This is Jean Iron's last report from Akimiski Island for the period
20 - 25 August 2008. She was a volunteer surveying shorebirds for the
Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR) and Trent University.
Note increasing proportions of juveniles for many species listed below.
Black-bellied Plover: 7 on 21 Aug, 6 on 22nd, 9 on 23rd, 7 on 24th.
All molting adults, a couple in almost full alternate plumage.
American Golden-Plover: 4 on 21 Aug, 1 on 22nd, 2 on 23rd, 1 on 24th.
All molting adults.
Semipalmated Plover: 14 on 21 Aug, 10 on 22nd, 4 on 23rd (mostly
juveniles), 35 all juveniles on 24th.
Killdeer: 1 or 2 per day, usually heard. 1 juvenile on 25 Aug.
Greater Yellowlegs: 26 on 21 Aug, 13 on 22nd, 12 on 23rd, 51 on 24th.
Mostly juveniles with a few molting adults. One adult on 25 Aug in
wing molt with gap in flight feathers. Greater Yellowlegs is one the
few shorebirds that undergoes wing molt at staging areas. Most
shorebirds delay wing and tail molt until reaching the wintering grounds.
Lesser Yellowlegs: 30 on 21 Aug, 19 on 22nd, 27 on 23rd, 65 on 24th.
All juveniles.
Whimbrel: 7 including 1 adult and 1 juvenile eating berries on 20
Aug, 9 mostly juveniles on 21st, 4 on 22nd, 2 on 23rd, 33 flyovers
and 2 juveniles on ground on 25th. There are likely still good
numbers of juveniles eating berries on the coastal barrens of
southwestern Hudson and western James Bay. Wilson and McRae (1993)
reported 225 on 7 September and 20 on 11 September at Longridge
Point, 57 km north of Moosonee, indicating that some stay well into September.
Hudsonian Godwit: 7 on 21 Aug, 5 on 23rd, 29 mostly juveniles on
24th, 40 on 25th. Most adults depart James Bay during the last 10
days of Aug. Juveniles leave later after fattening.
Marbled Godwit: 6 on 21 Aug, 3 on 22nd, 4 on 23rd, 2 on 24th. All
juveniles. Jean remarked that these juveniles had noticeably shorter
bills than adults in May, based on her photos of both age classes.
Ruddy Turnstone: Mostly juveniles. 37 on 21 Aug, 29 on 22nd, 30 (3 ad
& 27 juv) on 23rd, 7 on 24th, 35 (3 ad & 32 juv) on 24th, +20 (1 ad)
on 25th. Turnstones molt very little before reaching the wintering
grounds so the two age classes easy to distinguish in fall migration.
Red Knot: Flocks flying south. 15 on 21 Aug, 9 on 22nd, 100 on 24th,
they landed for about 5 minutes and then moved north with about 40
birds splitting off and continuing north. The others landed for 5
minutes. A few fed and some slept briefly before taking flight. 3 of
these birds had traces of alternate plumage, but considering the date
most may have been juveniles.
Semipalmated Sandpiper: 660 (a few molting ad) non-molting juveniles
on 21 Aug, 615 (a few ad) on 22nd, 297 on 23rd, 400 (2 ad) on 24th.
Note sharp reduction in numbers with most juveniles now much farther
south. Most will depart before September.
Least Sandpiper: 3 non-molting juveniles on 21 Aug. Most Leasts leave
before September.
White-rumped Sandpiper: First juvenile banded on 19 Aug, 1300 adults
and 2 juveniles on 20th, 1730 adults and 2 juveniles on 21st, 1600
adults and 2 juveniles on 22nd, 1500 adults on 23rd, 1700 including 2
juveniles on 24th. Most juveniles still farther north. Timing of
juvenile migration and their numbers in James Bay not known.
Pectoral Sandpiper: 7 adults on 21 Aug, 4 adults on 22nd, 6 including
first 2 juveniles on 24th.
Dunlin: 1 molting adult still with a good black belly patch. Most
Dunlins of the subspecies hudsonia stage along west coasts of Hudson
and James Bays in August and September, where adults and juveniles
molt to basic (winter) plumage before departing in late September and
October. This is the reason we do not see molting adults and full
juveniles with rare exceptions south of James Bay.
Banding: 10 species of shorebirds banded in August.
DIFFERENT SPRING and FALL IMPORTANCE of JAMES BAY: In spring many
arctic shorebirds migrate north rapidly through the centre of the
continent largely bypassing James Bay. In fall most shorebirds move
more easterly towards the Atlantic Coast. This results in much larger
numbers using James Bay (probably several million birds) during
southbound migration, where wide tidal flats and intertidal marshes
provide an abundance of bivalves, gastropods, crustaceans, worms and
dipteran (fly) larvae (Ross et al 2003).
Other Birds: Juvenile Northern Goshawk on 21 and 22 Aug, adult
Sharp-shinned Hawk on 20 - 23 Aug, 2 juvenile Northern Harriers on 25
Aug, 2 juvenile Bonaparte's Gulls on 24 Aug, 8 Caspian Terns on 24
Aug and 4 (2 adults each with dependent juvenile) on 25th, 2 juvenile
Arctic Terns on 25 Aug, adult Parasitic Jaeger on 24 Aug, Bank
Swallow, 3 on 22 Aug, 1 on 23 and 24th, Boreal Chickadee, 2 Le
Conte's Sparrows on 22 Aug, White-winged Crossbill, 4 on 20 and 21
Aug, 5 on 22nd, Common Redpoll, 8 on 21 Aug, 4 on 22nd. Migration of
American Pipits with 30 on 21 Aug, 20 on 22nd and 23rd.
Butterflies: The 20 - 23 August very warm with above normal
temperatures. List from David Beresford and Ben Walters: Common
Ringlet, Aphrodite Fritillary, possible Clouded Sulphur, Palaeno
Sulphur, Giant Sulphur, Pink-edged Sulphur, White Admiral, and
Cabbage White. Ben and David also had another (different species) of
unidentified Fritillary.
Polar Bears: Female with 3 cubs on 21 and 23 Aug, one with 2 cubs, 2
with 1 cub, and several singles.
Last sea ice in Hudson Bay disappeared 24 August.
http://www.natice.noaa.gov/pub/ims_gif/DATA/cursnow_usa.gif
Literature Cited: (1) Ross, K., and K. Abraham, R. Clay, B. Collins,
J. Iron, R. James, D. McLachlin, R. Weeber. 2003. Ontario Shorebird
Conservation Plan. Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada.
Hard copies available by email from Wildlife DOT Ontario AT ec.gc.ca
with name and postal address. (2) Wilson, N.C. and D. McRae. 1993.
Seasonal and Geographical Distribution of Birds for Selected Sites in
Ontario's Hudson Bay Lowland. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, 145 pages.
This is Jean's final report. The camp closed yesterday and crew flew
out by Ontario Government Twin Otter to Moosonee and Timmins. From
plane they saw 7 Polar Bears on Akimiski. South of island were 3
Belugas. Ben Walters spotted 20 seals on Longridge Point north of
Moosonee. Jean is grateful to Ken Abraham (OMNR) and Erica Nol of
Trent University for the opportunity to survey shorebirds and assist
researchers.
Ron Pittaway
Toronto / Minden ON
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