Chicks are beginning to fledge!
Throughout the next two weeks, we expect to see very high visitation at many of the beaches across the Connecticut shoreline. At several of these sites, Piping Plover, American Oystercatcher, and Least Tern chicks are also trying to rest, forage, and learn how to fly. We are asking for volunteers to consider picking up an extra monitoring shift during the holiday weekend in order to help keep an eye on the chicks and the nests that have not hatched yet. If you regularly monitor at a site that does not currently have any nests or chicks present at the site, please reach out to ctwaterbirds@gmail.com and I can direct you to a site where you can assist. (Please note: Sandy Point Bird Sanctuary in West Haven and Griswold Point in Old Lyme are both at capacity for this season due to the limited parking at both sites).
IMPORTANT: Milford Point will be closed from 4pm on July 2nd until the morning of July 5th. If you normally monitor at Milford Point and would like to monitor elsewhere during this period, please let me know!
If you will be recreating on any beaches during the holiday weekend, please be mindful of the birds and help others around you to do the same. Thank you in advance for your help!
Upcoming Events:
Join us for our next Salt Marsh Day at the Meigs Point Nature Center on July 18th, 10am-4pm. This month's theme: Diamondback Terrapins!
Audubon Alliance Field Staff Spotlight: Becca Mulligan
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| Becca assisting with banding an American Oystercatcher. Photo: Beth Amendola/Audubon |
Where do you monitor shorebirds?
I monitor our central sites, so I spend most of my time at Sandy Point, Silver Sands State Park, Hammonasset and other smaller beaches spanning from Milford to East Haven.
When did you begin working for Audubon?
I started working for Audubon in March 2025, so this is my second season!
How did you get here? What would you like to do next?
I went to Purdue University and majored in Wildlife. I always knew I wanted to work with animals in some sort of way since I was a kid! I changed majors from Animal Science to Pre-Vet and then finally to Wildlife. My first field job was invasive species mapping at the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in New Jersey. I did a variety of field work in college involving turtles, songbirds, small mammals, and some forestry work. When I graduated, I began working as a Wildlife Technician doing waterfowl surveys and mitigation on NYC water supply reservoirs. Then I started working as a Coastal Waterbird Tech at Audubon! Additionally, I worked as a New England Cottontail Technician with DEEP before returning to Audubon for a second season. I would like to continue doing field work, whether that be with birds, rabbits, or any other type of wildlife. I’m not exactly sure what I’d like to do next, but as long as I’m outside, I’m happy!
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| American Oystercatcher. Photo: Becca Mulligan |
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| Piping Plover. Photo: Becca Mulligan |
What is your favorite part about this job?
My favorite part about this job is being able to do meaningful work for our birds! I also love being able to see them every day, watching them arrive, find a mate, and raise their chicks!
Who or what was the biggest influence that led to your career working with wildlife?
My biggest influence that led me to working with wildlife was my mom. She always had a soft spot for animals and wildlife, and that definitely rubbed off on me! When I was a kid, we spent a lot of time outside watching the wildlife in our yard. I vividly remember watching a squirrel eat an apple from our apple tree, and from then on, I knew I wanted to work with wildlife!
What do you like to do outside of work?
Outside of work I like to spend time visiting my brother and sister, hanging out with my friends, and being with my bunny! On my days off, I often go back to New Jersey to visit my family and friends. I have also started drawing every bird on my life list in a little journal, so that takes up a decent amount of time as well!
Volunteer Monitoring Data
Here is a summary of all volunteer-collected data submitted between June 12th and June 26th, 2026.
- Number of volunteer reports submitted: 94
- Total volunteer monitoring hours: 167
- Number of beachgoers engaged in conversations about birds/conservation: 152
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| Piping Plover. Photo: Becca Mulligan |
Piping Plover Data Summary:
Piping Plover Individual Adult Observations
Piping Plover nest counts:
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| American Oystercatcher. Photo: Mark Boyd/Audubon Photography Awards |
American Oystercatcher Individual Adult Observations
American Oystercatcher nest counts:
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| Least Terns. Photo: Steve Dimock/Audubon Photography Awards |
Least Tern Adult Observations
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| Common Tern. Photo: Robert Cook/Audubon Photography Awards |
Common Tern Data Summary:
Common Tern Adult Observations
Marissa travels to Florida with the Audubon Staff Exchange Program
As part of a new endeavor to expand collaboration and partnerships across teams at the National Audubon Society, I was given an opportunity last week to travel to Southwest Florida and learn about the work that teams are completing in that region! I spent the week exploring Audubon's Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary in Naples, FL and joining the Audubon Florida Coasts team to conduct shorebird monitoring at several of their priority nesting sites in Southwest Florida.
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| Boating through a mangrove forest to reach shorebird nesting sites at Rookery Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve. Photo: Megan Hatten/Audubon |
The primary species that nest on Florida's beaches are Black Skimmers, Least Terns, Wilson's Plovers, and Snowy Plovers. Much like our operations in Connecticut, Florida's shorebird conservation efforts are a massive effort that requires partnerships between the state environmental department, NGOs, municipalities, and many volunteers!
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| Black Skimmers. Photo: Marissa Ardovino/Audubon |
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| Barred Owl. Photo: Marissa Ardovino/Audubon |
During my trip, I saw so many incredible animals and I learned so much about the work being done by Audubon and various partners to protect those species and the places that they need. I am returning to Connecticut with lots of new ideas that I am excited to share with you all!
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Thank you to our volunteers for all that you do to help us protect our nesting shorebirds!
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