Piping Plovers are nesting on the Milford Point sandbar. According to Tom Andersen, Communications Director at Connecticut Audobon Society, the baby birds have hatched and adults are still incubating eggs on three other nests.
"It’s an incredibly perilous time out there for this federally-threatened species. The baby birds can’t fly yet and are at the mercy of storm tides and predators. They don't need other threats," Anderson said.
Staff at Milford Point reports that with few exceptions, visitors have been doing their best to avoid disturbing the birds.
A few guidelines (courtesy of Connecticut Audobon)
The best thing is to view the sandbar from the beach or observation platform. It's also fine to visit the sandbar where it connects to the beach.
But we're asking visitors to help by walking out on the sandbar only when the tides are low.
No matter when you’re there, please walk carefully. Stay outside the string fencing. If you notice shorebirds flying away as you approach, you’ve gotten too close.
If a Coastal Ranger or other Connecticut Audubon staff or volunteer asks you to move a bit farther from the birds, please heed the request. And make sure you say hello — if they're not in the middle of a task, they'll be happy to explain what's going on and might be able to help with bird identifications too.
Read more on Milford Point's shorebirds here.