Volunteers Needed for Shorebird Monitoring 2022

Volunteers Needed for Shorebird Monitoring 2022

The eleventh season of the incredibly successful Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds invites new and returning volunteers to make a big impact in 2022

The Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds (AAfCW) and the CT Department of Environmental Protection, Wildlife Division, invite you to make a difference for threatened birds at the beach as an official volunteer monitor. This stewardship effort is focused on Piping Plovers, American Oystercatchers, Least Terns, and Common Terns at beaches statewide from April through August.

Atlantic Coast populations of beach-nesting birds return to the Connecticut coast beginning in March from their wintering grounds, as far as the Caribbean. The cryptic nests of these birds are extremely susceptible to human disturbance, predation, and tidal washouts. To enhance the survival and productivity of Connecticut’s beach-nesting birds, volunteers monitor at locations across the state to observe shorebirds, record and report nesting data, and spread a “share the shore” philosophy encouraging positive actions everyone can take to help these birds successfully raise their young. 

Training and orientation sessions will be held via online Zoom webinars for new and returning volunteers and will review the following: biology of the Piping Plover, Least Tern, and American Oystercatcher, how to monitor breeding pairs and chicks, volunteer organization and logistics, and law enforcement information. Virtual attendance by everyone planning to join us for the 2022 season is important to discuss the birds as well as COVID-19 modifications. Please keep in mind that all volunteers should have masks on hand,  follow social distancing protocols, and practice safe hygiene at all times when they are volunteering.

Returning Volunteer Monitor Training Session – March 26^th 2022, 9:00–10:00am

New Volunteer Monitor Training Session – March 26^th 2022, 10:30–12:00pm

The Zoom session will be recorded and uploaded to YouTube so that it can be viewed multiple times or referred to throughout the season. For more information on the training session please email the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds at ctwaterbirds@gmail.com. Reservations are not required; but an e-mail letting us know you will be attending is appreciated.

If you are a returning volunteer, please let us know if you will be joining us once again in 2022 by reaching out to ctwaterbirds@gmail.com as soon as you can with the following information:

• If you require a lanyard or only a new 2022 monitor identification card
• If you will be monitoring at Sandy/Morse Points in West Haven, your mailing address and vehicle (make, model) and license plate information
  

The AAfCW will be dropping off lanyards and brochures at various locations across the state.  We will share a list of locations where volunteer forms can be dropped off and lanyard and brochure picked up during the training. 

We hope to have you with us for this very unique and important eleventh season!

This training session is co-sponsored by the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds (Audubon Connecticut and the Connecticut Audubon Society), The Nature Conservancy, and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Wildlife Division.