10 Bird Observations from Trodely Island, James Bay, N.W.T. by Y.R. Tymstra

Introduction and short expeditions by Lewis and Seventy-seven bird species were Peters (1941), Smith (1943), and observed by the author and Darrell Manning and Coates (1952). Many Parsons during a survey of Trodely islands still remain totally Island, Northwest Territories from unexplored ornithologically. 19 to 29 June 1993. Trodely Island is situated in lower James Bay (520 Description 15' N, 790 25' W), approximately Trodely Island is a roughly 135 Ian northeast of Moosonee, rectangular island measuring Ontario, and 20 Ian north of approximately 8 Ian long and 3 Ian Charlton Island (its closest wide. It is essentially an immense neighbour). (Editors' Note: drift of sand, rising some 50 m Although officially part of above sea level. Sand cliffs ascend Northwest Territories, the James steeply from the beach on the south . Bay islands are closely associated side while the north shore rises in a geographically and series of gentle terraces to a ornithologically with nearby relatively flat interior plateau. The mainland Ontario -- and hence of plateau is a dry, windswept plain, particular interest to the province's with patches of bare sand and a birders.) scant ground cover of lichens and The expedition was undertaken low-lying shrubs such as Dwarf as part of the James Bay Islands Birch (Betula glandulosa), Ground Avifaunal Survey, a long-tenn Juniper (Juniperus communis), and series of investigations designed to Black Crowberry (Empetrum discover more about the breeding nigrum). White Spruces (Picea distribution and migratory glauca), up to 5 m high, dot the movements of birds in and around barrens. Except for a few Dark­ the islands of James Bay. This eyed Juncos, and White-throated ornithological survey is believed to and White-crowned Sparrows, the be the first ever done on Trodely interior was largely devoid of Island. Indeed, other than Akimiski birdlife. Much richer was the dense, Island, few of the islands in James continuous band of taller White Bay have been explored to any Spruces (growing to 20 m) that extent, with the notable exception girds the island perimeter, widening of the work of Manning (1981) on to more extensive forests with lush the Twin Islands. Other moss-and-lichen carpets at the explorations included brief island eastern and western ends of the visits by some of the Carnegie island. Museum Expeditions (Todd 1963), A cluster of small lakes is

ONTARIO BIRDS APRIL 1996 11 positioned roughly in the centre of as stationary surveys from points of the island. The largest of these is land, monitoring movements of about 300 m in diameter, and is birds and marine mammals on the flanked by a small tamarack bog. bay. Point Counts and Line There are two smaller ponds near Transects were attempted but we the west end of the island, around found the more productive habitats which were suitable nest trees for too small and disjunct to establish cavity-nesting ducks. consistent census areas; we On the east side, there is a depended mainly on direct series of parallel wooded beach counting. ridges, old shorelines presumably Our efforts were concentrated cast up by isostatic rebound. A on the eastern half of the island but small, interdunal "wet meadow" we walked the length of the island (measuring approximately 25 x 300 once. The last three days were spent m) flanks the eastern shoreline. It waiting for an overdue aircraft was the only fresh water east of the which restricted us to short forays central lakes, and as such, attracted from camp. a wide variety of passerines. This wet meadow contains various Noteworthy Observations willows and sedges, and is bordered A review of the ornithological by a grassy dune to seaward and a literature for James Bay indicated row of spruces to landward. several unusual and/or previously Weather was mostly fine and unpublished sightings made duri\lg sunny throughout the period with our Trodely Island survey: only one day of light rain and Common Eider: Up to twenty were occasional periods of morning fog. seen daily, including one group of Daytime high temperatures varied 18 males on 26 June. A female with from 70 to 25 0 C, and from 10 to 120 five young not more than a few C at night. When we arrived, there days old was seen swimming off the were still some remnant snowdrifts east shore on 28 June. This may be and sea-ice but these had all melted the earliest breeding record for a week later. We often observed James Bay and one of the more weather systems passing along the southern. On Gasket Shoal, 60 kIn mainland while the bay itself WNW of Trodely Island, Manning remained clear and sunny. and Coates (1952) found 200 nests; Prevailing winds were from the there, the first young appeared on southwest. 10 July. Other southern James Bay reports include nine flightless Survey Methods young on 27 September 1940 on We sampled each of the island's Strutton Islands ( Lewis and Peters major habitats, spending from 10 to 1941), and possible breeding on 14 hours per day. Daily walks Charlton Island (Smith 1943). ranged from 6 to 17 kIn and Bumehead: A male was spotted consisted of several cross-island along the south shore on 19 June transects and coastal walks, as well and a female was seen on 22 June

VOLUME 14 NUMBER 1 12 on one of the western ponds, where Seven birds frequented the suitable nest trees exist. This woodlands near the eastern shore, appears to be the first published 26 to 28 June. The only other record for the James Bay islands, published record for the James Bay although it is regular on the islands was a partially feathered neighbouring mainland (Wilson skeleton found near North Twin and McRae 1993). Island on 22 July 1973 (Manning Olive-sided Flycatcher: A single 1981). adult was seen flycatching from a 3 Cape May Warbler: A singing m spruce at the wet meadow on 23 male was observed at the wet June. This is the first published meadow on 21 June, and breeding sighting for the James Bay islands, was confirmed when a female but it was not unexpected as this carrying food was seen nearby on species is a confirmed breeder on 23 June. This is apparently the first the nearby mainland (Cadman et ale documented record for the James 1987). Bay islands, but it is regular on the Gray Catbird: A male was heard mainland (Wilson and McRae singing daily at the wet meadow 1993). throughout the survey period. We Black-throated Green Warbler: A found it with a second bird, male was seen at the wet meadow presumably a female, on 23 June, on 21 June. This is the first and the pair was subsequently seen published record for the James Bay together on several occasions. This islands, but is not unexpected as species is rare but annual in the this species is a confirmed breeder James Bay region, and there is one on the nearby Ontario mainland previous breeding record near coast (Cadman et a1. 1987). This North Point, Ontario (Wilson and may also be the first documented McRae 1993). Manning (1981) record for the Northwest observed two catbirds on North Territories, east of the Mackenzie Twin Island on 5 June 1973. River (R.D. McRae, pers. comm.). Brown Thrasher: One bird was seen in the thickets surrounding the Species List wet meadow from 19 to 21 June, The seventy-seven species and presumably the same recorded during our ten day survey individual was observed about a are listed below, with the order and kilometre west of there on 20 June. common names following the It was not heard singing. While rare American Ornithologists' Union this far north, this species occurs Check-list (1983) and its annually in the Hudson Bay supplements. Breeding status is Lowland (Wilson and McRae based on criteria described for the 1993). Manning (1981) recorded Atlas ofthe Breeding Birds ofthe this species on North Twin Island. Northwest Territories (Cadman Bohemian Waxwing: A flock of 1988). Ten species were four was observed on 22 June in "confirmed" as breeders small spruces near the west point. (marked"*" below), twenty-five

ONTARIO BIRDS APRIL 1996 13 species were found to be Northem Flicker: * (8/5) "probable" breeders (marked "+"), Olive-sided Flycatcher: (Ill) and seven more were "possible" Alder Flycatcher: + (3/3) breeders (marked"#"). Tree Swallow: (Ill) Gray Jay: * (6/5) Numbers in parentheses American Crow: + (4/4) indicate the number of days (out of Common Raven: * (10/3) a total of ten) that a species was Boreal Chickadee: * (8/6) recorded, followed by the Red-breasted Nuthatch: + (2/2) maximum one day count of Winter Wren: + (8/4) individuals for that species (i.e., Ruby-crowned Kinglet + (10/30) Swainson's Thrush: (1/1) number of days I daily maximum). Hermit Thrush: + (9/3) American Robin: *(10/8) Red-throated Loon: (3/2) Gray Catbird: +(10/2) Common Loon: + (10/17) Brown Thrasher: (311) Canada Goose: (9/400) American Pipit: # (3/2) Green-winged Teal: (Ill) Bohemian Waxwing: # (4/7) American Black Duck: (9/120) Cedar Waxwing: + (8/13) Mallard: + (7 16) Tennessee Warbler: + (2/2) Northern Pintail: + (5/3) Orange-crowned Warbler: + (4/2) Greater Scaup: + (5/23) y ellow Warbler: * (4/2) Lesser Scaup: (Ill) Cape May Warbler: * (2 11) Common Eider: * (10/20) Yellow-rumped Warbler: + (9/15) Oldsquaw: (9/4) Black-throated Green Warbler: (111) Black Scoter: (10 I 150) Wilson's Warbler: + (2/2) Surf Seoter: (10/45) Chipping Sparrow: + (4/2) White-winged Scoter: (10/200) Savannah Sparrow: + (10/20) Common Goldeneye: (10/450) Sharp-tailed Sparrow: (2/1) Bufflehead: + (2/1) Fox Sparrow: * (10/10) Hooded Merganser: (111) Song Sparrow: # (2/1) Common Merganser: (7 12) Lincoln's Sparrow: + (4/5) Red-breasted Merganser: (10/8) Swamp Sparrow: # (2/1) Osprey: (2/1) White-throated Sparrow: + (10/25) Bald Eagle: (111) White-crowned Sparrow: + (7 112) Northern Harrier: (1/l) Dark-eyed Junco: * (10/16) Rough-legged Hawk: (1/l) White-winged Crossbill: + (10/325) Merlin: + (8/2) Common Redpoll: # (7 125) Willow Ptarmigan: + (112) Pine Siskin: # (2/4) Semipalmated Plover: (1/1) Killdeer: (3/3) Additional notes were taken on the Greater Yellowlegs: (2/1) Lesser Yellowlegs: (1/l) butterflies, molluscs, and marine Spotted Sandpiper: # (1/4) mammals, listed below: Whimbrel: (2/2) Molluscs: Common Snipe: (111) Green Sea Urchin Strongylocentrotus Ring-billed Gull: (3/1) droebachiensis Herring Gull: (10/44) Small White Mussel Macoma balticha Arctic Tern: (10 I 145) Blue Mussel Mytilus sedulus Black Guillemot: (10 I 5) Iceland Scallop Chlamys islandica Northern Hawk Owl: (1/1) Arctic Rock Borer Hiatella arctica Common Nighthawk: (2/1) Iceland Cockle Clinocardium cileatum

VOLUME 14 NUMBER 1 14 Butterflies: Literature cited Old World Swallowtail Papilio machaon American Ornithologists' Union. 1983. Tiger Swallowtail Papilio glaucus Check-list of North American Berds. 6th Grizzled Skipper Pyrgus centaureae Edition. American Ornithologists' Union. Arctic Blue Plebeius aquilo Washington, D.C. Juna Arctic Oeneis jutta Cadman, M.D. 1988. Atlas of the Breeding Marine Mammals: Birds of the Northwest Territories: Guide Ringed Seal Pusa hispida for Participants. Yellowknife, Northwest Bearded Seal Erignathus barbatus Territories. Beluga Whale Delphinapterus leucas Cadman, M.C., P.F.]. Eagles and F. HeUeiner (compilers). 1987. Atlas of the Breeding Birds of Ontario. University of Waterloo Acknowledgements Press, Waterloo, Ontario. The project was supported by the Lewis, H.F. and H.S. Peters. 1941. Notes on James L. Baillie Memorial Fund of birds of the James Bay Region in the the Long Point Bird Observatory autumn of 1940. Canadian Field-Naturalist 55: 111-117. with funds raised through the Manning, T.H. 1981. Birds of the Twin annual Baillie Birdathon. Many Islands, James Bay, N.W.T., Canada. thanks go especially to Kenneth F. Syllogeus 30. National Museum of Abraham for reviewing this paper, Canada, Ottawa. Nancy Wilson, John Thompson and Manning, T.H. and D.F. Coates. 1952. Notes on the birds of some James Bay Islands. John Walker (Ministry of Natural National Museum of Canada Bulletin 126: Resources, Moosonee) for their 195-207. assistance in Moosonee, Bob Smith, R.H. 1943. An investigation of the Jefferies for assitance with plant waterfowl resources of the south and east identification, Roger Green for coasts of James Bay. Unpublished report prepared for the Mississippi Flyway assistance with mollusc Council. identification, Doug McRae for his Todd, W.E.C. 1963. Birds of the Labrador support and helpful comments, and Peninsula and Adjacent Areas. University Darrell Parsons for unflagging of Toronto Press, Toronto. Wilson, N.C. and D. McRae. 1993. Seasonal assistance in the field. and geographical distribution of birds for selected sites in Ontario's Hudson Bay Lowland. Ministry of Natural Resources, Moosonee, Ontario.

Y.R. Tymstra, 1209 Nottingham Drive, Sarnia, Ontario N7S 5Bl

ONTARIO BIRDS APRIL 1996