This is the project's fourth report, for the period 31 July - 10 August 2013 from Little Piskwamish Point on the south coast of James Bay. The Little Piskwamish Point crew consists of Mark Peck (Royal Ontario Museum), Don Sutherland (Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources), Ron Ridout (Bird Studies Canada), Burke Korol (Canadian Wildlife Service), Mark Field (volunteer) and Jeffrey Costa (volunteer). A three day trip was also made to Longridge Point (60 km north of Moosonee). One other crew is at Hannah Bay. See map link below. Study sites are part of the Western James Bay Shorebird Survey. Camps closed for the season on 26 August and crews are en route home this week. Final reports from Hannah Bay, Little Piskwamish Point and Longridge Point will be shared as soon as possible.
The Little Piskwamish Point camp is 43 km north of Moosonee, Cochrane Dist. High counts during the period are for Little Piskwamish followed by (Longridge Point). Black-bellied Plover - 53, (89) American Golden Plover - 3 Semipalmated Plover - 95, 6 juveniles, August 10, (40) Hudsonian Godwit - 360, (260) all adults Marbled Godwit - 1 Whimbrel - 1, (2) Greater Yellowlegs - 317, juveniles still uncommon, (76) Lesser Yellowlegs - 376, 30% juveniles, August 8, (234) Ruddy Turnstone - 119, all adults, (139) Red Knot - 1679, 17 juveniles, August 10, (710). Close to 600 resightings of banded REKNs have been made during this period involving over 250 individual birds. This information is shared throughout the flyway with other researchers banding in Quebec, New Jersey, Delaware, Georgia, Florida, Brazil, Argentina and Chile and provides valuable information on populations, migration routes, stopover sites and stopover times. Dunlin - 918, (72) Pectoral Sandpiper - 282, (148 White-rumped Sandpiper - 11001, (6000) Semipalmated Sandpiper - 1192, 5% juveniles August 8, (620) Least Sandpiper - 82, 50% juveniles, (86) Red-necked Phalarope - 2, adults and juveniles, (1) Prairie Falcon - juvenile, August 2, not seen since. Northern Harrier - 2 recently fledged juveniles near camp American White Pelican Yellow Rail - 1-3 heard daily near camp Bonaparte's Gull - 323, (600) Little Gull - 3 juveniles, no adults Arctic Tern - seen infrequently, 1 or 2. Black Tern - 1 adult 1 Eastern Garter Snake, daily sightings of Black Bears, 3 River Otter, 1 Snowshoe Hare and a family of Striped Skunk in camp. No small mammals have been observed. Map of survey sites on southern James Bay. http://www.jeaniron.ca/2013/JamesBay/map.htm ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS: The Western James Bay Shorebird Survey is a cooperative effort spearheaded by the Canadian Wildlife Service, Royal Ontario Museum , Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR), Bird Studies Canada and Moose Cree First Nation. Additional support for the 2013 expedition was provided by TD Friends of the Environment Foundation. The OMNR also provides helicopter transport to and from field camps and accommodations in the staff house while crews are in Moosonee. Thanks to Ken Abraham, Rod Brook, Sarah Hagey and Kim Bennett of OMNR for logistical support. Lastly, without the many hours of dedicated volunteer support, this project would not be possible. Good birding, Christian Christian A. Friis Canadian Wildlife Service Environment Canada 4905 Dufferin St. Toronto ON M3H 5T4 [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> Telephone 416.739.4908 Mobile 647.882.6097 Facsimile 416.739.5845 Government of Canada Website www.ec.gc.ca/mbc-com <http://www.ec.gc.ca/mbc-com/> Christian A. Friis Service canadien de la faune Environnement Canada 4905, rue Dufferin Toronto ON M3H 5T4 [email protected] <mailto:[email protected]> Téléphone 416.739.4908 Cellulaire 647.882.6097 Télécopieur 416.739.5845 Gouvernement du Canada Site Web www.ec.gc.ca/mbc-com <http://www.ec.gc.ca/mbc-com/> _______________________________________________ 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
