James Bay Shorebird Project 2017

Longridge Point from 30 July to 14 August 2017 - Page 1 of 6

Molting adult male Hudsonian Godwit (left) and fresh juvenile Marbled Godwit on 2 August 2017.

In summer 2017, we had three shorebird camps in southern James Bay: Longridge Point, Little Piskwamish Point and Northbluff Point (aka North Point). I was at Longridge from 30 July to 14 August 2017.

Project partners are: Environment and Climate Change Canada's Canadian Wildlife Service, Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (OMNRF), Bird Studies Canada, and Trent University, with a larger conservation initiative involving James Bay First Nations and Nature Canada.

I thank an anonymous donor for purchasing camp supplies.

Longridge Point at High Tide

Longridge camp is in the boreal forest about 5.7 km from the tip of Longridge. James Bay's extensive tidal mudflats and myriad tidal pools provide excellent habitat for migrating shorebirds to fatten for long southbound migrations. This is the 9th year of the James Bay Shorebird Project. Many thanks to the Moose Cree owners for renting us their comfortable camp.

Daily Shorebird Surveys and Red Knot Resights

Survey crew: Mark Dorriesfield, Anne Blondin (also invertebrate sampling) and Jean Iron on Longridge Point

Daily we surveyed a section of coast and resighted Red Knot flags. This green flag HLK is from the United States. Red Knots fatten on James Bay before migrating to South America. Adult Red Knot in worn breeding plumage on 3 August 2017. Click on photo above or this link for Red Knots feeding.

Adult Red Knot (left) with juvenile Red Knot on right. 8 August 2017. We saw our first juvenile on 3 August 2017.

Semipalmated Sandpipers are a priority species. High count was 5299 on 12 August. Above is a juvenile Semipalmated Sandpiper on 8 August 2017.

White-rumped Sandpipers are a priority species again this year. High count was 7892 on 8 August 2017. Above is a molting adult on 4 August 2017.

Dunlin and White-rumped Sandpipers resting at high tide on 4 August 2017

Adult Dunlin molting into winter plumage, note wing molt, on 12 August 2017.

Semipalmated Plovers are a priority species for the project. Above is an adult on 1 August 2017.

Juvenile Semipalmated Plover on 7 August 2017. We saw our first juvenile on 4 August.

VIDEO: Panorama of Longridge bay and the Wrack of kelp (seaweed), which attracted the shorebirds

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