AAfCW 2024 Field Update #5

This is the fifth field update for the AAfCW in 2024 with data provided from volunteer monitors spanning May 10 through May 15. Our weather continues to be difficult at times and still often more like late winter or early spring. Please continue to cancel monitoring when it is raining or below 50 degrees.

Nevertheless, the nests keep coming, and please continue to report all nests that appear to be new directly to CT DEEP Wildlife including Laura (Laura.Saucier@ct.gov) and Rebecca (rsuzf@hotmail.com) plus AAfCW (ctwaterbirds@gmail.com). Please only observe and report and do not mark nests.

With that said, it can be difficult to observe in fenced areas at times. We want to remain by the waterline, being cognizant of tides, and viewing birds from afar with binoculars, scopes, or very long lenses. This requires patience and practice. You may often not see the birds well, and have to pick them out from the similarly-colored sand. This is normal, and good views are hard to come by if you are being safe and smart.

You will want to consider aspects such as whether or not they are feeding in a marsh at low tide, or a couple is concentrating on incubating and watching over their nest. We do not need egg counts, and we do not need you to visually see every nest. We are watching for signs of birds more than the actual nests - do you see an adult Piping Plover leave an exclosure and another come in, or is an American Oystercatcher seemingly incubating in a spot above the wrack line? Are there several pairs of Least Terns carrying fish? Are there signs of predation or disturbances occurring now as you watch? Etc etc.

All monitoring visits should have routine data and information submitted using our online data submission form, including those that have no sightings of our four focal species. Our YouTube training session for new monitors is a great continuing reference for best practices to bird behavior and more: https://youtu.be/Aa4YY_rbmEk

Thanks as always for the invaluable assistance!

Species	Date	Location	Pairs	Adults	Nests
AMOY	May 10	Sandy/Morse Points	1	0	0
AMOY	May 10	Bluff Point	0	1	1
AMOY	May 11	Sandy/Morse Points	1	4	1
AMOY	May 11	Griswold Point	1	1	0
AMOY	May 11	Milford Point	3	2	0
AMOY	May 11	Sandy/Morse Points	1	2	1
AMOY	May 12	Long Beach	1	0	1
AMOY	May 12	Griswold Point	0	2	0
AMOY	May 13	Griswold Point	1	0	0
AMOY	May 13	Long Beach	2	1	0
AMOY	May 13	Compo Beach	1	0	1
AMOY	May 13	Sandy/Morse Points	2	0	0
AMOY	May 13	Milford Point	0	1	0
AMOY	May 13	Short Beach	1	0	0
AMOY	May 14	Milford Point	2	7	1
AMOY	May 14	Sandy/Morse Points	1	0	0
AMOY	May 14	Milford Point	2	0	0
AMOY	May 14	Waterford Town Beach	0	1	0
AMOY	May 14	Milford Point	1	2	2
AMOY	May 14	Long Beach	1	1	0
AMOY	May 14	Bluff Point	1	0	0
COTE	May 11	Milford Point	0	6	0
COTE	May 13	Compo Beach	0	2	0
COTE	May 14	Milford Point	0	3	0
COTE	May 14	Waterford Town Beach	1	1	0
COTE	May 14	Long Beach	0	5	0
LETE	May 11	Sandy/Morse Points	0	6	0
LETE	May 11	Milford Point	1	18	1
LETE	May 11	Sandy/Morse Points	4	7	0
LETE	May 12	Long Beach	0	4	0
LETE	May 12	Griswold Point	0	1	0
LETE	May 13	Griswold Point	0	6	0
LETE	May 13	Long Beach	0	6	0
LETE	May 13	Sandy/Morse Points	3	25	0
LETE	May 14	Milford Point	3	80	0
LETE	May 14	Sandy/Morse Points	0	17	0
LETE	May 14	Milford Point	0	36	0
LETE	May 14	Waterford Town Beach	0	1	0
LETE	May 14	Milford Point	0	26	0
LETE	May 14	Long Beach	0	8	0
PIPL	May 10	Sandy/Morse Points	6	0	4
PIPL	May 10	Bluff Point	2	4	1
PIPL	May 11	Sandy/Morse Points	2	8	2
PIPL	May 11	Griswold Point	2	0	0
PIPL	May 11	Milford Point	0	15	6
PIPL	May 11	Sandy/Morse Points	2	2	2
PIPL	May 12	Long Beach	2	3	0
PIPL	May 13	Milford Point	8	7	1
PIPL	May 13	Griswold Point	1	0	0
PIPL	May 13	Long Beach	0	15	8
PIPL	May 13	Bluff Point	0	3	0
PIPL	May 13	Long Beach	0	1	1
PIPL	May 13	Sandy/Morse Points	0	23	3
PIPL	May 13	Milford Point	2	10	5
PIPL	May 13	Long Beach	1	15	6
PIPL	May 14	Milford Point	2	22	4
PIPL	May 14	Sandy/Morse Points	7	5	0
PIPL	May 14	Milford Point	2	9	2
PIPL	May 14	Milford Point	2	17	4
PIPL	May 14	Long Beach	0	10	8
PIPL	May 14	Long Beach	1	8	6
PIPL	May 14	Bluff Point	2	2	2