Photo by Chris Bosak
A Piping Plover preens at Milford Point in spring of 2014.

Here’s some good news from Connecticut Audubon regarding the success of shorebirds nesting on CT beaches. The nesting areas are monitored by volunteers and staff of the Audubon Alliance, a partnership with Connecticut Audubon Society(standalone organization), Audubon Connecticut (state chapter of national Audubon), CT DEEP, and Roger Tory Peterson Institute of Natural History. The main focus of the monitoring and study are piping plovers and least terns, as well as American oystercatchers.

I was a monitor years ago when I worked nights and loved it. There’s nothing being the first one to discover a piping nest. I use the word “nest” lightly as it’s nothing more than a slight indentation in the rocky/sandy beach. The birds and eggs blend in perfectly with the beach and usually the nests are discovered only when the adult bird stands up and walks away slowly. Then you can retrace its steps to the eggs. It was fun and fulfilling volunteer work. Kudos to those who continue to do it.

Here is the full release on the successful nesting season from Connecticut Audubon Society.

#ConnecticutAudubon @CTAudubon

Photo by Chris Bosak
Piping Plover egg. Plovers typically lay four eggs in their nest, which is nothing more than a small depression in the ground.