Back to the Bay

Tomorrow I depart back to the coast of James Bay to once again volunteer for the James Bay Shorebird Project. After having such a blast last year, you'd be crazy to think I wouldn't be going back! In fact, I don't think a single day in the last ~350 days, has gone by where I haven't thought about the bay and getting back!

The purpose of the project is to record the species and numbers of shorebirds that use the coastal flats of southern James Bay. About 25 species of shorebirds are found here during migration, and with any luck, I should come across all of them (I missed Stilt Sandpiper last year, hopefully this season!). While many of these shorebirds are found in southern Ontario during migration, it is the large numbers and concentration of these species, especially the uncommon (in the south) ones, such as Hudsonian Godwits, Red Knots, and White-rumped Sandpipers, that make the coast so special.

This year, I will be on the coast for a month, with my time split between two of the camps. For the first part, I will be at Little Piskwamish Point, located around 45 or so kilometers north of Moosonee. Then, in the latter half of August, I will head north to Longridge Point, where I was last year, which is about 60 kilometers north of Moosonee. Since I will be going for a period which was a bit earlier than last year, I should have a shot a Yellow Rail, which we missed singing by only a couple days.

Should be a lot of fun! See you in a month!

Hudsonian Godwit - one of my favourites

LeConte's Sparrow