This is Jean Irons fourth report by satellite phone for the period 4-10 August 2011 from North Point on the southwestern coast of James Bay, Ontario. This report also includes sightings from nearby Longridge Point fide Mark Peck and Little Piskwamish Point fide Don Sutherland. Surveys are a partnership of the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM), Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR), Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) and Moose Cree First Nation (MCFN). Minnie Sutherland from Moose Factory (MCFN) joined the North Point crew on Sunday 6 August. The Longridge crew is Mark Peck (ROM), Roy John, Emily Rondel and Antonio Coral. The Little Piskwamish crew is Don Sutherland (OMNR), Doug McRae, Barb Charlton and Ron Ridout. The North Point crew is Mike McMurtry (OMNR), Jean Iron, Aus Taverner and Minnie Sutherland (MCFN).
JAMES BAY TO ATLANTIC COAST ROUTE: In spring most arctic shorebirds migrate north rapidly through the centre of the continent largely west of 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 the broad tidal flats and intertidal marshes provide an abundance of small invertebrates. Colour-marking indicates that most (not all) southbound shorebirds departing James Bay go east to southeast towards the Atlantic Coast, not through the interior of the continent. One notable exception is the James Bay population of Marbled Godwits whose wintering grounds until recently were speculated to be the south Atlantic Coast of the United States, which is the closest wintering area. American researchers Bridget Olson (USFWS) and Adrian Farmer (USGS) fitted Marbled Godwits with satellite transmitters on Akimiski Island, Nunavut in 2007 and 2008 and the godwits went southwest to winter at the Gulf of California (Sea of Cortez) on the Pacific Coast of Mexico. Quoting Chuck Berry You Never Can Tell. SHOREBIRD OBSERVATIONS: 27 species to date. Turnover from adults to juveniles of some species (not all) is occurring rapidly. Counts are done at high tide. Usually only high count day is listed. Location of counts is North Point unless stated otherwise. Black-bellied Plover: 7 on 6-7 Aug at North Point and 13 on 7th at Little Piskwamish. American Golden-Plover: 1 adult in full alternate plumage on 5th at North Point and 1 molting adult on 9th at Little Piskwamish. Semipalmated Plover: 49 on 6th at North Point and 97 on 3rd at Little Piskwamish. No juveniles. Killdeer, 1-2 daily including half grown young at Little Piskwamish. Spotted Sandpiper, 13 on 4th at Little Piskwamish. Solitary Sandpiper, 12 on 6th at Little Piskwamish. Greater Yellowlegs: 167 on plumage on 7th at North Point (50% juveniles) and 195 on 5th at Little Piskwamish. Lesser Yellowlegs: 179 on 5th at North Point (70% juveniles) and 536 mostly juveniles on 6th at Little Piskwamish. Yellowlegs Migration: Flocks of both species lift off in the evening with much calling and form Vs high overhead flying south into the night sky. Whimbrel: 8 on 5th at North Point. Hudsonian Godwit: 158 molting adults on 6th at North Point and 322 on 9th at Little Piskwamish. Marbled Godwit, 1 adult male defending territory on 9th at North Point, its behaviour suggested young hidden in grass. 1 on 8th at Little Piskwamish. Ruddy Turnstone: 37 adults on 5th at North Point and 37 on 7th at Little Piskwamish. RED KNOT: Of the three surveys sites to date Little Piskwamish has had the highest one day count (4990 on 1 Aug) followed by Longridge (1400 on 6 Aug) with smaller numbers at North Point (220 on 2 Aug). High counts for this period for Little Piskwamish (2,300 on 7th), Longridge (1400 6 Aug) and North Point (150 on 7th). At Delaware Bay, USA, recent spring counts range from 15,000 to 24,000. This suggests that a high proportion of the population stages in southwestern James Bay. Concentration areas are being mapped by GPS. At Longridge as of 9 Aug they have 900 sightings of 230 differently marked birds. Celebrity knot TY was back at Longridge on 5 Aug. It has been at all three sites since first seen on 26 July at North Point. First juvenile knot on 9th at Little Piskwamish. Semipalmated Sandpiper: 10,500 on 7th at North Point were almost all adults. 2,975 on 6th at Little Piskwamish. Next wave should be mainly juveniles. Least Sandpiper: 251 on 9th at Little Piskwamish. All juveniles. Leasts and Pectorals are back of the mudflats at ponds in marshes and meadows. White-rumped Sandpiper: 23,327 on 7th at Little Piskwamish. 12,500 molting adults on 7th at North Point. This is now the commonest shorebird in southern James Bay. Bairds Sandpiper: 1 juvenile on 8th at Longridge, 1 juvenile on 9th at Little Piskwamish. Roosting Peeps: At North Point the thousands of Semipalmated Sandpipers and White-rumped Sandpipers rest and sleep for about three hours twice daily at high tide. They gather in tight flocks on grassy and gravel areas just above the high tide line. Jean describes the scene as very peaceful as the birds sleep with the chittering of some birds as they run around adjusting themselves. The roost area is quite distant from the forest edge. Luckily, the local Merlin hunts closer to the trees. When the peep flocks fly they swirl and twist in unison with much chittering and the sound of their wings fills the air. Pectoral Sandpiper: 481 non-molting adults on 6th at North Point. 415 on 7th at Little Piskwamish. Most in marsh ponds back from the coast. Dunlin (subspecies hudsonia): 368 adults on 6th showing little or no signs of molting. This is interesting for the date because adult Dunlins undergo a complete prebasic molt at James Bay before migration. Perhaps they fatten first before beginning to molt. Other shorebirds such as White-rumped Sandpipers are actively molting and fattening, but they undergo only a body molt while delaying molt of their flight feathers (wings/tail) until they reach the wintering grounds. First juvenile Dunlin on 8 Aug at Longridge. Juveniles also stage and molt at James Bay. Short-billed Dowitcher: 1 late adult on 6th at North Point. First juvenile on 8th at Longridge. 5 juveniles at Little Piskwamish. Wilsons Snipe: 13 on 6th at Little Piskwamish. Wilsons Phalarope: 1 fresh juvenile on 6th at North Point, 5 juveniles on 7th at Longridge. This phalarope breeds in small numbers in the wide prairie-like coastal marshes and meadows of southern James Bay. Red-necked Phalarope: 1 juvenile on 4th at North Point and 1 (age?) on 9th at Little Piskwamish. YELLOW RAIL: 1-2 ticking regularly at Little Piskwamish. Very low number. None at North Point and Longridge Point. OTHER BIRDS: In rough checklist order, if location not stated assume North Point: Canada Goose, 1300 on 5th appeared to be all subspecies maxima, presumably molt migrants from farther south summering and molting on James and Hudson Bays where they often mingle with breeding subspecies interior. Minnie Sutherland (MCFN) told Jean about the special relationship the Cree have with the geese. Black Scoter, hundreds daily of mostly molting males offshore at Little Piskwamish. American White Pelican, 61 on 8th. Northern Goshawk, 2 at Little Piskwamish included a juvenile on 6th chasing shorebirds but obviously inexperienced and an adult goshawk on 9th being mobbed by adult Northern Shrike. American Kestrel, 1 on 7th at Little Piskwamish. Sandhill Crane, 24 on 5th. Little Gull, 1 adult on 4th at Little Piskwamish, 1 juvenile on 7th at Longridge. Bonapartes Gull, 138 on 6th at Little Piskwamish and 23 on 7th at North Point were a mix of three age classes most were adults, some juveniles and a few second years. Almost all second year birds summer well south of the breeding grounds. Bonapartes nest in spruce trees adjacent muskeg ponds and lakes. Common Tern, 7 on 4th at North Point and 5 on 6th at Little Piskwamish. Arctic Tern, 1 on 5th at North Point. Great Horned Owl (gray subspecies scalariventris in northern Ontario), two duetting regularly at Little Piskwamish. Northern Saw-whet-Owl, 1 singing in early morning on 7th at Little Piskwamish is near northern edge of breeding range, singing in August is very unusual. Common Nighthawk, 1 on 3rd at Little Piskwamish, 3 on 7th at Longridge. Olive-sided Flycatcher, 1 on 8th at Little Piskwamish and 1 on 9th at North Point. Gray Jay, pair with a dark juvenile around camp, usually one young bird stays with the adults for a year, juveniles are molting now or soon into formative plumage which is almost identical to the adult. Swallow migration at Little Piskwamish: Tree Swallow, 101 on 5th, Bank Swallow, 4 on 5th, Cliff Swallow, 1 on 7th, Barn Swallow, 1 on 7th. MARSH WREN, 1 singing in cattail marsh at Little Piskwamish, Godfrey (1986) in the Birds of Canada shows breeding and James (ROM 1991) reports an isolated small colony near North Point. European Starling, 80 mostly juveniles on 8th at Little Piskwamish, really odd to see a large flock at a wilderness location. WARBLERS at North Point in pre-migration flocks in Balsam Poplars included Tennessee, Orange-crowned (this species migrates much later than other warblers), female Cape May with 4 juveniles, Bay-breasted, Blackpoll, Palm, Black-and-white, American Redstart, Yellow-rumped, etc. Magnolia Warbler, 1 on 8th at Little Piskwamish. Nashville Warbler, 1 on 6th at Little Piskwamish. Connecticut Warbler on 6th giving partial song at Little Piskwamish, Nancy Wilson and Doug McRae (OMNR Report 1993) reported that Connecticuts were common in fens with Tamaracks near Moosonee. Sparrows: Le Contes last heard 6th, Nelsons (2 heard 10th), Clay-colored and Savannah have stopped singing recently, White-throated Sparrows still singing. Rusty Blackbird, 1 on 8th. Common Grackle, 3 on 3rd at Little Piskwamish. Purple Finch, at least 1 daily at Little Piskwamish. White-winged Crossbill, 24 on 7th at North Point, 150 on 5th at Little Piskwamish, crossbills are moving south daily there even though White Spruce and Tamarack have excellent cone crops. MAMMALS: Belugas, 5 at North Point on 3 Aug. A unidentified bat on 5th at North Point flying around camp at dusk. Woodland Caribou and Moose tracks at Little Piskwamish. Large male Black Bear scavenging a Beluga carcass at Little Piskwamish. Red-backed Voles at Little Piskwamish camp, this is a forest vole whereas Meadow Vole is a field vole. No reports of Meadow Voles is reflected in only 2 sightings of Northern Harriers at North Point and absence of Short-eared Owls at all 3 survey locations. BUTTERFLIES: Western White (photos) at North Point on 6-8 Aug with high of 6 on 8th is only new butterfly since the last report. Western Whites also at Little Piskwamish. Bronze Copper, 6 nectaring and included a pair copulating on Mackenzies Water Hemlock (Cicuta virosa/mackenzieana) at North Point. The host plants (genus Rumex) are found along the coast. AMPHIBIANS: Frogs and toads were inconspicuous this summer because it was dry. After a good rain recently the crew at North Point heard Boreal Chorus Frogs and Spring Peepers and saw American Toads. FISH: Three-spined Stickleback. Mike McMurtry (OMNR) noted that there was a high mortality of this Species Of Concern as intertidal ponds dried this summer. NATURAL HERITAGE INFORMATION CENTRE (NHIC): The Red Knot survey is a multi-purpose inventory. Don Sutherland and Mike McMurtry are with the Natural Heritage Information Centre. The NHIC is part of OMNR involved with the inventory, monitoring and assessment of provincially rare plants and animals such as Red Knot, Yellow Rail and Short-eared Owl. Link to NHIC. http://nhic.mnr.gov.on.ca/MNR/nhic/about.cfm Map showing location of North Point in red. Little Piskwamish Point (not shown) is midway between North Point and Longridge Point. www.jeaniron.ca/2011/JamesBay2011/NorthPointmap.jpg ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: Jean thanks an anonymous donor for financial assistance allowing her to make satellite calls so reports are available on the internet. Survey ends on Sunday 14 August. Jean and I will post a final report #5 and link to photos on her website when she returns home. Ron Pittaway Minden, Ontario _______________________________________________ ONTBIRDS is presented by the Ontario Field Ornithologists - the provincial birding organization. Send bird reports to [email protected] For information about ONTBIRDS visit http://www.ofo.ca/
