Coastal Waterbirds Update

Below you will find the data portion of the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds 17th weekly volunteer update for the 2013 season. It was a slower than usual week for us because of the extreme heat. We advised our volunteer monitors to stay home for their own safety as well as that of the birds if they were not able to go out in the very early morning or late evening, as close as possible to sunrise and sunset. Our staff followed the same rules and we provided even more than usual room to birds with eggs and young.

Piping Plover

1 pair, 9 adults, 6 hatchlings, 10 fledglings at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/15
1 pair, 4 adults at Bluff Point on 7/15
6 pairs, 1 adult, 9 fledglings at Griswold Point on 7/15
1 pair, 1 fledgling at Bluff Point on 7/15
6 pairs, 1 adult, 9 fledglings at Griswold Point on 7/15
1 pair, 1 fledgling at Bluff Point on 7/15
4 adults at Bluff Point on 7/15
3 pairs, 1 adult, 8 hatchlings, 11 fledglings at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/16
1 pair, 3 adults, 8 hatchlings, 2 fledglings at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/16
2 adults, 3 fledglings at Milford Point on 7/16
10 adults, 11 fledglings at Griswold Point on 7/16
2 pairs, 1 adult, 4 hatchlings, 7 juveniles at Long Beach on 7/17
3 adults at Milford Point on 7/17
9 adults, 1 juvenile at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/17
3 adults, 8 juveniles at Long Beach on 7/17
4 adults, 4 fledglings, 1 juvenile at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/18
6 adults, 5 juveniles at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/19
5 adults, 5 juveniles at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/19
3 pairs, 5 adults, 6 hatchlings, 13 juveniles at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/19
1 pair, 4 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/19
7 adults, 5 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/20
11 adults, 2 hatchlings at Long Beach on 7/20
2 adults, 3 fledglings at Milford Point on 7/20
1 adult, 9 juveniles at Griswold Point on 7/21
4 adults, 4 hatchlings, 1 fledgling at Long Beach on 7/21
4 adults, 2 juveniles at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/21

American Oystercatcher
2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/15
2 adults at Chimon Island on 7/15
1 pair, 1 fledgling at Ram Island on 7/16
1 adult at Whale Rocks on 7/16
2 pairs at Menunketesuck Island on 7/16
2 pairs, 1 adult, 1 hatchling, 1 fledgling at Duck Island on 7/16
1 adult at Potato Island, Thimble Islands on 7/16
1 pair at Governor Island Thimble Islands on 7/16
1 adult at High Island on 7/16
1 adult at Horse Island on 7/16
1 pair, 1 adult at Thimble Island on 7/16
1 pair at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/16
1 pair at Milford Point on 7/16
2 pairs, 2 juveniles at Milford Point on 7/17
3 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/17
1 pair at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/17
2 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/18
1 pair, 1 adult at Milford Point on 7/18
1 pair, 1 juvenile at Umbrella Island on 7/18
1 pair, 1 juvenile at Pages Cove on 7/18
1 pair at Kelsey Island on 7/18
2 pairs, 1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/18
2 pairs, 1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/19
1 pair, 3 fledglings at Governor Island Thimble Islands on 7/19
1 pair at Thimble Island on 7/19
1 pair at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/19
2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/20
1 pair, 1 juvenile at Salt Island on 7/20
4 pairs, 1 juvenile at Menunketesuck Island on 7/20
1 pair, 1 adult, 1 juvenile at Duck Island on 7/20
1 pair, 1 juvenile at Milford Point on 7/20
2 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/21

Least Tern
2 pairs, 21 adults, 2 hatchlings, 3 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/15
11 pairs, 7 hatchlings at Bluff Point on 7/15
15 pairs, 48 adults, 15 nests at Griswold Point on 7/15
10 pairs, 13 adults, 7 hatchlings, 7 nests at Bluff Point on 7/15
4 pairs, 30 adults, 2 hatchlings, 2 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/16
7 adults at Long Beach on 7/16
55 pairs, 4 hatchlings, 11 nests at Milford Point on 7/16
52 adults, 4 nests at Griswold Point on 7/16
2 adults at Russian Beach on 7/17
12 adults at Long Beach on 7/17
5 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/17
3 adults at Long Beach on 7/17
10 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/17
4 adults at Stratford Point on 7/18
5 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/18
7 adults at Stratford Point on 7/19
5 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/19
1 pair, 12 adults, 2 hatchlings at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/19
5 adults at Silver Sands State Park on 7/19
5 pairs, 1 adult, 2 fledglings, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/19
3 adults at Stratford Point on 7/20
4 adults at Long Beach on 7/20
8 adults, 3 hatchlings at Bluff Point on 7/20
42 adults, 3 hatchlings at Griswold Point on 7/21
5 adults at Stratford Point on 7/21
1 adult at Long Beach on 7/21
15 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/21

 Common Tern
1 adult at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/15
22 adults at Griswold Point on 7/15
4 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/16
6 adults at Milford Point on 7/16
2 adults at Russian Beach on 7/17
4 adults at Long Beach on 7/17
10 adults at Milford Point on 7/17
45 adults at Umbrella Island on 7/18
9 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/18
3 adults at Stratford Point on 7/19
26 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/19
7 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 7/19
3 adults at Silver Sands State Park on 7/19
1 adult at Stratford Point on 7/20
18 adults at Griswold Point on 7/21
2 adults at Stratford Point on 7/21
3 adults at Long Beach on 7/21

Unfortunately it is almost a certainty that the extreme heat killed Piping Plover hatchlings last week. Sometimes there is nothing we can do to protect them! However, more monitors in the field to help to educate the public and provide outreach and stewardship are always needed. If you want to join us please email ctwaterbirds@gmail.com and we will let you know how to become an official monitor for the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service to work with us at the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds and Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection.

Scott Kruitbosch
AAfCW Coordinator
Conservation Technician