AAfCW Field Update #10

 Last field update of the season!

The 2025 shorebird nesting season was a huge success thanks to the enormous effort of our volunteer monitors. The time and effort required to monitor nesting areas, educate/engage with the public, and install/remove fencing is a much larger project than we would ever be able to manage on our own. It is volunteers like you that make all of this work possible.

At this point, fencing, signage, and equipment have been removed from nearly all beaches across the shoreline. Anything that remains will be removed by AAfCW staff in the coming weeks. Thank you to those who assisted with fencing removal at Bluff Point, Long Beach, Sandy Point, and Griswold Point. Having extra hands to assist with fencing removal is always a huge help!

We are still in the process of finalizing all nesting data from this season, but fledgling numbers will be shared as soon as they are available. Please take time to double-check that all of your data from the season has been submitted. If you are unsure if you submitted data from a particular monitoring session, send an email to ctwaterbirds@gmail.com and I can search for missing reports on my end. 

We will be hosting a volunteer appreciation party at the end of September for everyone who helped us this year. Stay tuned for more details as soon as they are finalized!

Volunteer Opportunity: Beach Clean-Up at Sandy Point Bird Sanctuary

The Sandy Point Neighborhood Association, in partnership with the Stewards of the Sandy Point Bird Sanctuary, the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds, and the CT DEEP Wildlife Division, will be hosting a beach clean-up at Sandy Point on Saturday, September 13th at 10am (rain date September 14th). Trash bags, trash pickers, gloves, snacks and bottled water will be provided. Free parking will be available in the Sandy Point Bird Sanctuary parking lot, located at Beach Street and Third Avenue Extension, West Haven, CT. Additional information about the event can be found on the flyer attached below.

If you are interested in participating, please RSVP by emailing ctwaterbirds@gmail.com. We hope to see you there!

Latest Monitoring Data:

Here is a summary of all volunteer-collected data submitted between August 23rd and August 31st, 2025.

• Number of volunteer reports submitted: 31
• Total volunteer monitoring hours: 42
• Number of beachgoers engaged in conversations about birds/conservation: 23

Piping Plover. Photo: Kimberley Caruso/Audubon Photography Awards

Piping Plover Data Summary

Unpaired (Individual Adult) Piping Plover Observations

There were individual adult Piping Plover observed at Long Beach and Sandy Point between August 23rd and August 31st.

American Oystercatcher. Photo: John Heidecker/Audubon Photography Awards

American Oystercatcher Data Summary

Unpaired (Individual Adult) American Oystercatcher Observations

There were individual adult American Oystercatcher observed at Sherwood Island, Long Beach, Milford Point, Sandy Point, and Griswold Point between August 23rd and August 31st. Note that Milford Point is used as a staging area for migrating American Oystercatchers, which helps to explain the high numbers still present at that site so late in the season.

Common Tern. Photo: Scott Dere/Audubon Photography Awards

Common Tern Data Summary

Adult Common Tern Observations

There were adult Common Terns observed at Sherwood Island, Long Beach, Milford Point, Sandy Point, and Waterford Town Beach between August 23rd and August 31st.

Least Tern. Photo: Catherine McEntee/Audubon Photography Awards

Least Tern Data Summary

Adult Least Tern Observations

There were adult Least Terns observed at Long Beach and Milford Point between August 23rd and August 31st.

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Thank you all once again for a wonderful season! We hope to see you again on the beaches in 2026!

Marissa

Audubon CT Volunteer Coordinator

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