Volunteers Needed for Shorebird Monitoring 2024

Volunteers Needed for Shorebird Monitoring 2024

The thirteenth season of the incredibly successful Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds invites new and returning volunteers to make a big impact in 2024

The Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds (AAfCW) and the CT Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Wildlife Division, invite you to make a difference for threatened birds at the beach as an official volunteer monitor. This stewardship effort is focused on Piping Plovers, American Oystercatchers, Least Terns, and Common Terns at beaches statewide from April through August.

Atlantic Coast populations of beach-nesting birds return to the Connecticut coast beginning in March from their wintering grounds, as far as the Caribbean. The cryptic nests of these birds are extremely susceptible to human disturbance, predation, and tidal washouts. To enhance the survival and productivity of Connecticut’s beach-nesting birds, volunteers monitor at locations across the state to observe shorebirds, record and report nesting data, and spread a “share the shore” philosophy encouraging positive actions everyone can take to help these birds successfully raise their young. 

Training and orientation sessions will be held via Zoom webinars for new volunteers on March 26th from 6:30-8:00 pm and returning volunteers on March 28th from 7:00 – 8:00 pm.  During the sessions, volunteers will learn about the biology of the Piping Plover, Least Tern, and American Oystercatcher, how to monitor breeding pairs and chicks, volunteer organization and logistics, and law enforcement information. Virtual attendance by everyone planning to join us for the 2024 season is important to discuss the birds. For more information on the training sessions, please email the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds at ctwaterbirds@gmail.com. 

This training session is co-sponsored by the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds (Audubon Connecticut, the Connecticut Audubon Society, The Nature Conservancy), and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Wildlife Division.

New Year, Past Birds

Happy new year, all!

If we can look back to 2023 for a moment, I'd ask you to please share any eBird checklists that include shorebirds, terns, herons, or egrets with the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds at ctwaterbirds@gmail.com. We have requested this help in previous years, and please keep them coming from 2023.

There is a button on eBird to share in the upper left when viewing checklists, and if you click that, enter ctwaterbirds@gmail.com, then “share checklist”, we'll be all set. This helps us record the staging, foraging, and nesting areas for other species - those that we do not monitor every pair in Connecticut as we do for Piping Plovers and American Oystercatchers. 

These checklists should contain your time spent in the field to help track level of effort. Your assistance is greatly appreciated! If you are not an “official” monitor, we still would love your time and data. And if you would like to join us in 2024, you can email ctwaterbirds@gmail.com anytime as well as training will take place in March.

Thanks and best,

Scott Kruitbosch
AAfCW Volunteer Coordinator

2023 American Oystercatcher - Record Numbers!

We hope you have been enjoying the offseason for the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds. Today we are sharing results of the American Oystercatcher 2023 season as compiled by Elizabeth Amendola, Audubon Connecticut Coastal Program Coordinator. You'll find presentation slides in a PDF here that includes all the American Oystercatcher data from the start of the AAfCW in 2012 through 2023.

Happily, we can report that this season had the highest number of breeding pairs and chicks we have ever recorded, and the highest productivity as well. Our breeding population continues to increase thanks in part to all of your efforts! You'll see more information in the slides on beach vs. island birds, disturbances, and banding efforts, too. Predation and human disturbance continue to be a problem, and all of us will collectively work to lessen their impact in 2024. We hope you will be with us again next season.

We will soon be sending out the final 2023 numbers for Piping Plovers from CT DEEP Wildlife - stay tuned!

Best,
Scott Kruitbosch
AAfCW Volunteer Coordinator

AAfCW - USFWS Milford Point Unit Fencing Removal

Please see the below message from Shaun Roche, Visitor Services Manager of the Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge and Great Thicket National Wildlife Refuge (CT). Please email Shaun at shaun_roche@fws.gov if you can join the crew, thanks!

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Hi All-

It is time for us to take down the string fencing and shorebird nesting signs at the refuge's Milford Point Unit. We are planning to meet at 9am at the CT Audubon Coastal Center (1 Milford Point Road) on Tuesday the 19th. The work will include taking down string and putting it back on large spools for winter storage and clipping the wire to remove signs. We expect the work to take until about lunch time, so please bring food and a drink, and dress appropriately for the weather. If rain is predicted, we will move the work day to Thursday the 21st. I will email participants beforehand if this is the case.

To sign up, please email me if you can make it next Tuesday (and also indicate if you would be free Thursday in case of rain).

Thank you! 🙂

Shaun Roche, Visitor Services Manager
Stewart B. McKinney National Wildlife Refuge
and
Great Thicket National Wildlife Refuge (CT)

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Sandy Point fencing removal *rescheduled*

The AAfCW has decided to reschedule Sandy Point's fencing removal due to the rainy forecast on Wednesday and make it Thursday, September 14, at 10am. We will meet at the south end of Morse Ave.

It has been a difficult few months for beach weather, from frequent rain to uncomfortable heat and humidity, or both. Those who join us in West Haven on Thursday should remember a few things:

-wear sunscreen and a hat
-drink plenty of water or sports drink and bring a snack
-do not attempt to carry too many stakes as there will be enough volunteers and staff members so that no one should overexert themselves
-take a break when needed

Thank you so much, and please send us an email to let us know if you can make it to Sandy Point this Thursday at 10am for fencing removal!