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VOL. 35, NO. 1 (MARCH 1982). P. 112-117 Seabird Conckntrations inLate Summer Along the Coasts of Devon and Ellesmere , N.W.T. PETER L. McLAREN' and WAYNE E. RENAUDJV2

ABSTRACT. The presence of large concentrations of northern fulmars and black-leggedkittiwakes along coasts of Devon and Ellesmere islands was documented in 1976 and 1978 by aerial surveys. Fulmars were present along these coasts from late July until mid-September, with peaks in late August and early September along Devon , and mid-September along . Black-legged kittiwakes were abundant along after mid-September, but common along Ellesmere Island from late August to late September, Densities of both species were significantly higher in front of than along coastlines. Key words: , black-legged kittiwake, arctic distribution, late summer, front, Devon Island, Ellesmere Island

R6SUME. Des releves aeriens en 1976 et 1978 ont permis de retracer de fortes concentrations de fulmars borBaux et de mouettes tridactyles le long des cbtes desiles de Devon et Ellesmere. Les fulmars y dtaient presents de la fin juillet B la mi-septembre, avec une concentration maximaie B la fin aofitet ddbut septembre pr&sde Devon, et B la mi-septembre pr&sd'Ellesmere. Les mouettes tridactyles Btaient abondantes le long des cBtes de Devon apr&sla mi-septembre, mais courantes pr&sd'Ellesmere de la fin aoat b la fin septembre. La densitd des deux especes dtaient significativement plus B l'avant sur le front des glaciers que le long des ebtes. Traduit par Pierre Bibeau, Arkdos Inc., Montrbal.

INTRODUCTION The northern fulmar (Fulmarus glacialis) and the black- tY legged kittiwake (Rimu tridactyla) are common seabirds in ELLESMEREISLAND the Canadian High Arctic, and nest at several colonies in the -northwestBaffin Bay region (Brown etaf.,1975). The sizes of both the total population and the nesting populationin the area are unknown, althoughthe latter has been estimated at 350 000 pairs (Brown et a/., 1975; S.R. Johnson, pers. comm.). These speciesreturn in late April and May(McLaren, 1982); nesting by bothspe- cies begins in June and young fledge in late August and September (Nettleship, 1977). Migration from the area is underway in October (pers. obs.). However, there are few data documenting distribution in late summer and early fall, during and after nesting, although Nettleship (1974) noted large numbers of fulmars and gulls along thesouth DEVON ISLAND coast of Devon Island in early August 1972. In 1976 and 1978 we conducted aerial surveys in eastern Lancaster Sound and northwest from May to October to document seabird movements and distribu- tion. During the course of these surveys, we observed large flocksof fulmars and kittiwakes alongthe coasts of Ellesmere and Devon islands betweenlate July and mid- October. This paper summarizes these observations and provides newinformationconcerningdistributionand hab- Warrender ...... itat use of these species at this time of year. 1978 surveys " =front Glacier km METHODS

In 1976, surveys Of marine birds and mam- FIG. I. Coasts of Ellesmere andDevon islands surveyed in 1976 and mals were conducted along the southeast coast of Devon 1978, 1

~~ 'LGL Limited, environmental research associates, 44 Eglinton Avenue West, Toronto, Ontario, M4R 1Al 'Present address: University of Guelph, Department of Landscape Architecture, Guelph, Ontario, Canada NIG 2W1 ARCTIC SEABIRD CONCENTRATIONS 1 I3

TABLE 1. Numbers of kilometres of survey along Figure 1 shows the general survey routes flown in each Ellesmere and Devon islandsin the late summer of 1976 year; Table 1 shows the distances covered. In both years, and 1978 the surveys were part of a more extensive series of sur- veys flown, usually at weekly intervals, in the eastern - Lancaster Sound-northwest Baffh Bay region from May Devon 1. through October. Some of the additional coveragein 1978 Philpots - Cape Wmnder- Island- is mapped on Figures2 and 3. EllcsmeE I. cape Wmnder Philpots Island Bebher Point All surveys were conducted from a deHavilland Twin Date 1978 1976 1976 1978 1978 1978 1976 1976 1978 Date Otter aircraft equipped with radar altimeter and a Global Navigation System for accurate navigation. They were 28-30 JuI 33.8 62.8 99.8 78.0 167.6 conducted at altitude 45 m ASL, and at ground speed 160 1-3 Aug - 74.0 112.6 - - km/h (1976) or 185 km/h (1978). Observers sat in the co- 8-10 Aug - 80.0 107.0 - - pilot's seat and ina left rear seat behind the pilot. Transect 11-17Aug 103.8 98.2- 127.1- 84.9 181.0 width was400 m (200 m on either side of the aircraft), but 22 Aug 99.0 98.2 159.4 birds seen off-transect were also recorded separately. In 26-30 Aug 117.5 98.2 112.6 102.5 170.5 3-9 Sep 108.6 98.2 112.6 145.3 190.9 1976, two parallelsets of transects were flown.- a 'coast- 10-13Sep 113.9 98.2 112.6 129.7 144.4 al' set was parallel to and centred 200 m from the coast, 19-21 Sep 115.1 98.2 112.6 124.7 56.0 and a 'nearshore' set was 1200 m from the coast. In 1978, 23-27Sep 115.1 98.2 112.6 115.3 149.3 - - only the transects 200 m from shore were surveyed. 30 Sep-3 Oct 115.9 144.0 168.8 In addition to these surveys, high altitude reconnais- sance surveys (90 m ASL) were conducted along portions Island from25 July - 28 September. In 1978, eightsurveys of the Devon Islandcoast in September 1979. The surveys were conducted, generally at weekly intervals, along the were designed primarilyfor observations of marine mam- southeast coast of Ellesmere Island andthe east and south- mals and conducted at 225 kdh with 800 m wide tran- east coasts of Devon Island from11 August - 10 October. sects. A detailed description of the survey procedures

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! 19-21 SEP j i ; 30sEP-3( FIG. 2. Distribution of northern fulmars along coasts of east Devon and southeast Ellesmere islands, 28 July - 3 October 1978. Dotted lines indicate pathsof survey. Symbols represent densities of fulmars in 2-min (about6 km) segments of transect. 114 P.L. McLAREN and W.E.RENAUD

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FIG. 3. Distribution of black-legged kittiwakes along coasts of east Devon and southeast Ellesrnere islands, 11 August - 9 October 1978. Plotted as in Fig. 2. used, methodsof data analysis, and limitations and biases inherent in aerial surveys is provided in McLaren (1982). RESULTS For 1978, the estimated numbers of birds are simply the Northern Fulmar numbers recorded on-transect during the surveys flown 200 m from the shoreline. For 1976, however, the values Ellesmere Island. Because Glacier Strait contained fast include counts made on transects centred 200 and 1200 m ice until August 1978, the icebound parts of the coast of fromtheshoreplusaninterpolationforthearea400-1000m southeast Ellesmere Island were not surveyedin late July. (0.6 km) from the coast. These interpolations have been Northern fulmars were present here during the first late derived from the numbers recorded by (A) the observer summer survey in mid-August, and high densities were looking offshore ontransects 200 m off the coast and (B) recorded from then untillate September (Table 2, Fig. 2). the observer looking towards the shoreon transects 1200 m The average density during this period was39.0 fulmars off the coast, asfollows: kmP2;densities increased steadily to a peak on 21 Sep- [densityof(A) + densityof(B)] x [lengthof(A) + lengthof(B) X 0.61 tember (94.5 fulmars km-2), when more than 5000fulmars were counted. Virtually all fulmars had left area this by the 2 2 beginning of October. It is importantto note that the number of birds recorded East Devon Island. In 1978, large concentrations of ful- is often an estimate and, generally, the larger the flock appeared along the coast between Belcher Point and seen, the less accurate the estimate. Accuracy is further Philpots Island in early August, and about 3000 fulmars reduced whenseveral hundreds (or thousands) of individ- were seen during each of three surveys there from 11-30 uals of several species are in sight continuously (often August. Numbers anddensities decreased thereafter (Fig. simultaneously diving, flushing, swimming andflying) for 2, Table 2) and few remained in this area after mid- a long periodof time. Sucha situation is typical alongthe September. coasts of Devon and Ellesmere islands inAugust and Sourh Devon Island. In 1976, large numbers of northern September. The counts presented here are the actual num- fulmars appeared along south Devon Island in late July. bers recorded and have npt beencorrected for any biases Estimated numbers more than doubled between surveys or other factors. on 25-26 July and 1-3 August, to about 26 OOO individuals. ARCTIC SEABIRD CONCENTRATIONS 1 I5

TABLE 2. Numbers and densities of northern fulmars During a reconnaissance survey on 19 September 1979, recorded during aerialsurveys along coasts of Devon and more than 16 OOO fulmars were seen along the coast of Ellesmere islands, 28 July-3 October 1978 Devon Island between Croker Bay and Philpots Island. Most were in Bethune Inlet. Over 7500 were still present on 25 September but few were seen at the beginning of October. Southeast Devon I. East Devon I. SE Ellesmere 1. (Cape Warrender- (PhilpotsI.-Belcher Pt.) Philpots I.) Black-legged Kittiwake No.' Density No.' Density No.' Density Date recorded(birds/km2)Date recorded (birds/km2)recorded(birds/km2) Ellesmere Island. In 1978, large numbers of kittiwakes appeared in coastal areas of Ellesmere Island after mid- 28-30 JuI 247 7.9 391 5.8 -' - b 11-15 Aug 24.3 727 2855 39.4 403 9.7 August. Numbers and densities increased further in mid- 22 Aug 3237 127.4 3218127.4 3237 Aug 22 50.5 414 10.5 September, and peaked on 21 September when almost 26-30Aug18.6 877 47.3 3225 292.712 002 8500 birds (180 kittiwakes km-2) were counted (Table 4, 3-9 Sep 4831 73.912.2 929 988 22.7 Fig. 3). They were still common in thisarea on 27 Septem- 10-13 Sep 31.91397 14.9 856 2768 56.9 ber (2300 counted, mostly off transect) but few were seen 19-21 Sep 276 6.8 I

TABLE 3. Estimated numbers of northern fulmars along East Devon Island.In 1978, concentrations of kittiwakes Devon Island, 25 July-28 September 1976 appeared along east Devon Island in early August. Num- bers increased throughlate August and early September, to a peak of 2705 birds on 3 September. Few were seen South Devon I. Southeast Devon I. along this.coast after mid-September. (Croker Bay- (Cape Warrender- South Devon Island. In 1976, 200-2300 kittiwakes were Cape Warrender)Philpots Island) present regularly alongsouth Devon Island duringsurveys IOOO- IOOO- in August. Most were east of Cape Warrender. In early Distancefromshore:O-1000m 1400 m O-loOO m 1400 m Total ""- September, numbers increased to 11 275 on 5-6 Septem- 25-26 JuI 4440 278 2990 2919 IO 627 ber, and4000-Wkittiwakes were present regularly through 1-3 AUg 10 628 811 12 427 22% 26 162 the rest of September (Table 5). 9 Aug I1 611 1624 12 887 3448 29 570 In 1978, fewkittiwakes were present alongsouth Devon 16- 17 Aug 17 853 2181 9016 1631 30 681 Island priorto mid-September. However, enormous num- 29-30 Aug 1770 565 20 851 6774 29 960 bers were present in and to the south of Bethune Inlet 5-6 Sep 2439 129 26 656 5089 34 3 13 12-13 Sep 4075 264 9550 7263 21152 duringthe last half of September. Anestimated25 OOO-40 OOO 19-21 Sep 39 30 634 158 861 were present on 15 September (R.A. Davis, pers. comm.), 26-28 Sep 383 144 447 183 1157 34 OOO were seen on 21 September, and 21 OOO were coun- 116 P.L. McLAREN and W.E. RENAUD

TABLE 5. Estimated nudbers of black-legged kittiwakes TABLE 6. Densities of northernfulmarsand black-legged along Devon Island, 25 July-28 September 1976 kittiwakes at glacierfronts and in other coastal areasa

South Devon I. Southeast Devon I. Density (no.lkm2) (Croker Bay- (Cape Warrender- Glacier Other Cape Warrender) Philpots 1.) front coasts x2 df P IOOO- 1000- Distancefromshore: 0-IO00 m 1400 m 0-1000 rn 1400 m Total Northernfulmar 34.2 49.9 13.5 3 CO.01 Black-legged 25-26 JuI 65 3 282394 44 kittiwake 142.3 49.3 21.1 3 <0.001 1-3 Aug 181 0 13801658 97 "Chi-square tests are based on analysis of the numbers of transect 9 Aug 77 28 86 31 222 segments in thetwo habitats that haddensities of0,O. 1-2.0,2.1-21.5,and 16-17 Aug 2 2 302 269 575 >21.5 birdsIkm2. 29-30 Aug 148 13 1684 359 2304 5-6 Sep I0929700 45 438 II 215 12-13 Sep 1916 281 1153 512 3922 19-21 Sep 6004026 69 110 4805 andMcLaren, 1982). Marine mammals, especially walruses 26-28 Sep . 22444873 257 1455 8829 and beardedseals, were also common alongthe southeast ted on 27 September. Over 1200 were still present on 3 coast of Devon and Ellesmere islands during surveys in October, but most had disappeared by 9 October. August andSeptember 1978, and occurred in higher densi- More than 28 000 kittiwakes were counted between Be-ties along glacier fronts than in other coastal areas (pers. thune Inlet and CapeSherard during a survey at 90 m ASL obs.). Similarly, Hartley and Fisher (1936) noted the pres- on 19 September 1979, and another 15 000 were seen be- ence of largeconcentrations of kittiwakes at glacier fronts tween Cape Sherard and Croker Bay. About 24 OOO kitti- in . Thereasons for the presence of large num- wakes were counted in the sameareas on 25 September- bers of animals at glacierfronts are unknown. It is possible again most wereeast of Cape Warrender- and about5500 that these concentrations occur in response to a food were present on 29 September. Only 250 kittiwakes were resource that is either less abundant or less accessible seen on 5 October. elsewhere. Apollonio (1973) and Dunbar(1973) have found high levels of nutrients in waters in front of glaciers; these nutrients presumably promote phytoplankton production, Habitat Use which in turn results in a high level of production of In 1978, densities of birds were calculated for regular crustaceans and other organisms used as foods by birds. coastlines and for those sites along the coasts where gla- The large concentrationsof kittiwakes notedin Spitsbergen ciers reached thesea ('glacier fronts'). Each 2-min (- 6 km) were feeding oncrustaceans (Hartley and Fisher, 1936). segment of coastal transect was classified as one or the Nettleship (1974) noted the presence of "a continuous other of these two habitat types, and the density in each dense band" of northern fulmars along Devon Island be- segment was calculated. -Densities of both fulmars and tween Cape Sherard and Cape Warrender on 1-2 August kittiwakes were significantly higher at glacierfronts than 1972, but did not quantify the numbers of birds present. along regular coastlines (Table 6). This was especially He found themto be common westto Croker Bay, lessso evident for fulmars along EllesmereIsland, where glacier west of there. In our study, although thousands were also front densities (63.7 birds km-2) were almost three times present in early August1976, large numbersof fulmars did those in other coastal areas (23.6 birds km-2). not appear along southeast Devon Island in 1978 until late August. Theapparent 2-3 wk difference in timing of move- ment to this coast between 1978 and the earlier yearsmay have been dueto prevailing ice conditions. The fast ice in QISCUSSION Bethune Inlet, where the densest concentrations of ful- Although largenumbers of fulmars and kittiwakes were mars were noted, had disappeared by 25 July in 1976 but seen at many sites along the coasts of Devon and Ellesmere was present untilabout 15 August in 1978. No information islands, densities were siknificantly higherat glacier fronts concerning ice conditionsin Bethune Inlet is availablefor than in other coastal areas. This was especially so along 1972. It may be that fulmars move into BethuneInlet, the the coast of Ellesmere Island. Besides fulmars and kitti- site of an extensive glacier front, and to adjacent coasts as wakes, over 4400 glaucous gulls(Larus hyperboreus) were soon as they become free of ice. Large flocks of fulmars seen along southeast Ellesmere Island, mostly at glacier were present alongthe east coast of Devon Island earlier fronts, on 21 September 1978 (pers. obs). As well, flocks than elsewhere in 1978; this coast was also free of ice of ivory gulls (Pagophild eburnea) were frequently seen at earlier than the coasts of south Devon Island and south- glacier fronts during the surveys in 1978 and 1979 (Renaud east Ellesmere Island. ARCTIC SEABIRD CONCENTRATIONS 117

The age composition of the fulmars that form these and S. Mackenzie of Petro-Canada. We especially thank the coastal concentrations is unknown. A large proportionof pilots of Petro-Canada and Kenn Borek Air Ltd. who capably the fulmars seen alongthe south coast of Devon Island in flew the surveys. The field work was conducted by the authors and by W.R. Koski, S.R. Johnson, W.G. Johnston, R.A. Davis, August 1978 were molting birds(M.S.W. Bradstreet, pers. J. Field, and P.D. Hollingdale of LGL Ltd. R.A. Davis and W.J. comm.), which suggeststhat they are either failed nesters Richardson of LGL Ltd. provigled assistance and guidance in or subadult birds. Nesting birdsmolt after the young have planning and data analysis. W.J. Richarson, M.S.W. Bradstreet, left the nest in mid-September (Nettleship, 1977), which is C. Holdsworth, B. Griffen, B. DeLong and M.A. McLaren of after the period when the large numbers of fulmars were LGL Ltd. helped in many ways in the preparation of this manu- script. seen dong Devon Island. Where the fulmars came fromis similarly unknown.Presumably, many, if not most, of the fulmars along Devon Island were part of the population REFERENCES that summers at coloniesin Lancaster Sound; the fulmar concentrations along Ellesmere Islandmay have included APOLLONIO, S. 1973. Glaciers and nutrients in arctic seas. Science birds from morenortherly colonies at and 180~491-493. BROWN, R.G.B., NETTLESHIP, D.N., GERMAIN, P., TULL, C.E. , Devon Island, at the west endof . and DAVIS, T. 1975. Atlas of Eastern Canadian Seabirds. Canadian Unlike fulmars, kittiwake concentrations first appear in Wildlife Service, Ottawa. 220 p. coastal areas in mid-September, after most nesting is fin- COULSON, J.C. 1966. The movements of the kittiwake. Bird Study ished. Thus, the birds in these concentrations may include 13~107-115. DUNBAR, M.J. 1973. Glaciers and nutrients in Arctic fiords. Science both adults and young from the colonies on Prince Leo- 182:398. pold, Bylot, and Coburgislands, and possiblysubadults as HARTLEY, C.H. and FISHER,J.H. 1936. The marine foods of birds in well. Coulson (1966) indicated that immature kittiwakes an inland fiord region inwest Spitsbergen. Journal of Animal Ecology may form an important componentof the large flocksthat 5:370-389. McLAREN, P.L. 1982. Spring migration and habitat use by seabirds in occur in coastal areas in the latter part of the nesting eastern Lancaster Sound and western Baffin Bay. Arctic 35 (this season. issue). NETTLESHIP, D.N. 1974. Seabird colonies and distributions around Devon Island and vicinity. Arctic 27:95-103. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS -. 1977. Studies of seabirds at Prince and vicinity, : preliminary report of biological investigations This study was funded by Norlands Petroleums Ltd. in 1976 in 1975. Canadian Wildlife Service Progress NoteNo. 73. 11 p. and by Petro-CanadaExploration, Inc. (as part of the Baffin Bay [Available from Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada, Eastern Arctic Marine EnvironmentalStudies [EAMES])in 1978 Ottawa.] and 1979. We thank Dr. A.T.C. Rutgers of Norlands and G. RENAUD, W.E. andMcLAREN, P.L. 1982. (Pugophilueburneu) Glazier and H. Humeof Petro-Canadafor their assistance. Logis- distribution in late summer and autumn in eastern Lancaster Sound tic support was provided by Dr. Rutgers and by Dr. G. Koenig and western Baffh Bay. Arctic 35 (this issue).