Aerial Survey 2019

Christian Friis, Guy Morrison, Ken Ross, and Yves Aubry

Between 11 and 13 August 2019, Guy Morrison (Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC), Emeritus Research Scientist) and Ken Ross (retired ECCC Canadian Wildlife Service biologist), along with Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (OMNRF) pilot Mike Ellis, conducted an aerial survey of the southern James Bay coast from Eastmain River in Quebec to the east, including offshore islands, to Ekwan Point in Ontario to the northwest, including Akimiski Island, Nunavut. This year’s survey marks the first inclusion of the Quebec side of southern James Bay in the survey area. The objective of the survey was to count shorebird species within smaller sectors generally delineated by tributaries or other landforms, allowing comparison with results from previous aerial surveys of the Ontario portion of the region. Small shorebird species (e.g., Least Sandpiper, Semipalmated Sandpiper, and White-rumped Sandpiper) are generally not easily identified from the air, despite flying at low levels. These are grouped into “peeps”. Medium and large shorebird species (e.g., Black-bellied Plover, Red Knot, and Hudsonian Godwit) are generally identifiable from the air; Greater and Lesser yellowlegs are generally counted as yellowlegs species. Surveys are conducted by helicopter at high tide, when birds are concentrated into roost locations. At low tide, birds are spread out across kilometres of exposed sand and mud flats that are characteristic of the James Bay coast. The low profile of the coast generates vast expanses of exposed flats at low tide, making it virtually impossible to get a reliable count at this point in the tidal cycle. Personnel stationed at the two field camps located at Little Piskwamish Point and Longridge Point carried out a coordinated ground count. Ground counts can be used to estimate species composition of the aerial counts.

The crew met in Timmins on 11 August 2019, flew to Moosonee in the OMNRF helicopter, and began the survey based on the predicted high tide in the early afternoon. Beginning at the Moose River, the crew flew northwards along the coastline towards Ekwan Point. Between the Moose River and Little Piskwamish Point, they recorded 6,700 Red Knots, among a total of just under 22,000 individual shorebirds. This region of southwestern James continues to be a regular staging area for rufa Red Knot. Chickney Channel, which is north of the Albany River, historically hosts large numbers of shorebirds, particularly godwits. This area had over 11,000 shorebirds including 2,150 Hudsonian Godwits, 700 Marbled Godwits, and over 6,000 peeps! The survey concluded for the day after surveying northwards to Ekwan Point and all but the northwestern portion of Akimiski island. The most abundant species on the south coast of Akimiski was Marbled Godwit, with over 1,200 individuals. Overall, over 2,100 Marbled Godwits were recorded between the Moose River and Ekwan Point on the mainland and on Akimiski Island. The population estimate of the Hudson and James Bays Marbled Godwit is 2,000 (Andres et al. 2012). The crew spent the night at the White Wolf Inn in Attawapiskat.

The next day, the crew surveyed the northwest portion of Akimiski Island in the morning. On the northwest side of the island, almost 3,000 Red Knots were recorded in the same area that 8,300 had been observed in 2018: this was a new location for knots, based on previous aerial surveys dating back to the 1970s. This section of Akimiski holds the bulk of shorebird individuals with nearly 8,000 birds, comprised of peeps (~3,500), Red Knot (~3,000), and Hudsonian Godwit (~1,500).

From Akimiski, the crew flew south to complete the survey from the Moose River east to the Quebec border. This section of the coast held just over 2,000 individuals. Hannah Bay Migratory Bird Sanctuary held the greatest abundance of birds with over 1,300 individuals, primarily peeps (~900), yellowlegs (~170), and Hudsonian Godwits (240).

On 13 August, surveys were carried out on the southeast James Bay coast of Quebec, though low cloud and fog prevented coverage of Charlton Island. Over 80% of the birds were recorded in Boatswain Bay, within the region between Rocher Emachisteweyach and Île Sisichisiniku. The bulk (99%) of the individuals recorded in Quebec were comprised of peeps (~4,600), Black-bellied Plover (~150), yellowlegs (~350), and Hudsonian Godwit (~650).

Over 48,000 individual shorebirds were recorded on the Ontario side during the survey, well under half of the totals from 2016 (about 110,000) and 2017 (about 105,600), and significantly lower than in 2018 (about 240,000). However, locations of concentrations remained consistent from year to year (Figure 1). On almost every front, counts were lower than in any of the previous three years. Red Knot counts totalled just under 9,000 individuals, as compared to 2016 (~10,600), 2017 (~2,800), and 2018 (~13,700).

Figure 1. Distribution and abundance of shorebirds by size category and year, as determined by aerial surveys 2016-2019. Click image to zoom.

Reasons for such low abundance in 2019 are unclear. Initial reports from the eastern Arctic suggested that the breeding season was good. However, reports at stopover locations in Quebec and the Maritimes indicated that this season was atypical with similarly lower counts. Julie Paquet, CWS Atlantic Region shorebird biologist, noted that Semipalmated Sandpiper migration timing was unusual in the Bay of Fundy in 2019. Adults appeared to move through the region early and juveniles showed up close to the end of August. At Mingan, very few Red Knots were counted in 2019 compared to recent years. Breeding conditions in the Arctic may influence the number of birds staging in James Bay and elsewhere on the east coast of North America. In a successful breeding year, adults could stay longer on the breeding grounds helping to raise young. In an unsuccessful year, adults may leave early, and fewer juveniles appear at migration sites. The counts from later in August (Figure 2) and juvenile counts from our James Bay field sites in 2019 suggest 2019 was not a successful breeding year for Semipalmated Sandpiper, if not for other species, too. Warmer than average temperatures in 2019 in the eastern Arctic, coupled with reported low insect abundance (Baffin Island, Leafloor pers. comm.; East Bay, English pers. comm.) could have affected breeding success and, possibly, adult survival.

Figure 2. Daily counts of Red Knot and Hudsonian Godwit (a, c) and Semipalmated and White-rumped Sandpiper (b, d) at two James Bay shorebird project sites, Longridge Point (c, d) and Little Piskwamish Point (a, b), 2016-2019. Day of year 220 is 8 August. Click image to zoom.