I just talked to Jean Iron who's a member of a crew of eight surveying the
birds and vegetation along the south coast of James Bay near Moosonee in
northern Ontario. The project is headed up by research scientist Ken
Abraham of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources. They're comparing
vegetation changes with studies done 30 years ago. Jean has the lucky job
of surveying the shorebirds. The survey crew go by helicopter to different
points every day along the coast. This area has no roads. As I get daily
reports, I'll post.

Today's shorebirds along 1 km of coast about 8 km west of Netitishi Point
on southern James Bay in Ontario:

Black-bellied Plover, 1 adult on tidal flats
Semipalmated Plover, 225 adults on tidal flats
Greater Yellowlegs, 30 adults and juveniles
Lesser Yellowlegs 15 adults and juveniles
Hudsonian Godwit, 50 molting adults on tidal flats, some in almost full
alternate plumage and others almost in basic plumage
Ruddy Turnstone, 1 adult
Semipalmated Sandpiper, 200 adults and 10 juveniles
Least Sandpiper, 5 adults and 30 juveniles at edge of vegetation in pools
and along muddy creeks
White-rumped Sandpiper, 300 molting adults on tidal flats - 800 yesterday
at another location. This is the commonest shorebird.
Pectoral Sandpiper, 50 adults in same habitat as the Leasts

They also had lots of Yellow Rails and Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrows.

Ron Pittaway
Minden & Toronto, Ontario, Canada
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416-445-9297