2019 AAfCW Volunteer Training Photos

Here are some photos of staff in action along with many of our returning volunteer monitors from the 2019 Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds training session on March 30 as photographed by CT DEEP's Paul Fusco.

Thanks again to all of our monitors, previous and new, and to everyone who has assisted us with string fencing and signage, beach clean-ups, and otherwise already in this still early 2019 season. The birds are beginning to pair up and nest, and we will be very busy in the next couple of months! If you want to be a regular volunteer monitor, do not have any previous volunteer experience, and did not already sign up this season, please join us for the 2020 nesting season, or let us know if you want to help out this year with events such as fireworks coverage or string fencing and signage removal later this summer.

Great Gull Island Volunteers Needed

Great Gull Island is the most important nesting area for federally endangered Roseate Terns in the Western Hemisphere and also supports the largest concentration of nesting Common Terns in the world. Spend a weekend on Great Gull Island to clear vegetation, install bird blinds, and do other things to prep for the nesting season as the birds start laying eggs in May.

Captain George Main will be taking boats out to the island from Waterford on Fridays to take people out for work weekends. He will pick people up on Sundays for the return to the mainland. Work weekends are tentatively scheduled for the following weekends. Please let Helen know if you are interested in going out to help on one or more of them by emailing hays@amnh.org.

Friday, April 26 - Sunday, April 28

Friday, May 3 - Sunday, May 5

Friday, May 10, - Sunday, May 12

Friday, May 17 - Sunday, May 19

Friday, May 24 - Monday, May 27 (Memorial Day)

Thank you!

April Reminders

A huge thanks to everyone who has helped us out with string fencing and started monitoring. We are still finalizing schedules for monitors and should be completed over the next week. Please submit your desired schedule and beach(es), date(s), time(s) and all information ASAP if you have not already.

Please do not monitor in West Haven until you have a parking pass. They will ticket you and not reimburse the fines. With that said, if you want to monitor in West Haven and have not emailed us your name, mailing address, vehicle license plate, and make/model, please do so ASAP. We will be submitting them in one batch, staff included, this week.

We have two more string fencing dates as follows - PLEASE try to attend to assist!

• Sandy/Morse Points, West Haven - Wednesday, April 17th, 1:00pm, rain date April 19th. 
• Bluff Point State Park, Groton - Tuesday, April 23rd, 10:00am, rain date April 24th. 

Remember that any and all volunteers are welcome including those who are not monitors. Volunteers should bring: work gloves, water, a snack, appropriate footwear, sunscreen, sunglasses, hats and whatever else you may need avoid too much sun. These locations can either be quite cool or very warm depending on the day so dress for any weather. A pocket knife or multi-tool can be handy and a sledge hammer or mallet can be helpful to bring. Plan for heavy lifting and toting, but be mindful of your safety. Less intensive work needed includes stringing posts and putting up signs. Please email us at ctwaterbirds@gmail.com if you can make it, and thank you!

If you still feel as if you need additional time in the field with a staff member after indoor and outdoor training sessions, please let us know. We are setting up these times whenever possible. Also remember that when you start visiting your beach to provide us with detailed information on Piping Plovers and American Oystercatchers (then Least and Common Terns, too, beginning in May) along with things like start and end times, disturbances, and so forth. Please submit your data and information as soon as you can when returning from the beach. Please also remember negative data - not seeing our species - is important and should be reported, too.

Thanks again, all!

2019 Field Training Completed

A huge thank you to everyone who came out to join the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection and the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds for new volunteer monitor field training today at the Connecticut Audubon Society Coastal Center in Milford. The rain stopped right on time for us giving way to a foggy but clearing and warm morning. After meeting and going over some basics we walked out to the beach to find several pairs of Piping Plovers along with a few pairs of American Oystercatchers.

Later in the day we located the first Piping Plover nest of 2019! Our season is getting underway now, and if you are a volunteer monitor, please send in your desired monitoring schedule if you have not already. They will be finalized over the next week. Please also submit any and all data and information once you begin your monitoring.

We hope to see you at string fencing over the next week, too!

• Long Beach, Stratford – Sunday, April 14th, 10:00am, rain date April 15th.
• Sandy/Morse Points, West Haven - Wednesday, April 17th, 1:00pm, rain date April 19th.
• Bluff Point State Park, Groton - Tuesday, April 23rd, 10:00am, rain date April 24th.

Remember that any and all volunteers are welcome including those who are not monitors. Volunteers should bring: a rain jacket, work gloves, water, a snack, appropriate footwear, sunscreen, sunglasses, hats and whatever else you may need avoid too much sun. These locations can either be quite cool or very warm depending on the day so dress for any weather. A pocket knife or multi-tool can be handy and a sledge hammer or mallet can be helpful to bring. Plan for heavy lifting and toting, but be mindful of your safety. Less intensive work needed includes stringing posts and putting up signs. Please email us at ctwaterbirds@gmail.com if you can make it to any or all of these dates, and thank you!

This Weekend's Events

New monitor field training will take place this Saturday, April 13, from 10am-12pm at Milford Point in Milford, and we should be able to avoid the rain. Please try to arrive right at 10:00am as we will be opening the Connecticut Audubon Society Coastal Center Milford Point parking lot gate then and closing it shortly thereafter, and we do not want to add traffic or parked cars to the neighborhood before or after. This is the best chance for new monitors to learn the proper field techniques for monitoring our focal species from CT DEEP and AAfCW staff. Please make every effort to be there if you have just joined us in 2019, especially if you missed training in March. Don't forget to bring your binoculars!

Also, if you are a returning monitor or a new one who also needs a badge and to fill out paperwork, this is a great time to meet with CT DEEP and AAfCW. Please join us in Milford this Saturday.

Long Beach fencing on Sunday in Stratford at 10:00am should also take place mostly rain free, but don't forget a rain jacket just in case. Volunteers should bring: work gloves, water, a snack, appropriate footwear, sunscreen, sunglasses, hats and whatever else you may need avoid too much sun. These locations can either be quite cool or very warm depending on the day so dress for any weather. A pocket knife or multi-tool can be handy and a sledge hammer or mallet can be helpful to bring. Plan for heavy lifting and toting, but be mindful of your safety. We will be finalizing schedules and taking in more data in the next week or two as our field season gets rolling.

 Thank you all as always!

New Monitor Field Training 4/13

New monitor field training will take place this Saturday, April 13, from 10am-12pm at Milford Point in Milford. We will meet in the parking lot at the Connecticut Audubon Society Coastal Center at 10:00am before heading to the beach. This is the best chance for new monitors to learn the proper field techniques for monitoring our focal species from CT DEEP and AAfCW staff. Please make every effort to be there if you have just joined us in 2019, especially if you missed training in March. Don't forget to bring your binoculars!

Also, if you are a returning monitor or a new one who also needs a badge and to fill out paperwork, this is a great time to meet with CT DEEP and AAfCW. Please join us in Milford this Saturday.

Thanks again all!

2019 Spring String Fencing

The 2019 Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds spring string fencing dates are below, and we would greatly appreciate anyone who can come out to help us!

• Milford Point (McKinney NWR) - Wednesday, April 10th, 9:00am, meet in the Connecticut Audubon Society Coastal Center parking lot, 1 Milford Point Road. Please email shaun_roche@fws.gov to RSVP.  Rain date April 11th.
• Griswold Point, Old Lyme - Thursday, April 11th, 9:00am, meet at the I-95 exit 70 commuter lot at 8:45am to carpool. Please email dgumbart@tnc.org to RSVP. Rain date April 12th.
• Long Beach, Stratford – Sunday, April 14th, 10:00am, rain date April 15th.
• Sandy/Morse Points, West Haven - Wednesday, April 17th, 1:00pm, rain date April 19th.
• Bluff Point State Park, Groton - Tuesday, April 23rd, 10:00am, rain date April 24th.

Remember that any and all volunteers are welcome including those who are not monitors. Volunteers should bring: work gloves, water, a snack, appropriate footwear, sunscreen, sunglasses, hats and whatever else you may need avoid too much sun. These locations can either be quite cool or very warm depending on the day so dress for any weather. A pocket knife or multi-tool can be handy and a sledge hammer or mallet can be helpful to bring. Plan for heavy lifting and toting, but be mindful of your safety. Less intensive work needed includes stringing posts and putting up signs. Please email us at ctwaterbirds@gmail.com if you can make it to Long Beach, Sandy/Morse, or Bluff Point, and thank you!

April Announcements

Good morning all! We have several topics to update you on...

1. New monitor field training

2. String fencing dates

3. Scheduling

4. Information for those who missed training

5. West Haven parking

1) New monitor field training with CT DEEP and AAfCW staff will be 10:00am on April 13th at a beach to be determined - we will let you know ASAP! It will either be West Haven or Stratford.

2) We have our spring string fencing dates as follows - PLEASE try to attend to assist!

• Milford Point (McKinney NWR) - Wednesday, April 10th, 9:00am, meet in the Connecticut Audubon Society Coastal Center parking lot, 1 Milford Point Road. Please email shaun_roche@fws.gov to RSVP.  Rain date April 11th.
• Griswold Point, Old Lyme - Thursday, April 11th, 9:00am, meet at the I-95 exit 70 commuter lot at 8:45am to carpool. Please email dgumbart@tnc.org to RSVP. Rain date April 12th.
• Long Beach, Stratford – Sunday, April 14th, 10:00am, rain date April 15th.
• Sandy/Morse Points, West Haven - Wednesday, April 17th, 1:00pm, rain date April 19th.
• Bluff Point State Park, Groton - Tuesday, April 23rd, 10:00am, rain date April 24th.

Remember that any and all volunteers are welcome including those who are not monitors. Volunteers should bring: work gloves, water, a snack, appropriate footwear, sunscreen, sunglasses, hats and whatever else you may need avoid too much sun. These locations can either be quite cool or very warm depending on the day so dress for any weather. A pocket knife or multi-tool can be handy and a sledge hammer or mallet can be helpful to bring. Plan for heavy lifting and toting, but be mindful of your safety. Less intensive work needed includes stringing posts and putting up signs. Please email us at ctwaterbirds@gmail.com if you can make it to Long Beach, Sandy/Morse, or Bluff Point, and thank you!

3) We have a very high number of monitors this year which is wonderful! It will help to ensure widespread beach coverage. It makes the scheduling process a bit slower, and please continue to send in your desired beaches, dates, AM or PM times, here to this email address at ctwaterbirds@gmail.com.

The list of available beaches include:

• Sherwood Island State Park in Westport
• Pleasure Beach in Bridgeport - accessible via seasonal free Bridgeport water taxi at 1 Seaview Avenue, Bridgeport, or by walking approximately one mile from Long Beach in Stratford
• Long Beach in Stratford
• Russian Beach in Stratford
• Short Beach in Stratford
• Milford Point in Milford
• Silver Sands State Park in Milford
• Sandy/Morse Points in West Haven 
• Bluff Park State Park in Groton

If you are interested in monitoring Griswold Point in Old Lyme please email us and you can discuss it with CT DEEP. There will also be smaller beaches that we will request some monitors to check on as the season progresses.

4) If you were unable to attending training on March 30 as a new monitor please try to attend the field training session. If you cannot do that please email us at ctwaterbirds@gmail.com and we will set you up with a staff member to meet you in the field and go over the basics. If you are a returning monitor who did not attend the refresher training please email us for your badge for 2019, and please let us know your schedule as usual. We will take care of the required paperwork with CT DEEP for new and past monitors who did not do so yet in 2019 in as well.

5) If you are a monitor at Sandy/Morse Points in West Haven you will need to display a parking pass or a West Haven beach pass (as a resident) or police may issue a $100 parking fine. These will NOT be waived. Parking in nearby private lots risks towing or fines. CT DEEP or AAfCW is not responsible for parking violations/fines. However, the City of West Haven will provide you with a parking pass for monitoring this year if you can provide your full name, license plate information, make/model of your vehicle, and mailing address. Please email it to ctwaterbirds@gmail.com and we will pass it on to CT DEEP and West Haven. They can be mailed to you or picked up at City Hall; hours are Monday to Friday, 8am-5pm.

Please remember that poor weather conditions (rain, temperatures under 50 degrees, extreme wind) are times when you will want to cancel your monitoring session, and we will have a lot of them during the first half of April. Thank you all! Please email ctwaterbirds@gmail.com with any questions. We will be in touch again soon, and hopefully be in the field more regularly in the next couple of weeks.