Birdingonthe.Net Recent Postings from Shorebirds > Home > Mail > Alerts Updated on Friday, June 26 at 08:31 AM ET The most recently received Mail is at the top.	Keel-billed Toucan,©Jan Wilczur

26 Jun Arctic Breeding Conditions in 2009 [Jean Iron ] 25 Jun Eastern Arctic Chill [Patrick Leary ] 26 May FW: Greater Sand-Plover 2009-05-26 -- Maybe??? [Charlie Ewell ] 26 May Fw: [FLARBA] 5/25/09--Greater Sand-Plover (continues), Duval County [Charlie Ewell ] 23 May Fw: [FLARBA] 5/23/09--Greater Sand-Plover (continues), Duval County [Charlie Ewell ] 21 May Fwd: Greater Sand-plover, White-rumps, Red Knot [Charlie Ewell ] 21 May Fw: [BRDBRAIN] Greater Sand Plover. Yes. Baird's Sandpiper. Huguenot Park [Charlie Ewell ] 19 May [Fwd: Huguenot Park conditions] [Charlie Ewell ] 18 May Datos de Phalaropus tricolor ["Arne J. Lesterhuis" ] 18 May Fw: [FLARBA] 5/18/09--Greater Sand-Plover (continues), Duval County [Charlie Ewell ] 17 May Fw: [FLARBA] 5/17/09--Greater Sand-Plover, Duval County [Charlie Ewell ] 16 May Greater Sand-Plover (continues) 5/16/09--Duval County, FL [Charlie Ewell ] 15 May Re: Fw: [BRDBRAIN] Greater Sand-Plover Yes! [Diane Reed ] 15 May Fw: [BRDBRAIN] Greater Sand-Plover Yes! [Charlie Ewell ] 14 May Greater Sand-plover images [Patrick Leary ] 14 May FW: [FLARBA] Photo Update--5/14/09--Greater Sand-plover, Duval County [Charlie Ewell ] 14 May FW: Greater Sand-Plover photo by Roger Clark [Charlie Ewell ] 14 May GREATER SANDPLOVER reported in northeast Florida [Charlie Ewell ] 12 May South Carolina shorebird migration and rarities [Nate Dias ] 25 Mar Just Announced - GIS Mapping Workshops in Georgia [New Urban Research ] 23 Mar Sociable Lapwing issue again [Gyorgy Szimuly ] 23 Mar Sociable Lapwing issue again [Gyorgy Szimuly ] 10 Mar banded DUNL confirmed and identified [Patrick Leary ] 28 Feb color-banded Dunlin [Patrick Leary ] 16 Feb Eurasian Woodcock survey by hunters [Gyorgy Szimuly ] 1 Feb Article - Turns out the red knot is not alone in its plight [Eric Stiles ] 20 Jan Re: Bar-tailed Godwit migration [Patrick Leary ] 17 Jan bird cannibalism from the cold! ["Norman D.van Swelm" ] 6 Jan Bar-tailed Godwit migration [Dominic Mitchell ] 2 Jan Fw: [EBN] Shorebirds in the cold ["Norman D.van Swelm" ] 1 Jan Shorebirds in the cold ["Norman D.van Swelm" ] 28 Nov Address Change ["Thomas J. Dunkerton" ] 6 Nov FW: Banded Snowy Plovers- please report [Charlie Ewell ] 4 Nov Reminder: Sign Up Today for Beginners' GIS Workshop [New Urban Research ] 10 Sep James Bay Shorebirds - Akimiski Photos [Jean Iron ] 2 Sep Fw: [BIRDWG01] Shorebird ID help [Robert Wallace ] 27 Aug Pesticides at stop-over sites [Patrick Leary ] 26 Aug James Bay Shorebirds - Akimiski Report # 6 [Jean Iron ] 20 Aug James Bay Shorebirds - Akimiski Report # 5 B [Jean Iron ] 20 Aug James Bay Shorebirds - Akimiski Report # 5 A [Jean Iron ] 14 Aug James Bay Shorebirds - Akimiski Report # 4 [Jean Iron ] 9 Aug James Bay Shorebirds - Akimiski Report # 3 [Jean Iron ] 6 Aug James Bay Shorebirds - Akimiski Report # 2 [Jean Iron ] 3 Aug Palm Beach County FL Ag fields - 18 species of shorebirds [Robert Wallace ] 3 Aug James Bay Shorebirds - Akimiski Report # 1 [Jean Iron ] 27 Jul NUmenius sp. [Mauricio Ugarte-Lewis ] 24 Jul Fw: [SDBIRDS] Red-necked Stint photos, 23 July 2008, San Diego Bay [Jay K ] 23 Jul Shorebird Sampling this Winter [Andrea Lyn Storm-Suke ] 17 Jul Least Tern Survey Methodology [Jenifer Hilburn ] 14 Jul Shorebird migration, Ponce Inlet [Robert Wallace ] 4 Jul Eskimo Curlew: Damn few and they're not all deid! ["Norman D.van Swelm" ] 3 Jul Re: [BIRDWG01] (Eskimo Curlew) Damn few and they're not all dead! [Jerry Tangren ] 3 Jul Re: (Eskimo Curlew) Damn few and they're not all dead! [Jean Iron ] 3 Jul Re: Damn few and they're not all deid! [Gyorgy Szimuly ] 3 Jul Fw: [SHOREBIRDS] Damn few and they're not all deid! ["Norman D.van Swelm" ] 2 Jul Re: Damn few and they're not all deid! [William Benner ] 3 Jul Damn few and they're not all deid! ["Norman D.van Swelm" ] 26 Jun James Bay - Akimiski Island Report # 8 [Jean Iron ] 17 Jun James Bay - Akimiski Island "Photos" [Jean Iron ] 13 Jun Knots in 1st summer plumage ["Norman D.van Swelm" ] 11 Jun James Bay - Akimiski Island Report # 7 [Jean Iron ] 10 Jun South American Black-necked Stilt subspecies melanurus at Memphis, TN [Jeff Wilson ] 7 Jun James Bay - Akimiski Island Report # 6 [Jean Iron ] 3 Jun James Bay - Akimiski Island Report # 5 [Jean Iron ] 31 May James Bay - Akimiski Island Report # 4 [Jean Iron ] 27 May James Bay - Akimiski Island Report # 3 [Jean Iron ] 25 May James Bay - Akimiski Island Report # 2 [Jean Iron ] 22 May James Bay - Akimiski Island Report # 1 [Jean Iron ] 28 Apr central Florida/east coast report from last week [Charlie Ewell ] 27 Apr FW: [Tweeters] Red Knot Migration [Doug Robberson ] 27 Apr Fw: [BRDBRAIN] Banded Birds [Robert Wallace ] 26 Apr Fw: [BRDBRAIN] St Marks NWR high tide Monday [Robert Wallace ] 23 Apr 2008 SC midwinter Piping Plover census results - another record year [Cape Romain Bird Observatory ] 23 Apr 2008 SC midwinter Piping Plover census results - another record year [Cape Romain Bird Observatory ] 22 Apr Missing WSG Bulletins [Gyorgy Szimuly ] 22 Apr 3,200+ Red Knots (21 color-banded + 'flagged') - Kiawah Island, South Carolina, USA [Cape Romain Bird Observatory ] Subject: Arctic Breeding Conditions in 2009 From: Jean Iron <jeaniron AT SYMPATICO.CA> Date: Fri, 26 Jun 2009 08:52:55 -0400 Yesterday we saw an adult Lesser Yellowlegs near Toronto and on Wednesday there was an adult Least Sandpiper in Hamilton at the west end of Lake Ontario. These are the first "fall migrant" shorebirds in southern Ontario and they are right on schedule. Several people asked us to comment about recent reports of a "Disastrous breeding season in the Arctic". The Arctic is huge; it is 3500 km from southern James Bay (subarctic) to northern Ellesmere Island. Most shorebirds have large breeding ranges and even in late years many birds breed successfully and rarely does the entire Arctic experience the same climatic conditions. We checked with northern researchers and summarized their comments below. Shorebird nesting in 2009 is poor in some regions but normal to good elsewhere. Ontario: Ken Abraham reports that conditions in the Hudson Bay Lowlands were about 10 days late from Attawapiskat south on James Bay, including Akimiski Island, with Canada Geese and Snow Geese hatching in mid June, more like the 1990s average than the 2000s average and within the overall norms. Other species on Akimiski Island were correspondingly late. His guess is that for those species that require shorter time there will be some reduction but not huge. Perhaps the predation effect will be somewhat greater if alternate species are less available. Because coastal snow, ice and water inundation conditions were similar from Cape Henrietta Maria to the Manitoba border, Ken expects that for Canada Geese nesting within 40 - 60 km from the coast, a much reduced effort and productivity will be the norm. Snow Geese at Cape Henrietta Maria were greatly down and the suggestion of a 90% reduction seems to fit what they saw on their survey. However, beyond 40 - 60 km inland, he thinks conditions will be different. Mark Peck said that species nesting away from the Hudson Bay Coast in boreal bogs and fens such as yellowlegs should not be severely impacted because much of the freeze took place near the coast. Manitoba: The situation is worse in northern Manitoba at Churchill where temperatures were well below normal until recently and the snow cover melted late. However, Erica Nol reports that birds have started to nest, just very late, and it won't be a complete bust for shorebirds if there are enough bare spots. Whimbrels and Hudsonian Godwits are nesting, but overall nesting success should be below average for most shorebirds in northern Manitoba. Nunavut: Snow melt was up to three weeks late in mainland Nunavut north of Manitoba. Recent temperatures have been close to normal. Much of Baffin Island is now snow free and conditions there and on Bylot Island are about normal. High Arctic breeders should have a good breeding year. Northwest Territories: Vicky Johnston suspects it will be a poor breeding year in parts of the Western Arctic. Spring was roughly three weeks late in Yellowknife on Great Slave Lake based on leaf-out. The Mackenzie Valley and Delta warmed early but then cooled off again. The Delta flooded slowly and the water receded slowly, so some prime shorebird breeding areas were subject to heavy predation. Yukon: Cameron Eckert reports a late spring, but once the heat came, everything shifted into high gear. Alaska: Declan Troy reports from the North Slope that the snow on the tundra is long gone. It was much warmer earlier in the month and his guess is that the breeding season has been early there. We will be recording the arrivals and numbers of adult and juvenile shorebirds in southern Ontario and may post updates. Acknowledgements: We thank Ken Abraham, Bruce Di Labio, Cameron Eckert, Michel Gosselin, Vicky Johnston, Erica Nol, Mark Peck, Ken Ross, Don Sutherland, and Declan Troy. Ron Pittaway and Jean Iron Toronto, Ontario Subject: Eastern Arctic Chill From: Patrick Leary <prleary AT BELLSOUTH.NET> Date: Thu, 25 Jun 2009 14:02:22 -0400 Members: We were copied a news report out of Winnipeg indicating unusually cold conditions and snow cover across the eastern arctic, including Hudson Bay. Apparently, the spring tourist season at Churchill went bust this year. Such late spring temps. and snow cover had not been experienced since the 1960's. These conditions were predicted to have dire consequences for breeding waterfowl and shorebirds throughout the region. Question: Are any shorebird researchers active on Akimiski Island this spring and can they report what they are witnessing there? Ditto for those working around Churchill. Thanks, PR Leary Subject: FW: Greater Sand-Plover 2009-05-26 -- Maybe??? From: Charlie Ewell <anhinga42 AT EMBARQMAIL.COM> Date: Tue, 26 May 2009 21:36:33 -0400 FYI Charlie Ewell Cape Coral, FL anhinga42 AT embarqmail.com http://www.birdpatrol.org Burrowing Owl Festival (Feb 21 2009) info at: http://www.ccfriendsofwildlife.org/ FL Ornithological Society info http://fosbirds.org _____ From: Birdbrains - Florida Birds/Natural History [mailto:BRDBRAIN AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU] On Behalf Of Bill Pranty Sent: Tuesday, May 26, 2009 9:27 PM To: BRDBRAIN AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU Subject: [BRDBRAIN] Greater Sand-Plover 2009-05-26 -- Maybe ... and a Horned Lizarrd Good evening all, I stopped by Huguenot Memorial Park on my way to Fort Clinch State Park this afternoon. I arrived around 1430 and departed 2 hours later. The bird was not seen by anybody (there were 12-15 people looking) during that time, nor was it seen from 0800 to past 1100. The only potential sighting was around noon. I spoke with a fellow birder from Pittsburgh who had been there all day and he said that a woman (he didn't get her name but she had seen the bird before, so she's probably local) claimed that she saw the GSPL for about two minutes in the usual spot but then it "flew north." Neither of us knew exactly what that meant. An Arctic Tern was also reported in the same spot but was gone once the tide started dropping after noon. I found three adult male Painted Buntings in the park (none banded), including one just southwest of the restrooms/Sharky's shack that Brian Ahern found more than a week ago. Finally, as I was exiting the park, I was stunned to see a Horned Lizard (Phrynosoma spp) sunning in the road. It had a very thick tail and backwards-facing spikes on its head. By the time I found an unflooded spot to park, the lizard had run into the dunes, so no photos. Huguenot Park seems a strange place for this exotic, but it was located between the picnic area and the campground, so somebody must have lost their pet ... Best regards, Bill Pranty Bayonet Point, Florida _____ HotmailR goes with you. Get it on your BlackBerry or iPhone. To subscribe, unsubscribe or view archives of the brdbrain listserv list, please visit us on the web at: http://listserv.admin.usf.edu/archives/brdbrain.html To set to no mail: send a message "SET BRDBRAIN NOMAIL" to LISTSERV AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU Report any problems to the listserv administrator: listadmin AT admin.usf.edu ____________________________________________________________________________ Subject: Fw: [FLARBA] 5/25/09--Greater Sand-Plover (continues), Duval County From: Charlie Ewell <anhinga42 AT EMBARQMAIL.COM> Date: Tue, 26 May 2009 00:47:53 +0000 Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T -----Original Message----- From: Margie Wilkinson Date: Mon, 25 May 2009 20:18:44 To: Subject: [FLARBA] 5/25/09--Greater Sand-Plover (continues), Duval County 5/25/09--Breeding plumage Greater Sand-Plover, Huguenot Memorial Park, Duval County. Observers: m.ob. Directions: Huguenot Memorial Park is located off of Heckscher Dr. (Rt.105/A1A), just south of Little Talbot Island (DeLORME pg. 58) Sand-Plover is being seen at Huguenot lagoon. Once past the entry gate, follow the main road along the St. John's River until it crosses over to the bayside beyond the campground. Once you access the bay shore, TURN LEFT, pass through the row of pilings and park on the Family Beach above the high tide line. Secure your vehicle then hike east along the boundary fence as it traces the shoreline east then north along the bay's east side. After a 5-8 minute walk, you will sight a small patch of cord grass high on the tide / wash flats to your left. Please stay behind barriers and park in designated places. Fees: $1.00/person before 10:00 a.m., $3.00/car after 10. Park open 8AM-8PM. Low tide best for viewing. ***************************************************************************************** Non-subscribers and subscribers: to report a rare bird, send pertinent details of observation to FLARBA AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU. If no email access, call 716/225-8055 to leave a message. To unsubscribe: send a message "SIGNOFF FLARBA" to LISTSERV AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU. To set to no mail: send a message "SET FLARBA NOMAIL" to LISTSERV AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU. To reach the FLARBA Archives go to http://listserv.admin.usf.edu/archives/flarba.html Subject: Fw: [FLARBA] 5/23/09--Greater Sand-Plover (continues), Duval County From: Charlie Ewell <anhinga42 AT EMBARQMAIL.COM> Date: Sat, 23 May 2009 17:03:24 +0000 FYI Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T -----Original Message----- From: Margie Wilkinson Date: Sat, 23 May 2009 12:45:18 To: Subject: [FLARBA] 5/23/09--Greater Sand-Plover (continues), Duval County 5/23/09--Breeding plumage Greater Sand-Plover, Huguenot Memorial Park, Duval County. Observers: m.ob. Directions: Huguenot Memorial Park is located off of Heckscher Dr. (Rt.105/A1A), just south of Little Talbot Island (DeLORME pg. 58) Sand-Plover is being seen at Huguenot lagoon. Once past the entry gate, follow the main road along the St. John's River until it crosses over to the bayside beyond the campground. Once you access the bay shore, TURN LEFT, pass through the row of pilings and park on the Family Beach above the high tide line. Secure your vehicle then hike east along the boundary fence as it traces the shoreline east then north along the bay's east side. After a 5-8 minute walk, you will sight a small patch of cord grass high on the tide / wash flats to your left. Please stay behind barriers and park in designated places. Fees: $1.00/person before 10:00 a.m., $3.00/car after 10. Park open 8AM-8PM. Leach's Storm-Petrel also seen close on oceanside. ***************************************************************************************** Non-subscribers and subscribers: to report a rare bird, send pertinent details of observation to FLARBA AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU. If no email access, call 716/225-8055 to leave a message. To unsubscribe: send a message "SIGNOFF FLARBA" to LISTSERV AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU. To set to no mail: send a message "SET FLARBA NOMAIL" to LISTSERV AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU. To reach the FLARBA Archives go to http://listserv.admin.usf.edu/archives/flarba.html Subject: Fwd: Greater Sand-plover, White-rumps, Red Knot From: Charlie Ewell <anhinga42 AT EMBARQMAIL.COM> Date: Thu, 21 May 2009 22:14:33 -0400 FYI Charlie Ewell Cape Coral, FL anhinga42 AT embarqmail.com http://www.birdpatrol.org Burrowing Owl Festival (Feb 21 2009) info at: http://www.ccfriendsofwildlife.org/ FL Ornithological Society info http://fosbirds.org -----Original Message----- From: Birdbrains - Florida Birds/Natural History [mailto:BRDBRAIN AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU] On Behalf Of Margie Wilkinson Sent: Thursday, May 21, 2009 10:36 PM To: BRDBRAIN AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU Subject: [BRDBRAIN] [Fwd: [FLBIRDS] Greater Sand-plover, White-rumps, Red Knot] BirdBrains, Many thanks to Doris and Patrick Leary for the frequent updates on the plover and park conditions. -------- Original Message -------- Subject: [FLBIRDS] Greater Sand-plover, White-rumps, Red Knot Date: Thu, 21 May 2009 15:34:36 -0400 From: Patrick Leary Reply-To: Patrick Leary To: FLORIDABIRDS-L AT LISTS.UFL.EDU Huguenot Memorial Park, Duval Co. - Indeed the Greater Sand-plover survived the gale and was frequenting a wash flat near the SE corner of the park's inner basin this morning. We stopped briefly to verify the bird and departed to complete a Red knot survey. A note of caution for all planning a trip to HMP for the weekend: Starting tomorrow and continuing through the Memorial Weekend, the park will host a multitude of visitors with HUGE CROWDS on Sat. Sun. and Mon. For optimum viewing opportunities, plan to arrive early and depart around noon to avoid the mobs and traffic congestion. The park was hit hard by the gale with some damage to the entry road, but the inner basin shoreline seems passable. Per prior messages, please comply with all regulations and PARK IN DESIGNATED AREAS. The plover is now closer to the Family Beach near the bay access then the distant parking area at the far north end of the bay side barrier. Still present in Ft. George Inlet at the north end of HMP are ca 800 Red knot that were denied access to foraging habitats for several days due to the storm surge and suppressed ebb tides. While surveying knots on the south end of Lt. Talbot on the north side of the inlet, we noted three White-rumped Sandpipers. I suspect there are many more present in the area due to the gale. Doris and Patrick Leary, Fernandina Beach ------------------------------------------------ Margie Wilkinson St. Pete To subscribe, unsubscribe or view archives of the brdbrain listserv list, please visit us on the web at: http://listserv.admin.usf.edu/archives/brdbrain.html To set to no mail: send a message "SET BRDBRAIN NOMAIL" to LISTSERV AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU Report any problems to the listserv administrator: listadmin AT admin.usf.edu ____________________________________________________________________________ Subject: Fw: [BRDBRAIN] Greater Sand Plover. Yes. Baird's Sandpiper. Huguenot Park From: Charlie Ewell <anhinga42 AT EMBARQMAIL.COM> Date: Thu, 21 May 2009 18:37:46 +0000 FYI Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T -----Original Message----- From: Michael Brothers Date: Thu, 21 May 2009 13:50:32 To: Subject: [BRDBRAIN] Greater Sand Plover. Yes. Baird's Sandpiper. Huguenot Park I just received this email from Roberto Torres who asked me to post this for Alex Harper. —----------------------------------------------------------------------------- I got a call from Alex Harper who relocated the Sand Plover around noon. He also found a Baird’s Sandpiper. I can’t post to Birdbrains or RBA from where I’m at, so please pass this along if you can. Thanks, (Roberto Torres) —-------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Michael Michael Brothers Marine Science Center Ponce Inlet To subscribe, unsubscribe or view archives of the brdbrain listserv list, please visit us on the web at: http://listserv.admin.usf.edu/archives/brdbrain.html To set to no mail: send a message "SET BRDBRAIN NOMAIL" to LISTSERV AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU Report any problems to the listserv administrator: listadmin AT admin.usf.edu ____________________________________________________________________________ Subject: [Fwd: Huguenot Park conditions] From: Charlie Ewell <anhinga42 AT EMBARQMAIL.COM> Date: Tue, 19 May 2009 14:25:15 +0000 FYI Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T -----Original Message----- From: Margie Wilkinson Date: Tue, 19 May 2009 09:32:09 To: Subject: [BRDBRAIN] [Fwd: [FLBIRDS] Huguenot Park conditions] -------- Original Message -------- Subject: [FLBIRDS] Huguenot Park conditions Date: Tue, 19 May 2009 08:51:43 -0400 From: Patrick Leary Reply-To: Patrick Leary To: FLORIDABIRDS-L AT LISTS.UFL.EDU Members: Please spread the word that NE Florida and Huguenot Park are currently experiencing extreme weather conditions with high winds, rain and storm surges along the coast. Huguenot Park MAY BE CLOSED upon arrival or conditions in the park may be highly adverse to access tidal habitats (shorelines flooded). When last reported, the Greater Sand-plover may have sought refuge in INACCESSIBLE habitats in the park. We received one extremely troubling report suggesting that sometime yesterday afternoon a visitor intruded into protected habitats pursuing the plover. Under NO circumstances is such behavior condoned or permitted. Any such behavior seriously threatens all the good will and positive feedback resulting from the responsible behavior of those visiting previously. For members associated with the ARBA, please post this message there ASAP. The extreme weather conditions are predicted to ease Thursday when local birders will verify the plover's continued presence. Until then, all potential visitors would be well advised to delay or forego plans to travel here for views of the plover. Thank you, Patrick Leary, Fernandina Beach ____________________________________________________________________________ FLORIDABIRDS-L Listserv mailing list information: Member photos I: http://bkpass.tripod.com/floridabirds.htm For archives: http://lists.ufl.edu/archives/floridabirds-l.html To set nomail: listserv AT lists.ufl.edu Message: set floridabirds-l nomail To reset mail: listserv AT lists.ufl.edu Message: set floridabirds-l mail To unsubscribe: listserv AT lists.ufl.edu Message: unsub floridabirds-l Jack Dozier memorial: http://tinyurl.com/6adm2m To subscribe, unsubscribe or view archives of the brdbrain listserv list, please visit us on the web at: http://listserv.admin.usf.edu/archives/brdbrain.html To set to no mail: send a message "SET BRDBRAIN NOMAIL" to LISTSERV AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU Report any problems to the listserv administrator: listadmin AT admin.usf.edu ____________________________________________________________________________ No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 8.5.325 / Virus Database: 270.12.33/2120 - Release Date: 05/18/09 06:28:00 To subscribe, unsubscribe or view archives of the brdbrain listserv list, please visit us on the web at: http://listserv.admin.usf.edu/archives/brdbrain.html To set to no mail: send a message "SET BRDBRAIN NOMAIL" to LISTSERV AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU Report any problems to the listserv administrator: listadmin AT admin.usf.edu ____________________________________________________________________________ Subject: Datos de Phalaropus tricolor From: "Arne J. Lesterhuis" <arne_j_lesterhuis AT YAHOO.CO.UK> Date: Mon, 18 May 2009 19:26:18 +0000 Estimados Todos,������ (English below) � Estoy ayudando el Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences a desarollar el plan de conservaci�n de Phalaropus tricolor para todo su rango de distribuci�n. � Dicho plan intenta ser una herramienta de conservaci�n que gu�e las acciones futuras, y para tal fin es necesario identificar aquellos sitios de importancia para la especie hoy en d�a, para lo cual estoy compilando al m�ximo la informaci�n disponible. � Necesito contar con los siguientes datos (preferiblemente desde el a�o 90 a la fecha): � 1) Sitio de observaci�n y ubicaci�n del mismo (coordenadas preferiblemente) 2) Fecha 3) N�mero de individuos (as� sea aproximado) 4) H�bitat 5) Amenazas? De existir indicar cuales son. 6) Fuente (De aplicar: nombre y correo electr�nico del observador) � Los registros que recibo y que sean compilados en el plan de conservaci�n ser�n acreditados a los autores y agradecidos seg�n corresponda. � Quedo muy agradecido y atento a cualquier duda. � Arne -------------------- English: � Dear All, � I am helping Manomet Center for Conservation Sciences to develop a�Conservation Plan�for Wilson�s Phalarope Phalaropus tricolor for its�complete range. � The plan is intended�to be used as a conservation tool to guide future actions, and as such it is important to identify key areas for the species. Consequently, I try to compile all available information on the species. � I am looking for the following information for records of the species, primarily�from 1990 onwards: � 1)������ Locality and coordinates (where available) 2)������ Date 3)������ Number of individuals 4)����� �Habitat type 5)������ Threats? Please specify if there are any. 6)������ Source (name and e-mail of observer) �� All records�received will be included within the plan and will be accredited accordingly. � Many thanks in advance for your help � Arne Lesterhuis � Arne J. Lesterhuis Asunci�n,�Paraguay Skyper: arne.lesterhuis � Subject: Fw: [FLARBA] 5/18/09--Greater Sand-Plover (continues), Duval County From: Charlie Ewell <anhinga42 AT EMBARQMAIL.COM> Date: Mon, 18 May 2009 19:18:08 +0000 Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T -----Original Message----- From: Christian Newton Date: Mon, 18 May 2009 14:33:13 To: Subject: [FLARBA] 5/18/09--Greater Sand-Plover (continues), Duval County 5/14-5/18/09--Breeding Plumage Greater Sand-Plover, Huguenot Memorial Park, Duval County. Observers: m.ob. Directions: Huguenot Memorial Park is located off of Heckscher Dr. (Rt.105/A1A), just south of Little Talbot Island (DeLORME pg. 58) Sand-Plover is being seen at Huguenot lagoon. Once past the entry gate, follow the main road along the St. John's River until it crosses over to the bayside beyond the campground. Once you access the bay shore, TURN LEFT, pass through the row of pilings and park on the Family Beach above the high tide line. Secure your vehicle then hike east along the boundary fence as it traces the shoreline east then north along the bay's east side. After a 5-8 minute walk, you will sight a small patch of cord grass high on the tide / wash flats to your left. Please stay behind barriers and park in designated places. Fees: $1.00/person before 10:00 a.m., $3.00/car after 10. Park open 8AM-8PM. Incidents are being reported of photographers/birders approaching the bird ahead of the birding group and forcing it further back on the flats. Please observe the obvious consideration for others and for the welfare of the bird. ***************************************************************************************** Non-subscribers and subscribers: to report a rare bird, send pertinent details of observation to FLARBA AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU. If no email access, call 716/225-8055 to leave a message. To unsubscribe: send a message "SIGNOFF FLARBA" to LISTSERV AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU. To set to no mail: send a message "SET FLARBA NOMAIL" to LISTSERV AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU. To reach the FLARBA Archives go to http://listserv.admin.usf.edu/archives/flarba.html Subject: Fw: [FLARBA] 5/17/09--Greater Sand-Plover, Duval County From: Charlie Ewell <anhinga42 AT EMBARQMAIL.COM> Date: Sun, 17 May 2009 15:01:20 +0000 Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T -----Original Message----- From: Margie Wilkinson Date: Sun, 17 May 2009 10:31:46 To: Subject: [FLARBA] 5/17/09--Greater Sand-Plover, Duval County 5/17/09--Breeding Plumage Greater Sand-Plover, Huguenot Memorial Park, Duval County. Observers: m.ob. Directions: Huguenot Memorial Park is located off of Heckscher Dr. (Rt.105/A1A), just south of Little Talbot Island (DeLORME pg. 58) Sand-Plover is being seen at Huguenot lagoon. Once past the entry gate, follow the main road along the St. John's River until it crosses over to the bayside beyond the campground. Once you access the bay shore, TURN LEFT, pass through the row of pilings and park on the Family Beach above the high tide line. Secure your vehicle then hike east along the boundary fence as it traces the shoreline east then north along the bay's east side. After a 5-8 minute walk, you will sight a small patch of cord grass high on the tide / wash flats to your left. Please stay behind barriers and park in designated places. Fees: $1.00/person before 10:00 a.m., $3.00/car after 10. Park open 8AM-8PM. Incidents are being reported of photographers/birders approaching the bird ahead of the birding group and forcing it further back on the flats. Please observe the obvious consideration for others and for the welfare of the bird. ***************************************************************************************** Non-subscribers and subscribers: to report a rare bird, send pertinent details of observation to FLARBA AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU. If no email access, call 716/225-8055 to leave a message. To unsubscribe: send a message "SIGNOFF FLARBA" to LISTSERV AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU. To set to no mail: send a message "SET FLARBA NOMAIL" to LISTSERV AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU. To reach the FLARBA Archives go to http://listserv.admin.usf.edu/archives/flarba.html Subject: Greater Sand-Plover (continues) 5/16/09--Duval County, FL From: Charlie Ewell <anhinga42 AT EMBARQMAIL.COM> Date: Sat, 16 May 2009 15:20:23 -0400 Charlie Ewell Cape Coral, FL anhinga42 AT embarqmail.com http://www.birdpatrol.org Burrowing Owl Festival (Feb 21 2009) info at: http://www.ccfriendsofwildlife.org/ FL Ornithological Society info http://fosbirds.org -----Original Message----- From: Florida Rare Bird Alert [mailto:FLARBA AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU] On Behalf Of Margie Wilkinson Sent: Saturday, May 16, 2009 8:11 AM To: FLARBA AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU Subject: [FLARBA] 5/16/09--Greater Sand-Plover (continues), Duval County 5/16/09--Breeding Plumage Greater Sand-Plover, Huguenot Memorial Park, Duval County. Observers: m.ob. Directions: Huguenot Memorial Park is located off of Heckscher Dr. (Rt.105/A1A), just south of Little Talbot Island (DeLORME pg. 58) Sand-Plover is being seen at Huguenot lagoon. Once past the entry gate, follow the main road along the St. John's River until it crosses over to the bayside beyond the campground. Once you access the bay shore, TURN LEFT, pass through the row of pilings and park on the Family Beach above the high tide line. Secure your vehicle then hike east along the boundary fence as it traces the shoreline east then north along the bay's east side. After a 5-8 minute walk, you will sight a small patch of cord grass high on the tide / wash flats to your left. Please stay behind barriers and park in designated places. Fees: $1.00/person before 10:00 a.m., $3.00 after 10. **************************************************************************** ************* Non-subscribers and subscribers: to report a rare bird, send pertinent details of observation to FLARBA AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU. If no email access, call 716/225-8055 to leave a message. To unsubscribe: send a message "SIGNOFF FLARBA" to LISTSERV AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU. To set to no mail: send a message "SET FLARBA NOMAIL" to LISTSERV AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU. To reach the FLARBA Archives go to http://listserv.admin.usf.edu/archives/flarba.html Subject: Re: Fw: [BRDBRAIN] Greater Sand-Plover Yes! From: Diane Reed <dreedster AT AOL.COM> Date: Fri, 15 May 2009 10:44:46 -0400 The sand plover is still there.? Seen this morning at 10am.? Driving conditions are good for all vehicles. Diane Reed St. Augustine, FL -----Original Message----- From: Charlie Ewell To: SHOREBIRDS AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU Sent: Fri, 15 May 2009 8:31 am Subject: [SHOREBIRDS] Fw: [BRDBRAIN] Greater Sand-Plover Yes! FYI ------Original Message------ From: Larry Manfredi Sender: Birdbrains - Florida Birds/Natural History To: BRDBRAIN AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU ReplyTo: Larry Manfredi Subject: [BRDBRAIN] Greater Sand-Plover Yes! Sent: May 15, 2009 8:05 AM John Kellam just called to report that the Greater Sand-Plover is being seen again this morning. It has been chasing away Wilson's Plovers which is a good sign that it may stick around for some time. Larry Manfredi Homestead, FL E-mail: birderlm AT bellsouth.net http://www.southfloridabirding.com To subscribe, unsubscribe or view archives of the brdbrain listserv list, please visit us on the web at: http://listserv.admin.usf.edu/archives/brdbrain.html To set to no mail: send a message "SET BRDBRAIN NOMAIL" to LISTSERV AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU Report any problems to the listserv administrator: listadmin AT admin.usf.edu ____________________________________________________________________________ Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T Subject: Fw: [BRDBRAIN] Greater Sand-Plover Yes! From: Charlie Ewell <anhinga42 AT EMBARQMAIL.COM> Date: Fri, 15 May 2009 12:31:08 +0000 FYI ------Original Message------ From: Larry Manfredi Sender: Birdbrains - Florida Birds/Natural History To: BRDBRAIN AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU ReplyTo: Larry Manfredi Subject: [BRDBRAIN] Greater Sand-Plover Yes! Sent: May 15, 2009 8:05 AM John Kellam just called to report that the Greater Sand-Plover is being seen again this morning. It has been chasing away Wilson's Plovers which is a good sign that it may stick around for some time. Larry Manfredi Homestead, FL E-mail: birderlm AT bellsouth.net http://www.southfloridabirding.com To subscribe, unsubscribe or view archives of the brdbrain listserv list, please visit us on the web at: http://listserv.admin.usf.edu/archives/brdbrain.html To set to no mail: send a message "SET BRDBRAIN NOMAIL" to LISTSERV AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU Report any problems to the listserv administrator: listadmin AT admin.usf.edu ____________________________________________________________________________ Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T Subject: Greater Sand-plover images From: Patrick Leary <PRleary AT BELLSOUTH.NET> Date: Thu, 14 May 2009 22:15:32 -0400 Visit this site for a few more images of the Greater Sand-plover sighted at Huguenot Park, Duval Co. FL today. These digiscope images were collected at distance from behind a marked boundary line protecting the park's tidal flats. For most of the afternoon the GSPL foraged near WIPL and occasionally engaged in aggressive disputes with same. http://www.flickr.com/photos/28226894 AT N03/?saved=1 Subject: FW: [FLARBA] Photo Update--5/14/09--Greater Sand-plover, Duval County From: Charlie Ewell <anhinga42 AT EMBARQMAIL.COM> Date: Thu, 14 May 2009 21:52:00 -0400 Directions to the area where the plover was seen below. Charlie Ewell Cape Coral, FL anhinga42 AT embarqmail.com http://www.birdpatrol.org Burrowing Owl Festival (Feb 21 2009) info at: http://www.ccfriendsofwildlife.org/ FL Ornithological Society info http://fosbirds.org _____ From: Florida Rare Bird Alert [mailto:FLARBA AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU] On Behalf Of Christian Newton Sent: Thursday, May 14, 2009 7:32 PM To: FLARBA AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU Subject: [FLARBA]--5/14/09--Greater Sand-plover, Duval County 5/14/09--Breeding Plumage Greater Sand-plover, Huguenot Memorial Park, Duval County. Reporter: Wes Biggs, observers: Doris Leary, Lesley Royce & Carol Adams, Roger Clark. Directions: Huguenot Memorial Park is located off of Heckscher Dr. (Rt.105/A1A); just south of Little Talbot Island (DeLORME p.g 58) Sand-plover is being seen at Huguenot lagoon. Photo taken by Roger Clark. **************************************************************************** ************* Non-subscribers and subscribers: to report a rare bird, send pertinent details of observation to FLARBA AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU. If no email access, call 716/225-8055 to leave a message. To unsubscribe: send a message "SIGNOFF FLARBA" to LISTSERV AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU. To set to no mail: send a message "SET FLARBA NOMAIL" to LISTSERV AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU. To reach the FLARBA Archives go to http://listserv.admin.usf.edu/archives/flarba.html Subject: FW: Greater Sand-Plover photo by Roger Clark From: Charlie Ewell <anhinga42 AT EMBARQMAIL.COM> Date: Thu, 14 May 2009 21:49:58 -0400 FYI Charlie Ewell Cape Coral, FL anhinga42 AT embarqmail.com http://www.birdpatrol.org Burrowing Owl Festival (Feb 21 2009) info at: http://www.ccfriendsofwildlife.org/ FL Ornithological Society info http://fosbirds.org -----Original Message----- From: Birdbrains - Florida Birds/Natural History [mailto:BRDBRAIN AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU] On Behalf Of Larry Manfredi Sent: Thursday, May 14, 2009 7:04 PM To: BRDBRAIN AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU Subject: [BRDBRAIN] Greater Sand-Plover photo by Roger Clark I am posting this wonderful photo by Roger Clark of Jacksonville of the Greater Sand-Plover. I sure hope it sticks around for the weekend. The photo can be seen here: http://www.southfloridabirding.com/images/tasphotos/Greater_Sandplover.jpg Larry Manfredi Homestead, Fl E-mail: birderlm AT bellsouth.net http://www.southfloridabirding.com To subscribe, unsubscribe or view archives of the brdbrain listserv list, please visit us on the web at: http://listserv.admin.usf.edu/archives/brdbrain.html To set to no mail: send a message "SET BRDBRAIN NOMAIL" to LISTSERV AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU Report any problems to the listserv administrator: listadmin AT admin.usf.edu ____________________________________________________________________________ Subject: GREATER SANDPLOVER reported in northeast Florida From: Charlie Ewell <anhinga42 AT EMBARQMAIL.COM> Date: Thu, 14 May 2009 16:00:18 -0400 FYI Charlie Ewell Cape Coral, FL anhinga42 AT embarqmail.com http://www.birdpatrol.org Burrowing Owl Festival (Feb 21 2009) info at: http://www.ccfriendsofwildlife.org/ FL Ornithological Society info http://fosbirds.org -----Original Message----- From: Wes Biggs To: Flabirding AT yahoogroups.com; FLORIDABIRDS-L AT LISTS.UFL.EDU Sent: Thu, 14 May 2009 12:52 pm Subject: [FlaBirding] GREATER SANDPLOVER !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Hi All, 12:30 PM The second Western Hemisphere record of Greater Sandplover is now being photographed by Roger Clark in the basin at Huguenot Memorial Park off Hecksher Drive in Jacksonville. The bird was found late this AM by Doris Leary, Lesley Royce & Carol Adams. The bird is in breeding plumage. Wes Biggs Orlando Cell Phone # 407-376-6967 After 1:00 PM _________________________________________________________ Subject: South Carolina shorebird migration and rarities From: Nate Dias <offshorebirder AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Tue, 12 May 2009 08:45:43 -0700 I saw my fourth South Carolina RUFF of 2009 this past weekend - on both Saturday and Sunday while doing ISS surveys and other shorebird field work in mid-coastal South Carolina. I have been averaging 3 Ruff sightings per year in coastal SC since 2006 (2 in 2006, 3 in 2007, 3 in 2008, now 4 in 2009). It is becoming obvious that northbound spring Ruff are stopping at managed wetlands in coastal South Carolina more and more in the past few years (perhaps to the detriment of Delaware and New Jersey, to hear friends up there talk about it). Chris Snook also saw this weekend's bird (a Reeve) on Saturday and confirmed the I.D. Chris has more experience with Ruff than most people in North America, since he is a British birder who has also banded them at a major wintering site in Senegal, Africa. I got a slightly better look at the Reeve again on Sunday, while surveying some impoundments when Chris was working at a different location. I know this is not the Ruff our group found 2 weeks before in the same general area, since the previous bird was a male with the beginnings of a black bib. We saw 29 shorebird species over two days this past weekend; 28 species on Sunday and 27 (including a Baird's Sandpiper) on Saturday. Peep numbers exploded over the past week; Semipalmated Sandpipers are right on schedule - but Western Sandpiper numbers seem VERY abnormally low this spring along the SC Coast. There are still surprisingly large numbers of Short-billed Dowitchers present - we saw thousands both days and 2200+ in a single impoundment Sunday! Dunlin numbers are still high - we saw thousands for the weekend and many hundreds in several impoundments. I think our high count for Dunlin in a single impoundment was a bit over 1200. Semipalmated Sandpiper numbers remained high and continued to increase - thousands observed both days. After a drop in numbers the weekend before, Stilt Sandpipers put on a good show - we had several dozen again this past weekend. We also had thousands of Semipalmated Plovers each day. The Baird's Sandpiper was striking and in full alternate plumage - we noted the bird's larger size compared to nearby "peeps", silvery-gray back with black spots, the subtle supercilium, wingtips extending past the tip of the tail (flapping in the breeze at times), the "long and slim" appearance of the bird, and the short + ever-so-slightly drooped bill. It helped that a White-rumped Sandpiper was foraging near the Baird's - this allowed for pretty direct comparison. We also had 3, possibly 4 American Golden-Plovers Sunday (need to go over some photos to be sure). We also noted some "beach birds" slightly inland in drained waterfowl impoundments (former ricefields) - Red Knot, Ruddy Turnstone and Wilson's Plovers. The only rare bird Chris missed seeing was a Gray Kingbird I blundered into Sunday while driving from the beach to the cabin to get our lunch and some insect balm (microbrew beer) for use in the late afternoon. Lest the weekend's rarities seem like a completely wonderful experience, we had to contend with plenty of serious biting insects - sand gnats, mosquitoes, deer flies (hordes), horse flies (quite a few) and Cow Flies (not a lot, but they are HUGE). It is one thing to endure them for a few minutes on the way to/from the car - another thing entirely to endure them for hours on end while walking long distances, counting shorebirds, taking photos + video, and so forth. We paid in blood for our shorebirds! Shorebird species list for the weekend: -------------------------------- Black-bellied Plover AMERICAN GOLDEN-PLOVER Wilson's Plover Semipalmated Plover Killdeer American Oystercatcher Black-necked Stilt American Avocet Spotted Sandpiper Solitary Sandpiper Greater Yellowlegs Willet Lesser Yellowlegs Whimbrel Ruddy Turnstone Red Knot Sanderling Semipalmated Sandpiper Western Sandpiper Least Sandpiper White-rumped Sandpiper BAIRD'S SANDPIPER Pectoral Sandpiper Dunlin Stilt Sandpiper RUFF Short-billed Dowitcher Long-billed Dowitcher Wilson's Snipe Nathan Dias - Charleston, SC Subject: Just Announced - GIS Mapping Workshops in Georgia From: New Urban Research <nur AT URBAN-RESEARCH.INFO> Date: Wed, 25 Mar 2009 13:12:47 -0700 Hey group, We're trying to get the word out regarding a couple of upcoming GIS mapping workshops in Georgia. The workshops are geared toward beginners who would like to map demographic information for Georgia communities. Great for Health, Environmental, Advocacy, Housing, Non-Profit Agencies, etc Mapping Georgia Communities: An Introduction to GIS & Community Analysis Atlanta: May 14th and 15th, 2009* Classroom Resource Group Learning Center - One Glenlake Parkway, Suite 200 Atlanta , GA, 30328 *These are one-day workshops (8:30am - 4:30pm). Participants choose which day to attend. Audience: Beginners, anyone interested in mapping their community. Focus: This workshop is customized for each location. This hands-on workshop focuses on teaching the fundamentals of using a Geographic Information System (GIS) for community analysis. Participants will learn to create thematic maps with Census data, Geocoding (Address mapping) and Spatial Queries. Other features of the workshop are learning to extract Census data and good map layout and design. For more information about the Georgia workshop, please visit www.nur-online.com Gina Clemmer New Urban Research, Inc. 877.241.6576 | www.urban-research.info Subject: Sociable Lapwing issue again From: Gyorgy Szimuly <gyorgy.szimuly AT mac.com> Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2009 16:00:09 +0100 Dear Listers, Sorry for cross-posting. Recent images of killed Sociable Lapwings posted on surfbirds.com. Just for your information: http://www.surfbirds.com/cgi-bin/gallery/display.cgi?gallery=gallery16 Direct links to the images: http://www.surfbirds.com/media/gallery_photos/20090322090219.JPG http://www.surfbirds.com/media/gallery_photos/20090322090016.JPG Text quoted: "Sociable Lapwing, Syria, north of Deir ez-Zor March 10, 2009 �Remco Holfland Remains of a male and female, shot and eaten the previous day by local hunters. They said between 2,000 and 3,000 were present in the general area, of which we saw a flock of 65 (see above). Flocks of 8 and 26 were seen in other areas few days earlier." So the case seems to be continued. Hunting of these shorebirds is still an issue (and I guess it remains for a while) in the Middle East. I would be happy to learn more about the international efforts on stopping illegal hunting of Sociable Lapwings in the Middle East or anywhere along the migration route. BR: Szimi ---------- Gyorgy Szimuly (Szimi) Skype: szimistyle.com iChat: gyorgy.szimuly AT mac.com URL: http://www.szimistyle.com [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] ------------------------------------ This list is maintained by the Ornithological Society of the Middle East, Caucasus and Central Asia. Read all about us at http://www.osme.org To unsubscribe by email send an empty email message to:- MEBirdNet-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MEBirdNet/ <*> Your email settings: Individual Email | Traditional <*> To change settings online go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/MEBirdNet/join (Yahoo! ID required) <*> To change settings via email: mailto:MEBirdNet-digest AT yahoogroups.com mailto:MEBirdNet-fullfeatured AT yahoogroups.com <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: MEBirdNet-unsubscribe AT yahoogroups.com <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ Subject: Sociable Lapwing issue again From: Gyorgy Szimuly <gyorgy.szimuly AT MAC.COM> Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2009 16:00:09 +0100 Dear Listers, Sorry for cross-posting. Recent images of killed Sociable Lapwings posted on surfbirds.com. Just for your information: http://www.surfbirds.com/cgi-bin/gallery/display.cgi?gallery=gallery16 Direct links to the images: http://www.surfbirds.com/media/gallery_photos/20090322090219.JPG http://www.surfbirds.com/media/gallery_photos/20090322090016.JPG Text quoted: "Sociable Lapwing, Syria, north of Deir ez-Zor March 10, 2009 �Remco Holfland Remains of a male and female, shot and eaten the previous day by local hunters. They said between 2,000 and 3,000 were present in the general area, of which we saw a flock of 65 (see above). Flocks of 8 and 26 were seen in other areas few days earlier." So the case seems to be continued. Hunting of these shorebirds is still an issue (and I guess it remains for a while) in the Middle East. I would be happy to learn more about the international efforts on stopping illegal hunting of Sociable Lapwings in the Middle East or anywhere along the migration route. BR: Szimi ---------- Gyorgy Szimuly (Szimi) Skype: szimistyle.com iChat: gyorgy.szimuly AT mac.com URL: http://www.szimistyle.com Subject: banded DUNL confirmed and identified From: Patrick Leary <prleary AT BELLSOUTH.NET> Date: Tue, 10 Mar 2009 18:08:48 -0400 Thanks to those who generously assisted our efforts to ID a source for the banded DUNL we recently sighted. Ultimately, a series of contacts from Alaska to the east coast narrowed the search to the proper source below. Note the bird's age. What cannot be shared is the remarkable, pristine, condition of the bird's full complement of bands despite their long exposure. Via this search, we learned that Alaskan north slope DUNL receive a Y above FG on the tibia but with no add color bands below. Conversely, the DelBay DUNL receive Y above FG WITH add color bands on the tarsus. Although we have sighted marked: SAND, RUTU and REKN banded in DelRay, this was our first banded DUNL from any location. A flagged REKN sighted on the same series of AMOY surveys as the DUNL was banded the previous year in SW Florida. Patrick and Doris Leary Hi Pat, Thanks so much for reporting your resighting. That dunlin was banded 9 May 2000 at Thompsons Beach, Delaware Bay, NJ. We've been monitoring weight gain of shorebirds during spring stopover on the Delaware Bay since 1997. The color bands individualize each bird which allows us to track their movement around the bayshore during their stay. Thanks again, Patti Patti Hodgetts Research Associate New Jersey Audubon Society 600 Route 47 North Cape May Court House, NJ 08210 Phone: 609 861-0700 Fax: 609 861-1651 Subject: color-banded Dunlin From: Patrick Leary <prleary AT BELLSOUTH.NET> Date: Sat, 28 Feb 2009 22:15:19 -0500 Members: We are seeking contact info re researchers or projects involving color-banded DUNL in NA. We have digital images and pertinent data on a color-banded DUNL recently sighted in Dixie County, FL (upper gulf coast) Your assistance is appreciated, Doris and Pat Leary, Fernandina Beach, FL Subject: Eurasian Woodcock survey by hunters From: Gyorgy Szimuly <gyorgy.szimuly AT MAC.COM> Date: Mon, 16 Feb 2009 16:15:15 +0100 Dear Waderers, Sorry for crossposting! I am not sure I should be happy by a Hungarian initiative for the survey of the population of the Eurasian Woodcock in Hungary. You can read the story behind in my blog: http://href.hu/x/87d3 I would like to know more about the best and applicable monitoring method for estimating the breeding population of this elusive shorebird. I am looking for help of experts within the network who can share thoughts which would be greatly appreciated. Thanks: Szimi ---------- Gyorgy Szimuly (Szimi) Skype: szimistyle.com iChat: gyorgy.szimuly AT mac.com URL: http://www.szimistyle.com Subject: Article - Turns out the red knot is not alone in its plight From: Eric Stiles <eric.stiles AT NJAUDUBON.ORG> Date: Sun, 1 Feb 2009 19:04:09 -0500 The Newark Star Ledger Turns out the red knot is not alone in its plight Sunday, February 01, 2009 BY BRIAN T. MURRAY Star-Ledger Staff Tiny and easily overlooked among the hordes of more spectacular shorebirds streaming up and down the Atlantic Coast, the semipalmated sandpiper is suddenly standing out in the fragile ecological ballet that unfolds annually at the Delaware Bay. The little brown bird, named because of its partially webbed feet, is providing new insight into the link scientists have drawn between the plummeting population of the more celebrated red knot sandpiper and dwindling number of horseshoe crab eggs on the New Jersey and Delaware shores. A team of five researchers with New Jersey Audubon and a Dutch scientist, wrapping up a month of field work last week in the South American wintering grounds of the semipalmated sandpiper, announced that they have found evi dence the species also is in serious decline -- and likely for the same reason as the red knots. In the 1980s, about 2 million semipalmated were counted by researchers on the 4,000-mile coastline of Suriname and neighboring French Guiana, where scientists say 85 percent of the world's population of the bird winters annually. Last month, only 400,000 of the birds were found in aerial surveys by the New Jersey Audubon expe dition. "We had already found a 50 percent decline over 15 years by 2006. Now, this is a 70 to 80 percent decline since the survey in the 1980s. I think it's alarming," said David Mizrahi, the team leader. The problem, he said, appears to be in the Delaware Bay -- also the controversial source of the red knot's troubles. The area has been called the East Coast's Serengeti because of the natural marvel that unfolds each spring. For eons, most of the Atlantic Coast population of horseshoe crabs have arrived at the bay to lay the eggs of a new generation. In turn, millions of shorebirds migrating from southern wintering grounds land to feast on those eggs -- a crucial meal as they continue their trek to northern breeding grounds. "About 80 percent of the world's population of red knots go through the Delaware Bay on their return north. About 60 percent of the world's population of semipal mated sandpipers come through at the same time," Mizrahi said. "There just doesn't seem to be a major change down in the wintering areas of either the red knot or the semipalmated sandpiper to ex plain a decline in either species. The Arctic breeding grounds of the red knot also have not changed ... But what we do know is that there have been changes in the stopover area both birds share in North America," he said. New Jersey and Canadian biologists have insisted for years that a decline in horseshoe crab eggs in the Delaware Bay is causing the decline in red knots, which fly 10,000 miles from wintering grounds as far south as Tierra del Fuego. Where the birds once found 50,000 eggs per square meter, there are now 20,000. Biologists also have concluded the red knots are arriving in Arctic breeding grounds too underweight to mate. Last year, they said the entire Western Hemisphere's population of red knots was between 18,000 and 33,000 birds -- down from 100,000 to 150,000 about 20 years ago. Preliminary reports this year show slightly lower counts. The data drove New Jersey officials to impose a moratorium last spring on harvesting the crabs by fisherman who use them as bait in a lucrative conch and eel industry. But New Jersey is the only East Coast state to impose a ban, and it remains contentious. "It really gets down to the fact that the focus has been on the harvest of horseshoe crabs because it's an easy target. But the conserva tion issues really need to be considered in a larger context," said Greg DiDomenico, executive director of the Garden State Seafood Association. "Why point to one group's im pact, when there are so many other possibilities? To some extent their research has been a conclusion in search of a study." No one disputes over-harvesting dramatically reduced crab numbers by the 1990s. But they re bounded after federal and state restrictions on fishermen's hauls were imposed in 1996, and last year the fishermen pointed to a study showing 20 million crabs in the Delaware Bay area. Delaware still permits crab harvesting, limiting hauls to male crabs and a maximum of 100,000 annually. The same restriction was recommended last year by a majority on the Atlantic States Marine Fisheries Commission, a group of 15 states, including New Jersey, formed to coordinate conservation and management of Atlantic Coast fisheries. Fish companies have condemned New Jersey's ban, which put 39 local harvesters out of business. The red knot's plight, they insist, may have more to do with the bird's natural inability to compete for survival. Enter the semipalmated sandpiper. "The semipalmated sandpipers cement the underpinning that something more is in play here than just a problem isolated to the red knots," said Eric Stiles of the New Jersey Audubon expedition. "The semipalmated sandpipers don't winter in the same area as the red knot or breed in the same areas. They only share this one stopover area, the Delaware Bay, and they, too, are in decline." The research team spent three weeks capturing 2,500 semipal mated sandpipers, taking blood and tissue samples and fitting them with identifying legbands. The data will be used in monitoring the semipalmated this spring as they return to the Delaware Bay. "But in order to nail this all down, we must ultimately get to the breeding grounds as well to confirm that the problem is in the North American stopover," Mizrahi said. "We're following the model our colleagues in Canada and the New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife have already used on the red knots." Subject: Re: Bar-tailed Godwit migration From: Patrick Leary <prleary AT BELLSOUTH.NET> Date: Tue, 20 Jan 2009 18:19:33 -0500 RE: Bar-tailed Godwit migration research- a highly insightful presentation is available via a link on the Manomet website (see below for direct link), this includes: maps of satellite-tagged birds(showing distance / time traveled, stop-over sites, arctic breeding grounds, etc. Subject: bird cannibalism from the cold! From: "Norman D.van Swelm" <Norman.vanswelm AT wxs.nl> Date: Sat, 17 Jan 2009 02:39:04 +0100 Have a look here: http://members.lycos.nl/radioactiverobins/snipes-waders/cannibalism%20in%20the%20cold.htm Cheers, Norman No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG - http://www.avg.com Version: 8.0.176 / Virus Database: 270.10.7/1893 - Release Date: 14/01/2009 6:59 _______________________________________________ UKbirdnet mailing list ukbirdnet AT rhea.dcs.bbk.ac.uk http://rhea.dcs.bbk.ac.uk/mailman/listinfo/ukbirdnet Subject: Bar-tailed Godwit migration From: Dominic Mitchell <dominic.mitchell AT BIRDWATCH.CO.UK> Date: Tue, 6 Jan 2009 22:39:31 -0000 Forwarded from the BirdsinRussia list, with apologies for cross-posting: >>>> Dear all, A paper on the migration of Bar-tailed Godwits from Alaska to New Zealand has just been published in Proc Roy Soc B - it is available for free download, open access at http://journals.royalsociety.org/content/224x500552515823/ Happy reading David Melville (posted on behalf of the authors) >>>> Rgds -- Dominic Mitchell Managing Editor, Birdwatch Solo Publishing Ltd The Chocolate Factory, 5 Clarendon Road London N22 6XJ, UK Tel: 020 8881 0550 / Web: www.birdwatch.co.uk Save the Azores Bullfinch! Visit www.justgiving.com/priolo -- * Please consider the environment before printing emails * The information contained in this email and any attachments is confidential and may be legally privileged. If you have received it in error, you are on notice of its status. It is intended solely for the addressee. Any unauthorised use is strictly prohibited. If you are not the intended recipient please notify the sender immediately and delete the email and any attachments. While Solo Publishing protects its systems from virus attacks and other harmful events, the company gives no warranty that this message (including any attachments) is free of any virus or other harmful matter, and accepts no responsibility for any loss or damage resulting from the recipient receiving, opening or using it. Subject: Fw: [EBN] Shorebirds in the cold From: "Norman D.van Swelm" <Norman.vanswelm AT WXS.NL> Date: Fri, 2 Jan 2009 11:02:14 +0100 Harry, I forgot to mention the link where you can see one of the leucistic birds which died of the cold. The taxidermist gave it reddish-brown eyes though we don't know if that is justified, when I found it it was frozen stiff, eyes closed: http://members.lycos.nl/romave/radioactrobins-L2/abnormal%20plumages/colour%20mutation.htm Norman D.van Swelm wrote:> Perhaps because they are weaker than normal birds. Anyway all those I > encountered during severe winters died. They were leucistic at least, > there was one all white Oystercatcher, I don't remember the eye-colour but > all adult Oystercatchers have red irises anyway! > Cheers, Norman > Harry Lehto wrote: >I don't see why albinos would suffer because of the > cold? > Do you mean the very rare true albinos or various whitish/other color > morphs?< Subject: Shorebirds in the cold From: "Norman D.van Swelm" <Norman.vanswelm AT WXS.NL> Date: Thu, 1 Jan 2009 16:45:03 +0100 Winter has struck the North Sea coasts. Ice on the beaches is forming rapidly. Thus it seems we will have a severe winter coming. Nothing new as every decade in the past had between one and three such winters. What happens next is a mass exodus of waders south or southwest to ice-free estuaries in France, Spain and Portugal. However not all waders leave. In the Rhine-Meuse estuary in particular thousands of Oystercatchers, Icelandic Redshank, Curlews, Sanderlings, Turnstones, Dunlin, Greenland Knots and some Bar-tailed and Icelandic Godwits will stay behind and try to withstand the frost. The first waders to die in these wintery conditions are invalids with deformed bills, one foot etc. followed by inexperienced first-winter birds but also albino's. Adult experienced birds are the last to go as they usually feed in the deepest parts of the estuary rich in shellfish and other food . We haven't had severe winters since the middle of the nineties and hence no large scale mortality among waders though we did so on Eider ducks which starved en masse. However if this winters sets through we expect a higher than usual mortality since the Dutch government has allowed large scale over-fishing of Mussels and Cockles in the past decade while the British government allowed at least one estuary to be demolished. I would like to know if this pattern of winter mortality among waders living on the frontiers of winter is found elsewhere. Happy New Year, Norman Subject: Address Change From: "Thomas J. Dunkerton" <Woundedmallard67 AT AOL.COM> Date: Fri, 28 Nov 2008 20:55:55 EST Greetings All, I'm officially abandoning my aol address. Some of you are recipients of e-mails from me from another address as well, so if you get multiple "address change" notifications, take your pick as to which one to use as I'm trimming it down to two e-mail addresses. Some of you have simply been added to my address book automatically via listservs, if this is the case, please disregard this message. In the meantime I'd like to ask a favor of you. Could you please respond via my new address: _woundedmallard AT gmail.com_ (mailto:woundedmallard AT gmail.com) Please Sign off with your full name so that I may try to keep a neater address book this time around and copy and paste names corresponding to your e-mail addresses. Thank you. Tom Dunkerton _www.TJDunkerton.com_ (http://www.tjdunkerton.com/) **************Life should be easier. So should your homepage. Try the NEW AOL.com. (http://www.aol.com/?optin=new-dp&icid=aolcom40vanity&ncid=emlcntaolcom00000002) Subject: FW: Banded Snowy Plovers- please report From: Charlie Ewell <anhinga42 AT EMBARQMAIL.COM> Date: Thu, 6 Nov 2008 12:53:35 -0500 FYI Charlie Ewell Cape Coral, FL anhinga42 AT embarqmail.com _____ Subject: Banded Snowy Plovers- please report Hello all, Snowy Plovers are state listed- threatened in Florida, and recent surveys suggest this species is continuing to decline in parts of their range in the state, particularly the Southwest. Research determining the underlying reasons for these declines is ongoing, and one important aspect of this work is gaining a better understanding of the annual movement and distribution patterns of Snowy Plovers in Florida. To this end, biologists have individually marked Snowy Plovers throughout Florida with unique color-band combinations, and we need your help re-sighting and reporting observations of these individuals as we continue to build a better picture of where and when Snowy Plovers move. If you see a banded Snowy Plover. 1. Approach the bird slowly, and please try to avoid any disturbance to the bird (Life is rough enough for a plover!) 2. Record the following information: a) BAND COMBINATION- please write a detailed description of the bands, the i) color and ii) relative position to other bands, and iii) position on each leg (left or right, and upper leg-tibia or lower leg-tarsus). See examples of band combos and colors at the Florida Bird Conservation Initiative website: http://www.floridaconservation.org/FBCI/docs/FBCI_SNPL_Banding_key.pdf Types of bands used: metal (aluminum) and color bands. Colors: possible colors include red (R), orange (O), yellow (Y), dark green (G), light green (g), dark blue (B), light blue (b), white (W), and black (K). No bands are bi-colored/tri-colored (2/3 colors on one band). Sometimes two bands of the same color are placed over each other on a leg (this may look like one very tall band). Remember that bands can discolor, and occasionally fall off. Please specify if you are unsure of any of the bands or if you failed to see all parts of the leg clearly. b) LOCATION- use a GPS unit, find your lat and long on a map (http://www.getlatlon.com/), or write a detailed description (please include common place names that we can use to plot your location on a map). c) DATE/TIME d) NOTES- i) describe any injuries, ii) with a flock? (if so, flock size and composition) 3. If possible, get photo-documentation. 4. Please report your observations to the following emails: rpruner AT ufl.edu; bsmith AT sccf.org; wendy.bear AT myfwc.com; chris.burney AT myfwc.com Chris Burney Shorebird Partnership Coordinator Species Conservation Planning Section Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission Southwest Regional Office 3900 Drane Field Rd Lakeland, FL 33811 Phone: (863) 648-3200 Fax: (863) 701-1248 Email: chris.burney AT myfwc.com Subject: Reminder: Sign Up Today for Beginners' GIS Workshop From: New Urban Research <nur AT URBAN-RESEARCH.INFO> Date: Tue, 4 Nov 2008 10:20:15 -0800 > Good afternoon, > I'm writing to remind you about this great opportunity coming up next week > in Atlanta. We're getting the word out to the environmental and ecological > groups in community and hope you'll join us. Please let me know if you > need additional information. > > Gina Clemmer > New Urban Research, Inc. > >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> > > Mapping Georgia Communities: An Introduction to GIS & Community Analysis - > One Day Workshops > > Atlanta: November 13 & 14* > 8:30 am to 4:30 pm > Classroom Resource Group Learning Center > One Glenlake Parkway, Suite 200 > Atlanta , GA 30328 > *One Day Workshops. Participants choose which one day to attend. > > Audience: Beginners, anyone interested in mapping their community. > > Focus: This workshop is customized for each location. > > This hands-on workshop focuses on teaching the fundamentals of using a > Geographic Information System (GIS) for community analysis. Participants > will learn to create thematic maps with Census data, Geocoding (Address > mapping) and Spatial Queries. Other features of the workshop are learning > to extract Census data and good map layout and design. > > For more information about the Georgia workshops, please visit > http://www.urban-research.info/workshops/georgia-gis.htm. > > Workshop Host: New Urban Research, a national professional research > organization and ESRI Business Partner. > > Gina Clemmer > New Urban Research, Inc. > 877.241.6576 | www.urban-research.info > Subject: James Bay Shorebirds - Akimiski Photos From: Jean Iron <jeaniron AT SYMPATICO.CA> Date: Wed, 10 Sep 2008 21:17:51 -0400 Please see several pages of shorebird photos from my August trip to Akimiski Island in James Bay, Nunavut, Canada. The 6 reports filed from the field are appended. http://www.jeaniron.ca/2008/AkimiskiAug08/index.htm Jean Iron Toronto, Ontario Subject: Fw: [BIRDWG01] Shorebird ID help From: Robert Wallace <chnuts AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Tue, 2 Sep 2008 09:13:06 -0700 ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Pastor Al Schirmacher To: BIRDWG01 AT LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU Sent: Tuesday, September 2, 2008 10:18:46 AM Subject: [BIRDWG01] Shorebird ID help My son, Nathan Schirmacher, took these photos of a shorebird (http://www.flickr.com/photos/natester166) at Foley Sewage Ponds, Foley, MN (central part of state) on Saturday, August 30th - click on the "Mystery Shorebird" section to the right, click on the photos to enlarge. We have discussed the ID without resolution, and would appreciate feedback. This bird fed alone, would not associate with the six Stilts present. Thanks! Al Schirmacher Princeton, MN Mille Lacs & Sherburne Counties Join or Leave BIRDWG01: http://listserv.arizona.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=birdwg01 Archives: http://listserv.arizona.edu/archives/birdwg01.html Subject: Pesticides at stop-over sites From: Patrick Leary <prleary AT BELLSOUTH.NET> Date: Wed, 27 Aug 2008 11:55:28 -0400 Message following was excerpted from a recent post (by another member) to the Floridabirds Listserve. Note: The same issue/concern has been discussed with local management re flooded athletic fields in Fernandina Beach in NE Florida. During TS conditions, local fields also attract: Pectoral, Buff-breasted, Solitary, White-rumped, Semipalmated, Least and Western Sandpipers, yellowlegs, plovers, Red and Red-necked Phalaropes and other migrant shorebirds. "The really sad part about finding the migratory sandpipers was, being at a flooded ball field, the water drew up the army worms that the birds were happily feeding on like crazy. While I was there checking out all the species present, the park employee drove out a big truck with a chemical tank on the back and started to poison the field so the "fine citizens of Ormond Beach" could have their nice green ball fields. We had quite a long discussion about what they were doing and, as we were chatting all the migratory sandpipers flew off and that was the end of that. I tried to tell him what had just happened but he has a job to do and needs the pay check to feed his family. We are at such odds in this world." PR Leary, Fernandina Beach, FL Subject: James Bay Shorebirds - Akimiski Report # 6 From: Jean Iron <jeaniron AT SYMPATICO.CA> Date: Tue, 26 Aug 2008 15:30:13 -0400 This is Jean Iron's last report from Akimiski Island for the period 20 - 25 August 2008. She was a volunteer surveying shorebirds for the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR) and Trent University. Note increasing proportions of juveniles for many species listed below. Black-bellied Plover: 7 on 21 Aug, 6 on 22nd, 9 on 23rd, 7 on 24th. All molting adults, a couple in almost full alternate plumage. American Golden-Plover: 4 on 21 Aug, 1 on 22nd, 2 on 23rd, 1 on 24th. All molting adults. Semipalmated Plover: 14 on 21 Aug, 10 on 22nd, 4 on 23rd (mostly juveniles), 35 all juveniles on 24th. Killdeer: 1 or 2 per day, usually heard. 1 juvenile on 25 Aug. Greater Yellowlegs: 26 on 21 Aug, 13 on 22nd, 12 on 23rd, 51 on 24th. Mostly juveniles with a few molting adults. One adult on 25 Aug in wing molt with gap in flight feathers. Greater Yellowlegs is one the few shorebirds that undergoes wing molt at staging areas. Most shorebirds delay wing and tail molt until reaching the wintering grounds. Lesser Yellowlegs: 30 on 21 Aug, 19 on 22nd, 27 on 23rd, 65 on 24th. All juveniles. Whimbrel: 7 including 1 adult and 1 juvenile eating berries on 20 Aug, 9 mostly juveniles on 21st, 4 on 22nd, 2 on 23rd, 33 flyovers and 2 juveniles on ground on 25th. There are likely still good numbers of juveniles eating berries on the coastal barrens of southwestern Hudson and western James Bay. Wilson and McRae (1993) reported 225 on 7 September and 20 on 11 September at Longridge Point, 57 km north of Moosonee, indicating that some stay well into September. Hudsonian Godwit: 7 on 21 Aug, 5 on 23rd, 29 mostly juveniles on 24th, 40 on 25th. Most adults depart James Bay during the last 10 days of Aug. Juveniles leave later after fattening. Marbled Godwit: 6 on 21 Aug, 3 on 22nd, 4 on 23rd, 2 on 24th. All juveniles. Jean remarked that these juveniles had noticeably shorter bills than adults in May, based on her photos of both age classes. Ruddy Turnstone: Mostly juveniles. 37 on 21 Aug, 29 on 22nd, 30 (3 ad & 27 juv) on 23rd, 7 on 24th, 35 (3 ad & 32 juv) on 24th, +20 (1 ad) on 25th. Turnstones molt very little before reaching the wintering grounds so the two age classes easy to distinguish in fall migration. Red Knot: Flocks flying south. 15 on 21 Aug, 9 on 22nd, 100 on 24th, they landed for about 5 minutes and then moved north with about 40 birds splitting off and continuing north. The others landed for 5 minutes. A few fed and some slept briefly before taking flight. 3 of these birds had traces of alternate plumage, but considering the date most may have been juveniles. Semipalmated Sandpiper: 660 (a few molting ad) non-molting juveniles on 21 Aug, 615 (a few ad) on 22nd, 297 on 23rd, 400 (2 ad) on 24th. Note sharp reduction in numbers with most juveniles now much farther south. Most will depart before September. Least Sandpiper: 3 non-molting juveniles on 21 Aug. Most Leasts leave before September. White-rumped Sandpiper: First juvenile banded on 19 Aug, 1300 adults and 2 juveniles on 20th, 1730 adults and 2 juveniles on 21st, 1600 adults and 2 juveniles on 22nd, 1500 adults on 23rd, 1700 including 2 juveniles on 24th. Most juveniles still farther north. Timing of juvenile migration and their numbers in James Bay not known. Pectoral Sandpiper: 7 adults on 21 Aug, 4 adults on 22nd, 6 including first 2 juveniles on 24th. Dunlin: 1 molting adult still with a good black belly patch. Most Dunlins of the subspecies hudsonia stage along west coasts of Hudson and James Bays in August and September, where adults and juveniles molt to basic (winter) plumage before departing in late September and October. This is the reason we do not see molting adults and full juveniles with rare exceptions south of James Bay. Banding: 10 species of shorebirds banded in August. DIFFERENT SPRING and FALL IMPORTANCE of JAMES BAY: In spring many arctic shorebirds migrate north rapidly through the centre of the continent largely bypassing James Bay. In fall most shorebirds move more easterly towards the Atlantic Coast. This results in much larger numbers using James Bay (probably several million birds) during southbound migration, where wide tidal flats and intertidal marshes provide an abundance of bivalves, gastropods, crustaceans, worms and dipteran (fly) larvae (Ross et al 2003). Other Birds: Juvenile Northern Goshawk on 21 and 22 Aug, adult Sharp-shinned Hawk on 20 - 23 Aug, 2 juvenile Northern Harriers on 25 Aug, 2 juvenile Bonaparte's Gulls on 24 Aug, 8 Caspian Terns on 24 Aug and 4 (2 adults each with dependent juvenile) on 25th, 2 juvenile Arctic Terns on 25 Aug, adult Parasitic Jaeger on 24 Aug, Bank Swallow, 3 on 22 Aug, 1 on 23 and 24th, Boreal Chickadee, 2 Le Conte's Sparrows on 22 Aug, White-winged Crossbill, 4 on 20 and 21 Aug, 5 on 22nd, Common Redpoll, 8 on 21 Aug, 4 on 22nd. Migration of American Pipits with 30 on 21 Aug, 20 on 22nd and 23rd. Butterflies: The 20 - 23 August very warm with above normal temperatures. List from David Beresford and Ben Walters: Common Ringlet, Aphrodite Fritillary, possible Clouded Sulphur, Palaeno Sulphur, Giant Sulphur, Pink-edged Sulphur, White Admiral, and Cabbage White. Ben and David also had another (different species) of unidentified Fritillary. Polar Bears: Female with 3 cubs on 21 and 23 Aug, one with 2 cubs, 2 with 1 cub, and several singles. Last sea ice in Hudson Bay disappeared 24 August. http://www.natice.noaa.gov/pub/ims_gif/DATA/cursnow_usa.gif Literature Cited: (1) Ross, K., and K. Abraham, R. Clay, B. Collins, J. Iron, R. James, D. McLachlin, R. Weeber. 2003. Ontario Shorebird Conservation Plan. Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada. Hard copies available by email from Wildlife DOT Ontario AT ec.gc.ca with name and postal address. (2) Wilson, N.C. and D. McRae. 1993. Seasonal and Geographical Distribution of Birds for Selected Sites in Ontario's Hudson Bay Lowland. Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources, 145 pages. This is Jean's final report. The camp closed yesterday and crew flew out by Ontario Government Twin Otter to Moosonee and Timmins. From plane they saw 7 Polar Bears on Akimiski. South of island were 3 Belugas. Ben Walters spotted 20 seals on Longridge Point north of Moosonee. Jean is grateful to Ken Abraham (OMNR) and Erica Nol of Trent University for the opportunity to survey shorebirds and assist researchers. Ron Pittaway Toronto / Minden Ontario, Canada Subject: James Bay Shorebirds - Akimiski Report # 5 B From: Jean Iron <jeaniron AT SYMPATICO.CA> Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2008 17:03:46 -0400 Continued from part A. Post # 5 is divided into two emails A and B. This is part B. SHOREBIRD POPULATION TRENDS: Are shorebirds declining? Bart et al. (2007) discussed shorebird population trends. They analyzed long-term shorebird data from two survey regions: the North Atlantic and Midwest USA regions. The North Atlantic region showed an overall decline of 2.17% per year (P = 0.004). Among 30 species, 73% showed declines, 9 species declined significantly and none increased significantly. The Midwest region showed no clear evidence of an overall decline in 29 species. The authors stated, "The finding that trends were quite different in the North Atlantic and Midwest regions makes us reluctant to calculate rangewide trend estimates." In the North Atlantic Region, three possible causes for the decline in total numbers were evaluated: 1. Movement hypothesis: that the timing of migration changed and caused the decline was not supported by the data; another aspect of the movements hypothesis is that shorebirds moved through faster in recent years, but this could not be evaluated with existing data. 2. Change in detection hypothesis: no evidence was found for a net shift of shorebirds from surveyed to non-surveyed sites. 3. Population change hypothesis: this hypothesis says that "the reduction in total numbers recorded is due to a reduction in size of the breeding population." The authors state, "While results are mixed for some species, the overall picture indicates a disproportionate number of declines across many shorebird species in North America...particularly in eastern Canada and the northeastern United States". They say that a decline in shorebird numbers is supported by surveys in other areas such as the Ontario Shorebird Survey, checklist programs in Quebec, Breeding Bird Surveys in the USA and Canada, aerial surveys in North and South America, and counts during research projects in western Canada and surveys on the Arctic breeding grounds. Conclusion: The shorebird decline in the North Atlantic region appears to be caused by declines in population size, but the authors cannot exclude the hypothesis that declines were due to a changes in movements during migration, such as passing through the region more quickly. They state that, "An urgent need exists for more long-term data sets, especially from northern breeding grounds and from western North America...". Other Birds: Canada Geese and Whimbrels actively eating Bufflaloberries (Shepherdia canadensis), adult Parasitic Jaeger on 19 Aug, Great Blue Heron, Northern Harrier, Tree Swallow on 19 Aug, 3 Gray Jays behind camp on 19 Aug, Yellow Warbler, Yellow-rumped Warbler, "Western" Palm Warbler, Blackpoll Warbler, Lincoln's Sparrow, White-throated Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow, 3 Common Redpolls on 19 Aug, White-winged Crossbill. Polar Bears: A big male and a female with 3 cubs are interrupting surveyors, banding and Trent Masters student Lisa Pollock's important shorebird study. Polar Bears are also eating the abundant Bufflaloberries based on remains in their droppings. Wildflowers: Jean loves Akimiski's subarctic remoteness and beauty. It is now bright with an abundance of Arctic Daisy (Chrysanthermum arcticum), Marsh Ragwort (Senecio congestus), Northern Grass of Parnassus (Parnassia palustris), pinkish purple Beach Pea (Lathyrus japonicus), and pale purple Northern Gentians (Gentianella amarella). Scientific and common plant names from the "Flora of the Hudson Bay Lowland and its Postglacial Origins" by John L. Riley, published in 2003 by the National Research Council of Canada, 236 pages. Note last remaining sea ice in Hudson Bay close to Manitoba and Ontario. http://www.natice.noaa.gov/pub/ims_gif/DATA/cursnow_usa.gif Literature Cited: Bart, J., Brown, S., Harrington, B., and R.I.G. Morrison. 2007. Survey Trends of North American Shorebirds: Declines or Shifting Populations? Journal of Avian Biology 38(1): 73-82. We thank Ken Abraham and Andrew Jano for helpful comments and information. Next report in a few days. Ron Pittaway (for Jean Iron) Minden and Toronto Ontario, Canada Subject: James Bay Shorebirds - Akimiski Report # 5 A From: Jean Iron <jeaniron AT SYMPATICO.CA> Date: Wed, 20 Aug 2008 16:52:28 -0400 Post # 5 is divided into two emails A and B. This is first part A. Jean Iron's report for the period 14 - 19 August 2008 by satellite phone from Akimiski Island in James Bay. She is a volunteer surveying shorebirds for the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR) and Trent University under the direction of Research Scientist Ken Abraham. Akimiski is the largest island in James Bay with an area of 3208 sq km based on Landsat imagery (Andrew Jano, retired OMNR, pers. comm.). Note that this figure is larger than published figures because it includes coastal mudflats and intertidal marshes, both are substantial along the north and east shore. Akimiski is Nunavut's deep south, only other large island in James Bay is Charlton, which is 105 km farther south. Nunavut's northernmost land is Ellesmere Island close to the North Pole. Akimiski is part of Nunavut and not adjacent Ontario because the Act of Parliament establishing Nunavut (which was part of Northwest Territories until 1999) included in the new territory all of the islands in Hudson Bay, James Bay and Ungava Bay. Nunavut is the largest jurisdiction in size and it has the smallest population of Canada's 10 provinces and 3 northern territories. This post includes recent information on the probable overall decline of shorebirds in North America. Corrections: (1) The 200,000 Semiplamated Sandpipers reported under Shorebird Population Estimates in previous report # 4 was a typo. It is 2,000,000. (2) I apologize to Bridget Olson, Wildlife Biologist from Utah who is studying Marbled Godwits using satellite transmitters, for spelling her surname with an e in previous reports. New bird for Nunavut: Jim Richards, co-author of the Nunavut bird checklist, tells me that the 2 juvenile Wilson's Phalaropes photographed on 13 August on Akimiski Island and reported in previous report # 4 is the first documented record for Nunavut. Jim is preparing a major revision to the checklist and hopes to have it ready to go to press at the end of August. It will be published by the Canadian Wildlife Service. If you know of unusual or new birds for Nunavut, please email Jim Richards at jmr DOT naturepix AT rogers.com Shorebird Banding and Lice: 8 species of shorebirds banded to date by a crew led by Ben Walters. Two juvenile Hudsonian Godwits caught together on 15 Aug showed strong sexual dimorphism in size and bill length. Males are smaller and have shorter bills. Assistant Professor David Beresford of Trent is studying the lice found on the shorebirds. They are not sucking lice; rather they are chewing lice that eat feathers and dead skin. Recent strong winds with gusts to 70 km/hr and Polar Bears are restricting banding. Forecast for next few days is sunny and above seasonal temperatures. Recent Observations: Shorebird are listed in checklist order: Note turnover from adults to juveniles this past week for several species. Recent tides have been very high because of strong north winds and a full moon. Black-bellied Plover: 9 molting adults on 16 Aug, 17 adults on 17th, 24 adults on 18th. Juveniles still near the breeding grounds. American Golden-Plover: 4 molting adults on 16 Aug, 17 on 18 Aug. Juveniles still near the breeding grounds. Semipalmated Plover: 30 adults and 3 juveniles on 15 Aug, 20 adults and 7 juveniles on 18th. The low proportion of juveniles is a puzzle. Most are likely farther north near the breeding grounds. They should be moving soon. Greater Yellowlegs: 27 on 18 Aug, molting adults are still more common, about 60%. Lesser Yellowlegs: 49 (including 1 molting adult) on 16 Aug, 26 juveniles on 17 and 18th. Spotted Sandpiper: A juvenile banded on 15 Aug. Whimbrel: First juvenile on 13 Aug, 9 unaged on 15th, 10 unaged birds included 1 adult and 2 juveniles on 16th, 11 unaged and 1 adult on 17th, 7 unaged and 1 adult on 18th. Whimbrels are wary and hidden in low vegetation feeding on berries making them difficult to see and age before they flush. This is the crossover period when both adults and juveniles present, but the percentages of the age classes are difficult to determine. Whimbrel can be aged if seen well. When comparing worn adults and fresh juveniles, note that adults have plainer less contrasting wing coverts and tertials; whereas these feathers on fresh juveniles are heavily and distinctly checkered with white. Hudsonian Godwit: 44 on 17 Aug, 15 on 18th included 11 juveniles. Proportion of juveniles is increasing as they move south into James Bay to fatten for the long, usually non-stop, flight to South America. Marbled Godwit: 1 juvenile on 16 and 17 Aug. 1 unaged on 18th. Most adults have now departed James Bay. The first report of a Marbled Godwit in the James Bay area was one on 29 August 1860 near Moose Factory east of Moosonee (Todd 1963). Ruddy Turnstone: 18 (included 3 adults) on Aug 16, 52 mostly juveniles on 17th, 70 on 18th included 7 adults. They were flipping small stones and seaweed. Red Knot: 85 on 18 Aug, most were adults with body molt well advanced. None had coloured leg flags. Some were either adults in full basic plumage or juveniles, but could not be aged because of distance. Most juveniles are still near the breeding grounds. Sanderling: 1 unaged on 17 Aug, 5 unaged on 18th because of distance. Semipalmated Sandpiper: Very few adults. 2000 on 16 Aug (< 1% adults), 2100 on 17th, 1520 on 18th. Least Sandpiper: 1 juvenile on 16 Aug, 6 juveniles on 17th. Least is an inshore sandpiper, not a bird Akimiski's broad tidal flats. White-rumped Sandpiper: First juvenile photographed on 19 Aug, most juveniles still farther north near breeding grounds. The timing of juvenile migration and numbers for James Bay not known. 2500 adults on both 17 and 18 Aug with body molt well advanced. Wing and tail molt of adults offset until they reach wintering grounds. Pectoral Sandpiper: 50 on 17 Aug, 28 on 18th, all non-molting adults. Adult Pectorals undergo their complete annual prebasic molt (body/wings/tail) after migration on the wintering grounds. Dunlin: 54 mainly molting adults in various stages of molt on 18 Aug. Some may have been juveniles, but Jean was not certain because of distance. Short-billed Dowitcher: 4 juveniles on 17 Aug. Adults are now well south of breeding grounds. Continued in part B in next email. Ron Pittaway (for Jean Iron) Minden and Toronto Ontario, Canada Subject: James Bay Shorebirds - Akimiski Report # 4 From: Jean Iron <jeaniron AT SYMPATICO.CA> Date: Thu, 14 Aug 2008 15:13:22 -0400 Jean Iron's report for the period 9 - 13 August 2008 via satellite phone from Akimiski Island, Nunavut, in James Bay. She is a volunteer surveying shorebirds for the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR) and Trent University under the direction of Research Scientist Ken Abraham. At low tide the mudflats in front of camp extend out more than 2 km. The flats are a mixture of mud and rocks with thousands of shallow pools. The high density of tidal pools provides ideal feeding habitats for shorebirds. Counts are done at or near high tide when birds are concentrated close to shore. High tide yesterday was about 7 p.m. This report includes the latest shorebird population estimates in North America. Observations below. Shorebird Banding on 12-13 August: Greater Yellowlegs - 1 juvenile (no molt), Lesser Yellowlegs - 3 juveniles (no molt), Semipalmated Sandpiper - 61 juveniles (no molt) and 1 molting adult, Least Sandpiper - 2 juveniles (no molt), White-rumped Sandpiper - 3 molting adults, Pectoral Sandpiper - 1 adult (no molt), 5 juvenile Short-billed Dowitchers (no molt). Ben Walters of Trent is doing the banding. A nearby female Polar Bear and cub are limiting banding activities. Black-bellied Plover: 36 on 9 Aug, 27 molting (blotchy) adults on 13 Aug, a couple in almost full alternate plumage. Juveniles are still much farther north on the breeding grounds. American Golden-Plover: 1 adult on 9 Aug, 3 adults (limited molt) on 13 Aug. Juveniles farther north on breeding grounds. Semipalmated Plover: 40 on 9 Aug, 44 mostly adults on 13 Aug, only 4 juveniles. Ken Abraham remarked that "Akimiski is one of the southernmost breeding locations for Semipalmated Plovers and the population has been studied since 2002. It is curious that there are so few juveniles, if they are from local production, but we have been worried about high predation rates (much higher than at the Churchill study area). I wonder if the birds currently there are passage birds from farther north and whether the local birds have left". Greater Yellowlegs: 42 on 9 Aug, 23 on 12 Aug, 40 on 13 Aug, 50% juveniles. Several chasing small fish in shallow water, which is typical behavior. Lesser Yellowlegs: 135 on 9 Aug, 27 on 12 Aug. All juveniles. Whimbrel: 37 on 9 Aug, 19 on 10 Aug, 18 on 11th, 20 on 12th, 18 on 13th. All adults that could be aged. They are around camp (not on mudflats) eating berries such as Bufflaloberry (Shepherdia canadensis). Most berries are high in sugar and when eaten quickly metabolize to fat. Hudsonian Godwit: 39 on 9 Aug, 48 on 12 Aug. 10% juveniles. Marbled Godwit: The big news is the sighting of the first 4 juveniles on 12 Aug. Eight birds on 10th were not aged, but one was a presumed adult because it chased a Northern Harrier in apparent territorial behavior. One flyover on 13th. No nests were found this summer with extensive searching. Secretive nesting behavior is not surprising given the high nest depredation on shorebirds by foxes, gulls and other opportunists. The James Bay Marbled Godwits breed later than northern prairie birds because of the later onset of summer. This population occurs mainly in the southern 3/4 of western James Bay. Marbled Godwits were not detected along the Ontario coast of Hudson Bay during the second Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas (Abraham 2007). James Bay birds may be the northern limit of their breeding range due to climatic conditions or possibly they are excluded from breeding farther north by competition with Hudsonian Godwits. Todd (1963) reported that the dissection of 5 birds, collected 24-25 June 1941 at Hannah Bay (Ontario) at the south end of James Bay, showed that they were not in breeding condition. This suggests that James Bay birds may not breed every year, particularly in cold summers, further limiting the population. Ken Abraham commented that "An alternate interpretation for Todd's dissection is that perhaps not all Marbled Godwits breed in their second year." Ruddy Turnstone: 1 adult on 9 Aug, 3 adults (no molt) on 13 Aug. First juveniles expected soon. Red Knot: 4 molting (patchy red/gray) adults on 12 Aug. First juveniles expected soon. Semipalmated Sandpiper: 3316 on 9 Aug, 1000 on 11 Aug, very few adults. 1500 almost all juveniles on 12th, 1043 almost all juveniles on 13 Aug. Ratio about 1 adult to 100 juveniles. Rapid turnover from mostly adults to juveniles in the last few days. Least Sandpiper: 12 juveniles on 9 Aug, 1 juvenile on 13 Aug. Adults now well south of the breeding grounds. White-rumped Sandpiper: 4693 on 9 Aug, 1500 molting adults on 12 Aug, 1200 on 13 Aug. White-rumped and Semipalmated Sandpiper usually fly and feed together in mixed flocks of 6 - 400 birds. Semipalmateds feed at edge of pools and White-rumpeds in shallow water. Pectoral Sandpiper: 124 adults on 9 Aug, 32 adults (no molt) on 13 Aug. First juveniles expected soon. Dunlin: 3 molting adults with Semipalmateds and White-rumpeds on 9 Aug. Short-billed Dowitcher: 6 juveniles (no molt) on 13 Aug. Wilson's Phalarope: 2 juveniles photographed on 13 Aug. First record for Akimiski Island. Wilson's Phalarope is a rare breeder in the southern James Bay area. One was starting its first prebasic molt showing a few new gray scapulars. Other Birds: A Merlin caught a peep on 9 Aug, 3 juvenile Bonaparte's Gulls on 9 Aug, and 6 adult Arctic Terns on 9 Aug. SHOREBIRD POPULATION ESTIMATES IN NORTH AMERICA from Morrison et al. 2006: Black-bellied Plover 200,000; American Golden-Plover 200,000; Pacific Golden Plover 35,000 - 50,000; Snowy Plover 15,200; Wilson's Plover 6,000; Common Ringed Plover 190,000 including 10,000 breeding in Canada; Semipalmated Plover 150,000; Piping Plover 5,983; Killdeer 1,000,000; Mountain Plover 12,500, American Oystercatcher 11,000; Black Oystercatcher 10,000; Black-necked Stilt 176,400; American Avocet 450,000; Greater Yellowlegs 100,000; Lesser Yellowlegs 400,000; Solitary Sandpiper 150,000 with an approximate ratio of 2:1 for subspecies nominate solitaria to cinnamomea; Willet 250,000 includes 90,000 Eastern nominate subspecies semipalmatus and 160,000 interior subspecies inornatus; Wandering Tattler 10,000 to 25,000 with 90% in North America; Spotted Sandpiper 150,000; Upland Sandpiper 350,000, Eskimo Curlew < 50, "lack of recent reports suggest designation of possibly extinct"; Whimbrel 66,000 including 40,000 subspecies hudsonicus; Bristle-thighed Curlew 10,000; Long-billed Curlew 55,000 to 123,500, "it appears that there are considerably more Long-billed Curlews than previously thought"; Hudsonian Godwit 70,000; Bar-tailed Godwit 90,000; Marbled Godwit 173,500; Ruddy Turnstone 190,000 including 45,000 subspecies interpres breeding in Canada and winter in Europe and Africa; Black Turnstone 95,000; Surfbird 70,000; Red Knot 120,000 for all NA populations, but I may have erred in calculating this number from the report. This includes (1) 80,000 subspecies islandica, which breeds in the northeastern Canadian High Arctic and winter in Europe, (2) 20,000 subspecies roselaari breeding in Alaska and wintering along Pacific Coast, and (3) 20,000 subspecies rufa of eastern and central North America. The rufa population estimate is out of date. It is now considerably less than 20,000, but I don't have the latest number; Sanderling 300,000; Semipalmated Sandpiper 200,000; Western Sandpiper 3,500,000; Least Sandpiper 700,000; White-rumped Sandpiper 1,120,000; Baird's Sandpiper 300,000; Pectoral Sandpiper 500,000; Sharp-tailed Sandpiper 30,000 being almost all juveniles migrate through western Alaska in fall; Purple Sandpiper 15,000; Rock Sandpiper 150,000; Dunlin 1,525,000; Stilt Sandpiper 820,000; Buff-breasted Sandpiper 30,000; Short-billed Dowitcher 153,000 including combined total of Eastern nominate subspecies griseus and interior subspecies hendersoni at 78,000, and western subspecies caurinus at 75,000; Long-billed Dowitcher 400,000; Wilson's Snipe 2,000,000; American Woodcock 3,500,000; Wilson's Phalarope 1,500,000; Red-necked Phalarope 2,500,000; and Red Phalarope 1,250,000. References: (1) Morrison, R.I.G., B.J. McCaffery, R.E. Gill, S. K. Skagen, S. L. Jones, G.W. Page, C. L. Gratto-Trevor, and B. A. Andres. 2006. Population estimates of North American shorebirds 2006. Wader Study Bulletin. (2) Todd, W.E.C. 1963. Birds of the Labrador Peninsula and Adjacent Areas. Carnegie Museum and University of Toronto Press. We thank Ken Abraham for comments. Next report in a few days. Ron Pittaway Minden / Toronto Ontario, Canada Subject: James Bay Shorebirds - Akimiski Report # 3 From: Jean Iron <jeaniron AT SYMPATICO.CA> Date: Sat, 9 Aug 2008 14:50:43 -0400 This is Jean Iron's report for the period 6 - 8 August 2008 from Akimiski Island, Nunavut, in James Bay. She is a volunteer with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR) and Trent University under the direction of Research Scientist Ken Abraham. The camp is on the island's northeast coast (53 deg 06 min N, 80 deg 57 min W). Nights are cool and day temperatures reach 15C. Morning fog and 9 Polar Bears are restricting surveys. Recent observations below. "Lesser" Snow Goose: 41 near camp on 6 Aug. Black-bellied Plover: 25 adults on 8 Aug. Semipalmated Plover: 92 on 6 Aug. Greater Yellowlegs: 49 on 7 Aug, 50% juveniles. Lesser Yellowlegs: 105 on 7 Aug, 90% juveniles. Whimbrel: 15 on 8 Aug, not aged because of distance. Hudsonian Godwit: 50+ on 8 Aug including 10 juveniles. Correction - the flock of Hudsonian Godwits photographed in London, Ontario, reported in the previous post # 2 was on 4 August 2008, not 4 July. Marbled Godwit: Bridget Olsen reports that 3 of the 5 godwits fitted with satellite transmitters in late May 2008 have departed Akimiski. (1) 75688 that was captured 3 km east of camp on 25 May departed Akimiski Island sometime after the evening of 31 July. It was in South Dakota on 2 August and subsequently moved into North Dakota. (2) 80794 was captured with 80795 at Byer's Creek 7 km west of camp on the morning of 27 May. It migrated along the north shore of Lake Superior on 29 July and was in central South Dakota on 31 July, then also moved into North Dakota. (3) 80795 was last on Akimiski Island around 6 p.m. on 29 July. On 31 July it transmitted, apparently in flight, over Nebraska and is currently in southeastern Colorado. Bridget and Adrian Farmer soon will be working on a publication with all the details. Until recently the James Bay population was thought most likely to winter along the southeastern coast of the United States (Morrison et al. 2006), where counts estimated 2226 birds a few years ago (Winn et al. 2006). The origins of the southeast Atlantic wintering birds remain a mystery. Bridget Olsen is going to Georgia in September with 8 transmitters to mark the wintering birds to resolve that question. Ruddy Turnstone: 6 adults on 8 Aug. Sanderling: 21 molting and faded adults on 8 Aug. Semipalmated Sandpiper: 1000+ on 6 Aug, 40% juveniles. White-rumped Sandpiper: 3000+ molting adults on 6 Aug, 1800 on 8 Aug. Pectoral Sandpiper: 136 adults on 7 Aug. Short-billed Dowitcher: 12 juveniles on 8 Aug. 1. Shorebird and Waterfowl Breeding Success in 2008: In July, Ken Abraham (OMNR) was along the northwest coast of Hudson Bay and on Southampton Island, Nunavut. He reports (fide Jim Leafloor of Canadian Wildlife Service) that lemming numbers are generally high in the Eastern Arctic from Churchill, Manitoba, to Bylot Island (latitude 73 deg), Nunavut. Waterfowl and shorebirds are having a good breeding season because nest predators (foxes, gulls, jaegers, hawks, owls, etc.) are preying on lemmings instead of birds. When lemmings are scarce, nest depredation is much higher on birds and breeding success is low. Tundra lemmings, Brown and Collared, are not found south to Akimiski so the situation is different there. This summer voles and other small mammals are low on Akimiski so nest depredation was high (OMNR). The above are examples of the alternative prey hypothesis. 2. Birds whose most southerly breeding range is the James Bay area: Snow Goose (most southerly breeding is Akimiski), Ross's Goose, Tundra Swan, King Eider, "Hudson Bay" Common Eider (subspecies sedentaria), Surf Scoter, Black Scoter, American Golden-Plover, Whimbrel, Hudsonian Godwit, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Dunlin (subspecies hudsonia), Purple Sandpiper (subspecies belcheri), Stilt Sandpiper, Short-billed Dowitcher, Red-necked Phalarope, Parasitic Jaeger, Northern Shrike, American Tree Sparrow, Harris's Sparrow, Lapland Longspur, Smith's Longspur, and Hoary Redpoll. 3. Diurnal Raptors and Shorebirds: Osprey, Northern Harrier, and an adult Merlin with juvenile learning to prey on shorebirds. Merlins breed near camp. Recent studies elsewhere indicate that shorebirds are flushing more frequently and spending shorter periods of time at staging areas apparently linked to increasing numbers of Peregrine Falcons, Merlins, etc. Peregrines do not breed in the James Bay area because of the flat topography. Snow and ice map link. Note the last remaining sea ice in Hudson Bay. This long lasting ice and cold water contribute to subarctic conditions extending deep into Eastern Canada. The ice persisting longest at the bottom end of Hudson Bay is due to water circulation patterns, making that coastline one of the best places for Polar Bears in summer, and that coast is a major fall staging area for Polar Bears waiting for freeze-up. http://www.natice.noaa.gov/pub/ims_gif/DATA/cursnow_usa.gif Polar Bear and Climate Change research. http://www.mnr.gov.on.ca/en/Newsroom/LatestNews/MNR_E004159.html We thank Ken Abraham and Bridget Olsen for information. Next report in a few days. Ron Pittaway and Jean Iron Toronto / Minden, Ontrario Canada Subject: James Bay Shorebirds - Akimiski Report # 2 From: Jean Iron <jeaniron AT SYMPATICO.CA> Date: Wed, 6 Aug 2008 15:52:16 -0400 This is Jean Iron's report for period 3 - 5 August 2008 via satellite phone from Akimiski Island in James Bay. Jean is a volunteer surveying shorebirds to support studies on birds and habitat use by the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR) and Trent University. There are 50 shorebird species on the Ontario Bird Checklist (Ontario Field Ornithologists 2008) with 35 species occurring regularly in the province (Ontario Shorebird Conservation Plan 2003). There are 31 species on the Nunavut Bird Checklist for the Bay Islands Region (Richards et al. 2002). Aerial surveys by the Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) and OMNR indicate that tens of thousands of shorebirds use Akimiski's north coast in fall migration. Jean's migration chronology from 1 - 25 August will be the first extended ground survey for one location on the island. Shorebird Study: Master's student Lisa Pollock of Trent is studying the importance of the Akimiski north shore habitats to migrating shorebirds under the co-supervision of Dr. Erica Nol (Trent) and Dr. Ken Abraham (MNR/Trent). Her study includes taking core samples to determine food availability on the tidal flats, quantifying habitat use by recording birds according to macro and micro-habitat location, color banding shorebirds to determine how long individuals use the study area, and monitoring numbers species and age composition of shorebirds over the migration period. Dr. David Beresford of Trent is assisting with the identification of invertebrates in the mud samples and advising Lisa with sampling methodology. In addition to Jean, summer students Danica Hogan, Andree Daoust-Messier, and Trent M.Sc. student Ben Walters are all assisting with various aspects of the study. Recent sightings below. Semipalmated Plover: several adults. Killdeer: several, not aged. Greater Yellowlegs: 23 with a mix of adults and juveniles on 4 Aug. Lesser Yellowlegs: 91 on 4 Aug, mostly juveniles. Whimbrel: 1 on 4 Aug, not aged but probable migrating adult at this date. Hudsonian Godwit: 52 molting adults and 4 juveniles on 5 Aug. World population estimated at 70,000 birds and probably relatively stable (Morrison et al. 2006). A small number probably breed on Akimiski Island at the southern range limit. About 50% of the world's population stages along the west coast of James Bay (Sutherland and Peck in Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas 2007). Southbound migration is concentrated in a narrow lane a few km wide along the west coast of Hudson and James Bays. Most adults reach James Bay in late July and early August, while at the same time a few hundred over-flying adults appear in the Madeleine Islands (Quebec) in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Maritime Provinces. Most adults depart James Bay in the last 10 days of August after fattening for a non-stop flight to South America. Juveniles gather on the west coast of James Bay and leave mid-September to early October (Godfrey 1986, The Birds of Canada). Occasional flocks are seen in southern Ontario including a recent flock. Dave Martin sent me a photo taken by Don Taylor of 24 adults photographed near London (ON) on 4 July 2008. These observations are usually associated with big thunderstorms. Marbled Godwit: 1 on 3 Aug, not aged. Ruddy Turnstone: 6 adults on 3 Aug, 1 on 4 Aug. Semipalmated Sandpiper: 1600 with 20-30% juveniles. Least Sandpiper: 4 juveniles on 5 Aug. White-rumped Sandpiper: 2500 molting adults. Pectoral Sandpiper: 150 adults. First juveniles not expected until mid August. Short-billed Dowitcher: 3 juveniles on 5 Aug including 1 banded by Ben Walters. Most adults have departed the breeding grounds by this date. Other Birds: Snow Goose, Mallard, American Black Duck (23 on 2 Aug, more common than Mallard), Northern Pintail (commonest puddle duck), Common Goldeneye, 3 Sandhill Cranes on 3 Aug, Common Loon 1 worn and faded year-old Glaucous Gull on 4 Aug, 3 adult and 1 juvenile Bonaparte's Gulls on 4 Aug, 5 Arctic Terns on 3 Aug, 3 Caspian Terns on 4 Aug (small numbers breed on James Bay), Boreal Chickadee, Yellow Warbler with young, Wilson's Warbler, Fox Sparrow, White-crowned Sparrow feeding young, 12 White-winged Crossbills on 5 Aug. Mammals: On Sunday at noon a female Polar Bear and cub were swimming at high tide in front of camp. Seven Polar Bears including 2 females each with a cub have been keeping researchers close to camp, in accordance with a well-established safety policy designed for the purpose of keeping both researchers and bears safe. These bears are curious and not aggressive. Explosive bangers and other noise-makers are used to scare them. The camp is protected by a combination of electric fence and 10 foot enclosure fencing. On Sunday a Lynx ran onto the mudflat chasing geese, but soon gave up. One Snowshoe Hare sighted near camp. Voles: OMNR has done extensive live trapping this summer. Small mammal numbers are very low, for example, no Meadow Voles have been caught. Other small mammals are low. This is reflected in the absence of Short-eared Owls and very few sightings of Northern Harriers. Selected References: (1) Ontario Shorebird Conservation Plan by K. Ross, K. Abraham, R. Clay, B. Collins, J. Iron, R. James, D. McLachlin, and R. Weeber. 2003. Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada. Hard copies available; email with full postal address. (2) Morrison, R.I.G., B.J. McCaffery, R.E. Gill, S. K. Skagen, S. L. Jones, G.W. Page, C. L. Gratto-Trevor, and B. A. Andres. 2006. Population estimates of North American shorebirds 2006. Wader Study Bulletin. (3) Richards, J.M., Y.R. Tymstra and A.W. White. 2002. Birds of Nunavut: A Checklist. Birders Journal, vol 11, no 1. I thank Ken Abraham for information. Next update in a few days. Ron Pittaway Minden and Toronto Ontario, Canada Subject: Palm Beach County FL Ag fields - 18 species of shorebirds From: Robert Wallace <chnuts AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Sun, 3 Aug 2008 18:18:23 -0700 Greetings - on Saturday 8/2 I met up with intrepid Miami birders Roberto "Toe" Torres, Paul "Life is Good" Bithorn, Trey "Big Lens" Mitchell and a number of others, for a tour of the Sugar Cane and sod fields east of Belle Glade FL (near Lake Okeechobee). The farmers flood the fields to control nematodes and weeds before planting, creating prime conditions for migrating shorebirds. This management system has been in practice for many years by area farmers, and draws literally thousands of migrating shorebirds, and thousands of herons, egrets, ibises, storks and other water birds to the fields as they dry up. The spectacle can be dramatic. We found 2 large fields, totaling maybe 500 acres between them, that had the following birds: Black-necked Stilt - 2000+ American Avocet - 50 Black-bellied Plover - 200 Semipalmated Plover - 20 Killdeer - 300 Greater Yellowlegs - 2000+ Lesser Yellowlegs - 5000+ Solitary Sandpiper - 5 Spotted Sandpiper - 3 Short-billed Dowitcher - 10 Long-billed Dowitcher - 10 Stilt Sandpiper - 300+ Ruddy Turnstone - 3 Least Sandpiper - 5000+ Semipalmated Sandpiper - 1000+ Western Sandpiper - 100+ Pectoral Sandpiper - 50+ White-rumped Sandpiper - 1 plus: White Pelican - 10 Wood Stork - 500+ Herons and Egrets - 2000++ Gull-billed Tern - 40 Caspian Tern - 20 Black Tern - 10 Least Tern - 4 This is an excellent example of what could be accomplished if governmental agencies and water management districts were to actively manage for shorebird populations during migration months of April-May, and July-Sept. Many public lands in Florida are old farm lands, and are already diked and have the infrastructure in place to control water levels. These places include Lake Apopka Restoration Area (the former Zellwood muck farms, once the premier shorebird site in Florida when farmers practiced the same flooding in the 1970s), Lake Woodruff NWR, Merritt Island NWR (including Shiloh Marsh), Paynes Prairie near Gainesville, St. Marks NWR (Mounds Pools), and many others. Are there other readers of the shorebird list that have experience with getting agencies to adopt management plans to promote shorebird habitat? The NWRs are actively managed for ducks by raising water levels during the winter, why not lower them during shorebird migration? Bob Wallace Alachua FL Subject: James Bay Shorebirds - Akimiski Report # 1 From: Jean Iron <jeaniron AT SYMPATICO.CA> Date: Sun, 3 Aug 2008 08:58:44 -0400 Jean Iron called late last night (Aug 2) by satellite phone from Akimiski Island, Nunavut, in James Bay. She is volunteering again with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR) under the general direction of Research Scientist Ken Abraham (OMNR) and Professor Erica Nol of Trent University. There are 6 people including Jean in camp from OMNR and Trent. I'll report more about their studies in future posts. James Bay reaches deep into Eastern Canada between Ontario and Quebec. Hundreds of thousands of shorebirds stage on the wide tidal flats and coastal marshes in transit between the Arctic and wintering areas in Central and South America. Aerial surveys indicate that the north coast of Akimiski Island is particularly important to southbound shorebirds. Jean will be recording the shorebird species, numbers, plumages/ages (adults and juveniles), stages of molt, movements related to tides, and habitats used for feeding and roosting. She'll also document much of the above with photographs. Yesterday thousands of distant shorebirds stretched along the coast, but surveyors were able to identify and count only birds within 1.5 km of camp. Today they will survey farther from camp. Recent sightings below. Semipalmated Plover: 12 on August 1, 7 on August 2. No colour-banded local birds suggesting migrants. Greater Yellowlegs: 70 on August 2. Mostly adults. Lesser Yellowlegs: 150 on August 2. Mostly juveniles. Hudsonian Godwit: 34 molting adults on August 2. Marbled Godwit: 2 in flight on August 2. The 5 adult godwits fitted with transmitters this spring are still on the island. No nests were found this summer during thorough searches. Jean will be watching closely for juveniles indicating breeding this year. Ruddy Turnstone: 12 adults (no signs of molt) on August 2. Semipalmated Sandpiper: 500 mostly adults with a good proportion of juveniles. Juveniles will soon outnumber adults. Based on previous colour marking, some Semipalmateds from James Bay go to the tidal flats at the north end of the Bay of Fundy in New Brunswick. Others were sighted in Ottawa (Ontario) and at Presqu'ile Provincial Park on Lake Ontario and elsewhere. White-rumped Sandpiper: 1000 molting adults on August 2, most common shorebird. When adult White-rumpeds depart James Bay, most bypass southern Ontario apparently going east across Quebec to the Gulf of St. Lawrence and Maritime Provinces. Pectoral Sandpiper: 64 non-molting adults feeding among the bright yellow Mastodon Flowers (Senecio congestus) in the marshy inshore. Dunlin: 3 adults still mainly in worn breeding plumage. Mammals: 5 Polar Bears were close to camp yesterday, including a female with a cub. About 50 Polar Bears annually summer on Akimiski Island waiting for freeze-up in late fall. These are the most southerly Polar Bears in the world. On Friday's flight from Moosonee to the island, 13 Belugas (white whales) including a female and calve were sighted midway between Akimiski and the Ontario coast. Satellite image of Akimiski Island, largest island in James Bay. The camp is on the northeast coast. http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=17995 Note sea ice off Ontario's north coast. This is annually the last part of Hudson Bay to have sea ice. http://www.natice.noaa.gov/pub/ims_gif/DATA/cursnow_usa.gif Jean will phone me every few days to post updates. Ron Pittaway Toronto and Minden Ontario, Canada Subject: NUmenius sp. From: Mauricio Ugarte-Lewis <mugartelewis AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Sun, 27 Jul 2008 20:07:44 -0700 HI everybody: I am new in the list, i am from Peru; this time i am just starting with  a question for everybody, i upload in the birdingperu web page two BAD pics of a Curlew that i am not able to identify, maybe someone can help with this, because seems to be no one can with this so far http://www.birding-peru.com/picsfiles/photos.asp?idtipopic=1&paginaactual=2 Thanks in advance L.Mauricio Ugarte-Lewis Curador - Área de Ornitología,Coleccion Científica Museo de Historia Natural U.N.S.A Luna Pizarro 925, Los Pinos Vallecito - Cercado Arequipa, Perú http://ornitologiamusa.blogspot.com/ http://birding-south-peru.blogspot.com/ ____________________________________________________________________________________ Yahoo! MTV Blog & Rock >¡Cuéntanos tu historia, inspira una canción y gánate un viaje a los Premios MTV! Participa aquí http://mtvla.yahoo.com/ Subject: Fw: [SDBIRDS] Red-necked Stint photos, 23 July 2008, San Diego Bay From: Jay K <azure.jay AT EARTHLINK.NET> Date: Thu, 24 Jul 2008 06:24:52 -0700 Hello All, Matt Sadowski discovered San Diego County, California's first record of Red-necked Stint yesterday. For international birders reading this, the species is rare but nearly annual vagrant to both coasts, I believe most typically in July and August. See details below. Jay Keller, San Diego, CA USA -----Forwarded Message----- >From: Matt Sadowski >Sent: Jul 23, 2008 5:25 PM >To: sdbirds AT yahoogroups.com >Subject: [SDBIRDS] Red-necked Stint photos, 23 July 2008, San Diego Bay > >I got to work early this morning and had to wait for a coworker so I grabbed my coffee and took a stroll along the mudflats. >Shorebird numbers were low so I wasn't expecting much until I saw a rather reddish-throated Calidris foraging in the distance on the >upper/drier part of the mudflat. My first thought was stint but the rational part of my brain was saying "calm down, it's just a >Sanderling". As the the bird crossed paths with a Western Sandpiper (showing relative size) that thought process was put to a halt. >Eventually I could see it was rather fatter looking than a WESA with shorter legs, the posture being more like Least Sandpiper >(although obviously larger). The face was pale with a pale red wash on the throat and spots below that on the sides of the breast. I >started taking many docu-shots from a distance. Since my phone had just informed me that it had run out of minutes it was at this >point that I realized I would need to leave the bird and find a pay phone. > >Luckily the bird stayed on the mudflats until about 11:00 and I was able to get some closer shots before it flew to the sandspit >southeast of the mudflat, where we left it. > >Photos: http://www.flickr.com/photos/68911779 AT N00/ > >Driving past later, during the peak of the high tide, I did not see any birds roosting on the sandspit so the small shorebirds >either roosted somewhere in the drier Least Tern nesting area (restricted) to the south or somewhere else altogether. Hopefully the >bird is back out there right now (17:22, tide dropping). There is no point in looking for it during high tide because even if it was >roosting somewhere in the area it would not be readily visible from the bike path viewpoint. > >Google map: http://tinyurl.com/5wf6pn > >Matt Sadowski >Chula Vista > Subject: Shorebird Sampling this Winter From: Andrea Lyn Storm-Suke <andreastormsuke AT TRENTU.CA> Date: Wed, 23 Jul 2008 12:28:00 -0400 Hello, I am a graduate student working out of Trent University looking at the use of stable isotopes to elucidate patterns of migratory connectivity in Semipalmated Plovers. I am wondering if 1) anyone will be sampling shorebirds on their wintering grounds between January and April 2009 (anywhere from the coastal southern east or west US to Mexico, the Caribbean or South America). If so, would it be possible for you to collect the 7th primary feathers from wintering Semipalmated Plovers (or Killdeer), in addition to collecting a water sample from the sampling location. And/or 2) if anyone is aware of other individuals sampling wintering shorebird that I might be able to contact. I appreciate any information or help that can be provided. Thank you very much for your time. Andrea Storm-Suke Subject: Least Tern Survey Methodology From: Jenifer Hilburn <ecojen AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Thu, 17 Jul 2008 08:54:22 -0700 Hello�all, I am looking for a standarized,�or even informal survey methodology for (inland, although any would work) Least Terns? Thanks Jen � Jenifer D. Hilburn Island Ornithologist St. Catherines Island Georgia, USA � ________________________________ The task is still impossible, but it is slowly yielding to a persistent unwillingness to accept that reality. Timothy Keith-Lucas ________________________________ ----- Original Message ---- From: Robert Wallace To: SHOREBIRDS AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU Sent: Monday, July 14, 2008 7:25:29 AM Subject: [SHOREBIRDS] Shorebird migration, Ponce Inlet Greetings - The first wave of shorebirds was on the sandbar inside Ponce Inlet this weekend (also because the 4th of July boat traffic was absent) - about 100 plovers (mostly SEPL and WIPL), a small group of BBPLs, Willets, 1 Greater Yellowlegs, and a group of RUTUs. There was a juvenile Great Black-backed Gull on the beach, but my guess is this was a summer holdover. Bob Wallace New Smryna Beach FL Subject: Shorebird migration, Ponce Inlet From: Robert Wallace <chnuts AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Mon, 14 Jul 2008 04:25:29 -0700 Greetings - The first wave of shorebirds was on the sandbar inside Ponce Inlet this weekend (also because the 4th of July boat traffic was absent) - about 100 plovers (mostly SEPL and WIPL), a small group of BBPLs, Willets, 1 Greater Yellowlegs, and a group of RUTUs. There was a juvenile Great Black-backed Gull on the beach, but my guess is this was a summer holdover. Bob Wallace New Smryna Beach FL Subject: Eskimo Curlew: Damn few and they're not all deid! From: "Norman D.van Swelm" <Norman.vanswelm AT WXS.NL> Date: Fri, 4 Jul 2008 14:56:36 +0200 Martin Collinson wrote: >I feel there's been (until you) no rebuttal of this Eskimo Curlew claim because many people thought it was not necessary.< Peter Adriaens wrote: >Next, you will probably come up with similar 'evidence' of a breeding population of Ivory-billed Woodpeckers in The Netherlands!< Guys! Believe me, I know how you feel. Had I known I was photographing an Eskimo Curlew my hands would have started to tremble indefinitely and I would not even have been able to take the poor quality photo's as Ron has described them so kindly. Fortunately I only saw a tiny brown curlew amidst a group of curlews which were harassed by our local Goshawk. Thank you Mr.Goshawk! This kind of encounters don't come cheep! I have been screening every group of curlews that crossed my path over the last thirty years or so and the only rarity I expected to come across one day was the Slender-billed Curlew as there have been quite a few observations in The Netherlands over the last hundred years or more. Guys, my advise to you is: take a brake. Relax, or come and visit the Oostvoorne beach, the Eskimo Curlew may still be there! Who knows? There is plenty of affordable accommodation, the food is excellent, the weather fine and you only have to check thousands of shy, moulting curlews. What better way of spending your time than mourning you've just missed an Eskimo Curlew? Back to th� bird! Jerry Tangren wrote: >I wouldn't worry about the plumage color, but that bill just looks funny for any bird. Any chance the photo was enhanced to bring out its shape?< Well Jerry, what you see is fragments of larger pictures cut out just bring out the bird from the larger group of curlews. Remember that the distance between me and the birds is about 70 meters or so. Jerry Tangren wrote: > I'd also like to believe. Whatever happened to the secret Canadian breeding > population of the late 20th century?< I couldn't possibly comment! Ron Pittaway wrote: >The poor quality photos show no > diagnostic characters of an Eskimo Curlew. Its size cannot be > properly evaluated. The wings linings appear gray not tawny. The bill > seems too heavy, too deep-based, too long, and too strongly decurved > for an Eskimo Curlew.< I could see the comment on size coming therefore we will include a picture on the site soon, taken in Naturalis i.e. the National Museum for Natural History in Leiden here in The Netherlands, of skins of a Curlew N.arquata found in Oostvoorne and a Little Curlew N.borealis . Little Curlew is smaller than Eskimo Curlew as you know but the three Eskimo Curlews in the museum are mounted specimens and in spite of much persuasion we couldn't get our friend the collection manager to stretch one of the Eskimo's a bit for the occassion. The colour and size of our bird leave only two species to choose from: Little and Eskimo. I think Eskimo is the one but I can assure you that the two in hand are surprisingly similar! David Sonneborn wrote: >I saw a Little Curlew in Alaska which was collected (so no doubt about the identity) and in the late 60"s I may have seen an Eskimo Curlew ( I still think I did although it was not a good date) in North Carolina. SO I must be an expert. The underwing of the Little Curlew was similar to that in your photos while the putative Eskimo Curlew put its wing up which was "cinnamon". So I vote for Little.< David, your vote will be taken seriously. We have taken pictures of the underwing of Little Curlew in Naturalis which will we will show soon. You can compare them with the pictures of Eskimo Curlew on the site of the Britisch Museum. My impression is that the contrast and colour do not differ much. Gyorgy Szimuly wrote: > Before this news rocks the World I have some comments... > I guess sides and underwing coloration is not as rufus/tawny as it > should be and the belly is quite white which is fine for Little Curlew. > Also the leg projection is not quite obvious on the highly cropped > images. Was it visible on the field? Based on the image the upperwing > doesn't look 'uniformly dark' as Hayman et al says.< Gyorgy, please compare the pictures from Naturalis and the BM, my impression is that the underpart colouration of the two species is quite similar. Gyorgy Szimuly wrote: > Any chance of a top-side view of the flying bird where wing pattern and rump visible? < All I the pictures I took can be seen here: http://members.lycos.nl/radioactiverobins/snipes-waders/eskimo%20curlew%20numenius%20borealis.htm Gyorgy Szimuly wrote: > By the way... a Little Curlew record would also be awesome for the > Netherlands. :))))< Yes. Bob OBrien wrote: > I've only seen one little curlew which I photographed extensively in > California years ago but i agree with your comments on the bill. > BUT...This is too incredible. Are there supposed to be links to other > photos on this page (for the other 7 shorebirds)? If so they don't work. > It would be useful to see all the photos to help judge this incredible > find among photos of 'known' birds. > Congratulations (?) & best regards,< Thank you for your kind congrats Bob! Bill Benner wrote:>I am curious how you can tell that this is not a Little Curlew (Numenius minutus). I have never seen either species, so I don't really have any experience. I thought, though, that N. borealis had cinnamon wing linings--brighter than the bird in the photos? Thanks for any help,< > On Thu, 3 Jul 2008, Norman D.van Swelm wrote: >> Hi Bill, Of course Little Curlew crossed my mind, it wasn't like: Oh look an Eskimo Curlew! Little has a different shaped and shorter bill and it's legs are projected beyond the tail. Under ideal conditions the cinnamon may be brighter but this bird was at quite some distance besides have a look at the skins in the British Museum the cinnamon is not as bright as in some illustrations in ID guides.< As mentioned above we made a number of pictures of Little Curlews Numenius minutus in Naturalis. There are quite a few skins in the collection from birds shot in the former Dutch East Indies (now Indonesia) and the Philippines. Alas there are only three mounted Eskimo Curlews without date, one with location Brazil and for the other two: North America. They will be placed on the site soon, so keep an eye on: http://members.lycos.nl/radioactiverobins/snipes-waders/eskimo%20curlew%20numenius%20borealis.htm All the best, Norman Subject: Re: [BIRDWG01] (Eskimo Curlew) Damn few and they're not all dead! From: Jerry Tangren <tangren AT WSU.EDU> Date: Thu, 3 Jul 2008 08:24:00 -0700 I wouldn't worry about the plumage color, but that bill just looks funny for any bird. Any chance the photo was enhanced to bring out its shape? I'd also like to believe. Whatever happened to the secret Canadian breeding population of the late 20th century? --Jerry On 7/3/08 5:54 AM, "Jean Iron" wrote: > There has not been a rebuttal to this extraordinary claim of an > Eskimo Curlew, so I offer my views. The poor quality photos show no > diagnostic characters of an Eskimo Curlew. Its size cannot be > properly evaluated. The wings linings appear gray not tawny. The bill > seems too heavy, too deep-based, too long, and too strongly decurved > for an Eskimo Curlew. > > The accepted sightings in Texas from 1945 to the 1960s never reported > more than two birds (Oberholser 1974). The last photograph of an > Eskimo Curlew was taken in March 1962 in Texas, reproduced in The > Shorebird Guide 2006. The last specimen was shot in the Barbados, > West Indies, on 4 September 1963. I have often wondered if bird in > the 1962 Texas photo and the 1963 Barbados specimen are the same > individual given that there were perhaps only three very old Eskimo > Curlews alive in 1963. There is no evidence that any of the claimed > sightings since the 1960s was correctly identified. None was accepted > by a museum authority or records committee. Most authorities state > that the Eskimo Curlew is "presumed extinct". The recent photos from > the Netherlands do not change its status. The Eskimo Curlew probably > has been extinct for almost 50 years. > > This is my only post about this bird. > > Ron Pittaway > Minden, Ontario > Canada > > > At 04:54 PM 7/2/2008, Norman D.van Swelm wrote: > > Have a look here please: > > http://members.lycos.nl/radioactiverobins/snipes-waders/eskimo%20curlew%20nume > nius%20borealis.htm > > Cheers, Norman > > Join or Leave BIRDWG01: http://listserv.arizona.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=birdwg01 > > Archives: http://listserv.arizona.edu/archives/birdwg01.html > > > > Join or Leave BIRDWG01: http://listserv.arizona.edu/cgi-bin/wa?SUBED1=birdwg01 > > Archives: http://listserv.arizona.edu/archives/birdwg01.html Subject: Re: (Eskimo Curlew) Damn few and they're not all dead! From: Jean Iron <jeaniron AT SYMPATICO.CA> Date: Thu, 3 Jul 2008 08:57:53 -0400 There has not been a rebuttal to this extraordinary claim of an Eskimo Curlew, so I offer my views. The poor quality photos show no diagnostic characters of an Eskimo Curlew. Its size cannot be properly evaluated. The wings linings appear gray not tawny. The bill seems too heavy, too deep-based, too long, and too strongly decurved for an Eskimo Curlew. The accepted sightings in Texas from 1945 to the 1960s never reported more than two birds (Oberholser 1974). The last photograph of an Eskimo Curlew was taken in March 1962 in Texas, reproduced in The Shorebird Guide 2006. The last specimen was shot in the Barbados, West Indies, on 4 September 1963. I have often wondered if bird in the 1962 Texas photo and the 1963 Barbados specimen are the same individual given that there were perhaps only three very old Eskimo Curlews alive in 1963. There is no evidence that any of the claimed sightings since the 1960s was correctly identified. None was accepted by a museum authority or records committee. Most authorities state that the Eskimo Curlew is "presumed extinct". The recent photos from the Netherlands do not change its status. The Eskimo Curlew probably has been extinct for almost 50 years. This is my only post about this bird. Ron Pittaway Minden, Ontario Canada At 06:48 PM 7/2/2008, you wrote: >Have a look here please: > >http://members.lycos.nl/radioactiverobins/snipes-waders/eskimo%20curlew%20numenius%20borealis.htm > >Cheers, Norman Subject: Re: Damn few and they're not all deid! From: Gyorgy Szimuly <gyorgy.szimuly AT T-ONLINE.HU> Date: Thu, 3 Jul 2008 04:03:55 +0200 Hi Shorebird Lovers, Before this news rocks the World I have some comments... I guess sides and underwing coloration is not as rufus/tawny as it should be and the belly is quite white which is fine for Little Curlew. Also the leg projection is not quite obvious on the highly cropped images. Was it visible on the field? Based on the image the upperwing doesn't look 'uniformly dark' as Hayman et al says. Any chance of a top-side view of the flying bird where wing pattern and rump visible? Could you exclude an abnormal sized Whimbrel? Don't get me wrong I am not sceptic but having an Eskimo Curlew record today is not a daily issue. I don't want to start an 'Ivory- billed Woodpecker-like' discussion here but proper ID is a key. By the way... a Little Curlew record would also be awesome for the Netherlands. :)))) BR: Szimi ---------- Gyorgy Szimuly (Szimi) Skype: szimistyle iChat: gyorgy.szimuly AT mac.com URL: http://www.szimistyle.com Blog: http://web.mac.com/gyorgy.szimuly On 2008.07.03., at 1:27, Norman D.van Swelm wrote: Hi Bill, Of course Little Curlew crossed my mind, it wasn't like: Oh look an Eskimo Curlew! Little has a different shaped and shorter bill and it's legs are projected beyond the tail. Under ideal conditions the cinnamon may be brighter but this bird was at quite some distance besides have a look at the skins in the British Museum the cinnamon is not as bright as in some illustrations in ID guides. All the best, Norman > I am curious how you can tell that this is not a Little Curlew > (Numenius minutus). I have never seen either species, so I don't > really have any experience. I thought, though, that N. borealis > had cinnamon wing linings--brighter than the bird in the photos? > Thanks for any help, Bill Benner Whately, Franklin Co., MA, USA billb55 AT aol.com -----Original Message----- From: Norman D.van Swelm To: SHOREBIRDS AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU Sent: Wed, 2 Jul 2008 6:48 pm Subject: [SHOREBIRDS] Damn few and they're not all deid! Have a look here please: http://members.lycos.nl/radioactiverobins/snipes-waders/eskimo% 20curlew%20numenius%20borealis.htm Cheers, Norman Subject: Fw: [SHOREBIRDS] Damn few and they're not all deid! From: "Norman D.van Swelm" <Norman.vanswelm AT WXS.NL> Date: Thu, 3 Jul 2008 01:27:56 +0200 Hi Bill, Of course Little Curlew crossed my mind, it wasn't like: Oh look an Eskimo Curlew! Little has a different shaped and shorter bill and it's legs are projected beyond the tail. Under ideal conditions the cinnamon may be brighter but this bird was at quite some distance besides have a look at the skins in the British Museum the cinnamon is not as bright as in some illustrations in ID guides. All the best, Norman >I am curious how you can tell that this is not a Little Curlew (Numenius minutus). I have never seen either species, so I don't really have any experience. I thought, though, that N. borealis had cinnamon wing linings--brighter than the bird in the photos? Thanks for any help, Bill Benner Whately, Franklin Co., MA, USA billb55 AT aol.com -----Original Message----- From: Norman D.van Swelm To: SHOREBIRDS AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU Sent: Wed, 2 Jul 2008 6:48 pm Subject: [SHOREBIRDS] Damn few and they're not all deid! Have a look here please: http://members.lycos.nl/radioactiverobins/snipes-waders/eskimo%20curlew%20numenius%20borealis.htm Cheers, Norman Subject: Re: Damn few and they're not all deid! From: William Benner <billb55 AT AOL.COM> Date: Wed, 2 Jul 2008 19:10:01 -0400 Hello, I am curious how you can tell that this is not a Little Curlew (Numenius minutus).? I have never seen either species, so I don't really have any experience.? I thought, though, that N. borealis had cinnamon wing linings--brighter than the bird in the photos?? Thanks for any help, Bill Benner Whately, Franklin Co., MA, USA billb55 AT aol.com -----Original Message----- From: Norman D.van Swelm To: SHOREBIRDS AT LISTSERV.UGA.EDU Sent: Wed, 2 Jul 2008 6:48 pm Subject: [SHOREBIRDS] Damn few and they're not all deid! Have a look here please:? ? ?http://members.lycos.nl/radioactiverobins/snipes-waders/eskimo%20curlew%20numenius%20borealis.htm? ? Cheers, Norman? Subject: Damn few and they're not all deid! From: "Norman D.van Swelm" <Norman.vanswelm AT WXS.NL> Date: Thu, 3 Jul 2008 00:48:57 +0200 Have a look here please: http://members.lycos.nl/radioactiverobins/snipes-waders/eskimo%20curlew%20numenius%20borealis.htm Cheers, Norman Subject: James Bay - Akimiski Island Report # 8 From: Jean Iron <jeaniron AT SYMPATICO.CA> Date: Thu, 26 Jun 2008 20:34:16 -0400 We had a satellite phone call from from Akimiski Island, James Bay, Canada, for the period 11-26 June 2008. Mark Peck of the Royal Ontario Museum, Tyler Hoar and Gerry Binsfeld arrived on Akimiski Island on 11 June and will be leaving the Island tomorrow, 27 June. They are surveying shorebirds along coastal transects north and south of camp, and inland along a 7 km transect through black and white spruce, wet areas, and a previous burn now growing in with balsam poplar. They are also monitoring Semipalmated Plovers and Killdeers. During 16 days of surveys they have walked over 250 km. Most days were cool and foggy, the last three days were sunny, high 8 degrees celsius. Ice is still on James Bay. Shorebird Breeding and Migration Northbound shorebird migration was over by about 13 June. Most flocks of 40+ Hudsonian Godwits left by 13 June. A few birds remained, feeding on the coast then flying inland where they may nest. However, the interior of Akimiski Island is difficult to access on foot, so Mark, Tyler and Gerry have not looked inland for nests. About 20 Marbled Godwits, one with a satellite transmitter, have been regular on the coast where they feed, then fly inland. Much suitable nesting habitat occurs in the interior in large sedge meadows and fens. The surveyors have not been able to access these large inland fen meadows to check for nests. Most Semipalmated Plover and Killdeer nests were wiped out by the very high tide on 8 June. They renested and the first Semipalmated Plovers hatched on 24 June. Depredation by Red Foxes, Common Ravens, American Crows and Herring Gulls is high. Southbound shorebird migration just started. 20 to 60 adult Hudsonian Godwits a day are now gathering at this staging area on the coast. Their numbers will increase in James Bay, where they will fatten up before their mostly nonstop long distance flight to South America later in the summer. About 50 adult Lesser Yellowlegs are gathering on the mudflats indicating the first southbound migrants of this species. Expect the first southbound migrant adult Lesser Yellowlegs any day in southern Ontario. Between 5 and 10 Short-billed Dowitchers have been seen every day along the coast. Some could be early southbound migrants. Other Sightings Brant migrated north on 12/13 June, however a small flock of about 51 has remained throughout the period. Rafts of 200 male Common Goldeneye were on the bay on 16 June, indicating these are molt migrants that will summer on James Bay. White-winged and Black Scoters, and Common Loons have been sighted. Single sighting of Sharp-tailed Grouse and Spruce Grouse. Arctic Terns are nesting on gravel ridges. Bonaparte's Gulls are regular on the coast. Great Horned Owl seen on 17 June. 31 Gray Jays on a 7 km transect inland in black and white spruce. Gray Jay seen taking Ruby-crowned Kinglet egg. Ruby-crowned Kinglets were agitated when Gray Jays are near. Vagrant Gray Catbird and Northern Mockingbird seen on 25 June. Many singing male Tennessee Warblers. Yellow Warblers were building nests on 16 June and are still laying eggs on 26 June, whereas Yellow-rumped Warbler eggs are hatching now. Northern Waterthrushes are in the sloughs inland from camp. 6 Le Conte's Sparrows south of camp arrived on territory around 14/15 June. 1 Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow (subspecies alterus) was 3 km south of camp on 15 June. Many singing Fox and Lincoln's Sparrows. Savannah Sparrow and White-throated Sparrow eggs are hatching on 26 June. 40 White-winged Crossbills were seen on 19 June, and 1 to 3 pairs seen each day since. Mammals: First Polar Bear sighted on 12 June 1 km south of camp. Next night, it came within 150 metres of camp. Firing a bear banger discouraged it from coming closer. Three nights later another Polar Bear overturned water barrels outside the camp fence on two consecutive nights. The electric fence and a 4 metre high fence protect the camp. Two Lynx are regularly seen over past 5 days. Map link shows snow and ice conditions. Akimiski (note green island) is close to Ontario coast half way up west side of James Bay. http://www.natice.noaa.gov/pub/ims_gif/DATA/cursnow_usa.gif Jean Iron and Ron Pittaway Toronto Subject: James Bay - Akimiski Island "Photos" From: Jean Iron <jeaniron AT SYMPATICO.CA> Date: Tue, 17 Jun 2008 21:34:23 -0400 Please see photo link of my recent trip to Akimiski Island in James Bay, Canada. There are 6 pages of photos plus page 7 with all 7 reports from the field posted to SHOREBIRDS. http://www.jeaniron.ca/2008/Akimiski2008/index.htm Jean Iron Toronto, Ontario Canada Subject: Knots in 1st summer plumage From: "Norman D.van Swelm" <Norman.vanswelm AT WXS.NL> Date: Fri, 13 Jun 2008 23:33:54 +0200 Pictures of 2 males and one female Greenland Knot can be seen here: http://members.lycos.nl/radioactiverobins/snipes-waders/waders-knots%205b.htm One of the males has reddish feathers on throat and underparts. There are not many Knots left in the Dutch delta and it is usually difficult to come close to them. Do any of you know if 2nd calendar year Knots reach the breeding grounds? I have seen pictures of grey winter plumaged Knots taken on the Siberian breeding grounds but I am not sure these were 2nd CY birds. Cheers, Norman Subject: James Bay - Akimiski Island Report # 7 From: Jean Iron <jeaniron AT SYMPATICO.CA> Date: Wed, 11 Jun 2008 20:44:08 -0400 This is Jean Iron's final report for the period 7 - 11 June 2008 from Akimiski Island in James Bay, Canada. Recent below average temperatures and prevailing strong north winds have made for difficult conditions. The nice part is that mosquitoes didn't bother researchers. It has been a cold late spring in the James Bay region to date. "Lesser" Snow Goose: First eggs hatched on 9 June. Many eggs were pipping. Brant: 650 around camp should be migrating farther north soon. They're very fat almost dragging their rear ends. Ken Abraham noted that he has not seen any copulating, which should be normal behaviour this late in the season for staging birds that are already paired off. Cackling Goose: Three on 10 June were likely headed for Southampton or Baffin Island. Canada Goose: 1200 goslings web tagged and completed. A crew will return in August to band them when they are larger. Hudsonian Godwit: 19 Hudsonian Godwits on 10 June. Of interest was that 17 of the 19 were brick red males. 42 Hudsonians on 11 June also had a majority being males. This species in the Hudson Bay Lowlands should be paired now and on the breeding grounds. Are these birds migrants, early failed breeders, non-breeders? Jehl (2004) in Birdlife of Churchill Region (Manitoba) reported that early arriving flocks in late May are dominated by males with local birds moving at once to the nesting territories. Jehl also reported that flocks gathering at Churchill in early July "tend to be skewed in favor of males, which is puzzling because both parents tend the young into late July." Other Shorebirds: Burke Korol photographed a Short-billed Dowitcher (nominate subspecies griseus) on 9 June. Five on Short-billeds on 10 June were not identified to subspecies. Today Jean saw 12 Short-billeds and photograhed several nominate griseus. Mixed flocks (+200 in one flock) of unidentified shorebirds flying northwest over the ice of James Bay presumably originating from the Atlantic. High Arctic breeders are still migrating and will continue to mid-June. For example, there were 70 Black-bellied Plover on 7 June, 29 on 8 June, 30 on 8 June, 12 on 10 June and 4 on 11 June. 6 Ruddy Turnstones, 9 Red Knots, 50 Dunlin, 70 Semipalmated Sandpipers, several White-rumped Sandpipers and scattered Sanderlings observed on 8 June. On 11 June there were 5 Red Knots, 9 Ruddy Turnstones and 15 White-rumped Sandpipers. Shorebird Artificial Nest Study: On 8 June a very high tide driven by a strong north wind washed out 4 of the 40 artificial nests. These four were relocated to higher ground on 9 June. On 10 June 24 of the "dummy nests" were checked with 21 showing evidence of depredation. Other Bird Sightings: A Bufflehead and a "Western" Palm Warbler (expected nominate subspecies palmarum) on 8 June were new for this year. A two year old Iceland Gull was seen on 7-8 June. Common Nighthawks heard over camp on two occasions. James Bay Birds Having Western Affinities: The new Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas (2007) shows a significant number of birds occurring east to the James Bay area which have distinct western or western boreal affinities. These include Lesser Scaup, White-winged Scoter, Bufflehead (primarily western), American White Pelican, Sharp-tailed Grouse, Sandhill Crane (subspecies rowani of the aspen parklands and western boreal), Lesser Yellowlegs, Marbled Godwit, Wilson's Phalarope (rare), Bonaparte's Gull, Great Gray Owl, Bohemian Waxwing, Orange-crowned Warbler (primarily western with small numbers in the East), Connecticut Warbler, Clay-colored Sparrow, Le Conte's Sparrow, and Nelson's Sharp-tailed Sparrow (subspecies alterus which is similar to nominate nelsoni). There is a western component in other taxa such as the Boreal Chorus Frog. The broad coastal marshes and wet meadows of western James Bay remind one of the northern prairies. The geology, soil, precipitation, similar plants, and vegetation structure probably account for the above birds whose core ranges are more to the West. I thank Michel Gosselin of the Canadian Museum of Nature for interesting discussions on bird biogeography. Late Sea Ice: We had questions asking why the ice cover persists so long on Hudson and James Bays. Because half of the major rivers of Canada flow into James and Hudson Bays, their salinity averages 1/3 that of the North Atlantic. This results in earlier freezing in fall, thicker ice in winter, and very late melting with extensive sea ice well into July. This contributes to the formation of the most southerly tundra in the world extending southeast along the Ontario coast terminating in a wide tundra expanse at Cape Henrietta Maria at the junction of Hudson and James Bay. Note the current extensive ice cover extending well into southern James Bay. http://www.natice.noaa.gov/pub/ims_gif/DATA/cursnow_usa.gif Today an Ontario Government Twin Otter flew 13 of the 16 member crew to Moosonee and Timmins. Jean is sad leaving Akimiski Island. It is an uninhabited and unspoiled coastal wilderness with none of the flotsam common along coastlines in much of the world. Once you experience the aura of the north, there is the desire to return year after year. Five Belugas (whales) were seen from the plane this afternoon about half way between Akimiski and Moosonee. Jean thanks Research Scientist Ken Abraham and the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR) for the opportunity to assist research projects. She was impressed with the crews who worked 10 hours in the field plus evenings downloading data from their PDAs (personal digital assistant) and planning the next day's activities. Today's flight to Akimiski Island dropped off Mark Peck of the Royal Ontario Museum and two associates, Tyler Hoar and Gerry Binsfeld. They will continue the artificial nest depredation study, look for Marbled Godwit nests, survey Semipalmated Plovers, and assist with ongoing studies. Mark will phone us with reports from Akimiski Island. Reference: Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas (2007) http://www.birdsontario.org/atlas/index.jsp Ron Pittaway Toronto and Minden ON Subject: South American Black-necked Stilt subspecies melanurus at Memphis, TN From: Jeff Wilson <OLCOOT1 AT AOL.COM> Date: Tue, 10 Jun 2008 21:13:26 EDT June 10, 2008 Ensley Bottoms Waste Water Treatment Plant Memphis, TN Black-necked Stilts (Himantopus mexicanus) have been nesting at Ensley Bottoms, in Memphis since the spring of 1982 when I found the first young hatching one hot July day. At the following site there are photos of a female Black-necked Stilt of the South American subspecies "melanurus" which breeds from Brazil and Peru, south. The northern subspecies "mexicanus" breeds in North America south to northern Brazil and Peru and occasionally interbreeds with "melanurus". This bird appears to be a female "melanurus" and is paired and presently tending a nest with a "mexicanus" male. It will be interesting to see what the chicks look like:o) There is something in the water in Memphis, so far we have successful nesting's of paired Scissor-tail FC and Western Flycatchers, Hybrid Mourning Doves X Eurasian Collared-Doves and earlier this year an Avocet courting a female Black-necked Stilt. Try: _http://www.pbase.com/ol_coot/melanurus_ (http://www.pbase.com/ol_coot/melanurus) Good Birding !!! Jeff R. Wilson / TLBA 6300 Memphis-Arlington Road Bartlett, TN 38135 http://www.pbase.com/ol_coot/ What is this feathered thing that lifts my heart to the heavens. **************Vote for your city's best dining and nightlife. City's Best 2008. (http://citysbest.aol.com?ncid=aolacg00050000000102) Subject: James Bay - Akimiski Island Report # 6 From: Jean Iron <jeaniron AT SYMPATICO.CA> Date: Sat, 7 Jun 2008 09:23:37 -0400 Here is Jean Iron's report from Akimiski Island for the period 3 - 6 June 2008. Akimiski is about 1100 km (700 mi) north of Toronto, Ontario. While yesterday's high temperature in Toronto was a record 34C, it was 4C on Akimiski at 10 p.m. last night when Jean called me. She was outside waiting for satellite phone reception. Sea ice still covers most of James Bay greatly affecting local weather conditions. Weather has been typical of James Bay in early June with a mixture of fog, cold, sun, rain, wind and sometimes it's warm. Brant (Atlantic subspecies hrota): 1500 migrants on 4 - 5 June were feeding on the "goose lawns" of Puccinellia or "goose grass" in coastal salt marshes. The last Brant (heavy with fat) will depart soon for the High Arctic Islands of Canada. Canada Goose: An aerial survey found an estimated 110,000 birds in the southern James Bay population, which is slightly above the long-term average. Peak hatching has been the past few days. Broods are feeding with Brant in the greening salt marshes. Crews are now web tagging goslings. Later this summer when these young geese will be banded along with the flightless molting adults. Canada Geese usually return to nest near their hatch area. This long-term population study is headed by Ken Abraham of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR). Shorebird Migration and Breeding: A fallout of 15 shorebird species was observed on 3 June during low clouds and rain. This included 71 Black-bellied Plovers and 10 Red Knots on coastal mudflats. Low Arctic shorebirds in the Hudson Bay Lowlands are on their nesting grounds. These include Semipalmated Plover, Whimbrel, Hudsonian Godwit, Least Sandpiper, both yellowlegs, Short-billed Dowitcher, Solitary Sandpiper, etc. Some High Arctic breeders are still migrating through James Bay such as Black-bellied Plover, Red Knot, Ruddy Turnstone, Sanderling, and White-rumped Sandpiper, but their migration will end soon. Marbled Godwit: 18 birds on 4 June. Nests are extremely difficult to find. The solution is bringing in Mark Peck, nest finder extraordinaire of the Royal Ontario Museum (ROM). Mark and his father George Peck run the Ontario Nest Record Scheme based at the ROM. Mark Peck, Tyler Hoar and Gerry Binsfeld arrive on 10 June to assist with OMNR and Trent University research projects. Shorebird Nest Predation Study: Researchers on Akimiski are participating in a study of predation rates on shorebird nests and eggs. 40 random sites are now being staked out. Four quail eggs will be placed in each artificial nest. Rates of predation will be measured over time including the species of predator when known. The study is being conducted at many sites in northern Canada. Shorebird expert Guy Morrison of the Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) is leading the study. Pacific Loon: Two seen on 6 June near camp by Ken Abraham. Pacific Loons nest on Akimiski. This the southern limit of breeding in North America (Abraham and Sutherland in Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas 2007). Other Bird Sightings: Arctic Terns are nesting on gravel ridges and mossy islands. Two Caspian Terns on 3 June. The migration has finished for Common Redpoll, American Pipit, Lapland Longspur and Snow Bunting. Polar Bears: Shorebird graduate student Lisa Pollock of Trent and Jean saw tracks while taking core samples on the mudflats yesterday. As the ice breaks up, about 50 bears will come ashore to summer on the island. These are the most southerly Polar Bears in the world. Crews are trained in firearm handling and safety. Follow daily changes in snow and ice conditions. http://www.natice.noaa.gov/pub/ims_gif/DATA/cursnow_usa.gif Update in 3 days. Ron Pittaway Minden and Toronto ON Subject: James Bay - Akimiski Island Report # 5 From: Jean Iron <jeaniron AT SYMPATICO.CA> Date: Tue, 3 Jun 2008 14:59:41 -0400 This is report # 5 from Jean Iron via satellite phone for period 31 May to 2 June. She is a volunteer with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR) which administers the research camp on Akimiski Island. Recent temperatures have been warmer (17C on 1 June) and closer to normal daily highs of about 15C. Wide temperature changes depending on wind direction. Wednesday's forecast is a high of 22C. At high tide there is a narrow band of open water along the coast. The sea ice is grounded at low tide with no open water. However, there is a wide band of mudflats at low tide where shorebirds and geese feed. Sunrise today was about 5:09 and sunset tonight about 21:47. Huge mirages over James Bay caused by the sun, warm air and sea ice. Some good displays of northern lights. "Interior" Canada Goose (subspecies interior): 950 nests and many hatched young to date. First molt migrants seen on 31 May. These are "Giant" Canada Geese (subspecies maxima) arriving from southern Ontario and the northern United States. Yesterday's molt migrants included flocks of 50-70 birds continuing northward. They generally comprise year-old birds and failed breeders. Successful breeders do not undertake molt migrations. They remain with the young and molt locally while the young grow to full size as a family group. "Lesser" Snow Goose (subspecies caerulescens): 1000 nesting pairs on west side of island. No goslings to date because hatching is later than in Canada Geese. Ken Abraham (OMNR) estimated that 80% of the colony is blue morph birds. Many older birders remember when the Blue Goose was considered a distinct species. The Blue Goose was reclassified as a morph of the Snow Goose in 1973 by the American Ornithologists Union. Historically the two forms nested and wintered in separate areas and mixed pairs were unknown. They began interbreeding about 50 to 90 years ago, probably because of human alterations to their winter habitat that brought the two forms together. Harry Lumsden (1987) in the first Breeding Bird Atlas reported that there were about a 100 pairs at Cape Henrietta Maria at the junction of Hudson and James Bays in 1974. Ken Abraham (2007) in the second Breeding Bird Atlas reported 130,000 pairs in 2005 in the Cape area. There is a tendency to think of bird populations as fixed, but the changes documented in the second Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas (2007) for the Snow Goose and for many other bird species are staggering and ongoing. Nest Predation: Increased nest predation this year on goose nests and small flightless goslings by Red Foxes, Herring Gulls and Northern Ravens because of low small mammal populations such as voles. In years when voles and lemmings are abundant in the north, predation is much less on nesting geese and shorebirds by gulls, jaegers, ravens, raptors, foxes, weasels, etc. First ever record of a Gadwall for Akimiski on 31 May. Shorebird Migration: Many distant large flocks of unidentified shorebirds migrating across James Bay from the southeast to northwest. On 2 June there were 85 Black-bellied Plover, 5 Red Knots, 4 Sanderlings and 130 Dunlin on mudflats between sea ice and shore. Short-billed Dowitcher: Jean observed 8 individuals on 2 June. They were the expected nominate subspecies griseus based on the cinnamon coloration being restricted to the chest area. Gyrfalcon: An intermediate (gray) morph bird killed a Northern Pintail on 31 May. While the Gyr ate its prey, a Herring Gull and several Northern Ravens tried to get a piece of the action. Peregrine Falcon: Three along coast chasing longspurs and pipits. These are migrants (mainly subspecies tundrius) going much farther north to breed. No cliffs for nest sites on Akimiski and along Ontario's coast of Hudson and James Bays. Other Bird Sightings: 31 May: First 2 Arctic Terns (65 migrants fishing yesterday along shore at high tide), scattered small groups of American Golden and Black-bellied Plovers, 2 Bank Swallows, singing Horned Larks on territory (nominate subspecies alpestris), Yellow Warbler, 100s of Lapland Longspurs. 1 June: American Kestrel at camp, singing Blackpoll and Wilson's Warblers, 1 Tree and 1 Barn Swallow. 2 June: 1 Cedar Waxwing, and many Lincolin's Sparrows singing loudly. Follow daily changes in snow and ice conditions. http://www.natice.noaa.gov/pub/ims_gif/DATA/cursnow_usa.gif Next update 6 June. Ron Pittaway Minden/Toronto ON Subject: James Bay - Akimiski Island Report # 4 From: Jean Iron <jeaniron AT SYMPATICO.CA> Date: Sat, 31 May 2008 17:40:04 -0400 This is Jean Iron's report for 27 - 30 May 2008. Migration is still behind schedule. The pack ice is against the north coast of Akimiski island providing very little inshore habitat and no open water. Shorebird habitat is better along west coast of James Bay with very large flocks of unidentified shorebirds seen flying northwest in that direction. The effects of sea ice and the cold water of James Bay create subarctic conditions deep into the interior of Canada. As an example, Edmonton, Alberta is farther north than Akimiski Island. Canada Goose: 800 nests found to date. First goslings on 30 May. Brant and Snow Goose: On 29 May, Ken Abraham flew by helicopter to nearest community of Atawapiskat on the Ontario coast. He saw thousands of Brant along the west coast. Ken noted that they were fat so in good condition for migration to breeding grounds much farther north. He also noted about 1000 Snow Geese nesting on the western portion of the island. Semipalmated Plover: On 28 May, Erica Nol observed two colour-banded plovers from last year, which apparently had just arrived. Males were displaying. The females were actively feeding in the below average temperatures after a long flight. Marbled Godwit: Adrian Farmer and Bridget Olsen fitted a mated pair on territory with transmitters and took feather samples for isotope analysis. Now all 5 transmitters are on godwits. The transmitters work for 10 hours and turn off for 48. This sequence is repeated. They will get information on local movements, how long the pair stays together, when each sex migrates, do they winter together and return together, etc. Taxonomy and Populations: There are three breeding populations of Marbled Godwits. The largest is "under 170,000 individuals" which breed on the northern prairies. This is the nominate subspecies fedoa. The James Bay population size is uncertain. There about 150 breeding pairs on Akimiski Island (Abraham 2007 in Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas). The largest number probably breeds along the extensive flat west coast (prairie-like in places) of Ontario. Quebec has a small population at the southern end of James Bay adjacent to Ontario, but most of Quebec's much steeper coast is unsuitable for nesting Marbled Godwits. The James Bay's subarctic population of "about 1500 birds" is considered part of the subspecies fedoa and probably originated from it. Adrian and Bridget told Jean that Akimiski birds look different than mid-continent prairie birds. More study is needed. The third disjunct breeding population is the subspecies beringiae, which breeds on the Alaska Peninsula (Gibson and Kessel 1989, Condor 91:436-443). The Alaskan population is "about 2000 birds" suggesting that the James Bay population is smaller. Other Birds: Ken Abraham saw an American White Pelican, Double-crested Cormorants and 30 Caspian Terns around the islands in Akimiski Strait on 29 May. 8 American Bitterns calling. First Short-eared Owl on 30 May. Flock of 28 Green-winged Teal. Northern Pintail is the commonest puddle duck. 26 American Golden Plover on 28 May. Scattered Hudsonian Godwits. 3 Red-necked Phalaropes on 30 May. Boreal Chickadees and Gray Jays are in the burn behind the camp. These Gray Jays do not associate people with food and are less approachable. First Orange-crowned Warbler on 28 May seen by Burke Korol. Burke also found a singing Le Conte's Sparrow found on 28 May. Many singing Fox and Lincoln's Sparrows. Hundreds of Lapland Longspurs still migrating, but American Pipits and Snow Buntings now fewer. Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas 2007: Even though Akimiski Island is in Nunavut, it was included in both Ontario atlasses because it is so close to Ontario and its birds/vegetation are more closely allied to Ontario mainland than to most of Nunavut. There is a copy of the new Atlas in camp. When you're at remote sites, resources such as the Atlas are invaluable. Mammals: A Lynx was seen around camp on 29 May. Lynx and their main prey Snowshoe Hares were in high numbers last winter in many areas of northern Ontario. There are Snowshoe Hares (now mostly gray/brown with whitish legs) around camp and a Red Fox chased a hare. One of the foxes is a cross fox. This colour morph has long black hair on the upper parts forming a cross from shoulder to shoulder. Meadow Vole populations are generally low. Map shows the snow and ice conditions. Note that the snow cover is gone now along Ontario's north coast. http://www.natice.noaa.gov/pub/ims_gif/DATA/cursnow_usa.gif See three pages of Akimiski photos from Jean's trip at the same time in 2005. She'll put up this year's photos when she returns about 12 June. http://www.jeaniron.ca/Shorebirds/2006/akimiski/index.htm Next update in 2-3 days. Ron Pittaway Minden/Toronto ON Subject: James Bay - Akimiski Island Report # 3 From: Jean Iron <jeaniron AT SYMPATICO.CA> Date: Tue, 27 May 2008 10:43:59 -0400 Jean Iron called late yesterday evening (26 May 08) from Akimiski Island in James Bay. Shore ice is breaking up with the first inshore tidal flooding yesterday, but temperatures are below average and migration is late. Studies on the island are under the general direction of Research Scientist Ken Abraham of the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR). SAY'S PHOEBE found by Ken Abraham on the 25 May. Two photos were taken. First record for Nunavut (Jim Richards, pers. comm.). Canada Goose: 240 nests found to date. John Brunjes, Department Fish and Wildlife Government of Kentucky, is assiting OMNR's long-term study of the interior subspecies as part of international agreements. Brant: 750 on 25 May and 500 on 26 May. Peak numbers yet to arrive. Shorebird Habitat Study: Master's student Lisa Pollock and thesis supervisor Erica Nol of Trent are studying the habitat (including core samples) of Akimiski's north coast to quantify its important to migrating shorebirds. Habitat protection is the focus of conservation efforts. Marbled Godwit: Numbers increasing with 16 observed 25 May. Adrian Farmer and Bridget Olsen have now placed transmitters on 3 godwits with 2 more to go. Hudsonian Godwit: 30 migrants on the coastal flats on 25 May. They generally feed on the flats farther from shore than the Marbled and the two species are not mixing. The Hudson Bay Lowlands may represent 50% of the Canadian population, with much of that in Ontario (Ross et al. 2003, Ontario Shorebird Management Plan). Shorebirds Sightings: 13 species including Black-bellied Plover, Dunlin and Ruddy Turnstone, which are going farther north to breed. Other Bird Sightings: Bald Eagle, Northern Harriers, 2 Peregrine Falcons, light morph adult Parasitic Jaeger chasing a Herring Gull, adult Glaucous Gull, large migration of hundreds of Lapland Longspurs on 25 May with smaller numbers of American Pipits, Snow Buntings and Common Redpolls. Polar Bear tracks 2-3 km from camp on 25 May noted heading onto the island and then returning to the sea ice. When the ice goes out up to 50 bears (most southerly Polar Bears in the world) will summer on the island making life for researchers interesting. Map of snow and ice conditions. Akimiski Island is close to the Ontario coast half way along west side of James Bay. http://www.natice.noaa.gov/pub/ims_gif/DATA/cursnow_usa.gif Next update in a few days. Ron Pittaway Minden and Toronto ON Subject: James Bay - Akimiski Island Report # 2 From: Jean Iron <jeaniron AT SYMPATICO.CA> Date: Sun, 25 May 2008 11:16:46 -0400 I had a satellite phone call from Jean Iron last night on Akimiski Island in James Bay. She is assisting researchers with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR) and Trent University. There are 16 people in camp on the northeast coast including a cook (smaller camps cook for themselves) and a helicopter pilot who transports researchers to study sites. Much of James Bay is covered with sea ice. It is a late spring and temperatures for the next few days will be below average. The earliest Canada Goose (subspecies interior) eggs are about 10 days from hatching, which is 5-7 days later than in 2006 and 2007. "Lesser" Snow Goose: Yesterday Ken Abraham (OMNR) saw a high flock of 200 Snow Geese flying in the direction of Baffin Island. Of approximately 1000 breeding pairs of Lessers on Akimiski in 2005, 77% was blue morph birds (Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas 2007). They are the most southerly breeding Snow Geese. Brant: About 700 on 23 May with most yet to come. Semipalmated Plover: First bird arrived on the 24 May. Erica Nol and her students from Trent University have long-term studies of Semipalmated Plovers on Akimiski and at Churchill, Manitoba. Breeding success is much lower on Akimiski than farther north in Churchill. Erica thinks that the larger Killdeer, which are more common on Akimiski than in Churchill and they arrive earlier, are competing with Semipalmated Plovers and limiting their southern breeding distribution. Hudsonian Godwit: Scattered birds sighted yesterday. Small numbers probably breed on Akimiski at the southern limit of the species range (Ontario Atlas 2007). Marbled Godwit: First two pairs arrived yesterday on 24 May. They were feeding in mud along the northeast coast. The wintering grounds of the isolated subarctic James Bay population are unknown. Last year two birds were fitted with satellite transmitters. One transmitter either fell off on Akimiski or the godwit died before migrating south. The second bird left Akimiski in the late afternoon of 17 August 2007 and 8 hours later crossed Lake Superior. It was tracked to New Mexico where the signal was lost on 29 August. The projected route suggested it was heading for the Pacific coast of northern Mexico. This was surprising because James Bay birds were thought to winter on the Atlantic coast. However, one bird is too early to make a conclusion. This summer American researchers Adrian Farmer of the US Geological Survey in Colorado and Bridget Olsen of the Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge in Utah hope to place 5 transmitters on Marbled Godwits. Other Bird Sightings: 4 Sandhill Cranes, American Bitterns singing, 6 Bonaparte's Gulls, Merlin nest near camp, Hermit Thrushes singing, Swamp, Lincoln's and Fox Sparrows singing on territories, with American Pipits, Lapland Longspurs, Snow Buntings and Common Redpolls (some breed locally) on the move. Mammals: No Polar Bears yet on the island because James Bay north of the island is still mostly sea ice. Two Red Foxes have researchers concerned because of nest predation on study birds. Last year a fox killed a Marbled Godwit. Snowshoe Hares are around camp. Frogs: Jean said the Wood Frog and Chorus Frog calls were deafening as I talked to her last night. Map link below shows snow and ice conditions. Akimiski (note green island) is close to Ontario coast half way up west side of James Bay. Also note large area of open water south of the island. http://www.natice.noaa.gov/pub/ims_gif/DATA/cursnow_usa.gif Update in 2-3 days. Ron Pittaway Toronto/Minden ON Subject: James Bay - Akimiski Island Report # 1 From: Jean Iron <jeaniron AT SYMPATICO.CA> Date: Thu, 22 May 2008 18:21:56 -0400 Jean Iron just phoned me from Moosonee before flying out at 5:00 p.m. on Ontario Government aircraft to Akimiski Island (Nunavut) in James Bay. She is a volunteer with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR) under the direction of Research Scientist Ken Abraham. She is also assisting Professor Erica Nol and her students from Trent University who are studying shorebirds such as the Semipalmated Plover and Marbled Godwit. Earlier today on the 186 mile train trip from Cochrane to Moosonee they observed yellowlegs and lots of Wilson's Snipe. The train went slowly because the frost is coming out of the rail bed over the muskeg. Jean will call me every few days by satellite phone from Akimiski and I'll post shorebird updates. Here's a satellite photo of Akimiski Island, which is the largest island in James Bay. http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=17995 Ron Pittaway Toronto/Minden ON Subject: central Florida/east coast report from last week From: Charlie Ewell <anhinga42 AT EMBARQMAIL.COM> Date: Mon, 28 Apr 2008 07:03:15 -0400 [mailto:SpaceCoastAudubon AT yahoogroups.com] On Behalf Of PHYLLIS AND HOWARD Sent: Tuesday, April 22, 2008 8:25 PM To: SpaceCoastAudubon AT yahoogroups.com; FLORIDABIRDS Subject: [SpaceCoastAudubon] Merrit Island NWR The bird of the day on Peacock Pocket Rd. at MINWR had to be the female Ruff! Also exciting to see was a King Rail highlighted by the morning sun, 1 each- Spotted and Solitary Sandpipers, dozens of Stilt Sandpipers, several Dunlin, a few Semipalmated Sandpipers. On Bio Lab Rd. the bird of the day was the Wimbrel. Semipalmated Plovers and Stilt Sandpipers were abundant-at least 300-400 each; about 75 Black-bellied Plovers in all degrees of color; About 25 Long-billed Dowitchers and more of Short-billed; 1 Solitary Sandpiper. Wading birds are numerous, active and beautiful! Oak/Palm hammock was quiet. In a quick trip through, I saw only 1 Black and White, I male American Redstart, 1 Parula, 1 Black-throated Blue. Phyllis Mansfield, Cocoa Beach Every Day a New Adventure Charlie Ewell Cape Coral, FL anhinga42 AT embarqmail.com Subject: FW: [Tweeters] Red Knot Migration From: Doug Robberson <dlrobbo AT COMCAST.NET> Date: Sun, 27 Apr 2008 13:43:55 -0700 Doug Robberson Tigard, OR ------ Forwarded Message From: Joe Buchanan Date: Sun, 27 Apr 2008 13:32:24 -0700 To: Subject: [Tweeters] Red Knot Migration I saw 7 Red Knots at Ocosta on 25 April. None of them were banded. Joe Buchanan Olympia, Washington buchajbb AT dfw.wa.gov _______________________________________________ Tweeters mailing list Tweeters AT u.washington.edu http://mailman1.u.washington.edu/mailman/listinfo/tweeters ------ End of Forwarded Message Subject: Fw: [BRDBRAIN] Banded Birds From: Robert Wallace <chnuts AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Sun, 27 Apr 2008 10:37:31 -0700 ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Brighthouse To: BRDBRAIN AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU Sent: Thursday, April 24, 2008 8:04:37 PM Subject: [BRDBRAIN] Banded Birds Can someone pass this information on to the proper people? Red Knots: Fort DeSoto ~300 (3 Flocks) Bands Right Leg, Green HK7 Right Leg, Green XY8 Right Leg: Silver/Blue (band) Left Leg Green (Flag) Left Leg, Green XY4 Right Leg, Green KJ3 Right Leg, Green VYJ Right Leg: Light Blue Left Leg Green Right Leg White (couldn't read letter/number) Silver/Blue (right) Green/Yellow (left) Green Flag (Right) There were about 10-15 more banded birds but the wind was making it hard to read the combos and some kids were stressing them in the restricted area so I had to go get a ranger. Merritt Island NWR Ring-Billed Gull: Yellow "Tags" on wings immediately after drawbridge Good Birding Gallus C. Quigley Jr. Park Ranger Lake County Parks and Trails 1650 S. Crystal Lake Dr. Apt. 46 Orlando, FL 32806 gquigley AT lakecountyfl.gov gallusq AT cfl.rr.com To subscribe, unsubscribe or view archives of the brdbrain listserv list, please visit us on the web at: http://listserv.admin.usf.edu/archives/brdbrain.html To set to no mail: send a message "SET BRDBRAIN NOMAIL" to LISTSERV AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU Report any problems to the listserv administrator: listadmin AT admin.usf.edu ____________________________________________________________________________ Subject: Fw: [BRDBRAIN] St Marks NWR high tide Monday From: Robert Wallace <chnuts AT YAHOO.COM> Date: Sat, 26 Apr 2008 04:19:26 -0700 ----- Forwarded Message ---- From: Andy Wraithmell To: BRDBRAIN AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU Sent: Monday, April 21, 2008 11:58:26 PM Subject: [BRDBRAIN] St Marks NWR high tide Monday Shorebird numbers on lighthouse pond were high at high tide this evening. 7 Whimbrel 3 Stilt Sandpiper 750 Short-billed Dowitcher 500 Dunlin 250 Western Sandpiper 110 Ruddy Turnstone 22 American Oystercatcher 20 Red Knot 200 Willet 25 Greater Yellowlegs 4 Lesser Yellowlegs 6 Wilson's Plover 2 Semipalmated Plover 75 Black-bellied Plover 100 Least Sandpiper 10 Black-necked Stilt 1 Caspian Tern 2 Least Tern 3 Bald Eagle 3 Orchard Oriole 3 Sora 2 Northern Harrier the highlight was watching a Northern Harrier take a Willet. The commotion attracted an adult Bald Eagle who after a short search found the harrier and its meal and stole it! cheers Andy Wraithmell www.surfbirds.com/blog/limeybirder www.pbase.com/limeybirder To subscribe, unsubscribe or view archives of the brdbrain listserv list, please visit us on the web at: http://listserv.admin.usf.edu/archives/brdbrain.html To set to no mail: send a message "SET BRDBRAIN NOMAIL" to LISTSERV AT LISTSERV.ADMIN.USF.EDU Report any problems to the listserv administrator: listadmin AT admin.usf.edu ____________________________________________________________________________ Subject: 2008 SC midwinter Piping Plover census results - another record year From: Cape Romain Bird Observatory <crbo AT DMZS.COM> Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2008 15:27:11 -0400 Shorebird enthusiasts, I am happy to report a record total from this year's midwinter South Carolina Piping Plover Census. The census took place from February 7-11, 2008. Census teams found 125 Piping Plovers along the SC coast, with an additional 10 birds that were known to be present. These additional 10 birds were observed soon before and soon after the survey window, but mundane issues of tide and people's schedules prevented reaching them (by boat) during the official census window. In addition to Piping Plovers, census participants counted 11 wintering Wilson's Plovers and 760 Red Knots. This year's Piping Plover totals comprised the third record-setting effort in a row in South Carolina. During the 2007 census, teams found a record (at the time) 114 Piping Plovers on the SC coast. This total follows a then-record 100 PIPL found during the 2006 International Piping Plover Census (which occurs every 5 years). So it would seem that the increased local focus on wise beach management, public education + awareness programs and other efforts are yielding success. But mild recent winters (global warming) may also be boosting winter survivorship... Whatever the reasons, this positive trend is welcome information among the gloomy shorebird news one hears so much of these days. Nathan Dias --- Executive Director Cape Romain Bird Observatory http://www.crbo.net/ Subject: 2008 SC midwinter Piping Plover census results - another record year From: Cape Romain Bird Observatory <crbo AT dmzs.com> Date: Wed, 23 Apr 2008 15:27:11 -0400 Shorebird enthusiasts, I am happy to report a record total from this year's midwinter South Carolina Piping Plover Census. The census took place from February 7-11, 2008. Census teams found 125 Piping Plovers along the SC coast, with an additional 10 birds that were known to be present. These additional 10 birds were observed soon before and soon after the survey window, but mundane issues of tide and people's schedules prevented reaching them (by boat) during the official census window. In addition to Piping Plovers, census participants counted 11 wintering Wilson's Plovers and 760 Red Knots. This year's Piping Plover totals comprised the third record-setting effort in a row in South Carolina. During the 2007 census, teams found a record (at the time) 114 Piping Plovers on the SC coast. This total follows a then-record 100 PIPL found during the 2006 International Piping Plover Census (which occurs every 5 years). So it would seem that the increased local focus on wise beach management, public education + awareness programs and other efforts are yielding success. But mild recent winters (global warming) may also be boosting winter survivorship... Whatever the reasons, this positive trend is welcome information among the gloomy shorebird news one hears so much of these days. Nathan Dias --- Executive Director Cape Romain Bird Observatory http://www.crbo.net/ Subject: Missing WSG Bulletins From: Gyorgy Szimuly <gyorgy.szimuly AT T-ONLINE.HU> Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2008 22:15:39 +0200 Hi Friends, I have an almost complete set of Wader Study Group Bulletin from the beginning except some. I would be very happy if I could complete binding all of them. If you are one can help me getting the missing items I would be very happy. Of course I don't wish them for free. Please, contact me if you can help. The following volumes are missing: Volume 6-22 Volume 43-48 Volume 62-69 Volume 74 Volume 82 Volume 88 Volume 91-99 Volume 101-109 Volume 112 Sorry if cross-posted. BR: Szimi ---------- Gyorgy Szimuly (Szimi) Skype: szimistyle iChat: gyorgy.szimuly AT mac.com URL: http://www.szimistyle.com Blog: http://web.mac.com/gyorgy.szimuly Subject: 3,200+ Red Knots (21 color-banded + 'flagged') - Kiawah Island, South Carolina, USA From: Cape Romain Bird Observatory <crbo AT DMZS.COM> Date: Tue, 22 Apr 2008 11:37:33 -0400 In a little over 1.5 hours on April 19, I identified 19 marked individuals among a large flock of Red Knots on east Kiawah Island, South Carolina. Two days prior to that I had 2 additional/different Red Knots with color bands and 'flags'. I was able to photograph (digiscope) the majority of the birds. There were three types of flags - lime green with numbers, yellow with numbers and dark green without numbers. My understanding is that the lime green flags were applied to migrating Knots in Delaware Bay, USA, the yellow flags were applied to wintering Knots in the Dutch Antilles and the dark green band is a "cohort" banding scheme (I'm not sure where they were applied). Photos of several of Saturday's banded + flagged Red Knots have been added to this web page: http://www.crbo.net/SC_Shorebird_resighting_project.html I am sure there are yet more unidentified 'flagged' Knots at east Kiawah Island - I found all 19 birds last Friday in a group of 800+ Knots. Just up the beach were another 2400+ Red Knots, but I was kept quite busy for the remainder of the afternoon light working the smaller flock. On April 17, I found 3 'flagged' Red Knots (out of ~2200 total) at the same site - UWS (yellow flag), PM3 (lime green flag) and CV? (lime green). Kiawah Island is a well-known and important staging spot for Red Knots during spring migration. Kiawah also hosts a wintering population of Red Knots consisting of a few hundred birds. During late April, Kiawah has traditionally hosted several thousand individuals. Chris Snook reports that just to the north, Folly Island, SC is currently hosting roughly 1,000 Red Knots. And last week CRBO observer Burton Moore III found 850+ Red Knots on nearby Sullivans Island, SC. Complete 'flag' info for the April 19 Kiawah birds is below: - PM3 (lime green) - same bird was present on 4/17 - MU4 (lime green) - TUL (yellow) - CP5 (lime green) - VCV (lime green) - JM7 (lime green, flag on left leg) - UMP (yellow) - XX8 (lime green) - PX3 (lime green) - PN4 (lime green) - VHH (lime green) - XL4 (lime green) - LAP (lime green) - TNV (lime green) - MV7 (lime green) - XV4 (lime green) - UXH (yellow) - XX4 (lime green) - Plus 1 individual with a dark green, un-numbered 'flag' on left leg, above joint + blue band left leg, below joint + green over red bands right leg, below joint + metal band right eg, above joint. In closing, I wish to urge all birders in relevant areas to go out and seek color-marked Red Knots for the remainder of spring migration. Each and every reported band/flag combination is valuable to Red Knot researchers struggling to save this charming species. So channel your hobby into something positive and lasting - it is much more rewarding than birding for one's entertainment alone. Nathan Dias --- Executive Director Cape Romain Bird Observatory http://www.crbo.net/