PIPL

PIPL

Thursday, July 24, 2025

AAfCW 2025 Field Update #7

Just a short and sweet update this week:

There are birds fledging all across the shoreline, and other shorebird species are on the move through Connecticut as they embark on their southbound migrations!

You may begin to see string fencing and signage removed from areas that did not have any shorebird nesting activity this season. Other times, fencing and signage will remain in place until the fall in order to allow birds to access shoreline habitat at certain vital locations. As a reminder, if you are currently monitoring at a beach that does not have any activity from our four focal species, you are welcome to continue monitoring there through the end of August, or you may switch to a beach that still has nesting activity. Please send an email to ctwaterbirds@gmail.com if you would like to switch to a different site for the remainder of the season. Additionally, we will have string fencing removal days in August at some of our major sites, and we will ask for volunteer assistance during those events once the dates and times are set. Keep an eye out for email updates from me over the next few weeks. 

Stay cool out there!

Latest Monitoring Data

Here is a summary of all volunteer-collected data submitted between July 12th and July 24th, 2025.

  • Number of volunteer reports submitted: 62
  • Total volunteer monitoring hours: 98
  • Number of beachgoers engaged in conversations about birds/conservation: 79
Piping Plover. Photo: Angela Previte/Audubon Photography Awards
Piping Plover Data Summary
Piping Plover Pair Observations
There were Piping Plover pairs observed at Long Beach, Milford Point, Silver Sands, Sandy Point, Griswold Point, and Bluff Point between July 12th and July 24th.

Sites with Piping Plover nests:

SitePiping Plover Nests
Sherwood Island - Westport0
Long Beach - Stratford1
Russian Beach - Stratford0
Short Beach - Stratford0
Milford Point - Milford1
Silver Sands State Park - Milford0
Sandy Point Bird Sanctuary - West Haven0
Griswold Point - Old Lyme0
Waterford Town Beach - Waterford0
Bluff Point - Groton0

American Oystercatcher. Photo: Wayne Atkinson/Audubon Photography Awards

American Oystercatcher Data Summary
American Oystercatcher Pair Observations
There were American Oystercatcher pairs observed at Long Beach, Milford Point, Silver Sands, Sandy Point, Griswold Point, and Bluff Point between July 12th and July 24th.

Sites with American Oystercatcher nests:
SiteAmerican Oystercatcher Nests
Sherwood Island - Westport0
Long Beach - Stratford0
Russian Beach - Stratford0
Short Beach - Stratford0
Milford Point - Milford2
Silver Sands State Park - Milford0
Sandy Point Bird Sanctuary - West Haven0
Griswold Point - Old Lyme0
Waterford Town Beach - Waterford0
Bluff Point - Groton0

Common Tern. Photo: Luke Franke/Audubon
Common Tern Data Summary
Adult Common Tern Observations
There were Common Terns observed at Long Beach, Russian Beach, Short Beach, Milford Point, Silver Sands, Sandy Point, Griswold Point, and Waterford Town Beach between July 12th and July 24th.

Least Tern. Photo: Sean Medina/Audubon Photography Awards
Least Tern Data Summary
Adult Least Tern Observations
There were Least Terns observed at Sherwood Island, Long Beach, Russian Beach, Milford Point, Silver Sands, Sandy Point, Griswold Point, and Bluff Point between July 12th and July 24th.

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Thank you all for your time and dedication towards protecting our shorebirds! 

Marissa
Audubon CT Volunteer Coordinator

**All photos are licensed for use through the National Audubon Society. Audubon Connecticut is a state office of the National Audubon Society**

Friday, July 11, 2025

AAfCW 2025 Field Update #6

Summer Heat is Here!

Thank you to everybody who assisted us with shorebird monitoring over the 4th of July weekend! We are very happy to report that our work during the holiday was a huge success and there were no major human disturbances at shorebird nesting sites across the Connecticut shoreline. 

We are now approaching the hottest portion of summer, and we want to remind all volunteers to use extra caution while monitoring. Always bring extra water, dress appropriately, and wear sunscreen when you visit the beach. Please also remember that we do not want anybody to monitor if the temperature or the "feels like" temperature is above 90°F. 


Preparing for Shorebird Migration

At this point in the season, we expect nesting activity to begin slowing down. Some birds, especially Least Terns, are still incubating eggs and many will hatch over the next few weeks. If you are currently monitoring at a beach that does not have any activity from our four focal species, you are welcome to continue monitoring there through the end of August, or you may switch to a beach that still has nesting activity. Please send an email to ctwaterbirds@gmail.com if you would like to switch to a different site for the remainder of the season.

As shorebird nesting activity slows down, many birds will begin preparing for their southbound migration. Some beaches in Connecticut are well-known staging sites for both our local shorebirds and many other species that pass through Connecticut on their own journeys south. If you begin to see new bird species at your site, keep a close eye out for banded and flagged birds. These tag numbers can be reported directly to CT DEEP, and questions about identifying shorebird species can be directed to ctwaterbirds@gmail.com.

One additional note on Piping Plovers: In preparation for migration, adult Piping Plovers molt from their breeding plumage to their non-breeding plumage. This means that adults will begin to lose their signature black neck band and crown stripe. They will also lose the orange coloration at the base of their bill. These changes will make it so that adult Piping Plovers look very similar to fledglings, but there are some key differences between the two age classes. Most adult Piping Plovers retain some orange coloration on their bills while fledglings will always have black bills. On adults, you can often still see the remnants of a black neck band (sometimes a lighter grey neck band instead). The biggest difference between non-breeding adult and fledgling Piping Plovers is behavior; adults that are still on their breeding beaches will typically still be defensive (peeping, crouching, and acting agitated especially if their fledglings are nearby) while fledgling birds will act skittish and often run back into the dunes without alarm calling when you are close to them. See the CT DEEP Piping Plover aging guide HERE for a photo comparison between a non-breeding adult and a fledgling Piping Plover. As always, feel free to reach out to ctwaterbirds@gmail.com if you have any questions.


Special event on July 19th: "Geology of the Marsh" Day at Hammonasset Beach State Park

Visit Meigs Point Nature Center at Hammonasset Beach State Park Saturday, July 19th between 10am-4pm to learn about the geology of a salt marsh! Visit the marsh, join Meigs Point Nature Center staff on a guided trail walk, and watch a presentation on Long Island Sound Geology by UCONN researcher Ralph Lewis. Don't forget to stop by the AAfCW table to say hello!☺

A full itinerary for "Geology of the Marsh" Day can be found HERE


Volunteer Spotlight!

I would like to introduce you all to the subject of this week's volunteer spotlight, Frank Mantlik!

Where do you conduct your shorebird monitoring?

Mainly Long Beach, Stratford. In past years before my knee surgery I also covered Pleasure Beach, Bridgeport, as well as occasionally Short Beach, Stratford, Milford Point, and Sandy Point in West Haven.

When did you begin volunteering with the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds?

I began volunteering on day one with the Audubon Alliance. In fact, I was volunteering as a monitor even before the Alliance came to be, aiding CT Audubon, DEEP, and whoever conducted such protection and monitoring before. I'm guessing I've been volunteering as a Ping Plover/Tern monitor well over 20 years. 

Piping Plover. Photo: Frank Mantlik

What is your favorite part of volunteering as a shorebird monitor?

As an avid birdwatcher and conservationist, I just enjoy being afield, and particularly along the shore. And it is clear that the efforts of this volunteer project are beneficial to the nesting success of the Piping Plovers and hopefully Least and Common Terns, and American Oystercatchers. Plus it helps in educating the general public about these species. I typically also enter data (on eBird) about numbers of Diamondback Terrapins and Horseshoe Crabs I survey in the process. Plus, over the years, I have usually collected human litter from the beaches during my surveys.

Some of my favorite memories are discovering rare species while conducting surveys, such as Barn Owl, Caspian Tern, Whimbrel, Hudsonian Godwit, etc. One of the more memorable days was seeing a Piping Plover and a lingering Snowy Owl in the same binocular view at Long Beach several years ago. 

Snowy Owl. Photo: Frank Mantlik

What do you do outside of your volunteer work?

Being retired (postal letter carrier), I'm always birding. My other volunteer activities include leading bird walks for CT Audubon (CAS), New Haven Bird Club (NHBC), CT Ornithological Assoc.(COA), etc. I also give photo-illustrated talks to some. I serve as Chairman of the COA's Avian Records Committee of CT. I also head up the monitoring of the Purple Martin nest colony at Milford Point. I'm an avid fan of college (UConn) and pro basketball, love a variety of music, and love to cook.

Wilson's Phalarope. Photo: Frank Mantlik

If you would like to nominate a fellow volunteer for an upcoming volunteer spotlight, email us at ctwaterbirds@gmail.com!


Latest Monitoring Data

Here is a summary of all volunteer-collected data submitted between June 28th and July 11th, 2025.

  • Number of volunteer reports submitted: 72
  • Total volunteer monitoring hours: 119
  • Number of beachgoers engaged in conversations about birds/conservation: 193
Piping Plover. Photo: Merri-Lee Metzger/Audubon Photography Awards

Piping Plover Data Summary

Piping Plover Pair Observations


There were Piping Plover Pairs observed at Sherwood Island, Long Beach, Milford Point, Silver Sands, Sandy Point, Griswold Point, and Bluff Point between June 28th and July 11th.

Sites with Piping Plover nests:

SitePiping Plover Nests
Compo Beach - Westport0
Sherwood Island - Westport0
Long Beach - Stratford4
Russian Beach - Stratford0
Short Beach - Stratford0
Milford Point - Milford2
Silver Sands State Park - Milford0
Sandy Point Bird Sanctuary - West Haven0
Hammonasset - Madison0
Griswold Point - Old Lyme0
Waterford Town Beach - Waterford0
Bluff Point - Groton3

American Oystercatcher. Photo: Nicholas Wetzel/Audubon Photography Awards

American Oystercatcher Data Summary
American Oystercatcher Pair Observations
There were American Oystercatcher pairs observed at Compo Beach, Long Beach, Milford Point, Sandy Point, Griswold Point, and Bluff Point between June 28th and July 11th.

Sites with American Oystercatcher nests:
SiteAmerican Oystercatcher Nests
Compo Beach - Westport0
Sherwood Island - Westport0
Long Beach - Stratford1
Russian Beach - Stratford0
Short Beach - Stratford0
Milford Point - Milford2
Silver Sands State Park - Milford0
Sandy Point Bird Sanctuary - West Haven0
Hammonasset - Madison0
Griswold Point - Old Lyme0
Waterford Town Beach - Waterford0
Bluff Point - Groton1

Common Tern. Photo: Claudio Bacinello/Audubon Photography Awards

Common Tern Data Summary
Adult Common Tern Observations
There were Common Terns observed at Compo Beach, Long Beach, Milford Point, Sandy Point, Hammonasset, Waterford Town Beach, and Bluff Point between June 28th and July 11th.

Least Tern. Photo: Rick Lewis/Audubon Photography Awards

Least Tern Data Summary
Adult Least Tern Observations
There were Least Terns observed at Long Beach, Milford Point, Sandy Point, Griswold Point, Waterford Town Beach, and Bluff Point between June 28th and July 11th.

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Thank you all for your time and dedication towards protecting our shorebirds! 

Marissa
Audubon CT Volunteer Coordinator

**All photos are licensed for use through the National Audubon Society. Audubon Connecticut is a state office of the National Audubon Society**

Friday, June 27, 2025

AAfCW 2025 Field Update #5

Preparing for the 4th of July
We are one week out from what will likely be the busiest weekend of the year on the Connecticut shoreline. Our staff will be monitoring during the July 4th weekend, in addition to managing crowds during various fireworks displays across the state. Many sites have highly mobile Piping Plover chicks beginning to fledge, which means that we need all of the help that we can get to limit human disturbance to nesting areas during the holiday weekend.

If you are available to do any extra monitoring next weekend, we would greatly appreciate it! Holiday monitoring does not need to be scheduled in advance. If you currently monitor at a site that does not have any nesting shorebirds and you would like assistance choosing a site with active nests/chicks to monitor during the holiday weekend, please email ctwaterbirds@gmail.com

Important note! Expect the Connecticut Audubon Coastal Center and Milford Point parking lot to be closed to all visitors (volunteers included) during the July 4th weekend. This annual closure is to help limit what would otherwise be extreme traffic on the property. We will share exact dates/times of the closure as soon as they become available. If you were planning to monitor at Milford Point and would like assistance choosing an alternative site to monitor next weekend, please email ctwaterbirds@gmail.com

Special event tomorrow: "Birds of the Marsh" Day at Hammonasset Beach State Park
Visit Hammonasset Beach State Park tomorrow between 10am-4pm to celebrate salt marsh biodiversity! Attend a bird walk, marsh visit, and a presentation on Saltmarsh Sparrows by UCONN researcher Frank Gigliotti. Don't forget to stop by the AAfCW table to say hello!☺

A full itinerary for "Birds of the Marsh" Day can be found HERE

Volunteer Spotlight!
Continuing with our spotlight series, I would like to introduce this week's amazing volunteers: Steve and Charla Spector!

A special note about the Spectors from Rebecca Foster, CT DEEP Wildlife Division: 
Stephen and his wife Charla are legendary at Milford Point. All of our field staff know that we will regularly meet them on the beach and we look forward to getting a report from Steve and catching up on the latest status of all of the birds there. 
When I first started as a plover research assistant for CT DEEP, I learned so much about plover behavior from talking to Steve. He showed me plover mating "goose-stepping" and territorial "parallel running" and he has always been really patient, even though he knew far more about our shorebirds than I did. The birding community is so lucky to have Steve and Charla as amazing mentors for the next generations of birders. 

Get to know Steve and Charla below as they answer questions about their experience with AAfCW.

When did you begin volunteering with the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds?
We started monitoring around 2000 for the DEEP and US Fish & Wildlife, which transitioned to the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds. We are currently monitoring Milford Point.  In the past we have also monitored Shell Avenue Beach, Myrtle Beach, and Silver Sands Beach in Milford, CT.

What is your favorite part of volunteering as a shorebird monitor?
We are monitoring because we hope our collective efforts can help save these endangered birds. We love seeing and photographing the behaviors of the American Oystercatchers, Least Terns, and Common Terns.  We are especially fond of the Piping Plovers who arrive in March and immediately begin parallel walking to establish territorial boundaries, then begin nest making with their symbolic nest "scraping," and finally perform their highly choreographed mating.  Often we become absorbed by individual birds: an adult Oystercatcher who took an hour encouraging her chicks to swim across a channel of water that separated the main sandbar from what we then called the Francis Street spit--she swam back and forth until they finally followed.  In 2014 we were saddened but impressed by a Piping Plover chick who developed a disfigured leg: we watched him fledge; then he progressed from his natal nest near 75 Shell Avenue in Milford to the other side of Silver Sands State Park; we saw him next at the west end of the main sandbar at Milford Point, and finally at Statford Point.  And in 2017 we followed the progress of the first banded Piping Plover we had seen, the amazing female with the pink flag 2E as she raised 4 chicks on Shell Beach.  Amazingly, she has returned to Connecticut every year since then, and she is now at Milford Point with a single chick about to fledge.  We think her genes are well represented in the Piping Plovers of Southern Connecticut.

We are happy at Milford Point now because we have Matt Joyce and Johann Heupel providing their excellent work as rangers, covering extensive protected areas with daily attention to exclosures. We have appreciated a long line of people who have devoted themselves to our shorebirds, including many dedicated volunteers and outstanding administrators like Julie Victoria, Laura Saucier, and Scott Kruitbosch.  And a special thanks to Rebecca Foster.

What do you do outside of your volunteer work?
We are both retired and living in Milford, but Charla has continued to do Artwork for the past 60 years.  She's a Member of the New Haven Paint and Clay Club which just celebrated its 125th Anniversary. Her Artwork is concerned with a love for the beauty of the Animal kingdom, (of which we are a part), and with whom we share the planet. As such she is an activist for animal rights.  Steve, a long-retired English Professor, has been a compulsive birder since 1969 when the sight of Connecticut birds rekindled a love of birds that began when his parents started birding (then called "bird watching") with the help of Roger Tory Peterson's famous "Field Guide." Our favorite birding destinations outside of the United States have been Australia and Costa Rica.

"Pink Flag 2E" Female Piping Plover in 2017 and 2025. Photo: Stephen Spector

If you would like to nominate a fellow volunteer for an upcoming volunteer spotlight, email us at ctwaterbirds@gmail.com!

Latest Monitoring Data
Here is a summary of all volunteer-collected data submitted between June 13th and June 27th, 2025.
  • Number of volunteer reports submitted: 73
  • Total volunteer monitoring hours: 124
  • Number of beachgoers engaged in conversations about birds/conservation: 110
Piping Plover. Photo: Matthew Filosa/Audubon Photography Awards
Piping Plover Data Summary
Piping Plover Pair Observations
There were Piping Plover pairs observed at Sherwood Island, Pleasure Beach, Long Beach, Milford Point, Silver Sands, Sandy Point, Griswold Point, and Bluff Point between June 13th and June 27th.

Sites with Piping Plover nests:
SitePiping Plover Nests
Compo Beach - Westport0
Sherwood Island - Westport0
Pleasure Beach - Bridgeport0
Long Beach - Stratford7
Russian Beach - Stratford0
Short Beach - Stratford0
Milford Point - Milford15
Silver Sands State Park - Milford1
Sandy Point Bird Sanctuary - West Haven2
Hammonasset - Madison0
Griswold Point - Old Lyme1
Waterford Town Beach - Waterford0
Bluff Point - Groton4

American Oystercatcher. Photo: Katherine Westover/Audubon Photography Awards
American Oystercatcher Data Summary
American Oystercatcher Pair Observations
There were American Oystercatcher pairs observed at Compo, Sherwood Island, Pleasure Beach, Long Beach, Milford Point, Sandy Point, Griswold Point, Waterford Town Beach, and Bluff Point between June 13th and June 27th.

Sites with American Oystercatcher nests:
SiteAmerican Oystercatcher Nests
Compo Beach - Westport1
Sherwood Island - Westport0
Pleasure Beach - Bridgeport0
Long Beach - Stratford1
Russian Beach - Stratford0
Short Beach - Stratford0
Milford Point - Milford2
Silver Sands State Park - Milford0
Sandy Point Bird Sanctuary - West Haven0
Hammonasset - Madison0
Griswold Point - Old Lyme1
Waterford Town Beach - Waterford0
Bluff Point - Groton0

Common Tern. Photo: Michael Rickershauser/Audubon Photography Awards
Common Tern Data Summary
Adult Common Tern Observations
There were Common Terns observed at Sherwood Island, Milford Point, Sandy Point, Griswold Point, Waterford Town Beach, and Bluff Point between June 13th and June 27th.
Least Tern Data Summary
Adult Least Tern Observations
There were Least Terns observed at Pleasure Beach, Long Beach, Milford Point, Sandy Point, Griswold Point, Waterford Town Beach, and Bluff Point between June 13th and June 27th.

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Thank you all for your time and dedication towards protecting our shorebirds! 

Marissa
Audubon CT Volunteer Coordinator

**All photos are licensed for use through the National Audubon Society. Audubon Connecticut is a state office of the National Audubon Society**