Heat Safety

We wanted to remind all of you terrific monitors as well as our staff to put your safety first when it comes to being on the beach. Temperatures in the 90s tomorrow and this weekend will make it hazardous to be outdoors with that extreme heat worsened by high dew points. Heat index values will near 100 tomorrow and exceed 105 on Saturday.

We definitely want to keep an eye on our birds, but their safety during such conditions is a consideration, too. This magnitude of heat plus the sun on eggs or very young birds can be fatal. The less traffic we have out there the better so that the adults can tend to nests without being disturbed in the slightest. This goes for all of our birds - Piping Plovers, American Oystercatchers, Least Terns, and Common Terns. Please feel free to disregard any monitoring and take a well deserved rest. Thank you all again for a stupendous job thus far in 2019. We have had a great deal of success because of your efforts, and we are certain it will continue through the end of August.

Forest Great Egret

The notorious forest-dweller: a Great Egret (Ardea alba) enjoying a recent afternoon in the, um, coastal woodlands of Stratford Point. They actually feed on far more than fish and marine life, also hunting for small mammals, amphibians, invertebrates, reptiles, and even birds.

AAfCW 2019 Volunteer Update #6

This is the sixth update by the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds (AAfCW) for the 2019 season. Today's update includes reports of Piping Plover, American Oystercatcher, Least Tern and Common Tern from June 22 through 8:00pm on July 8 with sightings of birds spanning the period.

Informational updates:

We continue to have sensational beach weather, and we can expect many people to visit our beaches on a regular basis. Please monitor as much as possible and engage the public in positive, educational interactions. We have many hatchlings, fledglings, and now juveniles running around, too. Accurate chick counts and correct aging are vital, bearing in mind their safety - at the expense of data and certainly photos - takes precedence. Please give them a wide berth. If you are causing adults to call out, perform distraction displays, or separating family groups, you are too close.

There is a tremendous amount of pressure on our birds 24 hours a day from beachgoers, predators, weather and tides, and more. We never want to add to that. Please do read through this helpful guide on aging our birds: https://rtpi.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/DEEP-PloverTern-Aging.pdf

Beyond the birds, your safety is paramount! Please do not monitor on very hot and humid days, especially midday. Take plenty of water, a snack, a phone, and wear sunblock. Long sleeves, pants, and a hat are advisable to protect yourself from the sun and heat. Be mindful of who you engage in stewardship efforts, and always stay home if thunderstorms are in the forecast. We never want anything to happen to you, so please exercise good common sense in all regards. Thank you very much for all your help!

Survey and monitoring updates:

Piping Plover
18 hatchlings/fledglings, 13 adults at Long Beach on 6/22
1 adult, 1 nest at Waterford Beach on 6/22
1 adult, 1 nest at Milford Point on 6/22
5 pairs, 2 adults, 1 nest, 13 hatchlings at Long Beach on 6/22
3 adults, 5 fledglings, 5 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/22
1 adult, 1 hatchling at Silver Sands on 6/23
3 pairs, 7 adults, 2 hatchlings, 4 juveniles at Long Beach on 6/23
1 adult, 1 hatchling at Silver Sands on 6/23
2 adults, 4 hatchlings at Milford Point on 6/24
2 pairs, 7 adults, 1 nest, 9 hatchlings at Long Beach on 6/24
1 pair, 4 adults, 2 nests at Milford Point on 6/24
1 pair, 1 nest at Waterford Beach on 6/24
1 adult, 1 hatchling at Silver Sands on 6/25
11 adults, 3 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/25
1 adult, 1 hatchling at Silver Sands on 6/25
3 pairs, 6 adults, 1 nest, 5 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/26
10 adults, 21 hatchlings, 1 fledgling, at Milford Point on 6/26
1 adult, 1 hatchling at Silver Sands on 6/26
10 adults, 10 hatchlings, 2 nests at Long Beach on 6/26
5 adults, 3 juveniles, 2 chicks at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/26
11 adults, 8 hatchlings, 6 fledglings at Milford Point on 6/27
1 pair, 1 nest at Waterford Beach on 6/27
1 pair, 2 adults, 4 hatchlings at Short Beach on 6/27
1 pair, 4 adults, 1 hatchling at Bluff Point on 6/28
3 pairs, 6 adults, 9 fledglings at Long Beach on 6/28
4 pairs, 2 adults, 2 nests, 2 hatchlings, 1 fledgling at Bluff Point on 6/28
1 pair, 1 nest at Waterford Beach on 6/28
5 pairs, 17 adults, 3 nests, 2 hatchlings, 2 fledglings at Bluff Point on 6/28
1 adult, 1 hatchling at Silver Sands on 6/29
9 adults, 14 chicks at Milford Point on 6/29
1 pair, 4 hatchlings at Short Beach on 6/29
6 pairs, 1 hatchling at Milford Point on 6/29
1 hatchling at Silver Sands on 6/30
5 pairs, 1 adult, 2 hatchlings, 10 fledglings at Long Beach on 6/30
1 adult, 1 hatchling at Silver Sands on 6/30
2 pairs, 3 adults, 1 nest, 1 fledgling at Bluff Point on 7/1
4 pairs, 4 adults, 8 hatchlings at Long Beach on 7/1
1 pair, 7 adults, 1 nest, 1 fledgling, 4 hatchlings, 2 juveniles at Milford Point on 7/1
1 adult, 1 hatchling at Silver Sands on 7/2
1 adult, 1 hatchling at Silver Sands on 7/3
1 pair, 5 adults, 3 hatchlings, 3 fledglings at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/3
3 pairs, 3 adults, 1 fledgling at Bluff Point on 7/5
4 pairs, 2 adults, 1 nest, 4 hatchlings, 1 fledgling at Bluff Point on 7/5
1 adult, 1 hatchling at Silver Sands on 7/6
2 adults at Milford Point on 7/6
1 adult, 1 hatchling at Silver Sands on 7/7
7 adults, 2 hatchlings, 6 juveniles at Long Beach on 7/7
2 pairs, 8 adults, 1 nest, 7 fledglings at Long Beach on 7/8

American Oystercatcher
4 individuals at Long Beach on 6/22
1 pair, 1 adult at Milford Point on 6/22
1 pair, 2 hatchlings at Long Beach on 6/22
3 adults at Waterford Beach on 6/22
2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/22
3 adults at Griswold Point on 6/23
1 adult at Long Beach on 6/23
1 pair, 2 hatchlings at Long Beach on 6/24
3 pairs, 1 nest at Milford Point on 6/24
3 pairs, 1 hatchling, 1 juvenile at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/25
5 adults at Milford Point on 6/26
2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/26
1 pair, 2 hatchlings at Long Beach on 6/26
3 individuals at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/26
15 adults, 1 nest at Milford Point on 6/27
1 pair, 1 adult, 2 fledglings at Bluff Point on 6/28
2 pairs, 2 adults, 2 fledglings at Bluff Point on 6/28
2 adults at Waterford Beach on 6/28
1 pair, 2 adults, 2 juveniles at Bluff Point on 6/28
1 pair, 1 adult at Milford Point on 6/29
4 adults at Milford Point on 6/29
2 pairs, 5 adults, 1 fledgling at Long Beach on 6/30
1 pair, 2 fledglings at Bluff Point on 7/1
3 adults at Milford Point on 7/1
2 pairs, 4 adults, 1 hatchling, 4 fledglings at Long Beach on 7/1
3 adults, 1 fledgling at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/3
1 pair, 2 hatchlings at Bluff Point on 7/5
1 pair, 2 adults, 4 hatchlings at Milford Point on 7/5
2 pairs, 1 adult, 2 fledglings at Bluff Point on 7/5
2 adults at Milford Point on 7/6
1 pair, 1 juvenile at Long Beach on 7/7
1 pair, 1 adult, 1 fledgling at Long Beach on 7/8

Least Tern
21 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/22
1 adult at Milford Point on 6/22
2 adults at Griswold Point on 6/23
4 adults, 1 nest at Milford Point on 6/24
30 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/25
7 pairs, 33 adults, 9 nests, 3 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/26
10 adults at Milford Point on 6/26
58 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/26
20 adults, 5 nests at Milford Point on 6/27
7 adults at Long Beach on 6/28
20 adults at Bluff Point on 6/28
32 adults, 2 nests at Bluff Point on 6/28
30 adults at Milford Point on 6/29
2 pairs, 8 adults at Bluff Point on 7/1
2 pairs, 5 adults at Long Beach on 7/1
30 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/3
1 adult at Silver Sands on 7/3
3 pairs, 10 adults at Bluff Point on 7/5
8 adults at Milford Point on 7/6
25 adults at Long Beach on 7/7
3 pairs, 3 adults at Long Beach on 7/8

Common Tern
6 adults at Waterford Beach on 6/22
14 adults at Griswold Point on 6/23
40 adults at Silver Sands on 6/23
7 adults at Long Beach on 6/23
5 adults at Long Beach on 6/24
23 adults at Milford Point on 6/24
1 adult at Silver Sands on 6/25
5 adults at Milford Point on 6/26
8 adults at Long Beach on 6/26
3 adults at Waterford Beach on 6/27
63 adults at Milford Point on 6/27
3 adults at Bluff Point on 6/28
2 adults at Bluff Point on 6/28
1 adult at Bluff Point on 6/28
7 adults at Milford Point on 6/29
17 adults at Milford Point on 6/29
5 adults at Bluff Point on 7/1
2 pairs, 7 adults, 1 juvenile at Long Beach on 7/2
5 adults at Silver Sands on 7/3
2 pairs, 5 adults at Bluff Point on 7/5

This concludes update #6 through 7/9/18 as of 4:30 a.m.

Request to volunteers for extra help monitoring at plover and tern beaches during the Independence Day holiday week/weekend 

Extra assistance is needed at Bluff Point (Groton), West Beach at Hammonasset State Park (Madison), Silver Sands State Park and other Milford beaches, Long Beach and Short Beach (Stratford), and Sandy Point (West Haven) on the Fourth of July and associated holiday week/weekend.  DEEP is particularly interested in chick counts (# of chicks you see when monitoring). Chick survival during the holiday weekend is problematic given all the beach parties and crowds. Your additional presence on the beach educating people about the birds and collecting information on chick survival during the busy weekend would be wonderful. Thank you!

AAfCW 2019 Volunteer Update #5

This is the fifth regular weekly update by the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds (AAfCW) for the 2019 season. Today's update includes reports of Piping Plover, American Oystercatcher, Least Tern and Common Tern from June 5 through 12:00pm on June 21 with sightings of birds spanning the period.

Informational updates:

This weekend should be some of the best beach weather of the year, and we can expect many people to visit our beaches. Please monitor as much as possible and engage the public in positive, educational interactions. We have many young hatchlings running around, too. They need a lot of space and extra care. Accurate chick counts are vital to know how they are all doing during such a busy part of the season. Silver Sands State Park is a very important site to visit, as is Long Beach, Milford Point, Bluff Point, and Sandy/Morse Points.

While the vast majority of our birds can be classified as hatchlings, there will soon be fledglings - young birds capable of flight becoming more independent of their parents. This typically takes around three to four weeks depending on the species. Birds that are only running around the beach and larger than when first hatched are not yet "fledged", even if they have some more room from their parents now. Check out this helpful guide on aging our birds: https://rtpi.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/DEEP-PloverTern-Aging.pdf

Please once again remember that distraction displays are seen when birds feel they and their young are in danger, and you should carefully exit the area immediately while staying near the water. It is tempting to want to pursue and photograph all of our birds, but this becomes a dangerous activity without a very long lens and extreme care. They have a tremendous amount of pressure from other humans and natural predators 24 hours a day, and we want to always be a help, not a hindrance, to their success.

Finally, if you are able to assist as a volunteer for fireworks coverage at Sandy/Morse Points in West Haven on the evening of July 3, please email us and let us know. We will be staffing the site but could use extra eyes as well. Thank you all!

Survey and monitoring updates:

Piping Plover
1 pair, 1 nest at Silver Sands on 6/5

1 pair at Peck Ave. West Haven on 6/5

1 adult at Waterford Beach on 6/5

2 adults, 1 nest at Milford Point on 6/5

7 adults, 2 nests, 3 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/5

6 adults, 7 hatchlings at Milford Point on 6/6

1 pair, 3 adults, 3 nests, 5 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/6

6 pairs, 2 adults, 4 nests, 1 hatchling at Bluff Point on 6/7

8 adults, 5 hatchlings at Milford Point on 6/7

4 pairs, 5 adults, 1 hatchling at Bluff Point on 6/7

1 pair at Waterford Beach on 6/8

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

7 adults, 3 nests, 3 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/8

7 pairs, 3 adults, 9 nests, 14 hatchlings at Long Beach on 6/8

1 pair, 1 nest at Silver Sands on 6/9

1 adult, 1 nest at Silver Sands on 6/9

1 pair, 1 nest at Silver Sands on 6/9

3 pair, 3 adults, 6 nests, 9 hatchlings at Long Beach on 6/9

1 pair, 1 nest at Silver Sands on 6/11

2 pairs, 2 hatchlings at Long Beach on 6/11

1 pair, 1 nest at Silver Sands on 6/11

9 adults, 8 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/12

1 pair, 1 nest at Waterford Beach on 6/12

14 adults, 2 nests, 4 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/12

1 pair, 3 adults, 1 nest, 2 hatchlings at Milford Point on 6/12

4 pairs, 7 adults, 3 nests, 5 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/12

3 pairs, 5 adults, 3 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/12

1 pair, 1 nest at Silver Sands on 6/12

1 pair, 1 nest at Waterford Beach on 6/14

1 adult, 2 hatchlings at Long Beach on 6/14

10 adults, 3 hatchlings, 2 nests at Milford Point on 6/14

5 pairs, 3 adults, 4 nests, 1 hatchling at Bluff Point on 6/14

2 pairs, 7 adults, 2 nests at Milford Point on 6/14

3 pairs, 2 adults, 1 nest, 1 hatchling at Milford Point on 6/15

2 adults, 5 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/15

1 pair, 2 adults, 3 hatchlings at Bluff Point on 6/15

5 pairs, 1 adult, 1 nest, 7 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/15

1 adult, 1 hatchling at Silver Sands on 6/16

8 pairs, 2 adults, 2 nests, 11 hatchlings at Long Beach on 6/16

6 pairs, 5 adults, 19 hatchlings at Long Beach on 6/16

1 pair, 11 adults, 1 nest, 8 hatchlings at Milford Point on 6/17

5 pairs, 2 adults, 2 nests, 5 hatchlings at Bluff Point on 6/17

4 pairs, 1 adult, 2 nests, 3 hatchlings at Milford Point on 6/17

1 adult, 1 hatchling at Silver Sands on 6/17

3 pairs, 10 adults, 10 hatchlings at Long Beach on 6/17

4 adults, 1 hatchling at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/17

1 adult, 1 nest at Waterford Beach on 6/18

14 adults, 17 hatchlings at Long Beach on 6/19

3 pairs, 8 adults, 3 nests, 5 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/19

7 adults, 1 nest, 3 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/19

3 pairs, 2 adults, 1 nest at Milford Point on 6/19

12 adults, 8 hatchlings, 3 nests at Milford Point on 6/20

American Oystercatcher
2 adults at Waterford Beach on 6/5

2 pairs, 1 adult, 5 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/5

4 pairs, 2 adults, 1 nest, 4 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/6

3 adults, 1 nest at Milford Point on 6/6

3 pairs, 1 adult, 1 nest, 3 hatchlings at Bluff Point on 6/7

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

3 pairs at Milford Point on 6/7

6 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/8

4 adults at Waterford Beach on 6/8

3 pairs at Milford Point on 6/8

1 pair, 1 nest, 2 hatchlings at Long Beach on 6/8

4 adults, 2 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/12

1 pair, 1 adult at Waterford Beach on 6/12

1 pair at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/12

5 adults, 2 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/12

1 pair, 4 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/12

1 adult at Waterford Beach on 6/14

2 pairs, 6 adults, 1 nest, 2 hatchlings at Bluff Point on 6/14

3 pairs, 1 nest at Milford Point on 6/14

7 adults, 1 nest at Milford Point on 6/14

3 pairs, 2 hatchlings at Milford Point on 6/15

1 pair, 1 adult at Bluff Point on 6/15

1 pair, 2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/15

4 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/15

2 pairs, 2 hatchlings at Long Beach on 6/15

1 pair, 1 adult, 1 nest at Milford Point on 6/17

2 adults at Silver Sands on 6/17

3 pairs, 1 nest at Milford Point on 6/17

1 pair, 1 adult, 2 hatchlings at Bluff Point on 6/17

3 adults, 2 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/17

2 pairs, 1 adult, 2 hatchlings at Long Beach on 6/17

5 pairs, 1 nest, 3 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/19

2 pairs, 2 hatchlings at Long Beach on 6/19

3 pairs, 1 hatchling at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/19

3 pairs, 2 nests at Milford Point on 6/19

3 pairs, 10 adults, 1 nest at Milford Point on 6/20

Least Tern

30 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/5

7 adults, 2 nests at Milford Point on 6/6

8 pairs, 7 adults, 7 nests, 3 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/6

6 pairs, 14 adults, 1 nest at Bluff Point on 6/7

2 adults at Milford Point on 6/7

6 pairs, 12 adults at Bluff Point on 6/7

59 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/8

50 adults, 15 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/12

11 pairs, 40 adults, 9 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/12
30 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/12

50 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/12

7 pairs, 6 adults, 4 nests at Bluff Point on 6/14

5 adults at Milford Point on 6/14

18 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/15

1 pair at Milford Point on 6/15

8 adults at Bluff Point on 6/15

4 pairs, 26 adults, 3 nests, 1 hatchling at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/15

2 pairs, 20 adults at Bluff Point on 6/17

20 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/17

7 adults at Milford Point on 6/17

4 adults at Long Beach on 6/17

4 adults at Long Beach on 6/19

6 pairs, 33 adults, 9 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/19

30 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/19

1 pair, 1 adult, 1 nest at Milford Point on 6/19

2 pairs at Milford Point on 6/20

Common Tern
2 adults at Waterford Beach on 6/8
1 adult at Bluff Point on 6/14

1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/15

35 adults at Milford Point on 6/17

55 adults at Long Beach on 6/19

13 adults at Milford Point on 6/19

7 adults at Milford Point on 6/20

This concludes update #5 through 6/22/18 as of 3:00 a.m.