2- and 3-year-olds than we once suspected that are coming back to North America each year that are either not visiting at all, or only spending a little time at the colony sites.

Also, this past winter researchers had Pedro Lima put about 500 yellow field readable tags on ROSTs wintering in Brazil and would like to know how many of them show up in North America this year.

2020 Breeding Conditions and Negative Data

Good afternoon, all!

We wanted to remind you of a few things as we enter mid-July. First and foremost, please keep your safety in mind at all times. This includes staying home in very hot and/or humid conditions with the temperature or heat index in the 90s. Also stay home if you feel it is going to be inclement weather at any time during your monitoring - thunderstorms, rain or strong wind. This helps protect our birds, too.

Secondly, we have a very large mix of breeding conditions across Connecticut. It includes nests being created right now and other young who have fledged with adults heading south for "fall" migration. Remember that fencing is always removed as soon as possible once nests have hatched and it is likely there will be no additional nesting attempts made by our birds. The birds do not "use nests" like songbirds in our yards do for their young. 

As you can imagine, towns and private landowners, parks and etc. want as much of the beach open as possible. That does not change anything when it comes to our monitoring, though, as we will still be visiting these areas with or without fencing. It's very important to collect negative data and know that birds are not present and not nesting in some cases. We always want to keep an eye on any birds there that have nested or attempted to.

As mentioned, we are at the time of year where some young are dispersing, and other adults are already heading south (despite the fact other re-nesting birds have nests with eggs now). We want to make sure we see these birds at all locations if they show up. Quieter beaches can be a spot where they pass through in migration from Connecticut and even other states. Some may be flagged or banded, too, an always exciting sight.

That goes for Piping Plover, Least Tern, American Oystercatcher, and Common Tern. Even beyond that, we want to be watching for our other shorebirds and terns as much as possible, and generally knowing all that happens at the beach with people. In short, all of your observations are vital, and please keep submitting them through the end of August at your beaches. Even if you have no sightings - negative data - it is important to know and record this.

Thanks again for all your hard work!

Dog Disturbances

This photo is an example of something I know everyone reading this already knows, but it's a great reminder for our friends, family, and neighbors. It was taken at Bluff Point earlier this month by one of our field staff. I do not think it needs a caption!

We love dogs, and many of our staff members have fur kids at home. They are a part of our family and often quite literally our best friends. However, when it comes to beach season, most municipalities, parks, and private land owners do not allow them on Connecticut beaches by law. Nearly all also request dogs be on a short leash and under control in any and every season, at all times, if they are not outright banned. This is largely for public health and safety.

When it comes to our birds, some beaches specifically note that beach-nesting species can be threatened or killed by even the most careful, kind, and cautious dogs (that may step on a nest or hatchling). Birds view every dog as a vicious predator that wants to eat their eggs, young, and try to destroy the adults. It takes their energy and time to respond to these threats, and young may be killed in the process or by other predators or people later on. We have all heard stories or dogs catching young birds as well, or stepping on nests. This is a good example of a disturbance we want (safely) reported to us. Thank you for helping keep the beach safe for all.

Scott Kruitbosch
AAfCW Volunteer Coordinator
RTPI Manager of Connecticut Programs

AAfCW and Fourth of July Weekend

Good afternoon all,

Please be aware that the parking lot at Milford Point is closed today at 4pm through Monday morning. Also, Sandy/Morse Points parking lot will be closed on Friday and Saturday evening by West Haven. If you were going to monitor at these locations in these time frames, please instead stay home. West Haven is said to be sending out parking passes soon. The remainder of CT DEEP paperwork and badges have been now sent out this week.

CT DEEP and AAfCW staff will be keeping an eye on all at Milford Point and every other one of our beaches and more across Connecticut. Closing the Milford lot is done annually for the holiday, and it really helps to keep down disturbances of all sorts on a very busy beach weekend.

Keep your safety in mind at all times this summer! This includes:

-Staying home from monitoring if rain or thunderstorms are occurring or in the forecast for your time

-Staying home from monitoring if the temperature or heat index gets into the 90s or higher

-Staying home from monitoring if you feel at all sick or unwell, and maintaining appropriate mask protocols and social distancing with people at all times

Also always do the basics such as bringing water, a snack, covering for the sun and using sunblock, etc. The above precautions also keep our birds and their nests and young safe, too, during difficult weather. 

If you happen to find a dead chick that did not die from seemingly natural causes...

Step 1. DON'T DISTURB THE SITE - only if the person who injured or killed on the chick is present and belligerent so that you feel unsafe - CALL 911 – otherwise;

Step 2. Call Law Enforcement - DEEP 24hr Emergency Dispatcher 860-424-3333.

Step 3. Take a breath and fill out the Incident Observation Report. There are a lot of things to look around at to report on for this form, so take your time, it may be needed for the future. Try to keep other beachgoers away from the area if Law Enforcement is coming so that the scene remains as you found it. If you have a camera - take photos. If Law Enforcement is NOT coming ask them how you should proceed, especially if there is a dead chick, otherwise DON'T TOUCH or PICK UP the chick - and don't let others touch it.

Call someone with a badge FIRST. Then let us know what happened.

Please only monitor during daylight hours and again, keep your safety in mind first. Have a wonderful weekend!

Sharing eBird Checklists

I wanted to again ask that everyone please share any eBird checklists that include shorebirds, terns, herons or egrets with the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds at ctwaterbirds@gmail.com whenever you can. We have requested this help in previous years, and please keep them coming in 2020!

There is a button on eBird to share in the upper left when viewing checklists, and if you click that and enter ctwaterbirds@gmail.com you can easily do so with applicable checklists. Even old checklists can be sent if you have any from earlier in the year. This helps us record the staging and nesting areas for these birds - those that we do not monitor every pair in Connecticut as we do for Piping Plovers and American Oystercatchers - and also helps us track volunteer hours for folks who are recording waterbird activity. Please be sure these checklists contain your time spent in the field in the reports to help track level of effort.

This is a huge help in 2020 when we have had a very difficult year for AAfCW and CT DEEP due to COVID-19. The more information, data and time from the field, the better.

Please also email any sightings such as banded or flagged Piping Plovers or plovers seen at unexpected locations to Laura Saucier (Laura.Saucier@ct.gov) and Rebecca Foster (rsuzf@hotmail.com) of CT DEEP plus us at AAfCW (ctwaterbirds@gmail.com).

You should also please email ctwaterbirds@gmail.com any significant or important information pertaining to Piping Plovers, American Oystercatchers, Least Terns, and Common Terns beyond day to day expected sightings at typical beaches. We have a vastly reduced number of eyes out there, and we are doing the best we can this spring and summer for our birds. This is the contact point you want to use. Your assistance is greatly appreciated.

If you are not an "official" monitor, we still would love your time and data, thanks!

Scott Kruitbosch
AAfCW Volunteer Coordinator
RTPI Manager of Connecticut Programs

6/27/2020 AAfCW update

Good afternoon, all! Some quick points about monitoring:

1) The safety of the birds is paramount, even at the expense of data and information. We'd rather you leave them a safe distance away than be certain how many fledglings you saw, for example, if it disturbs them or gets too close to fencing. Spotting scopes and binoculars from a far distance help. Our staff has to do the same at times, not being sure of a count one day so they can get a cleaner, safe, distant but certain view the next.

2) When monitoring, stay near the waterline as much as possible. This keeps you out of any potential nesting areas and lets the birds remain more calm in the higher dunes with space to forage and hide. 

3) Milford Point's marsh side is closed to walking, and as always, it is best to go at low tide and remain near the Sound. 

4) All string fencing everywhere in Connecticut is as minimal as possible. In a perfect world, we'd have more, larger fenced areas. As you can imagine, the public and private landowners object to it often, and we maintain as little as possible for the birds to get by. Please do not view it as a barrier to approach as a final line of being safe. It is far safer for the birds if we are as far back as possible from the fencing at all times.

5) We appreciate picking up the abundant litter you may see when monitoring, but please do so with safety in mind for yourself, especially in 2020. Also, please leave it be if it is near or in fenced areas or near a nest, or if you would agitate our birds in collecting it. You can let us know about anything significant and we will do our best.

6) The birds clue us in on how safe we are being. If you hear rapid, frantic calling from a Piping Plover or are being dive-bombed by terns, you're either near young, a nest, or otherwise upsetting them. Please slowly and carefully move back towards the waterline and out of the immediate area.

Also...

-CT DEEP is finishing up sending out all confirmed badges and paperwork for those who confirmed their needs

-Scheduling is about set, and most folks are getting out to their beaches

-Please keep submitting using our electronic data entry form whenever possible

-We are waiting on West Haven to send out parking passes

-We are also waiting on The Nature Conservancy to open Griswold Point as it remains closed

-Stratford's beaches are resident only, but if you have your current 2020 badge and are there strictly for monitoring, you should be granted access (please let me know if you are not)

-Fireworks displays by municipalities are nearly canceled in Connecticut in 2020, but we anticipate many small, private shows, and are preparing in all possible ways

That's only a slice of what's going on nonstop in this extremely busy year, and we thank you for your help! Please keep the questions coming if you need any guidance concerning monitoring or other general topics pertaining to AAfCW. We are taking it day by day and working seven days a week across Connecticut to do all we can for the success of our birds.

Littering Balloons

Our AAfCW and CT DEEP staffs are extremely busy collecting trash and litter literally everywhere this year when in the field. Here we have a photo of one walk at Milford Point and one survey at Sandy/Morse Points in West Haven. That is not even all that was collected either afternoon, and this is what it is like every day, all over.

While you're all very likely aware of the dangers balloons pose and the fact they end up as trash after falling from the sky, potentially killing wildlife, please pass the word on to your friends, families, colleagues and whomever else may be letting them fly. Holidays seem to be the worst - Father's Day, Mother's Day - followed by graduations and birthdays, and so on. The same advisement goes for paper lanterns which are an extremely dangerous fire hazard as well. We have to work as a community to stop balloons from being released anywhere for any reason. There is no excuse for this happening in 2020.

Finally, I want to reiterate that once again, please carry in what you carry out, and if you do pick up trash, we would appreciate it if you remove it from natural areas. Putting it into this clearly marked monofilament recycling bin that says, "NO GARBAGE" in multiple places for whatever reason - I hope I do not need to explain. Thanks in advance for advocating for a cleaner and safer environment!

Scott Kruitbosch
AAfCW Volunteer Coordinator
RTPI Manager of Connecticut Programs

Carry In, Carry Out

One of the easiest and most helpful actions you can take to protect our habitats and wildlife is to always carry in, carry out. Taking an active role in ensuring you remove all waste that you bring to a park, beach or any natural area is tremendously beneficial to staff and property owners as well. Any non-profit, municipal, state, or federal staff time can be spent in far better ways than cleaning up garbage, especially in 2020 with COVID-19. You will also help maintain a better natural appearance and encourage others who may not be as environmentally-minded to clean up after themselves so as to not detract from the aesthetic appeal. It will decidedly reduce dangerous human and wildlife interactions.

When it comes to AAfCW, removal of all trash greatly reduces the presence and threat of predators on our beaches and islands. Gulls, crows, foxes, raccoons, coyotes, skunks, and more all congregate near trash, checking these food sources frequently, then venturing into nesting areas. They become a distraction and a direct threat to endangered species, forcing our birds into constant vigilance at best and losing young, eggs and adults at worst.

This photo from a couple years ago at Silver Sands State Park is an example of why many natural areas - and in some cases, entire states - do not provide waste receptacles. They become filled rapidly, with people contributing outside trash and creating a mess, attracting predators and requiring cleaning by staff. In this case, you'll notice the container is meant for hot coals, not garbage, yet visitors selfishly decided to throw their trash and contribute to littering.

I hope it is not too much to expect folks to clean up after themselves, leave waste at home, or carry out what you carry in when visiting a natural area.

Scott Kruitbosch
AAfCW Volunteer Coordinator
RTPI Manager of Connecticut Programs

AAfCW Progress Update 6/22

Good morning, all! I wanted to thank you for your patience in the process and go over several points...

1) CT DEEP is currently sending out badges and paperwork, lanyards etc. as needed to those who confirmed their interest to monitor in 2020 with us here. Some have gone out, and the rest will this week. Please bear in mind that in a normal world, CT DEEP has literally a handful of people to care for wildlife and conservation of all sorts across the entire state - far beyond birds and beaches. Now with COVID-19 their jobs have become more difficult in innumerable ways, logistics included.

Things are progressing as fast as possible while we are all in the field and trying to keep up with our birds sunrise to sunset, seven days a week. If you spoke to us here, there is no one else to contact or speak to, and we will get you all set.

2) Once you receive paperwork, if you have not submitted it, plus scan and email the signed waiver back to Laura, or send it via snail mail to: 

Laura Saucier
P.O. Box 1550
Burlington, CT 06013

3) For new monitors, please once again review our training session here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEnr3KOVNpU

Please know that due to COVID-19, we cannot assign anyone to monitor with you, staff or volunteer, or hold any sort of group sessions. The training really does cover a tremendous amount of information and, while it can be overwhelming initially, repeated viewings should help a great deal. It offers nearly everything one needs to know on the beach. Also keep in mind we in 2020 want to observe basic mask protocols and social distancing at all times, perhaps leaving more education and interaction out of the equation for now.

4) Please schedule with us if you have not via email at ctwaterbirds@gmail.com, and we will get you set up with a site and a plan.

5) Please direct all day to day questions to ctwaterbirds@gmail.com about monitoring or logistics.

6) Please review your monitoring packets and see it online here as well if needed: https://rtpi.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/05/2020-Piping-Plover-Monitoring-Program.pdf

7) Don't forget to use our online data submission form: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/13i9JBfV0MYQdHhGq3n3C348S78M--5c3JpWKUIbbYlI/

All of these sources of information should cover everything you need to know. If you have questions, email ctwaterbirds@gmail.com and we will do our best to help.

Thanks again!

Official Monitor Data Submission

Good afternoon, all!

This message is for our official 2020 AAfCW monitors. We continue to work on confirming everything with you - your ability to participate in 2020, your beach(es) and schedules, what materials you need mailed to you or not, and collecting addresses. Please bear in mind that for now, Griswold Point is unavailable to monitor. We have heard back from West Haven and hopefully parking passes will be going out soon. CT DEEP will be sending out lanyards, badges and forms for those who require them.

When it comes to data submission, we would like all monitors to please submit using this simple Google form at this address: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/13i9JBfV0MYQdHhGq3n3C348S78M--5c3JpWKUIbbYlI/

It is also in the right-hand column of our blog under Important Documents as "Online Data Submission Form". This form has numerous advantages in that it prompts you for the required details of your survey. You will not have to worry about forgetting something or omitting data. All of your information for each species can be easily viewed by staff at a moment's notice. We can also go in and change it if an error is made, so no worries there.

Please use that form to submit data and information instead of emails. You can always feel free to email a question such as help for a shorebird identification. You should also always email us and CT DEEP as soon as possible when it comes to any significant disturbances, new nests or lost nests, hatched young, photos or signs of a predator, and anything CT DEEP and AAfCW need to know right away, besides including this information in your submitted form.

Don't forget one of our 2020 AAfCW volunteer monitor online training sessions is here on YouTube as a refresher at any time: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iEnr3KOVNpU

Thank you so much, and we will all keep working hard to get the 2020 season underway while still working nonstop in the field to keep up with our birds.

Best,
Scott Kruitbosch
AAfCW Volunteer Coordinator
RTPI Manager of Connecticut Programs

AAfCW - Focal Species Data Update

Good afternoon, all!

We've received many, many emails in the last few days about you joining us now for the 2020 season. If you didn't receive a reply yet, we're getting there! If you missed the email, see the full text here in our blog: https://ctwaterbirds.blogspot.com/2020/06/starting-2020-aafcw-volunteer-monitoring.html

Remember to please let us know you'll be monitoring in 2020, your preferred beach/schedule, if to confirm if you need an ID badge, lanyard, and/or paperwork. CT DEEP will be mailing materials once you do. Thank you!

Below is an update from CT DEEP's Rebecca Foster about our Piping Plovers, American Oystercatchers, Least Terns, and Common Terns. Washouts and predation have been big issues in 2020. Piping Plovers had to go without nest exclosures in many locations early in the season as it is a job that requires multiple staff, but they are now being put up by CT DEEP. We will be in touch more next week.

Bluff Point State Park
PIPL-7 pairs (3 nests hatched, 4 incubating/renesting)
AMOY-3 pairs (2 renesting)
LETE-1 active colony

Harkness Memorial State Park
PIPL-4 pairs (2 nests hatched, 2 incubating)
LETE-1 active colony

Hammonasset Beach State Park
PIPL-1 PR PIPL incubating a nest, all other nests lost
AMOY-1 PR (nest lost)
LETE-a few observed

Sandy Point
PIPL-7 pairs (2 nests hatched, 3 incubating)
AMOY-3 pairs (1 nest hatched, 2 incubating renests)
LETE-1 active colony
COTE-3 pairs incubating

Milford Point
PIPL-13 pairs (2 nests hatched, most are renesting, losses from wash-outs and predation)
AMOY-3-4 PRS (2 nests hatched, 1 incubating a renest)
LETE-1 active colony

Long Beach
PIPL-13 pairs (2 nests hatched, 5 incubating renests, most renesting, losses due to predation)
AMOY-1 pair (incubating a renest)
LETE-1 active colony

Short Beach
PIPL-1 pair (1 nest hatched)
LETE-1 pair incubating

Thanks again for your dedication to our birds!

Starting 2020 AAfCW Volunteer Monitoring!

Good afternoon all,

Our friends in the CT DEEP Wildlife Division got the go-ahead to engage all of you wonderful shorebird volunteer monitors in the 2020 season. There are some necessary steps to complete first, and some important information to remember! 

1. Above all else, you should protect yourself at all times against COVID-19 through the established precautions of social distancing, wearing a mask when appropriate, etc. We will ask you to only monitor the birds and not necessarily engage the public unless people ask questions or require redirection. All of these interactions should be completed following social distancing and mask protocols that are now standard in Connecticut.

2. We ask that everyone please confirm to this email (ctwaterbirds AT gmail.com) that you are still interested and able to monitor for us this summer. We realize circumstances of many types may have changed in the last few months, and want to ensure you're still going to head out to our beaches.

3. If you will be a 2020 AAfCW monitor, please confirm also so that CT DEEP knows whom it must still mail badges, lanyards and paperwork to - if you already requested it and submitted your mailing information, all we need to know is that you're still a "go" with us for 2020. CT DEEP will then mail this out, so it will not be an instantaneous start up to monitoring.

4. If you already have your badge and lanyard, and have completed paperwork, as one of the smaller number of monitors who did attend the first in-person training, you'll be able to start sooner. However, we must all schedule now knowing that things have changed in all regards. Please let us know your desired schedule as you did in March. If nothing changed, great, simply please confirm this. If it has, submit your new schedule. Once again, this comes with a caveat...

5. We need to confirm that as we start in June we have all beaches available and open. Some locations, such as The Nature Conservancy owned Griswold Point, may not be open to us now. Others, such as Stratford's Long and Short Beaches, are accessible to residents only. Last week we spoke with the Town of Stratford and they should now admit you with a current 2020 badge if you are there to monitor the birds. Otherwise, you will be turned away. This must be done for all beaches. West Haven's list has been submitted, but we have yet to hear back from the City.

Later this week we will email you all again with an update on our nesting waterbirds in Connecticut from CT DEEP and AAfCW field staff along with any updates to this email. 

We will get there, slowly but surely! We're thrilled to have you getting out to the beaches soon, and hope you are, too.

Once again, please email to confirm your interest in 2020 monitoring, your desired schedule, and anything else we need to know.

Thanks for all and we'll speak soon.

Best,

Scott Kruitbosch
AAfCW Volunteer Coordinator
RTPI Manager of Connecticut Programs

American Oystercatchers and the Moon

This is a slightly atypical sighting of American Oystercatchers in May in Connecticut, and different from my usual wildlife close ups. While we are accustomed to thinking of Oystercatchers as nesting in pairs on our beaches and offshore islands in the spring with the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds, there are always a relatively high number of non breeding pairs and other stray birds.

With that said, I don’t usually expect to hear them, look up, and find seven zipping by the afternoon moon. What a moment!

Scott Kruitbosch
AAfCW Volunteer Coordinator

RTPI Manager of Connecticut Programs

Share 2020 eBird Checklists

I wanted to ask that everyone please share any eBird checklists that include shorebirds, terns, herons or egrets with the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds at ctwaterbirds@gmail.com whenever you can. We have requested this help in previous years, and please keep them coming in 2020!

There is a button on eBird to share in the upper left when viewing checklists, and if you click that and enter ctwaterbirds@gmail.com you can easily do so with applicable checklists. Even old checklists can be sent if you have any from earlier in the year. This helps us record the staging and nesting areas for these birds - those that we do not monitor every pair in Connecticut as we do for Piping Plovers and American Oystercatchers - and also helps us track volunteer hours for folks who are recording waterbird activity. Please be sure these checklists contain your time spent in the field in the reports to help track level of effort.

This is a huge help in 2020 when we have yet to have official volunteer monitoring start for AAfCW and CT DEEP due to COVID-19. The more information, data and time from the field, the better.

Please also email any sightings such as banded or flagged Piping Plovers or plovers potentially nesting in unexpected or unusual beaches to Laura Saucier (Laura.Saucier@ct.gov) and Rebecca Foster (Rebecca.Foster@ct.gov) of CT DEEP plus us at AAfCW (ctwaterbirds@gmail.com).

You should also please email ctwaterbirds@gmail.com any significant or important information pertaining to Piping Plovers, American Oystercatchers, Least Terns, and Common Terns beyond day to day expected sightings at typical beaches. We have a vastly reduced number of eyes out there, and we are doing the best we can this spring and summer for our birds. Your assistance is greatly appreciated. Thanks so much!

Scott Kruitbosch
AAfCW Volunteer Coordinator
RTPI Manager of Connecticut Programs

Piping Plover Eggshell

Piping Plover nests are beginning to hatch! While some pairs are still trying to figure out where to spend the breeding season, plovers who arrived in March and got right to business now have young popping out from eggs like this one.

I discovered it earlier today along the waterline of one of our beaches - where we should all walk as much as possible - probably 100-125 feet from a nest that hatched hours before. Three tiny ones were stumbling around with mom and dad while foraging, resting, and trying to find some shade.

Piping Plover adults pick up the eggshells from their nest in their bills, walk away and dispose of them as another step in ensuring the safety of their very fresh young. There have been precious few exclosures set up in 2020 due to COVID-19, and there have certainly been numerous nests lost to predation. It was very satisfying to see a nest without an exclosure end up successful!

Scott Kruitbosch
AAfCW Volunteer Coordinator
RTPI Manager of Connecticut Programs

Flagged Piping Plover

Let's take a flight back in time and down to Miami in this post. Back in February and March, right before COVID-19 emerged across America, I was spending a couple weeks of my time working with many of our birds in their wintering tropical paradise. I was happy to see a banded and flagged Piping Plover in Miami, green flag (GF) M9E. Apart from this bird's flag on the left leg, it had an orange band on the right.

I reported it to the Virginia Tech Shorebird Program, knowing it was one of their birds. It turns out this female was banded as an adult on June 18, 2017 on her nesting grounds of Fire Island National Seashore, New York. She is a regular at this wintering site in Miami because she's a very smart bird! I hope I will be able to go find her next winter, for both of our sakes, in Miami again.

For all of you in Connecticut, please report any banded or flagged Piping Plovers you see to Laura Saucier (Laura.Saucier@ct.gov) and Rebecca Foster (Rebecca.Foster@ct.gov) of CT DEEP plus us at AAfCW (ctwaterbirds@gmail.com). Thank you!

Scott Kruitbosch
AAfCW Volunteer Coordinator
RTPI Manager of Connecticut Programs

2020 Piping Plover Monitoring Program Materials

We now have the 2020 Piping Plover Monitoring Program packet from CT DEEP Wildlife Division now in the right-hand column of our blog. You can also find it right here in this link. It contains important information pertaining to volunteer duties, responsibilities, conduct, and procedures, guidelines for being a good witness, relevant contact information, and dog laws in the State of Connecticut as well as specifics for municipalities.

We also remind you that this is the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds' new volunteer training webinar for 2020, recorded on March 14, 2020.

If you are a new volunteer or a previous monitor looking to refresh your training, please watch the entire video. Contact us at ctwaterbirds@gmail.com with any questions or to sign up as a monitor, complete your schedule, or see how else you can help waterbird species across Connecticut.

This training session was co-sponsored by the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds (Audubon Connecticut, the Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History and the Connecticut Audubon Society) and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Wildlife Division.

Piping Plover Chick

Take a look at this Piping Plover chick that I photographed last summer in Milford...

That is some incredible camouflage! If I did not crop the photo and had zoomed out, it could have been a difficult game of finding the hidden little one. While we know our Piping Plovers feed in the wrack, it also helps them blend into their beach along with the sand. When it comes to aging our birds CT DEEP has this very helpful guide to be used in reporting. This young chick matches the description and example photo very well. Please keep the guide in mind when it comes to finding the new families later this spring and summer.

Scott Kruitbosch

AAfCW Volunteer Coordinator

RTPI Manager of Connecticut Programs

Cattle Egret

The Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds focuses on terns, shorebirds, and long-legged waders. One heron species with rather short legs that we see only rarely in Connecticut is the Cattle Egret. These smaller birds are usually found where their name would suggest - farm fields, grasslands and other areas resembling foraging grounds for livestock. They live year-round in the tropics after establishing themselves in South then North America during the last century, originating from Africa. They migrate north into the southern half of the continental U.S. for nesting season. I took all of the photos in this post in February in Florida, a year-round home.

Yesterday, Connecticut Audubon Society Land Steward Stefan Martin, who also contributes some of his time to AAfCW work, noted a probable Cattle Egret flying over Interstate 95 on his way to one of their properties. That is not exactly a situation where you can stop and see where a bird is heading.

I have actually seen Cattle Egret in Connecticut, and in my hometown, and at my office - Stratford Point! It was way back in 2010 during the legendary White-tailed Kite's 70-day stay with us, when it seemed like every species that could find its way up from the south got lost with us. When you're viewing our typical Great and Snowy Egrets, keep an eye out for this distinct, golden-plumed, more compact, white bird in more upland coastal areas, picking at lawns or fields like this one.

Scott Kruitbosch
AAfCW Volunteer Coordinator
RTPI Manager of Connecticut Programs

You're doing great! Keep sharing the love.

Thank you for helping us "Share the Love, #ShareTheShore" to spread the word that our shorebirds need help now. Last week’s campaign launch was a soaring success.

In just seven days, over 200 of you joined our growing cadre of “Good Eggs” by taking the online pledge. Don’t forget to tell your friends and family to download their digital sticker at the end!

New this week—Letter to the Editor templates are now available in our digital toolkit. You can use them to share the love with your local newspaper or online media outlet.

Piping Plovers and American Oystercatchers have begun to nest, and our presence and behavior on beaches affects their success. You have to the power to inspire people before they even set foot on the sand!

PS: Guess who’s back from the Bahamas? Piping Plover “Pink Flag 2E,” our plover “supermom,” was just spotted one our shoreline.

Royal Tern

It's May 1, and for Connecticut that means it's time for the return of our terns. You can now expect to see the first Common Tern and Least Tern, two of our four focal species, any day now. While they will be scattered initially, they will rise in number throughout the month in the state, slowly beginning to court mates, then forming nesting colonies in suitable beach habitats. Connecticut can also yield some more uncommon tern species passing the region, including the Royal Tern.

These birds are larger with a long, forked tail and a bright, all-orange bill with mostly white wings.

You will often enough be able to see they have a shaggy, black cap, especially when they're not in flight.

When you visit the shore this spring and summer, keep an eye to the sky for more than our typical two terns.

Scott Kruitbosch
AAfCW Volunteer Coordinator

RTPI Manager of Connecticut Programs

American Oystercatchers at Stratford Point

I was happy to see a pair of American Oystercatchers at Stratford Point today. They were feeding and hanging out in the intertidal zone. Oystercatchers are one of the target species in the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds, and they are beginning to nest across Connecticut's islands and beaches.

While these birds may have arrived recently and are trying to settle in, there are always non-breeding pairs as well. And that glance at the sky...I love when birds go bird watching themselves.

Scott Kruitbosch
AAfCW Volunteer Coordinator
RTPI Manager of Connecticut Programs

AAfCW Volunteer Monitoring and Field Updates

Good afternoon all, Scott here - we have a two part update today via CT DEEP, first with a message from Laura, followed by information and data from Rebecca. Volunteer monitoring is now on hold through May 31st, 2020. To add to Laura's staff information, AAfCW staff that are permitted in the field are continuing to work solo and practicing safe social distancing. We are doing all that is possible, and considering the complex variables, the season is off to a decent start. We hope you are staying safe and doing well! We will keep you updated on the birds overall. Please see below and read down to the bottom of the email.

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Dear Volunteers,

We hope that you and your families are continuing to stay healthy. Initially, to comply with Governor Lamont’s Stay Home, Stay Safe executive order, the DEEP Wildlife Division postponed shorebird monitoring by volunteers through May 1st, 2020. After some discussion, it was decided to extend the postponement of volunteer shorebird monitoring through May 31st, 2020. Keeping all our conservation partners safe is our number one priority.

We have a skeleton crew of staff that managed to get string fencing up at most breeding beaches. A couple of our staff are also conducting some limited beach monitoring to keep tabs on the birds and to make sure our fencing is in good shape.  

Again, we will keep you apprised of changes moving forward. Thank you.

Take care,
Laura

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General: all shorebird nesting areas are being monitored by very limited DEEP and AAfCW staff. At this time, nest exclosures are not planned.

Bluff Point State Park/Mumford Cove: the nesting areas are fenced. There are 4-5 pairs of PIPL with established territories. One pair of AMOY has been observed.

Waterford: the beach is currently closed but is being monitored by DEEP.

Harkness Memorial State Park: the beach is closed to the public. The preserve is fenced and there are two pairs of PIPL.

Griswold Point: management is being negotiated. There is currently one pair of PIPL here.

Hammonasset Preserve: closed to the public. The area is fenced and three pairs of PIPL and one pair of AMOY have been observed.

Hammonassett West Beach: this area is being monitored daily by AAfCW staff for the arrival of PIPL and will be fenced shortly.

Sandy Point: West Haven beaches are closed. The nesting areas are fenced. There are three pairs of PIPL with two nests and two pairs of AMOY with one nest.

Silver Sands State Park: the beach is fenced and being monitored. No PIPL have been observed.

Milford Point: the spit is fenced, there are 4-5 pairs of PIPL and three pairs of AMOY with two nests. The area is monitored daily by AAfCW staff.

Long Beach: this beach is open only to Stratford residents. The beaches are all fenced. There are currently 5-6 pairs of PIPL and one pair of AMOY.

Short Beach: this beach is open only to Stratford residents. It is fenced and one pair of PIPL have established a territory.

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Thank you all once again - stay safe, and keep in touch! We expect many other shorebird species, plus our terns, to arrive in Connecticut over the next week or two. We will continue to reach out and share what we can with you, and we'll hopefully be getting going on full monitoring later this spring.