This is today's report (18 July 2010) from Jean Iron via satellite phone
for the period 14-17 July from Longridge Point on the southern coast of
James Bay. James Bay is the southeastern extension of Hudson Bay
reaching deep into eastern Canada south to about 51 degrees north
latitude. The unspoiled broad tidal flats, wide coastal marshes and
islands of James Bay are of hemispheric importance to southbound
shorebirds and waterfowl migrating from the Canadian Arctic. Longridge
Point is about 850 km or 530 miles north of Toronto with about one hour
more daylight today than Toronto.

Mark Peck of the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM) leads a crew of four
surveying shorebirds with a particular focus on the endangered rufa
subspecies of the Red Knot. Others crew members are Christian Friis
(Canadian Wildlife Service), Lisa Pollock (Trent University/Ontario
Ministry of Natural Resources), and Jean Iron (ROM volunteer). The ROM
group is also surveying Yellow Rails and collecting data on frogs and
toads. The crew arrived on 14 July and is staying until mid August so
they will see adults and juveniles of many shorebirds, allowing rough
estimates of breeding success.

SHOREBIRD OBSERVATIONS
Usually only the high count day for each species is recorded below.
Recent weather has been wet and windy affecting observations.

Black-bellied Plover: 1 adult on 17th.

Greater Yellowlegs: 243 and 1 juvenile on 17th. Greaters nest nearby in
the Hudson Bay Lowlands.

Lesser Yellowlegs: 375 adults on 16th, 3 juveniles on 17th. Lessers nest
nearby in the Hudson Bay Lowlands.

Whimbrel: 21 adults on 17th.

Hudsonian Godwit: 169 molting adults on 16th. These are migrants from
farther north.

Marbled Godwit: 18 adults on 16th. There is a small isolated population
breeding on southern James Bay in Ontario, Akimiski Island in Nunavut,
and Quebec.

Ruddy Turnstone: 25 adults on 17th showing no signs of molt.

RED KNOT: 725 molting and fading adults on 17th. 10 knots on 17th with
leg flags included 2 from Argentina, 6 from Delaware Bay (USA) and 1
from Virginia or Florida. About 10% of the rufa subspecies is marked.
Florida and South American wintering knots form two populations, which
have different migration routes and breeding grounds. When the data on
flagged birds are analyzed, we will know the approximate ages and ratio
of males to females, which was determined at time of banding using
molecular sexing techniques. Researchers in other locations of North and
South America will re-sight some of these birds so we will learn more
about the populations using James Bay and their migration routes.

Sanderling: 10 molting and fading adults on 16th.

Semipalmated Sandpiper: 600 slightly molting adults on 17th.

Least Sandpiper: 15 adults on 16th showing no signs of molt.

White-rumped Sandpiper: 7 molting adults on 17th. Adults should soon
increase in numbers.

Pectoral Sandpiper: 246 adults on 16th showing no signs of molt.

Dunlin: 18 worn adults on 17th. Thousands of Dunlins stage in James Bay,
where adults undergo a complete prebasic molt of body and flight
feathers before resuming migration about mid September. Almost all
juveniles undergo a partial molt of body feathers (not wings/tail)
before migrating. This is why Dunlins are very rare south of the
subarctic until much later than most shorebirds.

Short-billed Dowitcher: 1 bright (extensive cinnamon below) adult of the
hendersoni subspecies. This subspecies breeds mainly in muskegs and
bogs/fens across the boreal forest from northern Manitoba to the
southern Northwest Territories and northeastern British Columbia.

Wilson's Snipe: 2 still winnowing.

Shorebird Foods: Shorebirds in Hudson and James Bays feed on the
abundant larvae of the bivalve Macoma balthica (clam), and in southern
James Bay, the gastropod Hydrobia minuta (snail), as well as a variety
of crustaceans (shrimps/crabs & relatives), worms and dipteran (fly)
larvae (Ontario Shorebird Conservation Plan 2003).

OTHER BIRD SIGHTINGS
Birds: Gadwall, 2 on 16th; American White Pelican, 30 on 16th and 22 on
17th; Yellow Rail, 1 singing (tick-tick) regularly, they were commoner
in 2009; Merlin nesting on ridge behind camp; Short-eared Owl, 2, Arctic
Tern, 2 on 17th; 2; Boreal Chickadee, 2 near camp; Gray Jay, 3 near
camp; Pine Grosbeak, 1 on 16th; Northern Waterthrush; Tennessee Warbler
with young; Clay-colored Sparrow, 2 singing males included 1 on 16th and
1 on 17th, a thin population breeds in open willow and birch scrub
adjacent James and Hudson Bays; Le Conte's Sparrow, 5 on 16th; Nelson's
Sparrow, 10 on 16th; Fox Sparrow, singing; White-winged Crossbill, 65 on
15th.

Mammals: 3 Belugas (White Whales) on 16th during high tide at Beluga
Point east of camp. Polar Bears are not expected because they rare south
of Akimiski Island. One close Black Bear was seen. Last year a Black
Bear broke into the kitchen cabin, made a mess and ate a lot of food.
This required someone to guard the food so that person wasn't available
to survey shorebirds. This year a solar powered electric fence surrounds
the food cabin. Vole and mouse numbers are low, which is similar to most
other locations in the Hudson Bay Lowlands, except Akimiski Island where
Meadow Voles are common.

Amphibians: American Toads of the colourful Hudson Bay subspecies copei
are abundant; Boreal Chorus Frogs are still singing, and Wood Frogs.

Butterflies: Viceroy, Common Ringlet, White Admiral, Red Admiral,
Fritillary sp. (Atlantis or Great Spangled), Sulphur sp., and Cabbage
White. Recent wet weather hasn't been good for butterflies. The 16th was
the best day when most of the above were seen.

Southern James Bay Map Showing Position of Longridge Point
www.jeaniron.ca/2010/longridgemap.jpg

Aerial Photo of Longridge Point extending 7 km into James Bay
www.jeaniron.ca/2010/Longridge-Point3791.jpg

Literature Cited: ONTARIO SHOREBIRD CONSERVATION PLAN. 2003. Ross, K.,
and K. Abraham, R. Clay, B. Collins, J. Iron, R. James, D. McLachlin, R.
Weeber. 48 pages. Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada. Link to
pdf below.
www.on.ec.gc.ca/wildlife/plans/pdf/plans-shorebird-e.pdf

Acknowledgements: I thank Ken Abraham (Ontario Ministry of Natural
Resources (OMNR)) and Don Sutherland (OMNR) for information.

Jean will call every 4-6 days and I'll post updates over the next month.

Ron Pittaway
Minden, Ontario
Canada