AAfCW 2014 Volunteer Update #7

This is the seventh weekly update by the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds (AAfCW) for the 2014 season. Today's update includes reports of Piping Plover, American Oystercatcher, Least Tern and Common Tern from May 12 through 4:00 p.m. on May 19 with sightings of birds by volunteers and staff spanning that period.

Informational updates:

All is running smoothly with our waterbirds for the most part thus far this season. After a slow start we have many nests of Piping Plover and American Oystercatcher across our beaches with at least sightings of birds nearly everywhere. Least Terns and Common Terns will be starting to pair off to nest in the coming weeks.

Please remember that next weekend is Memorial Day. The holiday will mean busier beaches with a lot more traffic, especially if the weather is cooperative. Many of these visitors will not know about our birds or why they're important and need to be educated on what is happening on the beach. If you have any extra time to monitor outside of your usual shifts please try to visit any of our beaches next Saturday, Sunday and Monday during this critical nesting time at the unofficial beginning of summer. Thank you in advance!

Survey and monitoring updates:

Piping Plover
6 pairs, 6 nests at Milford Point on 5/12
1 adult at Russian Beach on 5/12
2 pairs, 1 adult, 2 nests at Long Beach on 5/12
1 pair at Pleasure Beach on 5/12

3 pairs, 8 adults, 5 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/12

2 adults at Harkness Memorial State Park on 5/13
1 pair at Silver Sands State Park on 5/13
2 pairs, 1 adult, 2 nests at Long Beach on 5/13
3 pairs, 3 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/13

2 pairs at Long Beach on 5/13

2 pairs, 8 adults, 4 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/13

1 adult, 1 nest at Peck Ave. Beach, West Haven on 5/13

4 pairs, 1 adult, 4 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/14
1 pair, 1 nest at Peck Ave. Beach, West Haven on 5/14
3 pairs, 1 nest at Bluff Point on 5/14
8 pairs, 6 nests at Griswold Point on 5/14
1 pair at East Broadway Milford on 5/14
8 adults, 4 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/14

5 pairs, 3 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/14

1 pair at Sandy Point Stonington on 5/14

6 pairs, 1 adult, 7 nests at Milford Point on 5/15
4 pairs, 4 nests at Milford Point on 5/15
2 adults, 2 nests at Long Beach on 5/15

2 pairs at Griswold Point on 5/15
1 pair, 4 adults, 4 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/15

1 pair, 1 nest at Shell Avenue Milford on 5/16

2 pairs, 1 adult, 1 nest at Bluff Point on 5/16

3 pairs, 3 nests at Long Beach on 5/17

4 pairs at Long Beach on 5/17

1 pair, 2 adults, 2 nests at Long Beach on 5/18

2 pairs, 2 adults, 2 nests at Long Beach on 5/18

1 pair, 6 adults, 4 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/18

3 adults, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/19

American Oystercatcher
1 pair at Salt Island on 5/12
3 pairs, 1 adult, 1 nest at Menunketesuck Island on 5/12
1 pair, 1 nest at Duck Island on 5/12
2 pairs, 2 nests at Milford Point on 5/12

3 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/12

1 pair at Rocky Island on 5/12

2 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/13
1 pair at Compo Beach on 5/13
1 pair at Long Beach on 5/13

1 pair at Long Beach on 5/13

2 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/13

3 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/14
1 pair at Bluff Point on 5/14
1 pair, 1 nest at Griswold Point on 5/14
2 adults at Thimble Islands on 5/14
4 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/14
1 pair, 1 nest at Milford Point on 5/15
4 adults at Milford Point on 5/15
4 adults at Long Beach on 5/15

9 pairs, 9 nests at Sandy Point Stonington on 5/15

1 adult at Dodges Island on 5/15
1 pair at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/15
2 adults at Pleasure Beach on 5/15

1 pair at Bluff Point on 5/16

4 adults at Long Beach on 5/17

1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/18

1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/19

Least Tern
4 adults at Menunketesuck Island on 5/12
5 pairs, 22 adults at Milford Point on 5/12
2 pairs at Long Beach on 5/12
3 adults at Pleasure Beach on 5/12
12 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/12

7 adults at Griswold Point on 5/13
2 adults at Harkness Memorial State Park on 5/13
10 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/13
2 adults at Silver Sands State Park on 5/13
15 adults at Long Beach on 5/13

6 adults at Long Beach on 5/13

12 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/13

10 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/14
5 adults at Bluff Point on 5/14
8 adults at Griswold Point on 5/14
8 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/14
2 adults at Silver Sands State Park on 5/14
10 adults at Milford Point on 5/15
30 adults at Milford Point on 5/15
18 adults at Long Beach on 5/15

1 pair at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/15

1 pair at Bluff Point on 5/16
10 adults at Long Beach on 5/17

3 adults at Pleasure Beach on 5/17

6 pairs at Long Beach on 5/18

1 pair, 2 adults at Pleasure Beach on 5/18

6 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/19

Common Tern
4 adults at Milford Point on 5/12
4 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/12

1 pair at Compo Beach on 5/13
1 pair, 2 adults at Sandy/Morse Point on 5/14
1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/14
3 adults at Silver Sands State Park on 5/15
6 adults at Milford Point on 5/15
3 adults at Long Beach on 5/15

2 pairs at Sandy Point Stonington on 5/15

4 adults at Penfield Reef on 5/17

6 adults at Long Beach on 5/18

11 adults at Long Beach on 5/18

3 adults at Pleasure Beach on 5/18

7 adults at Sherwood Island on 5/18

This concludes update #7 through 5/19/14 as of 5:00 p.m.