Connecticut
Connecticut officials warn beachgoers of nesting shorebirds as they announce some park area closures
HARTFORD, Conn. — Environmental officials in Connecticut are warning beachgoers to steer clear of places where coastal birds gather and nest for the season.
The state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection also said in a news release Friday that it has temporarily closed the Dr. William A. Niering Preserve within Harkness Memorial State Park in Waterford, Charles Island in Milford and Duck Island in Westbrook.
The agency said it made the decisions in order to prevent disturbances to several state-listed nesting birds, including piping plovers, least terns, snowy and great egrets, glossy ibis, and little blue herons.
Connecticut law prohibits people from entering state-designated seabird and shorebird protection areas and requires pets, cyclists, and vehicles to remain at least 25 feet away, the department noted.
Shorebirds frequently nest in shallow depressions in the sand near where beachgoers swim, fish and recreate, the agency said. Their nesting season runs from April to September.
“Small, camouflaged eggs are easily confused for beach rocks, and tiny fledglings look like cotton fluff that blend into their surroundings,” the department wrote in its Friday statement. “They can be inadvertently trampled and killed –- especially during the busy summer beach season.”
Amtrak says it will not close any railroad bridges along Connecticut’s shoreline during the 2026 World Cup, backing away from a potential proposal that had sparked concerns from boaters, harbor officials, and marine businesses.
In an email Tuesday to NBC Connecticut, Amtrak spokesperson Jason Abrams said: “At this time, in coordination with the Coast Guard, we will not be closing any bridges on the Connecticut Coast Line during the tournament.”
The statement is a shift from a plan previously circulating among members of the boating community. That proposal outlined possible hourslong closures of several movable railroad bridges on the Connecticut shoreline on dates tied to World Cup matches in Foxborough, Massachusetts.
The affected bridges would have included the spans over the Connecticut River, Niantic River, Shaw’s Cove, Thames River and Mystic River.
The proposal had raised alarms among charter boat operators, harbor masters and marine industry leaders, who warned the closures could disrupt navigation during the height of the summer season, create safety risks on crowded waterways and hurt businesses that depend on fishing and recreational boating.
Amtrak also said is “exploring all options to move travelers safely and reliably during the World Cup with minimal interruption and inconvenience to local communities, visitors, and other stakeholders and travelers.”
Fans are expected to use rail service along the Northeast Corridor to travel to matches in the Northeast, including in the Boston area, where passengers would use connecting service to reach the stadium in Foxborough.
Earlier Tuesday, the U.S. Coast Guard told NBC Connecticut it was reviewing Amtrak’s request related to the bridge proposal.
“The Coast Guard has received Amtrak’s request for the bridge closures and are reviewing it to reach a final decision. When that decision is made, the Coast Guard will work with Amtrak. We are also aware of the mariners and boating communities concerns regarding this,” the Coast Guard had said.
It was not immediately clear whether Amtrak had formally withdrawn that request or whether the rail operator’s latest statement means the bridge closures are no longer under consideration.
NBC Connecticut reached out to the Coast Guard to request additional information.
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