AAfCW 2021 Field Update #8

The 2021 Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds season has been an extremely difficult one - perhaps the toughest in our decade of work. All of you know the logistical difficulties we've experienced with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. The avian devastation from the Memorial Day weekend storm may have been the worst single event in our recent history. As we enter summer increasing numbers of people flocking to the beach, with COVID in decline, has meant a staggering rise in illegal activity that hurts birds - dogs, fires, trespassing, trashing, violating fencing, fireworks, and outright aggression to wildlife. 

Mixing in heat waves, the usual wind and rain, and last week's Tropical Storm Elsa, it is a wonder any species have been successful on the shore in 2021. Thankfully, Elsa was kind to certain locations even while impacting some others, though none catastrophically. On the whole, the north winds from the left-front quadrant of the storm seemed to keep tidal damage relatively minimal to moderate for most sites despite several inches of rain in 24 hours. The stronger winds stayed to the east, and there was more good news than bad. We now move on with repairs and regular monitoring while still dodging inclement weather nearly every day.

This update period, through midnight of July 13, had numerous volunteer surveys skipped due to inclement conditions. Please keep the weather in mind as you head to the shore, and stay home if it is going to rain, there's a high chance of thunderstorms, extreme heat is in place, or it's very windy or even chilly. Don't forget to review the Important Documents in our blog (http://ctwaterbirds.blogspot.com) in the right-hand column for everything from shorebird identification to dog laws to how to interact with and educate beachgoers. Thank you all for the very valuable negative reports and detailed information as well, especially regarding disturbances.

Piping Plover:

2 pairs at Griswold Point on 6/21

14 adults, 3 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/24

2 pairs, 2 nests at Griswold Point on 6/25

1 pair, 3 adults, 3 nests at Bluff Point on 6/25

1 pair, 8 adults, 1 hatchling at Bluff Point on 6/25

1 pair, 4 hatchlings, 4 juveniles, 6 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/26

1 pair, 3 adults, 3 nests at Bluff Point on 6/26

1 adult at Long Beach on 6/27

5 pairs, 9 adults, 10 hatchlings, 3 fledglings, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/27

1 pair, 8 adults, 2 hatchlings, 1 fledgling, 3 nests at Bluff Point on 6/27

3 pairs, 9 adults, 1 hatchling, 2 fledglings, 5 nests at Milford Point on 6/27

3 pairs, 7 adults, 5 nests at Milford Point on 6/28

1 pair, 3 adults at Milford Point on 6/28

16 adults, 7 nests, 3 juveniles at Milford Point on 6/28

2 pairs, 15 adults, 3 hatchlings, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/28

2 adults, 2 nests at Griswold Point on 6/28

2 pairs, 10 adults, 7 nests at Milford Point on 6/29

2 pairs, 2 nests, 1 fledgling at Griswold Point on 7/1

1 pair, 13 adults, 4 hatchlings, 7 fledglings at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/1

4 pairs, 1 nest at Long Beach on 7/1

2 pairs, 6 adults, 1 hatchling, 1 fledgling, 2 nests at Bluff Point on 7/2

2 pairs, 2 nests at Long Beach on 7/2

1 pair, 1 adult at Long Beach on 7/4

2 pairs, 23 adults, 7 hatchlings, 6 fledglings, 4 juveniles, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/4

1 pair at Long Beach on 7/4

1 pair, 3 adults at Griswold Point on 7/5

3 pairs, 8 adults, 2 hatchlings, 5 nests at Milford Point on 7/6

13 pairs, 14 adults, 5 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/7

8 pairs, 10 adults, 11 hatchlings, 6 juveniles at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/10

1 pair, 2 hatchlings, 1 nest at Mile Creek on 7/10

1 pair, 2 adults, 1 hatchling, 1 nest at Long Beach on 7/11

3 pairs, 6 adults, 1 hatchling, 1 nest at Long Beach on 7/11

4 pairs, 9 adults, 6 hatchlings, 3 juveniles, 2 nests at Milford Point on 7/11

2 pairs, 2 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/12

American Oystercatcher:
1 pair at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/24

1 adult, 2 hatchlings at Bluff Point on 6/25

1 pair, 8 adults, 3 fledglings at Bluff Point on 6/25

2 pairs, 2 juveniles at Bluff Point on 6/26

1 adult at Long Beach on 6/27

1 pair, 1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/27

5 adults, 2 fledglings, 1 nest at Bluff Point on 6/27

1 pair, 8 adults, 2 nests at Milford Point on 6/27

1 pair, 2 adults, 1 nest at Milford Point on 6/28

2 pairs, 2 adults, 2 nests at Milford Point on 6/28

2 pairs, 2 adults, 1 nest at Milford Point on 6/29

1 pair at Griswold Point on 7/1

2 pairs, 2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/1

1 adult at Long Beach on 7/1

1 pair, 6 adults, 2 fledglings at Bluff Point on 7/2

1 pair at Long Beach on 7/4

3 pairs, 2 adults, 2 hatchlings at Milford Point on 7/6

1 pair, 1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/7

1 adult at Long Beach on 7/11

6 pairs, 1 nest at Milford Point on 7/11

Least Tern:
150 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/24

5 pairs, 22 adults, 4 nests at Griswold Point on 6/25

50 pairs, 50 adults, 24 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/27

100 adults, 5 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/28

16 adults at Griswold Point on 6/28

2 pairs, 11 adults, 2 nests at Griswold Point on 7/1

150 adults, 10 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/1

2 pairs at Bluff Point on 7/2

75 adults, 50 nests, 7 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/4

16 adults at Griswold Point on 7/5

100 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/7

75 adults, 8 hatchlings, 3 juveniles at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/10

Common Tern:
14 adults at Griswold Point on 6/21

2 adults at Bluff Point on 6/25

1 pair, 15 adults, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/27

2 adults at Bluff Point on 6/27

1 pair, 1 adult at Milford Point on 6/28

7 adults at Griswold Point on 7/1

5 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/1

9 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/7

Thanks for all your efforts!