This is the fifth weekly update by the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds (AAfCW) for the 2013 season. Today's update includes reports of Piping Plover and American Oystercatcher received from April 22 through 4:00 p.m. on April 29 with sightings of birds by volunteers and staff spanning that period.
Informational updates:
We have had a few more reports of Piping Plover nests but we are still experiencing a slower than usual beginning to the 2013 nesting season. American Oystercatchers are off to a decent start with nests in a few locations. Please continue to monitor beaches that have not had Piping Plovers or American Oystercatchers reported yet as they could appear any time through May and still attempt to nest. Additionally it is likely we will have reports of Common Tern and Least Tern for the first time this year in the upcoming week. The first Common Terns of 2013 in Connecticut were seen in Hammonasset State Park this weekend. Hurricane Sandy may have modified some beaches to favor terns in many areas while simultaneously damaging valuable habitat in other locations, and once again we are expecting the unexpected when it comes to their populations. Your observations, including negative data, will help us figure everything out and are tremendously valuable.
Survey and monitoring updates:
Piping Plover
1 pair at East Broadway Milford on 4/23
1 pair at East Broadway Milford on 4/24
2 pair at Long Beach on 4/24
3 pair at Milford Point on 4/24
1 pair, 1 adult, 1 nest at Milford Point on 4/24
1 pair at Long Beach on 4/24
3 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/24
5 adults at Griswold Point on 4/24
2 pair at Bluff Point on 4/25
3 pairs, 4 adults at Milford Point on 4/25
1 pair at East Broadway Milford on 4/25
3 pairs, 8 adults, 2 nests at Griswold Point on 4/26
1 pair, 1 adult at Bluff Point on 4/26
5 adults at Griswold Point on 4/26
2 pairs, 1 adult, 2 nests at Milford Point on 4/27
3 pairs, 4 adults at Bluff Point on 4/27
2 pairs, 1 adult, 2 nests at Milford Point on 4/28
3 adults at Griswold Point on 4/28
1 pair, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/28
1 pair, 2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/28
American Oystercatcher
5 pairs at Cockenoe Island on 4/24
3 adults at Goose Island on 4/24
1 pair at Milford Point on 4/24
4 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/24
1 pair at Griswold Point on 4/24
6 adults at Bluff Point on 4/25
2 pairs at Milford Point on 4/25
2 pairs, 1 adult at Menunketesuck Island on 4/26
1 pair at Salt Island on 4/26
1 pair, 1 adult at Bluff Point on 4/26
4 adult at Milford Point on 4/27
1 pair at Bluff Point on 4/27
1 pair at Milford Point on 4/28
3 pair at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/28
3 pair, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/29
2 pair, 1 nest at Milford Point on 4/29
1 pair at Stratford Point on 4/29
2 pair at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/29
This concludes update #5 through 4/29/13 as of 5:00 p.m.
Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds, Audubon Connecticut and the
Connecticut Audubon Society partnering to improve conditions for coastal
waterbirds in Connecticut.
PIPL
Monday, April 29, 2013
Friday, April 26, 2013
Bridgeport WildLife Guards Habitat Restoration Event at Beardsley Park
Below is a post from Audubon Connecticut's Corrie Folsom-O'Keefe:
Bridgeport WildLife Guards invite you to participate in May 4th Habitat Restoration Event at Beardsley Park, Bridgeport
In November of 2012, the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds in partnership with the Student Conservation Association and the City of Bridgeport launched the WildLife Guards Program as a means of increasing awareness about beach nesting birds found at the City’s Pleasure Beach, amongst the local community. At the heart of the program are the WildLife Guards, a team of Bridgeport high school students, who will be out on the beaches this summer monitoring bird species, such as the state threatened Piping Plover and Least Tern, and encouraging a “share the shore” philosophy among beachgoers.
The WildLife Guards receive green job training and employment through the program. Audubon provides lessons in bird identification and monitoring, general ecology and the history of Pleasure Beach, while training by the Student Conservation Association focuses on job readiness, including lessons in website design, online communication, and resume writing.
The Guards in turn develop and present bird themed activities to elementary school students participating in Bridgeport’s Lighthouse Afterschool Program on a monthly basis. Approximately 120 students at 6 schools are learning about the birds of Pleasure Beach through games, crafts, and other activities. Just recently the students created signs featuring drawings of Piping Plovers, Least Terns, and American Oystercatchers that ask people visiting the beach to give the birds space while they are nesting. Their artwork is now on display at Pleasure Beach, Long Beach and other beaches across the state.
The WildLife Guards have also participated in monthly conservation projects, including the habitat restoration work at Beardsley Zoo & Park, Stratford/Milford Christmas Bird Count, the Great Backyard Bird Count, and the Rock-to-Rock Earth Day Bike Ride.
On May 4th, 2013, in celebration of Earth Day, WildLifeGuards are looking for volunteers to come out to Beardsley Zoo & Park located on 1875 Noble Avenue in Bridgeport, CT to help make the conservation pond an exceptional habitat for the wildlife. The conservation pond is located right across from the duck feeding area at Bunnells Pond and provides habitat for birds, turtles, and other wildlife. If you would like to volunteer to help clear invasive plants, please RSVP at our Facebook event page (www.facebook.com/BridgeportWildlifeGuards) or e-mail jamiyawildlifeguards@gmail.com by May 3rd, 2013. The event will start at 10:30AM and end at 2:30PM. Park at the tennis courts on the east side of Noble Ave, and walk down the hill to the conservation pond. Wear work boots and long denim pants, and please bring a water bottle. Other supplies will be provided. The event will take place rain or shine; a light lunch is included. There will be a free raffle prize drawing for all and T-shirts for the first 60 volunteers. This event is sponsored by the Student Conservation Association, the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds, the City of Bridgeport, and the Beardsley Zoo. We hope you can join us!
The WildLife Guards Program is sponsored by Audubon’s Toyota TogetherGreen program.
Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds, Audubon Connecticut and the Connecticut Audubon Society partnering to improve conditions for coastal waterbirds in Connecticut.
Bridgeport WildLife Guards invite you to participate in May 4th Habitat Restoration Event at Beardsley Park, Bridgeport
In November of 2012, the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds in partnership with the Student Conservation Association and the City of Bridgeport launched the WildLife Guards Program as a means of increasing awareness about beach nesting birds found at the City’s Pleasure Beach, amongst the local community. At the heart of the program are the WildLife Guards, a team of Bridgeport high school students, who will be out on the beaches this summer monitoring bird species, such as the state threatened Piping Plover and Least Tern, and encouraging a “share the shore” philosophy among beachgoers.
Karizma, Imanie, Natalie, Jamiya, and Amani
The WildLife Guards receive green job training and employment through the program. Audubon provides lessons in bird identification and monitoring, general ecology and the history of Pleasure Beach, while training by the Student Conservation Association focuses on job readiness, including lessons in website design, online communication, and resume writing.
The Guards in turn develop and present bird themed activities to elementary school students participating in Bridgeport’s Lighthouse Afterschool Program on a monthly basis. Approximately 120 students at 6 schools are learning about the birds of Pleasure Beach through games, crafts, and other activities. Just recently the students created signs featuring drawings of Piping Plovers, Least Terns, and American Oystercatchers that ask people visiting the beach to give the birds space while they are nesting. Their artwork is now on display at Pleasure Beach, Long Beach and other beaches across the state.
The WildLife Guards have also participated in monthly conservation projects, including the habitat restoration work at Beardsley Zoo & Park, Stratford/Milford Christmas Bird Count, the Great Backyard Bird Count, and the Rock-to-Rock Earth Day Bike Ride.
On May 4th, 2013, in celebration of Earth Day, WildLifeGuards are looking for volunteers to come out to Beardsley Zoo & Park located on 1875 Noble Avenue in Bridgeport, CT to help make the conservation pond an exceptional habitat for the wildlife. The conservation pond is located right across from the duck feeding area at Bunnells Pond and provides habitat for birds, turtles, and other wildlife. If you would like to volunteer to help clear invasive plants, please RSVP at our Facebook event page (www.facebook.com/BridgeportWildlifeGuards) or e-mail jamiyawildlifeguards@gmail.com by May 3rd, 2013. The event will start at 10:30AM and end at 2:30PM. Park at the tennis courts on the east side of Noble Ave, and walk down the hill to the conservation pond. Wear work boots and long denim pants, and please bring a water bottle. Other supplies will be provided. The event will take place rain or shine; a light lunch is included. There will be a free raffle prize drawing for all and T-shirts for the first 60 volunteers. This event is sponsored by the Student Conservation Association, the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds, the City of Bridgeport, and the Beardsley Zoo. We hope you can join us!
The WildLife Guards Program is sponsored by Audubon’s Toyota TogetherGreen program.
Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds, Audubon Connecticut and the Connecticut Audubon Society partnering to improve conditions for coastal waterbirds in Connecticut.
Wednesday, April 24, 2013
Long Beach fencing party completed
A final successful public fencing party took place at Long Beach in Stratford last Friday. CT DEEP and AAfCW staffs thank everyone who took the time to come out on a cloudy cool, then warm, then cool again morning and afternoon. Your help got us through the longest stretch of beach we have very well as we successfully fenced off three sections and spent time looking for birds all the way to Pleasure Beach and assessed the changed habitat of the barrier beach.
After migratory peaks the numbers of Piping Plover at Long Beach have been fluctuating with some people seeing zero birds during monitoring visits and others finding a couple of pairs. On Friday we had only two males who were feeding on the mudflats of Great Meadows Marsh. Here's hoping that number goes up as the temperature does. Below are photos by Patrick Comins of the fencing operation.
Thanks again to everyone who joined us at Long Beach or at the previous fencing parties! We will post other volunteer opportunities throughout the season from special work on offshore islands to fireworks coverage to fencing removal in August.
Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds, Audubon Connecticut and the Connecticut Audubon Society partnering to improve conditions for coastal waterbirds in Connecticut.
After migratory peaks the numbers of Piping Plover at Long Beach have been fluctuating with some people seeing zero birds during monitoring visits and others finding a couple of pairs. On Friday we had only two males who were feeding on the mudflats of Great Meadows Marsh. Here's hoping that number goes up as the temperature does. Below are photos by Patrick Comins of the fencing operation.
The group getting instructions from Rebecca Foster of CT DEEP
What has to be hauled out
Erica Morgan of CT DEEP in green along with Sean Graesser and Scott Kruitbosch at right
Michael Brooks trailing some of our great volunteers
Patrick Comins pushing way too much and red from the sun plus the hard work
Up the fencing goes
Thanks again to everyone who joined us at Long Beach or at the previous fencing parties! We will post other volunteer opportunities throughout the season from special work on offshore islands to fireworks coverage to fencing removal in August.
Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds, Audubon Connecticut and the Connecticut Audubon Society partnering to improve conditions for coastal waterbirds in Connecticut.
Monday, April 22, 2013
AAfCW 2013 Volunteer Update #4
This is the fourth weekly update by the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds (AAfCW) for the 2013 season. Today's update includes reports of Piping Plover and American Oystercatcher received from April 15 through 4:00 p.m. on April 22 with sightings of birds by volunteers and staff spanning that period.
Informational updates:
Thank you to all of the volunteers who joined us at Sandy/Morse Points and Long Beach for string fencing erection last week! Your assistance really helped move the process along and was greatly appreciated by everyone involved.
As we continue with unseasonably cold weather please keep in mind we only want to monitor and survey our birds during what is now nesting season when the temperature is above 50 and it is not raining. Cool and very windy days are also best to stay home on. The idea is that we do not want to add further stress to birds on eggs during conditions that could be fatal to them.
With that said we seem to be experiencing a slower than usual beginning to this nesting season. Many beaches still have birds that are trying to find a mate or territory with numbers that fluctuate depending on the survey time. We have received primarily observations of independent or small groups of adults. Beaches with no birds are still important to monitor right now and through at least mid-May so that we can be sure none arrive or attempt to nest there. Least and Common Terns will be arriving in Connecticut around May 1, and along with the American Oystercatcher, please remember these are birds we will want to be recording as well.
At beaches owned by their respective municipality, such as Long Beach in Stratford, please call the town or city's animal control department if you see dogs on the beach and are so inclined. Let us know the results of your attempts to contact the authorities there and we will record this information or speak directly to the municipality if needed.
Survey and monitoring updates:
Piping Plover
3 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/16
3 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/16
6 pairs at Milford Point on 4/16
1 pair at East Broadway Milford on 4/16
3 pairs, 1 adult at Griswold Point on 4/16
8 adults at Bluff Point on 4/16
2 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/17
1 pair, 2 adults at Bluff Point on 4/17
1 adult at Sandy Point Stonington on 4/17
1 pair, 1 adult, 1 nest at Griswold Point on 4/17
3 pairs at Bluff Point on 4/17
4 pairs, 3 adults at Milford Point on 4/18
13 adults at Griswold Point on 4/19
2 adults at Long Beach on 4/19
3 pairs, 1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/20
2 adults at East Broadway Milford on 4/20
1 adult at Milford Point on 4/20
1 pair, 1 adult, 1 nest at Griswold Point on 4/20
1 pair, 8 adults at Bluff Point on 4/20
9 adults at Bluff Point on 4/21
2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/21
1 pair, 2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/21
1 pair, 1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/22
American Oystercatcher
2 pairs at Falkner Island on 4/16
2 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/16
2 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/16
2 pairs, 3 adults at Milford Point on 4/16
4 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/16
1 pair at Griswold Point on 4/16
1 pair at Bluff Point on 4/16
2 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/17
4 pairs, 1 adult at Sandy Point Stonington on 4/17
3 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/17
1 pair, 1 nest with 1 egg at Milford Point on 4/17
1 adult at Stratford Point on 4/20
2 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/20
3 adults at Milford Point on 4/20
2 pairs at Griswold Point on 4/20
2 adults at Bluff Point on 4/20
2 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/21
3 pairs, 1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/21
1 pair at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/22
This concludes update #4 through 4/22/13 as of 5:00 p.m.
Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds, Audubon Connecticut and the Connecticut Audubon Society partnering to improve conditions for coastal waterbirds in Connecticut.
Informational updates:
Thank you to all of the volunteers who joined us at Sandy/Morse Points and Long Beach for string fencing erection last week! Your assistance really helped move the process along and was greatly appreciated by everyone involved.
As we continue with unseasonably cold weather please keep in mind we only want to monitor and survey our birds during what is now nesting season when the temperature is above 50 and it is not raining. Cool and very windy days are also best to stay home on. The idea is that we do not want to add further stress to birds on eggs during conditions that could be fatal to them.
With that said we seem to be experiencing a slower than usual beginning to this nesting season. Many beaches still have birds that are trying to find a mate or territory with numbers that fluctuate depending on the survey time. We have received primarily observations of independent or small groups of adults. Beaches with no birds are still important to monitor right now and through at least mid-May so that we can be sure none arrive or attempt to nest there. Least and Common Terns will be arriving in Connecticut around May 1, and along with the American Oystercatcher, please remember these are birds we will want to be recording as well.
At beaches owned by their respective municipality, such as Long Beach in Stratford, please call the town or city's animal control department if you see dogs on the beach and are so inclined. Let us know the results of your attempts to contact the authorities there and we will record this information or speak directly to the municipality if needed.
Survey and monitoring updates:
Piping Plover
3 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/16
3 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/16
6 pairs at Milford Point on 4/16
1 pair at East Broadway Milford on 4/16
3 pairs, 1 adult at Griswold Point on 4/16
8 adults at Bluff Point on 4/16
2 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/17
1 pair, 2 adults at Bluff Point on 4/17
1 adult at Sandy Point Stonington on 4/17
1 pair, 1 adult, 1 nest at Griswold Point on 4/17
3 pairs at Bluff Point on 4/17
4 pairs, 3 adults at Milford Point on 4/18
13 adults at Griswold Point on 4/19
2 adults at Long Beach on 4/19
3 pairs, 1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/20
2 adults at East Broadway Milford on 4/20
1 adult at Milford Point on 4/20
1 pair, 1 adult, 1 nest at Griswold Point on 4/20
1 pair, 8 adults at Bluff Point on 4/20
9 adults at Bluff Point on 4/21
2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/21
1 pair, 2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/21
1 pair, 1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/22
American Oystercatcher
2 pairs at Falkner Island on 4/16
2 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/16
2 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/16
2 pairs, 3 adults at Milford Point on 4/16
4 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/16
1 pair at Griswold Point on 4/16
1 pair at Bluff Point on 4/16
2 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/17
4 pairs, 1 adult at Sandy Point Stonington on 4/17
3 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/17
1 pair, 1 nest with 1 egg at Milford Point on 4/17
1 adult at Stratford Point on 4/20
2 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/20
3 adults at Milford Point on 4/20
2 pairs at Griswold Point on 4/20
2 adults at Bluff Point on 4/20
2 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/21
3 pairs, 1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/21
1 pair at Sandy/Morse Points on 4/22
This concludes update #4 through 4/22/13 as of 5:00 p.m.
Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds, Audubon Connecticut and the Connecticut Audubon Society partnering to improve conditions for coastal waterbirds in Connecticut.
Wednesday, April 17, 2013
Sandy/Morse Points fencing is up
A big thank you to the handful of volunteers who were able to join us at Sandy/Morse Points in West Haven on a gorgeous Wednesday morning as we assisted the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protecting in erecting string fencing for Piping Plovers and American Oystercatchers and eventually hopefully many Least Terns and a few Common Terns. We were able to see a couple of pairs of Piping Plover and American Oystercatcher. There were certainly two of each and probably three of Piping Plover. We also noted some cool migrants birds while we worked including three raptors - a Merlin, an American Kestrel, and a Broad-winged Hawk - heading up the beach and moving north during the cooperative flight conditions. Barn and Tree Swallows zipped around us and we saw groups of Double-crested Cormorant migrating, too.
Here are some photos from the day...
Please help us if you can at Long Beach in Stratford on Friday, 4/19, at 10:30AM. We will meet in the parking lot and we will need all the help we can get on the extremely long barrier beach that is often filled with birds.
Thanks again to our volunteers!
Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds, Audubon Connecticut and the Connecticut Audubon Society partnering to improve conditions for coastal waterbirds in Connecticut.
Here are some photos from the day...
Volunteers and staff head down the beach with stakes in hand
Audubon Connecticut Director of Bird Conservation Patrick Comins on left handing off stakes to Connecticut Audubon Society Senior Director of Science and Conservation Milan Bull on right
Fencing going up all the way out to the tip of Morse Point
Volunteers hard at work
Soon to be waterbird technician once again but for now volunteer Sean Graesser working the string
Audubon Connecticut American Oystercatcher Coordinator Michael Brooks with CT DEEP's Erica Morgan
CT DEEP's Rebecca Foster talking with volunteers and managing the operation
American Oystercatchers!
Love these signs done by Audubon Connecticut's Bridgeport Wildlife Guards with Bridgeport elementary school students as part of their Toyota Together Green funded project
Just about done!
Piping Plover feeding between the points
Please help us if you can at Long Beach in Stratford on Friday, 4/19, at 10:30AM. We will meet in the parking lot and we will need all the help we can get on the extremely long barrier beach that is often filled with birds.
Thanks again to our volunteers!
Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds, Audubon Connecticut and the Connecticut Audubon Society partnering to improve conditions for coastal waterbirds in Connecticut.
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