The 2025 season is off to a great start thanks to our amazing volunteers! There are already lots of nests popping up across the state, and things are only just getting started.
Below is a summary of the volunteer-collected data from April 1st through April 28th, but first, a few friendly reminders:
- If you find a new nest, please report it ASAP by emailing laura.saucier@ct.gov, rsuzf@hotmail.com, and ctwaterbirds@gmail.com. In your email, provide details to help field staff locate the nest. Providing landmarks is extremely helpful (ex: large log, wrack line, fencing section, etc.). Do NOT place any man-made objects near the nest or attempt to mark the nest in any way. Also please remember that there is never any reason to enter the string fencing areas.
- Bird safety is paramount. If any birds are visibly distressed by your presence (exhibiting behaviors like rapid, frantic calls) you are too close! Please remember to walk below the high tide line while monitoring in order to limit our disturbance to the birds. Also please email ctwaterbirds@gmail.com to cancel your monitoring session if temperatures are below 50°F or above 90°F.
- Report issues like downed fencing, damaged signage, or major incidents involving members of the public by emailing laura.saucier@ct.gov, rsuzf@hotmail.com, and ctwaterbirds@gmail.com. Save the CT DEEP dispatch phone number (860-424-3333) and familiarize yourself with the local animal control phone numbers provided in the volunteer monitoring packet. Remember that our goal is to educate beachgoers with kindness. If somebody is agitated or uninterested in productive conversation, it is best to wish them a good day and move on.
- Complete the online data submission form after every site visit, even if you did not observe any birds! Site information including your hours, local weather, public engagement attempts, and disturbance reports are all vital insights into the things that are happening on CT's shoreline. It is most helpful to us if these reports are submitted on the same day that you complete your monitoring.
- There have been several common tern sightings across the state this week! Keep an eye out as they begin to arrive at the beaches and report all sightings through the data submission form.
As always, if you have any comments, questions, or concerns please contact ctwaterbirds@gmail.com.
Additionally, if you have any photos from the field that you would like to see featured in the blog, please share them with us through ctwaterbirds@gmail.com.
Now for the fun stuff! Here is a summary of all volunteer-collected data submitted between April 1st and April 28th, 2025.
- Number of volunteer reports submitted: 98
- Total volunteer monitoring hours: 146
- Number of beachgoers engaged in conversations about birds/conservation: 123
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| Piping Plover. Photo: Deborah Smith/Audubon Photography Awards |
Piping Plover Data Summaries:
**Please note: Each graph displays values representing the range of the number of birds observed by volunteers at major monitoring sites across the state. These ranges are based on the minimum and maximum number of birds reported at each site in our online data submission form. Click on each graph to view a higher resolution image.
Unpaired (Individual Adult) Piping Plover Observations
During these first few weeks of the season, there were unpaired (individual) piping plovers observed at Long Beach, Milford Point, Sandy Point, and Bluff Point. If your favorite beach does not have piping plover activity yet, don't worry! Since it is still early in the season, some of these birds are likely to continue moving around as they search for nesting habitat.
Piping Plover Pair Observations
Several sites already have piping plover nests. See below for details:
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| American Oystercatcher. Photo: Robert Blanchard/Audubon Photography Awards |
American Oystercatcher Data Summaries:
Unpaired (Individual Adult) American Oystercatcher Observations
There were unpaired (individual) American oystercatchers observed at Long Beach, Milford Point, Silver Sands, Sandy Point, Waterford Town Beach, and Bluff Point. Remember that some birds are still moving around! Keep a close eye out for birds settling in places where they haven't yet been seen this season.
American Oystercatcher Pair Observations
There were American oystercatcher pairs observed at Sherwood Island, Long Beach, Milford Point, Silver Sands, Sandy Point, Waterford Town Beach, and Bluff Point. As these pairs begin nesting, remember to report new nests!
Several sites also already have American oystercatcher nests. See below for details:
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Remember that the numbers for both piping plovers and American oystercatchers will fluctuate as new nests are established and existing nests are lost to predation. Terns and other shorebird species will begin to arrive in upcoming weeks, including ones that look quite similar to our focal species (see similarities between piping plovers and semipalmated plovers here). Our next post will likely include some common tern data. Keep an eye out for that update in two weeks!
Thank you to all of our volunteers who contribute time, effort, and data to this project. We would not be able to do this without you!
Marissa
Audubon CT Volunteer Coordinator
