Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds update #14

This is the fourteenth update by the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds (AAfCW) for the 2012 season. It includes reports of Piping Plover, American Oystercatcher, Least Tern, and Common Tern received from 12:00 p.m. on June 11 through 12:00 p.m. on June 18 with sightings of birds spanning June 11 through June 17 by our staff and volunteers.

Informational updates:

This past Thursday, June 14, Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds staff and volunteers assisted the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection's Wildlife Division in repairing fencing on Charles Island. The island is one of Connecticut's few nesting areas for state-threatened Snowy and Great Egrets, as well as Glossy Ibis and Black-crowned Night-Herons. You can see photos and more information about the work on our Facebook page by clicking here.

Survey and monitoring updates:

Piping Plover
Volunteer and staff surveys:
3 pairs, 7 adults, 8 chicks at Sandy/Morse Point on 6/11
4 pairs, 4 chicks, 1 nest at Long Beach on 6/11
1 pair, 3 chicks at East Broadway Milford on 6/11
4 pairs, 2 adults, 10 chicks, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/11
1 pair, 3 chicks at East Broadway Milford on 6/11
5 pairs, 2 adults, 5 chicks at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/12
6 pairs, 1 adult, 5 chicks, 1 nest at Griswold Point on 6/12
5 pairs, 1 adult, 6 chicks at Long Beach on 6/12
1 pair, 1 adult, 1 nest at Harkness Memorial State Park on 6/12
3 pairs, 2 adults, 6 chicks at Bluff Point on 6/12
1 pair, 3 chicks at  East Broadway Milford on 6/12
6 pairs, 9 chicks, 1 nest at Milford Point on 6/12
3 pairs, 2 adults, 7 chicks at Long Beach on 6/12
3 pairs, 2 chicks, 1 nest at Harkness Memorial State Park on 6/12
4 adults, 5 chicks at Long Beach on 6/13
1 pair, 3 chicks at East Broadway Milford on 6/14
4 pairs, 2 adults, 10 chicks, 2 nests at Milford Point on 6/14
1 pair, 3 chicks at East Broadway Milford on 6/14
4 pairs, 2 adults, 9 chicks, 1 nest at Milford Point on 6/14
1 pair, 7 adults, 5 chicks, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/14
1 pair, 4 adults, 8 chicks at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/15
2 pairs, 1 adult, 2 chicks, 2 nests at Harkness Memorial State Park on 6/15
4 pairs, 1 adult, 14 chicks, 2 nests at Bluff Point on 6/15
3 pairs, 1 adult, 4 chicks at Long Beach on 6/16
2 chicks, 2 adults, 5 chicks at Long Beach on 6/16
14 adults, 4 chicks, 2 nests at Milford Point on 6/16
3 pairs, 1 adult, 3 chicks, 1 nest at Milford Point on 6/17
4 pairs, 10 chicks at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/17
2 pairs, 6 adults, 4 chicks, 1 nest at Long Beach on 6/17

American Oystercatcher
Volunteer and staff surveys:
3 pairs at Sandy Point Stonington on 6/11
1 pair at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/12
1 pair, 1 chick at Bluff Point on 6/12
1 pair at Silver Sands State Park on 6/12
2 pairs at Milford Point on 6/12
3 adults at Long Beach on 6/12
1 pair, 2 adults at Thimble Islands on 6/12
2 adults at Tuxis Island on 6/12
2 pairs at Menunketesuck Island on 6/12
2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/13
2 pairs at Milford Point on 6/13
1 adult at Silver Sands State Park on 6/13
2 adults at Long Beach on 6/13
3 pairs at Milford Point on 6/14
1 pair at Milford Point on 6/14
1 adult at Charles Island on 6/14
3 pairs, 1 possible nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/14
1 pair at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/15
1 pair, 1 chick at Bluff Point on 6/15
1 pair at Stratford Point on 6/16
1 adult at Long Beach on 6/16
1 pair at Pleasure Beach on 6/16
3 adults at Milford Point on 6/16
4 adults at Milford Point on 6/17
2 pairs, 1 chick at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/17
1 pair at Great Captain’s Island on 6/17

Least Tern 
Volunteer and staff surveys:
80-100 adults at Long Beach on 6/11
4 adults at Silver Sands SP on 6/11
152 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/11
20 adults, 39 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/12
44 adults at Bluff Point on 6/12
72 adults at Long Beach on 6/12
55 adults at Long Beach on 6/13
130 adults, 19+ nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/14
50 pairs, 50 nests Sandy/Morse Points on 6/15
40-50 adults, 17 nests at Bluff Point on 6/15
3 adults at Stratford Point on 6/16
12 adults at Long Beach on 6/16
1 pair, 3 adults, 1 nest at Long Beach on 6/16
200 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/17
11 adults at Long Beach on 6/17

Common Tern
Volunteer and staff surveys:
7 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/11
2 adults Sandy/Morse Points on 6/12
3 adults Harkness Memorial State Park on 6/12
7 adults Long Beach on 6/12
5 adults Harkness Memorial State Park on 6/12
1 pair, 2 adults, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/14
3 pairs, 3 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 6/17
1 adult at Great Captain’s Island on 6/17

Up to 13 Black Skimmers were seen in the mouth of the Housatonic River repeatedly in the past week, a higher than usual count than is typically expected, especially in June. They have been reported in several locations by observers in pairs as well, including frequent sightings at Silver Sands State Park.

This concludes update #14 through 6/18/12 as of 4:00 p.m.


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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