Memorial Day weekend is traditionally the first busy beach weekend of the year, and it typically coincides with the first hatchling Piping Plovers and American Oystercatchers running around our shoreline. Additionally, Least and Common Terns are beginning to form colonies with nests reported in a multitude of locations. We need all the help we can get to monitor beaches and speak to beachgoers during this critical time.
The weather should feature rain and clouds with cool temperatures through most of the weekend followed by some improvement and warming on Monday. If that turns out to be close to accurate there should be less traffic on the beaches than usual, but if anyone can help and put in some extra time at your location(s) with beach stewardship, especially on Memorial Day, we would greatly appreciate it! If you have your monitoring ID and your beach is closed to residents only, you can use the ID to enter if you explain you are there to monitor the shorebirds for CT DEEP.
Please do keep in mind we would still want to avoid being on the beach during any rain or when the temperature is below 50, or when it is very windy, to keep the eggs and young safe. We never want to approach or enter any fenced areas, even as monitors. We do not need to count eggs or individual tern nests. If birds are using distraction displays, dive bombing, call loudly - those are all signs to exit the area promptly with caution. We also do not want to spend time near nests or linger too long immediately around hatchling birds. Keeping an eye on all from a distance using equipment while staying near the waterline is safest. Thank you, and enjoy the weekend!
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