Volunteers Needed for Shorebird Monitoring 2024

Volunteers Needed for Shorebird Monitoring 2024

The thirteenth season of the incredibly successful Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds invites new and returning volunteers to make a big impact in 2024

The Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds (AAfCW) and the CT Department of Energy and 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 Zoom webinars for new volunteers on March 26th from 6:30-8:00 pm and returning volunteers on March 28th from 7:00 – 8:00 pm.  During the sessions, volunteers will learn about the 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 2024 season is important to discuss the birds. For more information on the training sessions, please email the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds at ctwaterbirds@gmail.com. 

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