AAfCW 2026 Field Update #2

Temperatures are warming, and beach crowds are coming!

Just as nests are beginning to hatch across the Connecticut shoreline, beach season is upon us! Every year, Memorial Day Weekend is one of the most important time periods for reducing human disturbance to nesting shorebirds. If you are planning to recreate on a beach next weekend, please be mindful of the birds and encourage others around you to do the same.

If you are interested in picking up an extra monitoring shift during Memorial Day Weekend, Please sign up of Bloomerang. We would greatly appreciate your help! Audubon Alliance staff will be present on many of the larger beaches across the state next weekend, but we can't be everywhere at once. 

Some additional reminders:

Piping Plovers may renest up to three times after losing their nests to predation, disturbance, or weather events. Remember that it is very important to continue monitoring the "quieter" beaches because some birds may now choose those beaches for a renest attempt. 

Do not linger near any exclosures, nests, chicks, or adult birds. Remember that the birds will tell you when you are too close by doing broken wing displays, alarm calls, or by dive-bombing. Bird safety is always most important! 

There are many other shorebirds foraging and resting on the shoreline this time of year before they continue their northbound migration to their arctic breeding grounds. For a review of additional species that you may encounter while monitoring, check out this online guide to shorebirds of New England created by Soheil Zendeh in Massachusetts: https://www.birdobserver.org/NESG

Audubon Alliance Field Staff Spotlight: Tayler Grimm

Tayler helping to band an American Oystercatcher (all birds handled with federal permits and training) 

How long have you worked for Audubon?

I started working with Audubon 3 years ago in 2024, this is my 3rd season coming back!

Where do you work?

This year I am monitoring Harkness and Bluff Point State Park, Griswold Point, Mile Creek, Hatchetts Point, Old Black Point, and the Westbrook Barrier Islands, Menunketesuck and Salt Island. In past years I have also monitored at Hammonasset Beach state park. I am very grateful to have monitored at so many of our sites, each one is so unique and getting to know the space and birds has been a fun journey.

What path did you take to get to this point?

It has been a winding road for sure! I grew up in Colorado and have always wanted to end up back out west working with wildlife in some way. I went to county college for a couple of years and then Rutgers University in New Jersey. I graduated in 2021 with a degree in Ecology, Evolution and Natural Resources. I moved to Connecticut shortly after graduation and had a couple seasonal jobs with CT DEEP. I worked as a park ranger, a land maintainer, a teacher's assistant in the hunter education program, a pheasant stocker. After 3 seasons I met a lot of people in different departments. I learned about the wildlife projects going on and applied to work on the DEEP New England Cottontail Project. It was a really fun season getting to do my first wildlife surveys. One of the lead technicians worked this job and told me about the work. It sounded really amazing! I applied to the job and thankfully got it!!! I am happy to have been a part of this awesome team since then! During the other half of the year, I have now worked with CT DEEPs waterfowl program the past 2 years. I do some duck banding and wood duck box checks during that field season. It's really amazing have two field jobs related to birds that back up to each other. 

What is your favorite part of this job?

My favorite part of the job is all the beauty I get to see throughout my workday. From watching the birds raise their babies, to the pretty seashells and tide pools I get to pass along the way, all the other birds and other wild critters, the sunsets and sunrises I get to catch at the beach before or after a long day. It truly feels like I’m living in an episode of Planet Earth somedays at work. And I am beyond grateful for that. 

American Oystercatchers. Photo: Tayler Grimm

Who or what is your biggest influence in your career?

My biggest influence will always be Colorado. Growing up out there and then moving to New Jersey as an angsty teenager was really hard. I grew up riding horses and camping a lot we were always outside doing something. I dreamed of going “home”, being a cowgirl in the mountains. But eventually that evolved into wanting to work outside with animals in anyway. The evolution helped me find a love for wildlife and conservation and wanting to make that a huge part of my life. I want to help do my part in trying to keep wildlife populations alive and healthy in this shrinking world.

What do you do outside of work?

I love spending time with my dogs; I have two of them and we go for a nice hike most days. I often joke if they knew I was outside all day without them they would run away. I also have a small business called Melted Rainbows. I make nature inspired tie dye clothing, lots of hoodies, dresses funky pants. I try to get out and vend at local markets and craft fairs occasionally. It can be hard to balance such an active field job with such a creative hands-on business. But both of them make me so beyond happy and fulfilled. I am lucky to have two jobs filled with such passion and beauty.

Volunteer Monitoring Data

Here is a summary of all volunteer-collected data submitted between May 1st and May 15th.

• Number of volunteer reports submitted: 95
• Total volunteer monitoring hours: 142
• Number of beachgoers engaged in conversations about birds/conservation: 110

Piping Plover 7J2 at Sandy Point. Photo: Val Mermall

Piping Plover Data Summary:

Piping Plover Individual Adult Observations

There were Piping Plover adults observed at Sherwood Island, Long Beach, Milford Point, Silver Sands, Sandy Point, Hammonasset, Griswold Point, and Bluff Point between May 1st and May 15th, 2026.

Piping Plover nest counts:

Site:	# of nests:
Bluff Point - Groton	5
Waterford Town Beach - Waterford	0
Griswold Point - Old Lyme	1
Hammonasset (West Beach) - Madison	0
Sandy Point Bird Sanctuary - West Haven	6
Silver Sands State Park - Milford	0
Milford Point - Milford	17
Russian Beach - Stratford	0
Long Beach - Stratford	10
Sherwood Island - Westport	1
Greenwich Point Park - Greenwich	0

American Oystercatcher. Photo: Robert Blanchard/Audubon Photography Awards

American Oystercatcher Data Summary:

American Oystercatcher Individual Adult Observations

There were American Oystercatcher adults observed at Long Beach, Russian Beach, Milford Point, Silver Sands, Sandy Point, Hammonasset, Griswold Point, Waterford Town Beach, and Bluff Point between May 1st and May 15th, 2026.

American Oystercatcher nest counts:

Site:	# of nests:
Bluff Point - Groton	0
Waterford Town Beach - Waterford	0
Griswold Point - Old Lyme	1
Hammonasset (West Beach) - Madison	0
Sandy Point Bird Sanctuary - West Haven	2
Silver Sands State Park - Milford	1
Milford Point - Milford	3
Russian Beach - Stratford	0
Long Beach - Stratford	1
Sherwood Island - Westport	0
Greenwich Point Park - Greenwich	1

Least Tern. Photo: William Dix/Audubon Photography Awards

Least Tern Data Summary:

Least Tern Adult Observations

There were Least Tern adults observed at Long Beach, Milford Point, Silver Sands, Sandy Point, Griswold Point, and Bluff Point between May 1st and May 15th, 2026.

Common Tern. Photo: Scott Dere/Audubon Photography Awards

Common Tern Data Summary:

Common Tern Adult Observations

There were Common Tern adults observed at Long Beach, Milford Point, Sandy Point, Hammonasset, Griswold Point, and Bluff Point between May 1st and May 15th, 2026.

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Thank you to our volunteers for all that you do to help us protect our nesting shorebirds!

AAfCW 2026 Field Update #1

The 2026 season is off to a great start thanks to all of our amazing volunteers! 

This post contains a summary of all volunteer events and the monitoring data collected by volunteers throughout the month of April. There are already lots of nests popping up across the state, and things are only just getting started. Before we get to the fun stuff, here are a few friendly reminders:

1. Please remember to sign up for monitoring shifts on Bloomerang before you visit a site! This allows us to see where and when folks are monitoring the birds, and it helps us to understand where there might be gaps in coverage that need to be filled. If you have not yet created a Bloomerang account, or if you need a refresher on how to navigate the Bloomerang website, please check the resources under the "Important Documents" tab on the right side of this page.

2. If you find a new nest, please report it ASAP by emailing laura.saucier@ct.gov, rsuzf@hotmail.com, and ctwaterbirds@gmail.com. In your email, provide details to help field staff locate the nest. Providing landmarks is extremely helpful (ex: large log, wrack line, fencing section, etc.). Do NOT place any man-made objects near the nest or attempt to mark the nest in any way. Also please remember that there is never any reason to enter the string fencing areas.

3. Bird safety is paramount. If any birds are visibly distressed by your presence (exhibiting behaviors like rapid, frantic calls) you are too close! Please remember to walk below the high tide line while monitoring in order to limit our disturbance to the birds. Also please email ctwaterbirds@gmail.com to cancel your monitoring session if temperatures are below 50°F or above 90°F.

4. Report issues like downed fencing, damaged signage, or major incidents involving members of the public by emailing laura.saucier@ct.gov, rsuzf@hotmail.com, and ctwaterbirds@gmail.com. Save the CT DEEP dispatch phone number (860-424-3333) and familiarize yourself with the local animal control phone numbers provided in the volunteer monitoring packet. Remember that our goal is to educate beachgoers with kindness. If somebody is agitated or uninterested in productive conversation, it is best to wish them a good day and move on.

5. Complete the online data submission form after every site visit, even if you did not observe any birds! Site information including your hours, local weather, public engagement attempts, and disturbance reports are all vital insights into the things that are happening on CT's shoreline. It is most helpful to us if these reports are submitted within 24 hours of when you complete your monitoring. Bloomerang will automatically send you a reminder the day after each of your shifts end. You can also access the data submission form by clicking on the link to "2026 Online Data Submission Form" under the "Important Documents" tab on the right side of this page.

6. There have been a few tern sightings across the state this week! Keep an eye out as they begin to arrive at the beaches and report all sightings through the data submission form.

April Events Recap:

April was an absolute whirlwind! Over the course of just a few weeks, Audubon Alliance staff and volunteers prepared miles of Connecticut's shoreline for the beach-nesting bird season by participating in beach clean-ups and installing string fencing at priority nesting sites. We also partnered with researchers at Great Gull Island to construct nearly 250 nest shelters for the federally endangered Roseate Tern!

Roseate Tern nest box building workshop in Greenwich

AAfCW staff and volunteers preparing to install fencing at Griswold Point in Old Lyme

Coastal Waterbird Technician, Tayler, installing fencing at Silver Sands State Park in Milford

Roseate Tern Nest Box Workshop at the Eli Whitney Museum in Hamden

Volunteers removing trash during the Sandy Point beach clean-up in West Haven

Here is the total pile of trash that was removed from Sandy Point in just a few hours!

Volunteers installing fencing at Bluff Point in Groton

Volunteer Monitoring Data:

Here is a summary of all volunteer-collected data submitted during the month of April.

• Number of volunteer reports submitted: 97
• Total volunteer monitoring hours: 151
• Number of beachgoers engaged in conversations about birds/conservation: 108

Piping Plover. Photo: Melissa Groo/Audubon Photography Awards

Piping Plover Data Summary

Piping Plover Individual Adult Observations

In April, there were individual adult Piping Plovers observed at Sherwood Island, Long Beach, Milford Point, Silver Sands, Sandy point, Griswold Point, and Bluff Point.

Piping Plover Adult Pair Observations

In April, there were Piping Plover pairs observed at Long Beach, Milford Point, Silver Sands, Sandy Point, Griswold Point, and Bluff Point.

Additionally, the following sites currently have active Piping Plover nests (nest counts will be included in the next blog post in two weeks!):

• Long Beach
• Milford Point
• Sandy Point
• Bluff Point

American Oystercatcher. Photo: Robert Blanchard/Audubon Photography Awards

American Oystercatcher Data Summary

American Oystercatcher Individual Adult Observations

In April, there were individual American Oystercatcher adults observed at Compo Beach, Sherwood Island, Long Beach, Milford Point, Silver Sands, Sandy Point, Griswold Point, and Bluff Point.

American Oystercatcher Pair Observations

In April, there were American Oystercatcher pairs observed at Greenwich Point Park, Pleasure Beach, Long Beach, Milford Point, Silver Sands, Sandy Point, Hammonasset, Griswold Point, and Bluff Point.

Additionally, the following sites currently have active American Oystercatcher nests (nest counts will be included in the next blog post in two weeks!):

• Long Beach
• Milford Point
• Sandy Point
• Bluff Point

As a reminder, this is only the beginning of the nesting season! If you visited your site in April and didn't see any birds, don't panic! Many birds are still getting settled, and the terns are only just beginning to arrive. As always, please reach out to me at ctwaterbirds@gmail.com if you have any questions or concerns.

Thank you for volunteering with us this year!

Marissa

Audubon CT Volunteer Coordinator

Official 2025 Nesting Season Results!

It is finally time to share the official results of the 2025 shorebird nesting season! Over the past several months, our team has compiled all of the data collected by field staff and volunteers throughout the 2025 nesting season. This is a tremendous effort, and we would like to thank you all again for your valuable contributions to this dataset. Overall, Connecticut shorebirds had a productive nesting season in 2025, in addition to achieving few exciting milestones that I highlighted below.

I will be in touch at the beginning of the new year to share details about the 2026 nesting season. We hope to have many of you join us again on the beaches next year! Until then, stay warm and enjoy the winter birds in our backyards and on our beaches. As always, reach out to ctwaterbirds@gmail.com with any questions!

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Volunteer Effort Summary:

• Total number of volunteer reports submitted in 2025: 719
• Total volunteer monitoring hours in 2025: 1507
• Number of beachgoers engaged in conversations about birds/conservation: 1098

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Additionally, we would like to recognize the following volunteers for their outstanding efforts:

Volunteers who contributed the highest number of monitoring hours in 2025:

• Carolyn Arnold: 48 hours
• Jackie Kirby: 39 hours
• Patrice Favreau: 37 hours

Volunteers who engaged the highest number of beachgoers engaged in conversations about birds/conservation in 2025:

• Nicole Crane: 83 beachgoers
• Larissa Graham: 78 beachgoers
• Jackie Kirby: 46 beachgoers

Thank you each and every one of our amazing volunteers!

Piping Plover. Photo: Katherine Wittgenstein/Audubon Photography Awards

Piping Plover Summary:

Piping Plover season highlights:

• 2025 had the highest number of Piping Plover chicks fledged per pair since monitoring in Connecticut began in 1984!
• 2025 had the second highest number of nesting Piping Plover pairs ever recorded (81 pairs in 2025, 83 pairs in 2024)

American Oystercatcher. Photo: Nicholas Wetzel/Audubon Photography Awards

American Oystercatcher Summary:

American Oystercatcher season highlights:

• 2025 had the highest number of American Oystercatcher chicks fledged per pair since monitoring began in Connecticut!
• Productivity on offshore islands was very high (predation and human disturbance tend to be higher at mainland sites)

Lest Tern. Photo: Martin Culpepper/Audubon Photography Awards

Least Tern Summary:

Least Tern season highlights:

• Least Tern productivity in 2025 was higher than 2023 and 2024

Common Tern. Photo: Michael Rickershauser/Audubon Photography Awards

Common Tern Summary: (Note: no data table since Common Terns did not nest at volunteer-monitored sites)

• 442 pairs in 2025
• Common Terns nested on 13 islands, 7 small colonies ranging from 1-10 pairs
• High hatching success on offshore islands

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Thanks for reading! More information about the 2026 season will be coming soon!

Marissa

Audubon CT Volunteer Coordinator

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**

AAfCW Field Update #9

Second to last update of the season!

After today, there will only be one more field update for the 2025 season! Although our season does not officially end until August 31st, we are already starting to compile all of this year's nesting data. Please be sure to submit all monitoring reports as soon as possible. If you have older reports that you forgot to submit earlier in the season, that is okay! Please be sure to submit those reports to us as well. Any and all data is valuable to us!

If you are interested in assisting Audubon and CT DEEP staff with fencing removal, please see below for details about upcoming fencing removal events and RSVP by emailing ctwaterbirds@gmail.com

• Sandy Point, West Haven: Tues 8/26 @ 10am (due to parking restrictions, we can only accommodate volunteers who already monitor at Sandy Point or those who are West Haven residents)
• Griswold Point, Old Lyme: Tues 9/2 @ 11am

During fencing removal, volunteer tasks include pulling wooden stakes out of the ground, wrapping spools of string, and carrying signage off of the beach. If you would like to join us, please bring sunscreen, a hat, work gloves, a pocketknife/multitool and LOTS of water (remember that it can get very hot on the beach in the middle of the day!) Do not attempt to carry too many stakes as there will be enough staff and volunteers that no one should overexert themselves. Remember to take breaks when needed. As always, please reach out to ctwaterbirds@gmail.com if you have any questions!

Volunteer Spotlight:

I would like to introduce you all to the subject of this week's volunteer spotlight, Amy Traggianese!

Where do you conduct your shorebird monitoring? 

For the last four years I have monitored the shorebirds at Milford Point. During two of those years, I also monitored Sandy/Morse Points in West Haven.

How did you learn about the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds volunteer program? 

My husband saw information about the volunteer program online. I had just retired from teaching, and was always interested in birds, Piping Plovers in particular. I had never seen one close up!  COVID19 was still a big problem at that time, so it was a great activity for me to do outside.

What is your favorite part of volunteering as a shorebird monitor?

My favorite part of shorebird monitoring is that I am doing my small part to help these threatened birds. As a bonus, I have learned a lot about the four species and nature conservation in general. I also enjoy answering questions from the public about the birds and their habitat.

One of my favorite memories of monitoring was when I actually saw my first Piping Plover on Milford Point. I was SO excited, and that little bird became my spark bird! Ever since I have been birding in my yard and anywhere else I can. I consider myself a citizen scientist and report on eBird and iNaturalist. My husband and I bird around Connecticut and when we travel. In the last four years, we have birded up and down the East coast, in Iceland, and in many National Parks.

Another great monitoring day was the time I noticed a tiny Diamondback Terrapin at Milford Point. It was about the size of a quarter! At first, I wasn’t sure if it was dead or alive… until it blinked! I was happy to add that little creature to the data I submitted that day.

Diamondback Terrapin hatchling. Photo: Amy Traggianese

What do you do outside of your volunteer work?

As a retired art educator, I’m also an artist, so when I’m not monitoring or birding, I’m creating! The last few years I have focused on collage, crochet and weaving. Cooking and baking are also some of my favorite things to do. I’m also an avid reader and enjoy non-fiction books and biographies.

Latest Monitoring Data:

Here is a summary of all volunteer-collected data submitted between August 9th and August 22nd, 2025.

• Number of volunteer reports submitted: 47
• Total volunteer monitoring hours: 68
• Number of beachgoers engaged in conversations about birds/conservation: 58

Piping Plover. Photo: Camilla Cerea/Audubon

Piping Plover Data Summary

Piping Plover Individual Adult Observations

There were individual adult Piping Plover observed at Long Beach, Milford Point, Silver Sands, Sandy Point, and Bluff Point between August 9th and August 22nd.

American Oystercatchers. Photo: Emily Hampton/Audubon Photography Awards

American Oystercatcher Data Summary

American Oystercatcher Individual Adult Observations

There were individual adult American Oystercatchers observed at Long Beach, Milford Point, and Sandy Point between August 9th and August 22nd.

Common Tern. Photo: Luke Franke/Audubon

Common Tern Data Summary

Adult Common Tern Observations

There were Common Terns observed at Long Beach, Milford Point, Sandy Point, and Waterford Town Beach between August 9th and August 22nd.

Least Tern. Photo: Steve Dimock/Audubon Photography Awards

Least Tern Data Summary

Adult Least Tern Observations

There were Least Terns observed at Long Beach, Milford Point, Sandy Point, Griswold Point, Waterford Town Beach, and Bluff Point between August 9th and August 22nd.

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Thank you all for your time and dedication towards protecting our shorebirds! 

Marissa

Audubon CT Volunteer Coordinator

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