This is the first field update for the AAfCW in 2024 with data provided from volunteer monitors spanning the official beginning of field season on April 1 through April 17. A huge thanks to monitors who went out in March on their own time to submit observations as well. We are now all finished preparing for our season, and if you have not joined us yet in 2024, we will see you in the field in 2025.
Please remember to submit a separate report for each species when entering data. Please do not lump them all into one submission. We want to report on Piping Plovers, American Oystercatchers, Least Terns, and Common Terns. You do not need to enter a new report if you saw none of a species. You can mention this in the comments of others, or enter one report for a trip where you saw no focal species at all.
These updates will occur more frequently now that we are nearly complete in getting all monitors into the field and all scheduling is completed. We have over 140 volunteer monitors at more than a dozen sites in Connecticut. That sounds like a lot, but when our sites and birds need monitoring from dawn to dusk, seven days a week, avoiding bad weather, targeting specific tides, it means we need all the help we can get. It is okay to overlap with other volunteers if you see them in the field, and it can help with public perception, data, and education.
Thank you to all for your efforts thus far! Many nests will begin to appear soon, and we hope we can get through the early spring weather and tides with most intact. New nests should be reported to Laura.Saucier@ct.gov, rsuzf@hotmail.com, and ctwaterbirds@gmail.com. Please remember to report issues to ctwaterbirds@gmail.com and CT DEEP directly via email if it involves downed fencing or signage, lost nests, moderate disruptions and disturbances, or contact local animal control, police, or EnCon police for “take” situations and emergencies, subsequently letting us know about the event.
Species | Date | Location | Pairs | Adults | Nests |
AMOY | April 6 | Sherwood Island | 2 | 0 | 0 |
AMOY | April 8 | Long Beach | 2 | 0 | 0 |
AMOY | April 9 | Milford Point | 1 | 1 | 0 |
AMOY | April 9 | Milford Point | 0 | 3 | 0 |
AMOY | April 9 | Sandy/Morse Points | 1 | 0 | 0 |
AMOY | April 10 | Long Beach | 1 | 0 | 0 |
AMOY | April 10 | Milford Point | 1 | 5 | 0 |
AMOY | April 10 | Milford Point | 1 | 4 | 0 |
AMOY | April 11 | Bluff Point | 1 | 0 | 0 |
AMOY | April 11 | Milford Point | 3 | 2 | 1 |
AMOY | April 13 | Sandy/Morse Points | 0 | 1 | 0 |
AMOY | April 13 | Harkness Memorial State Park | 1 | 0 | 0 |
AMOY | April 14 | Milford Point | 6 | 0 | 0 |
AMOY | April 14 | Milford Point | 0 | 1 | 0 |
AMOY | April 15 | Sandy/Morse Points | 1 | 0 | 0 |
AMOY | April 15 | Milford Point | 1 | 1 | 1 |
AMOY | April 15 | Long Beach | 5 | 0 | 0 |
AMOY | April 16 | Sandy/Morse Points | 2 | 4 | 0 |
AMOY | April 16 | Long Beach | 1 | 0 | 1 |
AMOY | April 16 | Long Beach | 1 | 0 | 1 |
AMOY | April 16 | Milford Point | 2 | 3 | 1 |
AMOY | April 16 | Sandy/Morse Points | 2 | 0 | 0 |
AMOY | April 16 | Milford Point | 0 | 6 | 0 |
AMOY | April 17 | Sandy/Morse Points | 2 | 0 | 0 |
AMOY | April 17 | Pleasure Beach | 2 | 0 | 0 |
AMOY | April 17 | Milford Point | 2 | 14 | 2 |
AMOY | April 17 | Long Beach | 2 | 0 | 0 |
PIPL | April 1 | Milford Point | 5 | 4 | 0 |
PIPL | April 8 | Milford Point | 1 | 3 | 0 |
PIPL | April 8 | Long Beach | 3 | 7 | 0 |
PIPL | April 9 | Milford Point | 2 | 1 | 0 |
PIPL | April 9 | Milford Point | 0 | 8 | 0 |
PIPL | April 9 | Long Beach | 0 | 3 | 0 |
PIPL | April 9 | Long Beach | 0 | 9 | 0 |
PIPL | April 9 | Sandy/Morse Points | 0 | 3 | 0 |
PIPL | April 10 | Long Beach | 6 | 7 | 0 |
PIPL | April 10 | Milford Point | 0 | 3 | 0 |
PIPL | April 10 | Milford Point | 2 | 1 | 0 |
PIPL | April 11 | Bluff Point | 4 | 0 | 0 |
PIPL | April 11 | Milford Point | 2 | 5 | 0 |
PIPL | April 12 | Milford Point | 0 | 15 | 0 |
PIPL | April 13 | Sandy/Morse Points | 0 | 5 | 0 |
PIPL | April 14 | Milford Point | 5 | 0 | 0 |
PIPL | April 14 | Milford Point | 2 | 0 | 0 |
PIPL | April 15 | Sandy/Morse Points | 0 | 8 | 0 |
PIPL | April 15 | Milford Point | 3 | 2 | 0 |
PIPL | April 15 | Long Beach | 7 | 2 | 0 |
PIPL | April 16 | Milford Point | 1 | 3 | 0 |
PIPL | April 16 | Sandy/Morse Points | 4 | 6 | 0 |
PIPL | April 16 | Sandy/Morse Points | 0 | 3 | 0 |
PIPL | April 16 | Long Beach | 0 | 6 | 0 |
PIPL | April 16 | Long Beach | 0 | 1 | 0 |
PIPL | April 16 | Milford Point | 0 | 16 | 0 |
PIPL | April 16 | Milford Point | 0 | 8 | 0 |
PIPL | April 17 | Sandy/Morse Points | 3 | 5 | 0 |
PIPL | April 17 | Milford Point | 2 | 5 | 0 |
PIPL | April 17 | Pleasure Beach | 0 | 1 | 0 |
PIPL | April 17 | Long Beach | 5 | 5 | 0 |
