This is Jean Iron's first report for the period 30 July to 3 August 2014 from Little Piskwamish Point on the southwestern coast of James Bay in Ontario. See map location in link #1 below. James Bay reaches deep into central Canada to latitude 51 N and is one of the most important and pristine staging areas for shorebirds in North America. Surveys are conducted under the direction of Christian Friis of the Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) and Mark Peck of the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) and their partners the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR), Bird Studies Canada and Moose Cree First Nation. The Little Piskwamish crew comprises Mark Peck (crew leader), James Kennerley from the United Kingdom, Brendan Kelly from Newfoundland and Labrador, Jean Iron, Eleanor Zurbrigg, Doug McRae, Lisa Pollock and Hellen Fu. Two other survey crews are based at North Point and Longridge Point.
SHOREBIRD OBSERVATIONS: 18 species to date. The maximum counts and dates for each species are reported below. Counts are done around high tide when shorebirds are concentrated and resting. Reports pertain to Little Piskwamish (Lat 51.655515 N, Lon -80.57167 W) except where indicated. This is wet summer with below average temperatures. Black-bellied Plover: 27 adults on Aug 1. Semipalmated Plover: 90 adults and first juvenile on Aug 1. Solitary Sandpiper: 1 on July 30. Greater Yellowlegs: 191, some juveniles. Lesser Yellowlegs: 175 on July 31. Whimbrel: 20 adults on July 31. Hudsonian Godwit: 299 molting adults on Aug 1. Ruddy Turnstone: 29 adults on July 31. RED KNOT (endangered subspecies rufa): 1050 adults on July 31, 881 on Aug 1 with about 47 flags read on Aug 1, 525 (13 new flags) on Aug 2, 900 on Aug3. Total flags about 663 since July 15 from Argentina, Chile, most from Delaware Bay USA, Quebec 1. One knot has been almost 3 weeks illustrating the importance of James Bay. Knots are fattening and undergoing variable amounts of body molt before most make the long flight to South America. Sanderling: 8 molting and fading adults on Aug 1. Semipalmated Sandpiper: 9000 on Aug 1, first juvenile July 31. One yellow flag from Suriname XLN. Least Sandpiper: 45 on July 31, 70 (+50% juveniles) on Aug 2. White-rumped Sandpiper: 10,000 molting adults on July 31. James Bay is one the most important fall staging areas for this sandpiper in North America. After fattening most overfly southern Canada and the U.S. going to South America. Pectoral Sandpiper: 194 adults on Aug 1. Dunlin: 634 adults on July 31. Short-billed Sandpiper: 3 adults and 1 juvenile on July 31. Wilson's Snipe: 3 on Aug 1. Red-necked Phalarope: 1 adult on Aug 3. SHOREBIRD TRACKING: A system of nano-tagging (begun last summer on James Bay) and Motus tracking towers and has been set up to track shorebirds such as Semipalmated Sandpiper, White-rumped Sandpiper, Dunlin, Hudsonian Godwit and Red Knot. Nano-tags are tiny and their signals can be received within a 20 km radius of a tower. Tags are placed on when the shorebird is banded and each tag has a different frequency. Several towers were set up this summer along southern James Bay. Other towers are located along Lake Ontario and Lake Erie, St. Lawrence River and Maritime Provinces including Bay of Fundy and the East Coast of the United States. Towers are 4-5 metres high and record time and GPS. See photo of a Motus tower taken by Tim Lucas at Presqu'ile Provincial Park on Lake Ontario. http://www.jeaniron.ca/2014/JB14/tower.jpg OTHER BIRD SIGHTINGS: 12 Northern Red-tailed Hawks (breeding subspecies abieticola) were seen July 29 from the train between Cochrane and Moosonee. Mute Swan on July 31. American White Pelican, 6 on Aug 1. American Bittern, 1 on 2 Aug. Sandhill Cranes, 10 on 2 Aug. Yellow Rail, 3 on ticking Aug 1. Sora, 1 on 1 Aug. Bonaparte's Gull, 37 including 1 juvenile on Aug 2. Common Tern, 8 on Aug 2. Great Horned Owl (breeding subspecies scalariventris) hooting on July 30n and 31. Gray Jay 5, (2 adults and 3 juveniles - probably a family group) on July 30. Boreal Chickadee, 3 on Aug 1. Swainson's Thrush, 1 juvenile daily. Singing Nelson's Sparrow (subspecies alter), 7 on Aug 1. Le Conte's Sparrows, 1 on Aug 1. White-winged Crossbill, 145 on Aug 1. Common Redpoll, 10 on July 30. Pine Siskin, 2 on July 31. OTHER LOCATIONS: Black Guillemot, 3 at Longridge on Aug 2. Gray Catbird, 1 at North Point on July 30. See map link #1 below. BEARS: Two Black Bears near camp. Polar Bears normally do not occur south of Akimiski Island where a sizable population spends the summer. See map link #1 below. MORE INFORMATION in 3 links below: 1. Map showing location of Little Piskwamish Point http://www.jeaniron.ca/2014/JB14/map.htm 2. Population Estimates of North American Shorebirds 2012 http://www.shorebirdplan.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/ShorePopulationAndre sEtAl2012.pdf 2. Ontario Shorebird Conservation Plan http://www.jeaniron.ca/Shorebirds/OSCPlan.pdf WESTERN HEMISPHERE SHOREBIRD REVERVE: The hope is that James Bay (or part of) will be designated a Western Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve of Hemispheric Importance. "These sites act as staging, nesting or breeding grounds for at least 500,000 shorebirds annually, or at least 30% of the biogeographic population of any species." James Bay much exceeds the minimum criteria for a "Hemispheric Importance" designation. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: The Western James Bay Shorebird Survey is a cooperative effort of the Canadian Wildlife Service, Royal Ontario Museum , Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR), Bird Studies Canada and Moose Cree First Nation. Survey camps are rented from the Moose Cree First Nation. The OMNR provides accommodations in the staffhouse while crews are in Moosonee. Thanks to Rod Brook, Sarah Hagey and Kim Bennett of OMNR for logistical support. This project would not be possible without the many hours of dedicated volunteer effort. Jean thanks an anonymous donor for financial assistance. NOTE: Jean celebrated her birthday on August 1. I thought readers would enjoy her message to me by DeLorme inReach two-way satellite communicator with GPS. "Wonderful birthday wiener boil and creek tea on mudflats at dusk prebanding. Double rainbow. Lovely birthday cake tonight. Chocolate with little sugar eggs on top and a citronella candle in middle". Next report in 5-7 days. Ron Pittaway Toronto, Ontario _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS including how to unsubscribe visit http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdssetup Posting guidelines can be found at http://www.ofo.ca/site/page/view/information.ontbirdsguide
