Piping Plovers hatching everywhere

As young Piping Plovers hatch across Connecticut beaches they are joining hatchling American Oystercatchers that have done well so far in 2013. Least Terns and Common Terns are just getting to nesting now. You can keep up to date with our literally 7 day a week 18 or so hours a day work by joining the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds as a volunteer monitor. You will work with us as well as the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection as a steward for these threatened species as you survey and monitor them while speaking to beachgoers about how we can share the beach with these spectacular birds.

Here is the data collected by our field staff and those volunteers from the latest weekly update on our four focal species.

Piping Plover
1 pair, 3 adults at Long Beach on 5/20
5 pairs, 3 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/20
8 adults, 6 nests at Griswold Point on 5/20
1 pair, 1 nest at Shell Avenue Milford on 5/20
8 adults, 5 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/20
7 pairs, 6 nests at Milford Point on 5/20
2 pairs, 6 adults, 6 nests at Griswold Point on 5/21
4 adults, 3 nests at Bluff Point on 5/21
1 pair, 7 adults at Long Beach on 5/21
4 pairs, 3 adults, 6 nests at Griswold Point on 5/22
3 adults, 2 nests at Griswold Point on 5/22
1 adult at Long Beach on 5/22
7 adults at Long Beach on 5/23
2 pairs, 3 adults, 6 nests at Milford Point on 5/23
3 pairs, 5 adults, 4 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/23
6 pairs, 1 adult, 6 nests at Milford Point on 5/23
4 pairs, 4 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/23
2 adults at Long Beach on 5/26
5 pairs, 3 adults, 4 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/26
5 pairs, 10 adults at Bluff Point on 5/26
11 adults, 4 chicks at Milford Point on 5/26

American Oystercatcher
1 pair at Horse Island Guilford on 5/20
1 adult at Grass Island Guilford on 5/20
1 adult at Griswold Point on 5/20
1 pair, 1 nest at Branford Harbor on 5/20
2 pairs at Green Island Branford on 5/20
3 pairs, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/20
2 pairs, 1 adult, 1 nest at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/20
2 pairs, 1 adult, 2 hatchlings, 1 nest at Milford Point on 5/20
1 pair, 2 hatchlings at Salt Island on 5/20
2 pairs at Menunketesuck Island on 5/20
2 pairs at Duck Island on 5/20
2 adults at Griswold Island on 5/20
1 pair, 1 adult at Charles Island on 5/21
2 pairs, 2 hatchlings at Milford Point on 5/21
1 adult at Sherwood Island State Park on 5/21
1 adult at Griswold Point on 5/21
2 adults at Bluff Point on 5/21
3 adults at Griswold Point on 5/22
1 adult at Long Beach on 5/22
4 adults at Jordan Cove on 5/22
1 adult at Branford Harbor on 5/22
1 pair at Compo Beach on 5/22
5 adults at Silver Sands State Park on 5/22
1 adult at Tuxis Island on 5/22
2 pairs, 2 hatchlings at Milford Point on 5/23
2 pairs, 2 nests at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/23
2 pairs, 5 adults at Milford Point on 5/23
2 pairs at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/23
12 adults, 1 chick at Cockenoe Island on 5/23
6 adults at Stratford Point on 5/24
2 adults at Sherwood Island State Park on 5/25
1 adult at Long Beach on 5/26
1 pair at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/26
1 pair, 4 adults, 1 hatchling at Milford Point on 5/26

Least Tern
6 adults at Russian Beach on 5/20
1 pair, 9 adults at Long Beach on 5/20
2 pairs, 40 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/20
2 adults at Horse Island Guilford on 5/20
10 adults at Griswold Point on 5/20
6 adults at Branford Harbor on 5/20
20 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/20
5 pairs, 4 adults at Milford Point on 5/20
1 adult at Menunketesuck Island on 5/20
4 pairs, 18 adults at Griswold Point on 5/21
5 adults at Bluff Point State Park on 5/21
10 adults at Long Beach on 5/21
20 adults at Griswold Point on 5/22
4 adults at Long Beach on 5/22
1 pair, 1 adult at Branford Harbor on 5/22
2 adults at Sherwood Island State Park on 5/22
23 adults at Silver Sands State Park on 5/22
3 pairs at Long Beach on 5/23
22 adults at Milford Point on 5/23
19 adults at Silver Sands State Park on 5/23
10 pairs, 21 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/23
50 adults at Milford Point on 5/23
20 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/23
13 adults at Stratford Point on 5/24
1 adult at Compo Beach on 5/24
2 adults at Long Beach on 5/24
10 adults at Russian Beach on 5/24
12 adults at Long Beach on 5/26
75 adults at Milford Point on 5/26
4 adults at Stratford Point on 5/27

Common Tern
6 adults at Russian Beach on 5/20
2 adults at Long Beach on 5/20
7 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/20
2 adults at Horse Island Guilford on 5/20
2 adults at Griswold Point on 5/20
10 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/20
17 adults at Menunketesuck Island on 5/20
2 pairs at Charles Island on 5/21
2 adults at Griswold Point on 5/21
3 adults at Bluff Point State Park on 5/21
4 adults at Long Beach on 5/21
2 adults at Long Beach on 5/22
3 pairs, 6 adults at Branford Harbor on 5/22
6 adults at Compo Beach on 5/22
10 adults at Sherwood Island State Park on 5/22
12 adults at Silver Sands State Park on 5/22
6 adults at Milford Point on 5/23
8 adults at Silver Sands State Park on 5/23
7 pairs, 6 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/23
6 adults at Sandy/Morse Points on 5/23
300 adults, 50 nests at Cockenoe Island on 5/23
31 adults at Stratford Point on 5/24
22 adults at Compo Beach on 5/24
2 adults at Bluff Point on 5/26
6 adults at Stratford Point on 5/27

You can join or get more information by emailing AAfCW at ctwaterbirds@gmail.com or checking out the AAfCW blog here or the Facebook page here.


Scott Kruitbosch
AAfCW Coordinator
Conservation Technician
Connecticut Audubon Society

Least Flycatcher in the rain

During one of the migratory pushes at Stratford Point I had an uncommon Connecticut species that is typically found there once or twice a year - the Least Flycatcher. This bird was one of two that was trying to feed in the middle of constant and sometimes heavy showers.

The shrub and scrub habitat along Prospect Drive in and around Stratford Point is perfect for them to settle in after a long flight. Depending on the situation we sometimes also find deep forest flycatchers like the Eastern Wood-Pewee present. When there is a lot of fog on Long Island Sound or rainy conditions it helps to ensure they stop at Stratford Point as it is one of the first pieces of land a bird will find if they cross the water. It is also one of the only undeveloped major sites containing upland habitat along the entire Connecticut coastline making it a vitally important stopover location for birds like these.


Scott Kruitbosch
Conservation Technician

Photo by Scott Kruitbosch © Connecticut Audubon Society and not to be reproduced without explicit CAS permission

Eastern Kingbird eyes

The Eastern Kingbird is an aggressive and bold tyrant flycatcher that will attack many other species - thus the name. It is a bird of open areas from including grassy fields, scrubby beaches, shrub-filled openings, and even human created habitats like orchards. You will likely see them perched on exposed limbs, high branches, or fence posts. They migrate to Central and South America each fall and return to us after a long journey to devour our insect life in the spring and summer. I had my first of the year bird about two weeks ago and was struck at just how timid this one was around me.

They are typically a little wary around humans and move away rather rapidly once you get within even 50 feet in an open area. It always strikes me as odd that such a bold bird hunting insects - something we may inadvertently flush up more of while walking nearby - is always so concerned about us. A lot of other invertebrate feeders vacillate from guarded to downright tame depending on the situation. This can occur when they are tired or very hungry, or when one certain bird simply does not care about your presence for whatever other reason. But those Eastern Kingbirds always seem to care.

Take a look at the photo again and maybe you'll see in particular from this angle what I saw...or rather, did not see. I noticed how disguised those eyes really are as I could not be sure when this cautious bird was looking at me or not. Plenty of other insect-eating birds have bright or highlighted eyes, from the Blue-gray Gnatcatcher to the Nashville Warbler and many more. This species never wants you to know where it's looking as it sits in the open and exposed to the world, but they will go after perceived threats with limitless vigor and capture prey before the victim even knows the bird is looking at it.


Scott Kruitbosch
Conservation Technician

Photo by Scott Kruitbosch © Connecticut Audubon Society and not to be reproduced without explicit CAS permission

Our Osprey cam

This is a quick reminder for you to tune in to the Connecticut Audubon Society's Osprey cam at the Coastal Center at Milford Point. You can find the live stream right here and we encourage you to tune in often. This year the male came back on March 22 and the female returned on March 29, a little later than usual. However, all is on track right now and hatching has started! The below photo isn't one of the pair and is a shot of a cooperative bird from Stratford I wanted to share.

Thanks to a recent upgrade can now view the Osprey cam on your tablet, smartphone, or other mobile devices as well. Enjoy watching the young ones grow up!


Scott Kruitbosch
Conservation Technician

Photo by Scott Kruitbosch © Connecticut Audubon Society and not to be reproduced without explicit CAS permission

Fox family growing

The kits are growing up! I recently took these opportunistic photos one evening at Stratford Point as the Red Fox family got ready for dinner. More of their story and a great photo of a little one back when they were little (oh it seems like just the other day...) can be found in this post. Here are the pups looking rather surprised to see me there so late.

There are actually six of them in total as you can count off in this shot.

They are very curious and definitely enjoy human-watching as much as we enjoy fox-watching. However, check out the pup who is intently watching the sky and keep in mind where it is looking...

...because in this next picture its head moved as it followed a Common Grackle flying by.

It seemed to love the birds and was frequently caught gazing up at them. When a Barn Swallow did circles around them it had to whip its little head back and forth to keep track of it. Now if we could only make sure they grow up to respect the birds enough not to eat them - especially the Piping Plover eggs and young!


Scott Kruitbosch
Conservation Technician

Photos by Scott Kruitbosch © Connecticut Audubon Society and not to be reproduced without explicit CAS permission

Ruby-throated Hummingbirds coming to your home

Thanks to Alex Kearney for sending in a couple photos of a Ruby-throated Hummingbird from a yard in Kent. Alex has spotted two males and one female so far this year.

Did your hummingbirds return yet? They were definitely part of the later bunch of birds that moved through with some folks reporting it was nearly the latest or the very latest first arrival date they had recorded at their home. Last weekend was the first time I had one in 2013 as they seemed to arrive in strong numbers along with other migrants. Who would have thought we would have to be thinking about hummingbird feeders freezing in mid-May? Thanks to Alex for these photos and for everyone who feeds, watches, and enjoys their own hummingbirds.

Scott Kruitbosch

Conservation Technician

Photos by Alex Kearney (ackbluefish@yahoo.com)

Orchard Orioles all over

The last week was a very productive one for Baltimore Orioles in my experience as I found them at Stratford Point, in my neighborhood, at Long Beach, and many other locations. It was also surprisingly active for Orchard Orioles along with them as I found singing males at Short Beach, Stratford Great Meadows, and Stratford Point as well, a place they have nested every year since I started surveys there for Connecticut Audubon Society in 2009. Here's one of those singing males...

You can tell that this bird is in its second spring at least very easily as Orchard Orioles are a bit unique in that first-year males look drastically different than the full adults. Take a look at just how dissimilar they appear with this photo of a first-year male singing at Stratford Point last summer.

He successfully found a mate and formed the pair that nested on the property in 2012. At this point of the season many orioles of both species are passing through and most will vacate many of the areas you see them now. However, there will be a decent number of Baltimores that stick around and a handful of Orchards scattered across the state in acceptable habitats. Watch for Baltimore Oriole nests hanging from the trees along woodland edges this summer and Orchard Oriole nests packed in on a branch on a small tree or shrub in an open type of setting (like, oh, an orchard).


Scott Kruitbosch
Conservation Technician

Photos by Scott Kruitbosch © Connecticut Audubon Society and not to be reproduced without explicit CAS permission