The Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds and the CT Department of Environmental Protection, Wildlife Division invite you to make a difference for threatened bird species as an official summer volunteer. Volunteers will help monitor Piping Plovers, American Oystercatchers and Least Terns at beaches statewide from early April through August.
Atlantic Coast populations of beach-nesting birds return to the Connecticut coast in March from their wintering grounds, as far as the Caribbean. The cryptic nests of these birds are extremely susceptible to human disturbance, predation, and tidal wash outs. To enhance the survival and productivity of Connecticut’s beach-nesting birds, volunteers monitor at locations across the state to observe shorebirds, record and report nesting data, and spread a “share the shore” philosophy encouraging positive actions everyone can take to help these birds successfully raise their young.
With the help of volunteers, 2024 was a record-breaking year with 105 Piping Plover chicks and 70 American Oystercatchers chicks fledged!
Volunteers work from April until the end of the breeding season (usually in August) and must donate a minimum of 4 hours per month. The work can be very rewarding, as volunteers will have the opportunity to positively affect the nesting success of threatened shorebirds across the state.
Training and orientation sessions for new and returning volunteers will review the following: biology of the Piping Plover, Least Tern, and American Oystercatcher, how to monitor breeding pairs and chicks, volunteer organization and logistics, and law enforcement information. While there are only a few changes to the process this year, attendance by everyone planning to join us for the 2025 season is important.
New Volunteer Monitor Training Session
Tuesday, March 25 2025, 6:30–8:00 pm
If your computer does not have audio capabilities, you can call in. Dial: 1-646-876-9923, then enter the meeting ID (971 2989 9748) and passcode (091299).
Returning Volunteer Monitor Training Session
Thursday, March 27 2025, 7:00–8:00pm
If your computer does not have audio capabilities, you can call in. Dial: 1-646-876-9923, then enter the meeting ID (962 7261 2954) and passcode (775219).
Zoom sessions will be recorded and uploaded to YouTube so volunteers can refer back to them throughout the season.
For more information on the training sessions please email the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds at ctwaterbirds@gmail.com. Reservations are not required; but an e-mail letting us know you will be attending is appreciated.
These training sessions are co-sponsored by the Audubon Alliance for Coastal Waterbirds (Audubon Connecticut, the Connecticut Audubon Society and The Nature Conservancy) and the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, Wildlife Division.
