Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds update #20

This is the twentieth update by the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds (AAfCW) for the 2012 season. It includes reports of Piping Plover, American Oystercatcher, Least Tern, and Common Tern received from 12:00 p.m. on July 23 through 12:00 p.m. on July 30 with sightings of birds spanning July 23 through July 29 by our staff and volunteers.

Survey and monitoring updates:

Piping Plover
Volunteer and staff surveys:
2 adults, 5 chicks at Harkness Memorial State Park on 7/23
2 adults, 3 juveniles at Milford Point on 7/23
1 pair, 1 adult, 1 chick, 3 juveniles at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/23
3 adults, 4 juveniles at Long Beach on 7/23
3 adults, 1 juvenile at Milford Point on 7/23
2 pairs, 4 adults, 1 chick, 2 juveniles at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/23
6 adults, 4 juveniles at Milford Point on 7/24
3 adults, 6 juveniles at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/24
1 pair, 1 adult, 3 chicks at Griswold Point on 7/24
1 adult, 5 chicks, 2 juveniles at Harkness Memorial State Park on 7/24
1 adult, 2 juveniles at Sandy/Morse Point on 7/24
2 adults, 5 chicks at Harkness Memorial State Park on 7/25
2 adults, 2 chicks at Bluff Point on 7/25
1 adult, 4 juveniles at Long Beach on 7/25
2 adults, 1 chick, 1 juvenile at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/25
1 chick, 3 juveniles at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/25
2 adults, 1 juvenile at Long Beach on 7/26
1 adult, 2 juveniles at Milford Point on 7/26
1 adult, 2 chicks at Bluff Point on 7/27
1 adult, 2 chicks at Bluff Point on 7/27
2 adults, 3 chicks at Harkness Memorial State Park on 7/27
6 adults, 2 chicks at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/29
9 adults/juveniles at Long Beach on 7/29

American Oystercatcher
Volunteer and staff surveys:
1 pair, 1 adult at Milford Point on 7/23
2 pairs, 2 chicks at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/23
1 adult at Harkness Memorial State Park on 7/23
2 pairs, 1 chick at Milford Point on 7/23
2 pairs, 1 chick at Milford Point on 7/23
2 pairs, 8 adults, 3 chicks at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/23
1 pair, 2 juveniles at Kelsey Island on 7/24
1 pair, 1 chick at Milford Point on 7/24
2 adults at Stratford Point on 7/24
3 adults at Harkness Memorial State Park on 7/24
3 pairs, 2 chicks at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/24
2 pairs, 1 adult, 3 juveniles at Vincent Island on 7/25
2 pairs, 2 chicks at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/25
1 pair, 2 adults, 2 chicks at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/25
2 pairs, 1 chick at Milford Point on 7/26
1 pair, 1 chick at Bluff Point on 7/27
1 pair, 1 chick at Bluff Point on 7/27
1 pair, 1 chick at Bluff Point on 7/27
1 pair at Griswold Point on 7/27
1 adult at Pleasure Beach on 7/28
4 adults at Milford Point on 7/28
6 adults, 1 juvenile at Milford Point on 7/29
1 pair, 15 adults, 1 chick at Cockenoe Island on 7/29
6 adults at Norwalk Islands on 7/29
2 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/29
1 adult at Long Beach on 7/29

Least Tern 
Volunteer and staff surveys:
24 adults at Salt Island on 7/23
12 adults, 5 nests at Harkness Memorial State Park on 7/23
12 adults at Milford Point on 7/23
25 adults, 1 nest at Long Beach on 7/23
1 adult at Pleasure Beach on 7/23
8 adults at Milford Point on 7/23
80+ adults, 76 chicks, 25 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/23
8 adults at Milford Point on 7/24
21 adults 1 nest at Long Beach on 7/24
14 adults at Stratford Point on 7/24
18 adults, 4 juveniles, 7 nests at Harkness Memorial State Park on 7/24
76+ adults, 46+ chicks, 58+ nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/24
14 adults, 2 juveniles at Harkness Memorial State Park on 7/25
4 adults at Bluff Point on 7/25
30 adults at Long Beach on 7/25
100 adults, 20 chicks at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/25
40 individuals at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/25
19 adults, 1 nest at Long Beach on 7/26
3 adults at Silver Sands State Park on 7/26
12 adults, 1 nest at Milford Point on 7/26
2 adults, 1 nest at Bluff Point on 7/27
2 adults at Bluff Point on 7/27
15 adults, 2 juveniles, 4 nests at Harkness Memorial State Park on 7/27
6 adults at Long Beach on 7/28
10 adults at Long Beach on 7/28
1 pair, 10 adults at Milford Point on 7/28
1 adult at Silver Sands State Park on 7/28
11 adults at Stratford Point on 7/29
25 adults at Milford Point on 7/29
50-100 adults, 33 chicks, 28 juveniles, 5 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/29
20 adults at Long Beach on 7/29

Common Tern
Volunteer and staff surveys:
4 adults at Harkness Memorial State Park on 7/23
75 adults/juveniles at Milford Point on 7/23
6 adults, 2 chicks at Long Beach on 7/23
100-130 adults, 2 chicks at Milford Point on 7/23
51+ adults, 1 chick, 6 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/23
5 adults at Silver Sands State Park on 7/24
6 adults at Milford Point on 7/24
220 adults/juveniles at Stratford Point on 7/24
13 adults at Harkness Memorial State Park on 7/24
57 adults, 2 juveniles, 11 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/24
50 individuals at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/25
1 pair at Long Beach on 7/26
6 adults at Silver Sands State Park on 7/26
75 adults/juveniles at Milford Point on 7/26
8 adults at Bluff Point on 7/27
41 adults, 1 juvenile at Bluff Point on 7/27
10 adults at Harkness Memorial State Park on 7/27
8 adults at Long Beach on 7/28
1 adult at Pleasure Beach on 7/28
1 adult at Long Beach on 7/28
7 adults at Milford Point on 7/28
450 adults/juveniles at Stratford Point on 7/29
350 adults/juveniles at Milford Point on 7/29
206 adults, 6 nests at Cockenoe Island on 7/29
57 adults, 2 juveniles, 4 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/29
3 adults at Long Beach on 7/29

This concludes update #20 through 7/30/12 as of 3:30 p.m.

Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds, Audubon Connecticut and the Connecticut Audubon Society partnering to improve conditions for coastal waterbirds in Connecticut.