Spring is approaching and soon the shorebirds will be coming through the Maritimes on their north-bound migra- tion! It is my great pleasure to present this edition of Calidris which summarises the 2009 Maritimes Shorebird Surveys and local and international shorebird news. As Julie Paquet is currently filing another position, I have taken on the role of the MSS Coordinator. It has been inspiring to be in touch with so many dedicated shore- bird surveyors this year and to once again receive your carefully collected shorebird sur- vey data. The 2009 shorebird surveys were a success with a total of 83 sites surveyed (53 in NB, 28 in NS and 2 in PE), many of them were surveyed regularly in both the spring and fall. Thanks to everyone who participated! There are many available sites for those interested in taking on a Maritimes Shorebird site and a few priority sites are in need of a surveyor. Together, we will hopefully be able to have even better cover- age of them this year. Many thanks to those of you who braved the cold to do winter surveys for Purple Sandpipers. As always we hope you will enjoy this edition of Calidris be- fore heading out for another season of shorebird surveys. Keep an eye out this season for colour banded Piping Plovers flying up from the Bahamas. Happy shorebirding! Kate Robinson In this issue of Calidris: International Shorebird News…....……….......2 Banded Red Knot sightings in NB…….…......4 Piping Plover: Living on the Edge……….…..6 Reporting colour bands……………………….8 Available MSS Sites………………...….……10 Castalia Marsh Reaches 30 years of Surveys..12 Importance of Long-term Data Collection…..12 New MSS Sites……………………………...14 Peter Hicklin Retires……………………...…16 NCC Acquires More Land at Johnson’s Mills………………………………………....18 PEI Shorebird Sites………………………….20 Focus on: the American Golden-Plover..…....22 Sharing Shorebirding Skills……..……..…….24 IBA Caretaker Network in NS……………....25 Purple Sandpiper Winter Survey Results…....26 Photo Gallery…………………….…….…….29 The 2009 Survey Results…………………….30 CALIDRIS The Maritimes Shorebird Survey Annual Report Become a mentor! Share your shorebird expertise with a new surveyor. See page 22 for more information. Canadian Wildlife Service Calidris No. 18, March 2010 Kate surveying Petit Cap, NB for shorebirds in Octo- ber 2009. This site is an available site on the North- umberland shore. Red Knot EEK banded in Argentina re-sighted in New Brunswick! Red Knot EEK returns to Maissonette Beach; Robert Doiron saw him again! See page 4 for more details. Photo courtesy of Robert Doiron. Dear shorebirding friends! Banded Piping Plover photo courtesy of Ann Maddock. There were 57 Piping Plover banded in the Bahamas with black flags and colour bands. If you see a banded shorebird make sure to note the type of band, colours, and the location on the bird’s leg. For more details see page 8. Page 2 Calidris No. 18, March 2010 International Shorebird News B-95 Red Knot Superstar sighted again in Tierra del Fuego Dec 13th 2009. He made the journey back to Argentina from the Canadian Arctic once again! He is now believed to be 17 years old. The first meeting of the Red Knot Working Group was held at St. Catherines Island, Georgia, USA, in November to develop a plan for Red Knot rufa recov- ery. See WHSRN News for more details http://www.whsrn.org/current-whsrnews A female Whimbrel, named Hope, was fitted with a satellite transmitter on May 2009 in Virginia. She surprised scientists by travel- ing to both eastern and western breeding grounds. From Virginia she flew to the western shore of James Bay, spent 3 weeks there on the eastern breeding grounds but then flew west all the way to MacKenzie River near Alaska and then on to the Beaufort Sea! She stayed there for more than 2 weeks before flying back to Hudson Bay and down south to St. Croix in the Virgin Islands, where she is spending the win- ter. She was spotted and photographed there in late August. According to the online tracking map she has traveled 21,045 km since the trans- mitter was put on her in May! Whimbrels are in decline. Tracking where they go is one way of identifying critical habitat for conservation. The Center for Conservation Biology at the College of Wil- liam and Mary (Virginia Commonwealth University) and the Virginia Chapter of the Nature Conservancy are work- ing together to uncover more information about Whimbrel migratory routes. Hope is one of several Whimbrels that have been fitted with a state of the art satellite transmitter that weighs 9.5 grams and is solar-powered. Satellite track- ing is helping decipher the mysteries of Whimbrel migra- tion. For the full report see http://www.wm.edu/news/ideation/current/wimbrels-007.php For more on Whimbrels with transmitters see http://www.ccb- wm.org/programs/migration/Whimbrel/publications.htm Red knot B-95 seen yet again! Photo taken December 2009 in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina, courtesy of Jan van de Kam. B95 is the Red Knot on the left of the Brown-hooded Gull just lifting a bivalve out of the mud. Hope, a Whimbrel with a Transmitter The dates of Hope’s flight. Map courtesy of the Center for Conservation Biology. Map of Hope’s flight showing her migratory route. Map courtesy of the Center for Conservation Biology. Page 3 Calidris No. 18, March 2010 Hunters at the Forefront of Conservation in Barbados As many of us emerge from hibernation for those first trips to the coast, we sometimes underestimate the travels of our little flying friends. Each year, we see these beautiful shore- birds on our coastlines migrating through Atlantic Canada, on their way north to their breeding sites. As they are protected here under the Migratory Bird Convention Act, we often do not realize that many of these birds are still hunted for sport along their migratory routes back south in the fall. Every year, tens of thousands of shorebirds stop on Barbados while on their southbound migration to South America, some coming as far as the high Arctic. This includes the American golden-plover (highlighted in this issue of Calidris), where al- most the entire population fly along this route. Adverse weather conditions during the flight can force large numbers of shorebirds to stop for shel- ter on Barbados. The position of Barbados in the Atlantic makes it an important stop-over for shorebirds, which has not gone unnoticed by Bar- badians. Shooting of shorebirds has been a tradi- tion there since the early colonial era. Hunting continues today in specially prepared “shooting swamps”, many of which have been identified as Important Bird Areas (IBAs). Although “scorebooks” kept by the hunters over the years are a valuable source of data for scientists, much more conservation is beginning to take place in these swamps. BirdLife International attained a lease on an abandoned shooting swamp. Two former hunt- ers were instrumental in securing the lease and financing the initial restoration of the “Woodburn Shorebird Refuge”. It will have managed water levels and create a general awareness for shore- bird conservation. Furthermore, it will provide a “safer” area for non-hunters to bird-watch. Since restoring the habitat, 20 species of shorebirds have already been recorded in the refuge (2009). During the planning and construction phases, many individuals were very generous with advice, equipment and other resources in restoring and improving shorebird habitats at the refuge, many of which were a growing group of hunter- conservationists. Without these artificially managed and main- tained wetlands, Barbados’ avian species richness would be considerably diminished. Migratory and resident birds alike use the shallow ponds for feeding and resting. Many of these swamps are now main- tained year round, as opposed to solely during the hunting season, in order to provide wetland habitats for all waterbirds. If the hunting tradition had been stopped abruptly, this may not have been the case. Today, most hunters recognize that in order to con- tinue hunting, it must be sustainable. The old culture of “kill as many as you can” is being replaced by a conservation ethic among hunters. Methods to attain this ethic include not targeting American Golden- Plover whose global population is estimated at only 200,000 individuals. Communication and coopera- tion between conservationists and local hunters has potential for significant returns in the survival pros- pect of shorebirds. For the Birdlife International News full report see: http://www.birdlife.org/news/news/2009/11/barbados.html Information also extracted from: Burke, W. 2009, Shorebird Conservation on Barbados, Journal of the Barbados Museum and Historical Society, Vol. LV pp.284-295 “The Hutt” from which birds can be watched in the Woodburn Shore- bird Refuge, the first shorebird refuge in Barbados. It is named after M.B. Hutt (1919-1998) who recorded many details of the birds that can be found in Barbados. Photo courtesy of Edward Massiah. Page 4 Calidris No. 18, March 2010 Red Knot EEK Returns! Red Knot with a transmitter sighted at Maisonnette, NB Last summer Robert Doiron reported 3 banded Red Knots at Maisonnette. This year, a couple days af- ter re-sighting the Red Knot EEK he observed a banded Red Knot with a transmitter while surveying for shore- birds! Robert Doiron carefully noted his observations. He reported, “Band and flag info are as follows: lime green "flag" marked "P3M" on left leg, above joint, + metal band on right leg, below joint. There was also a radio transmitter on the bird's back.” It turns out that this bird was banded in Dela- ware Bay by a graduate student, Katheryn Zimmerman studying Red Knot stop-over behaviour. She has kindly shared more information about her research with us. Roost Site Selection of Red Knots (Calidris canutus rufa) in Delaware Bay Red Knot EEK was sighted by Robert Doiron again this summer in June on Maisson- ette beach, New Brunswick! This is the same individual that he observed last year and which had been banded in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina in November of 2006! Robert observed him on June 2nd 2009, among 27 other Red Knots. This Red Knot has now been seen twice by the same Maritimes Shorebird Surveyor on the same beach in the Acadian Peninsula on its migration to Arctic breeding grounds! Maison- nette is located in Caraquet Bay, Gloucester County. It is marked as a star on the adjacent map of New Brunswick. Red Knot EEK at Maisonnette beach and photographed June 3, 2008 by Robert Doiron. Remember me? A Red Knot with green plastic band PM3 and a transmitter seen on Maisonnette Dune. Photo courtesy of Robert Doiron. Red Knot EEK seen again at Mais- sonnette and photographed on June 2, 2009 by Robert Doiron! I’m back! My research focuses on roost site selection and movement of Red Knots (Calidris canutus rufa) at their migratory stopover area of Delaware Bay. I am working with Wildlife Biologist, Kevin Kalasz (Natural Heritage & Endangered Species Program- Delaware Division of Fish & Wildlife, DNREC), who heads up the Delaware Shorebird Project. The goal of my work is to identify the characteristics and locations of day-time and night-time high tide roost sites used by Red Knots in Delaware Bay. We believe creating and/or improving existing roost sites may help mini- mize the birds’ time investment and travel costs. By Kathryn Zimmerman, graduate student in the School of Natural Resources and Environment at the University of Michigan Page 5 Calidris No. 18, March 2010 While local horseshoe crab populations seem to be improving (Hooker et al. 2008), Red Knots have not shown any sign of recovery. Therefore it is possi- ble other factors during all stages of their annual cy- cle are also involved such as habitat loss, predation, as well as a reduction in food resources. In Delaware Bay, it is critical that Red Knots maximize energy accumulation and minimize energy expenditure. One of the factors thought to contribute to Red Knot population declines is the availability of roosting sites. Red Knots need safe places to roost at night and during high tides when the horseshoe crab eggs are inaccessible. Roost site selection has been shown to differ among species of shorebirds as well as birds exhibiting a regional preference (Peters and Otis 2007). Previous studies of shorebirds have shown roost sites are determined by energy and habi- tat limitations (Gill et al. 2001, Rogers et al. 2006, Van Gils et al. 2006). For these reasons, it is impor- tant to study the unique roosting preferences of Red Knots in Delaware Bay. Increased knowledge of roost sites will improve local management protection. Day-time and night-time high tide roost sites were identified as a research need in both the Red Knot Status Assessment (Niles et al. 2007) and the Dela- ware Shorebird Conservation Plan (in prep). I used radio telemetry to track the birds while in Delaware Bay during the month of May and begin- ning of June in 2008 and 2009. Delaware Shorebird Project used cannon netting to catch shorebirds in order to examine the birds and monitor their health. I ran- domly choose 53 birds (24 Red Knots in 2008; 29 Red Knots in 2009) that were within the body weight limitations and attached a temporary radio telemetry transmitter to the back of the bird. The radio tags should fall off during the birds’ flight to the Arctic or when the birds molt into basic plumage. Radio te- lemetry receivers were set up and constantly moni- tored movements of the tagged Red Knots. I also completed habitat surveys of the region. Robert Doiron was conducting shorebird sur- veys at Maisonnette (Gloucester County, Province of New Brunswick, Canada) on June 6, 2009. Among a group of 25 Red Knots he noticed one individual, P3M (FL), had a transmitter on his back. This was one of the 29 Red Knots that I had caught for my study in May 2009. Red Knot P3M (FL) was caught by cannon netting and flagged, ringed, as well as having a radio tag attached on May 19, 2009 in Mispillion Harbor, DE. At that time P3M weighed 119.6 grams. The aver- age northbound departure weight of Red Knots from Delaware Bay is about 180 grams. This was the first time this individual (P3M) was captured therefore not much is known about the bird. Be sure to look for Red Knot P3M when surveying! Out of the 53 birds radio tagged for this study, 14 were re-captures (meaning they were originally banded in previous years). Based on the original banding data we can estimate the birds’ age. Most of the 14 re-captured Red Knots ranged from minimum of 3–8 years of age, two individuals (P3V FL; JT2 FL) were 11 year old (as of 2009), and one individual (K9S FO) is at least 13 years old (as of 2009). Although fieldwork often requires long days in extreme conditions, it is always rewarding when I find a bird that continues to persevere even though its population has been on the decline for the past two decades. I hope this research can help to better under- stand the stop-over habitat selection by Red Knots as well as their movement patterns while in Delaware Bay. Most of this data would not have been possible without the dedication of the many volunteers that as- sisted with this project. Literature Cited Gill, J.A., Norris, K. and Sutherland, W.J. 2001. Why behavioural responses may not reflect the population consequences of human disturbance. Biological Conservation 20: 265-268. Hooker, B., Mangold, M., Michels, S., Spear, B. 2008. Review of the 2007 ASMFC Fishery Management Plan for Horseshoe Crab (Limulus polyphemus). Atlantic States Marine Fishery Commission, Washington D.C. 15pp. Niles, L.J., Sitters, H.P., Dey, A.D., Atkinson, P.W., Baker, A.J., Bennett, K.A., Clark, K.E., Clark, N.A., Expoz, C., Gonzalez, P.M., Harrington, B.A., Hernandez, D.E., Kalasz, K.S., Matus, R., Minton, C.D., Morrison, R.I.G., Peck, M.K., Serrano, I.L. 2007. Status of the Red Knot (Calidris canutus rufa) in the Western Hemi- sphere. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Ecological Services, Region 5, Pleasantville, NJ. Peters, K.A. and Otis, D.L. 2007. Shorebird roost-site selection at two temporal scales: is human disturbance a factor? Journal of Applied Ecology 44: 196-209. Rogers, D.I., Battley, P.F., Piersma, T., Van Gils, J.A., and Rogers, K.G. 2006. High- tide habitat choice: insights from modeling roost selection by shorebirds around a tropical bay. Animal Behaviour 72: 563-575. Van Gils, J.A. 2006. Foraging in a tidally structured environment by Red Knots (Calidris canutus): ideal, but not free. Ecology 87(5): 1189-1202. Here is a radio transmitter next to a penny to show its size. It weighs only 2.5 grams. Photo courtesy of Kathryn Zimmerman. Page 6 Calidris No. 18, March 2010 The Piping Plover – Living on the Edge in 2009 By Jennifer Stewart, Wildlife Biologist Species at Risk Recovery Canadian Wildlife Service - Environment Canada jennifer.stewart@ec.gc.ca The Piping Plover in Eastern Canada is en- dangered, which means that the species is at great risk of disappearing from Canada. To protect the species, it was listed under the federal Species at Risk Act in 2003. Further protection for the Piping Plover is provided through complementary provin- cial endangered species or wildlife legislation which exists in all Atlantic Provinces. The initial decline of the Piping Plover population began in the 1800s, when plovers were hunted for their feathers which were used as a decoration in women’s hats. The plover popula- tion continued to decline when human recreational use of coastal areas increased after World War 2, resulting in disturbance on the breeding grounds, coastal development causing a direct loss of habi- tat and increased levels of predation. Piping Plovers in Atlantic Canada have been closely followed since 1991. A short-term recovery target has been established for the species based on the 1991 population estimate of 430 adults. In 1996, the Piping Plover population in Atlantic Canada plummeted to 318 adults. Since that time, the population has been slowly increas- ing. In 2009, a total of 413 adult Piping Plovers (199 pairs, 15 singles) were counted on 98 beaches in Atlantic Canada. Data trends indicate that while there are local shifts in Piping Plover distribution, the regional Piping Plover population has been slowly increasing over the last ten years. Indeed, over this period, plover estimates have increased in northern Nova Scotia and Newfoundland, re- mained stable in PEI and have decreased in south- ern Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, with the most dramatic decrease occurring in Gloucester County (NB). This decrease is thought to be due to high levels of human disturbance on beaches, mostly in the form of illegal off-road vehicle traffic. A banding study led by the Canadian Wildlife Service from 1998-2003 examined the distribution and dispersal of the Piping Plover in the region. Results from this research have shown that there are two dis- tinct populations of plovers in the region. Piping Plovers in southern Nova Scotia are believed to be re- productively isolated from remainder of the Atlantic Canada population. The plovers in southern Nova Scotia are those under greatest threat as almost half of the breeding pairs and breeding sites in the area were lost between 1991 and 2006. Biologists from eleven organizations across the region made a concerted effort to monitor the breeding success of Piping Plovers in Atlantic Canada in 2009. The results: 163 pairs produced 214 fledged young for a productivity rate of 1.31 chicks fledged per pair. This productivity rate is considered to be low as the recovery target productivity rate is 1.65 chicks fledged per pair. This is the minimum productivity rate that has been calculated to maintain the population at its current level. Predation of chicks, eggs and adults continues to be the main threat to Piping Plovers. Approxi- mately 25% of all nest attempts in the region are lost A Piping Plover juvenile taking flight at Chockpish beach, New Brunswick in 2009. Photo courtesy of John Chardine/Environment Canada. Page 7 Calidris No. 18, March 2010 to predation annually if not protected by a preda- tor exclosure. This is a cage-like structure placed around the nest which prevents predators from reaching the eggs. An additional 10% of nests are lost for unknown reasons annually, al- though nest predation is again suspected. In 2009, unprecedented water levels during a June storm washed out 12% of nests in Atlantic Can- ada. It is expected that the frequency of storms will increase with sea-level rise and climate change. The recovery of the Piping Plover is a team effort. Federal and provincial government agencies and non-governmental organizations work together to protect Piping Plovers and their habitat in Atlantic Canada. Funding provided through the Government of Canada’s Habitat Stewardship Program (HSP) has been fuelling stewardship activities aimed at protecting the birds and their habitat in Atlantic Canada on non-federal lands for the last ten years. This program has funded a variety of conservation initiatives such as action on the ground that in- cludes beach signage initiatives, the installation of symbolic fencing around sensitive nesting sites and the construction of predator exclosures around nest sites. Other initiatives include awareness campaigns to educate landowners and beach users about plover-friendly activities. Thanks to the effort of these groups, against the odds, the plover population is in- creasing in many areas across Atlantic Canada. The Piping Plover Recovery program is the largest species recovery program in Canada. It is clear that without the team effort that now exists, the recovery of the Piping Plover would not be possible. As we look towards the future, the participation of Canadians in Piping Plover recovery program will be instrumental in the overall success of the program. If you are interested in getting involved in the Piping Plover program as a volunteer, con- tact Environment Canada’s Canadian Wildlife Service for more information on Piping Plover conservation organizations in your area.   You can help Piping Plovers by   following these tips at the beach:   From April through August, stay away from fenced and signed Piping Plover breeding areas and walk on the wet sand close to the water’s edge. Watch for this new symbol posted where plovers are nesting.  Keep pets leashed, because roaming pets can disturb Piping Plovers.  Remove food waste and garbage from the beach to avoid attracting predators that will endanger Piping Plover adults, chicks and eggs.  Leave driftwood, shells and seaweed on the beach, because Piping Plovers need these to feed on and for cover.  Do not operate any vehicles on beaches or dunes, because vehicles can disturb Piping Plovers, crush eggs and chicks, and damage beach and dune habitat. With continued education initiatives, protection and monitoring of the birds, habitat protection and man- agement of threats (such as predator populations), Pip- ing Plovers will persist in our region, living on the edge. Page 8 Calidris No. 18, March 2010 Marked Piping Plovers from The Bahamas Fifty-seven Piping Plovers recently were marked during winter in The Bahamas for Envi- ronment Canada by Sidney Maddock and Peter Doherty, with help from The Bahamas National Trust. We are very interested in knowing where those birds go during migration and breeding. These birds were marked with a black flag (band with a tab sticking out slightly) on the upper left leg, nothing on the upper right, a sin- gle colour band on one lower leg, and two colour bands (which can be the same colour on top of each other) on the other lower leg. Colours used included: red, orange, yellow, white, light green, The Piping Plover above would be described as: Black flag upper left, white band lower left, nothing upper right, black over light green band lower right. Photo courtesy of Ann Maddock. To describe a band combination: describe each band: Type: colour band, flag (band with a tab sticking out from the leg – see black flag above) Colours: as exact as possible – red, orange, yellow, white, light green, dark green, dark blue, and black. There may be two bands of the same colour placed over each other on a leg (this may look like one very tall band). Location on bird’s leg: bird’s upper left (above the ‘knee’), lower left (below the ‘knee’), upper right, lower right; above or below other bands on the same part of the leg. Note if you are unsure of any of the bands or if you did not see all parts Cheri Gratto-Trevor, PNWRC, Environment Canada, 115 Perimeter Rd, Saskatoon, SK S7N 0X4 Canada; Email: cheri.gratto-trevor@ec.gc.ca How to note your observations If you see a Banded Shorebird dark green, dark blue, and black. If you see a marked Piping Plover, please write down the location, date, be- haviour of bird (foraging; with mate or nest), a detailed description of the bands (see below) and send to: Can you describe my bands? Keep an eye out for colour banded Piping Plovers while conducting shorebird surveys this season! Report Banded Shorebird Sightings Page 9 Calidris No. 18, March 2010 If you see a banded shorebird do your best to identify the band type, colour and any markings. Note if their location on the bird (upper or lower leg, left/right, any metal bands under or over ). Report color band sightings to: Canadian Bird Banding Office National Wildlife Research Centre Canadian Wildlife Service 1125 Colonel By Drive (Raven Road) Ottawa, Ontario,K1A 0H3 Telephone: 613-998-0524 E-mail: BBO_CWS@ec.gc.ca Colour bands are helping to identify shore- bird migration routes, nesting and wintering areas. The color of the plastic flag bands indicates where they were banded: green USA, white Canada, orange Argentina…. Some countries require combinations of two color flags for more information visit: Pan American Shorebird Program (PASP) CWS website: h t t p : / /www.cws - sc f . e c .gc . ca /nwrc - cnrf/default.asp?lang=en&n=CA9EA2C5-1 A flag is a colour band with a tab projecting from it - the tab length can vary What is a flag? Colour band Flag The bands of the Semipalmated Plover to the left would be described as: orange band over light green band upper left, light green band lower left; nothing upper right, white flag over metal lower right. Not all observations can be traced back to the bander, usually for one of the following reasons:  the bird has lost colour bands or the bands have become discoloured (even small Semipalmated Sandpipers can live until 15 years of age, Marbled Godwits to 30 years - colour bands do not last that long);  band combination was incomplete or incorrect (wrong colour, wrong leg, missed bands, did not note upper or lower leg, did not differentiate colour bands from flags);  the combination could be from several different banders (most com- mon for non-flagged small birds, or birds banded many years ago). So record as many details as possible, and be patient - some of those observations you send in will be provid- ing information useful for the conservation of shorebirds! Photo of a banded Semipalmated Plover courtesy of C.L. Gratto-Trevor. Page 10 Calidris No. 18, March 2010 Available Maritimes Shorebird Sites These available sites are IMPORTANT BIRD AREAS Malpeque Bay Confederation Bridge Bedeque Bay McCallum’s Point & Holman Island New brunswick Available IBA Sites…. Cascumpec Bay Daniels Head The Hawk Prince Edward Island Available IBA Sites…. Nova Scotia Available IBA Sites... Economy Quaco Bay The Hawk Daniels Head Both sites are part of Cape Sable Island Important Bird Area. Page 11 Calidris No. 18, March 2010 Sites & Areas Currently Requiring Surveyors in the Maritimes: New Brunswick Bon Ami Rocks, Dalhousie, Restigouche Co. Bathurst Harbour, Gloucester Co. Strawberry Marsh, Miramichi, Northumberland Co. Anne’s Acres, near Cape Jourimain, Westmorland Co. Petit Cap, Shemogue Harbour, Westmorland Co. Johnston Point, Little Shemogue Harbour, Westmorland Co. Quaco Bay, St Martins, Saint John Co. Beaver Harbour, Charlotte, Co. Nova Scotia Fox Harbour, north of Wallace, Cumberland Co. Economy, Colchester Co. Glace Bay, Cape Breton Co., Cape Breton Island Point Michaud Beach Provincial Park, near St. Peter’s , Richmond Co., Cape Breton Island Fuller’s Bridge, near Framboise, Richmond Co. Peggy’s Cove, Halifax Co. Daniels Head, Cape Sable Island, Shelburne Co. The Hawk, Cape Sable Island, Shelburne Co. Cooks Beach, near Yarmouth, Yarmouth Co. Melbourne Lake, near Yarmouth, Yarmouth Co. Prince Edward Island Alberton Harbour & Cascumpec Bay mudflats, Prince Co. MacCallum's Point & Holman Island, Prince Co. Malpeque Bay, Prince Co. Bedeque Bay, Prince Co. Rice Point mudflats, Queens Co. Cousins Shore, Queens Co. Tracadie Harbour, Queens Co. East Royalty, Hillsborough Queens Co. Rollo Bay, Kings Co. Canavoy Beach, Kings Co. Souris River & Harbour Beach and Mudflats, Kings Co. (could do with more surveyors) St. Peter’s Lake Run, King Co. East Point, Kings Co. Sites in bold italics are Important Bird Areas To take on a site in the Maritimes please contact Kate Robinson or the Sackville Environment Canada office. To take on a site in Labrador and Newfoundland contact Jeanette Goulet or the Saint John’s Environment Canada office. Page 12 Calidris No. 18, March 2010 Roger Burrows completed the 30th year of surveys at Castalia Marsh, Grand Manan, New Brunswick. He has been surveying it regularly since 2007. This is an extraordinary site that sees many rarities. This site has also been surveyed by Peter Pearce, Brian Dalzell, Jim Wilson & friends (K.F. Edwards, O. Washburn, D.J. Graham, R. Walker, D. Christie, M. Clarke, J. Whitelaw, C. Bradshaw, & A. Sharkey) from 1975 to 2006. Winifred E. Cairns also surveyed this site in 1978. Castalia Marsh is a 80.9 ha saltmarsh lo- cated on the eastern shore of Grand Manan Island in the Bay of Fundy. It is shown by a star on the regional and provincial maps. Castalia Marsh is part of the globally, continentally and nationally significant Grand Manan Archipelago Important Bird Area. Thank you Roger and past surveyors of Castalia Marsh! The Importance of Long term Data Collection Rigorous data collection is implicit for efficient monitoring and scientific research. For data to be useful for research it needs to be collected in a replicable manner, with as little biases as possible. Long term data collection results in data that can be used in population trend estimations. How is the Maritimes Shorebird Survey data used? Well, first off all it is entered into the Atlantic Canada Shorebird Survey database. We query this data- base frequently for data requests from biologists, academics, DNR, naturalists and others. Maritimes Shorebird Survey data also goes into government reports and conservation plans such as the Canadian Shorebird Conservation Plan (2000). Many scientific papers have used MSS data in their research. Here is an excerpt from the methodology section of the paper ‘Survey trends of North America shorebirds: population declines or shifting distributions?’ 2007. Journal of Avian Biology 38: 73-82 “Data from the Maritimes Shorebird Survey (MSS) and the International Shorebird Survey (ISS)  were used in the analysis. … In calculating trends, …we used only sites visited at least three times  in at least six years, during the fall migration period, during 1974‐1998.”  Take home message: the longer you can survey your site and the more consistently you conduct your surveys the more we can learn from your survey data. Long term data collection makes a difference! Castalia Marsh reaches 30 years of surveys! Photo courtesy of Roger Burrows. Map of Grand Manan Map of New Brunswick Castalia Marsh A huge thank you to all of those that conduct shorebird surveys and participate in the MSS! Page 13 Calidris No. 18, March 2010 Surveyor Hall of Fame for Maritimes Shorebird Survey Sylvia Fullerton (conducted 35 years at Cherry Hill Beach, NS), Shirley Cohrs (34 years of surveys at Crescent Beach, NS, and 10 years at Cherry Hill Beach, NS), Harry Walker (29 years of surveys at Pointe au Carr, NB), Sid and Betty June Smith (conducted 27 years of surveys at Cape Sable, NS), David Christie and Mary Majka (26 years at Mary’s Point, NB), Eric and Barbara Ruff (21 years at Sunday Point, NS), PEI National Park staff (21 years of surveys at Cavendish Sandspit and Cove- head and Brackley Marshes, 13 years at Blooming Point, and 12 years at Rustico Causeway & Robinson’s Island, PEI Na- tional Park, PE), David Young (17 years at Matthew Lake, NS), Peter De Marsh (15 years at Mal Bay, NB), Hubert and Helen Hall (15 years at Cooks Beach, NS), Francis Spalding (15 years of surveys at Economy, NS), Kouchibouguac National Park staff (14 years of surveys at North Kouchibouguac Beach, 12 years of surveys at Kelly’s Beach, Kouchibouguac Park, NB), Peter Pearce (14 years at Castalia Marsh, 11 years at Long Pond Beach, and 11 years at Marsh Point, White Head Island, NB), Marcel David (12 years at Mal Bay South, 11 years at Mal Bay North, 10 years at Maisonette Dune, NB), Mary Willms (12 years at East Royalty, PE), Les and Joan Homans and Barry Martin (10 years at South Shore Malpeque Bay, PE) MSS Surveyors who surveyed a site10 years or more MSS Surveyors who surveyed their site 5 years or more Anthony Erskine, James Hirtle, Ruth Smith, Judy Tufts, C.R.K. Allen, P.R. Dobson, R. Hall, Mary Hilton, David McCorquo- dale, Susann Myers, NCC staff, Neil and Sally Bennett, Susan Essensa, Gisèle Martin, Roger Leblanc, Eileen Pike, Hank Deichmann, Irving Eco-Centre staff, Roy LaPointe, Clive MacDonald, Theresa Campbell, Andrew MacInnes, Rose-Alma Mallet, Arthur Porter, Linder Thurber MSS Surveyors who surveyed their site 3 years or more R. Baker, Roger Burrows, Roger and Lee Calkins, E. H. Cooke, Ted Glas, E. Holdway, D. S. MacDougall, Reid McManus, Johnny and Sandra Nickerson, Julie Paquet, T. L. Sears, June Swift, Katherine Bunker-Popma, Ralph Eldridge, Peter Hicklin, Island Nature Trust staff, Kejimkujik National Park staff , Ken MacIntosh, G. D. Perry, Projet Siffleur staff, E. Smith MSS Surveyors who surveyed a site for 1 year or more Sue Abbott, Ashley Sprague, Emily Swim, J. d’Entremont, Peter Barkhouse, B. Hughson, Roger Bélanger, Dave Brown, Jen Harding, Richard Brunt, J. Roy, H. Collins, P. Cannell, Ralph Cartar, H. Chiasson, Roland Chiasson, Stephen Flemming, R. Walker, M. Clark, Jared Clark, John Wells, Ken Knowles, Clyde Stoddart, P. Comeau, J. Savoie, S. Connell, Gary Corbett, Louis-Emile Cormier, Merv Cormer, Greg Daigle, Nadine Robichaud, C. Bradshaw, K. Edwards, B. Russel, D.J. Graham, A. Hyde, Jim Wilson, G. Wilhelm, Dave Sheppard, Andy and Leila Dean, Tracey Dean, D. Joslin, I. Walker, M. Burzynski, Gordon Delaney, N. Fontaine, P. K. Donahue, Denis Doucet, M. Leblanc, D. Maillet, Jim Edsall, K. F. Edwards, J. A. Elliot, Richard Elliot, William Montevecchi, S. Lunn, Sean Blaney, Nev Garrity, A. Vautour, M. Phinney, R. Hatch, F. and N. Hen- nessey, P. C. Smith, Anne Hughes, Durlan and Sally Ingersoll, John Wells, Jeff Harrison, Angele Johnson, Katie Friars, Jenny Brown, C. L. Johnston, Gay Hanson, Peter Austin-Smith, R. K. Ross, Fulton Lavender, Robert Leblanc, L. Sock, Ulysses Robichaud, Wade Lewis, Todd MacDonald, G. Jollie, Scott MacDonald, Theresa Macdonald, Gayle Sanderson, Tracey Mac- donald, Bruce Mactavish, B. Maher, Alan Madden, T. Power, C. Novac, C. McGee, Ian McLaren, Eric Mills, Allison Murphy, Allan and Cathy Murrant, Murray Newell, T. Crowell, M. Libby, Roberta Palmer, Diane Amirault-Langlais, O. Washburn, R. M Poulin, G. J. Redstone, Scott Reede, Nathalie Paulin, Lewnanny Richardson, Greg Campbell, Kate Robinson, Bryan Mar- tin, M. Rymer, J. Pearse, Barry Sabean, Jean Sharpe, Pippa Shepherd, Sherman Boates, Ian Sober, Richard Stern, Jennifer Stewart, Anne Mills, Linda Thomas, Pat Tidd, Rosemary Curley, Stuart Tingley, Éric Tremblay, Jean Timpa, Jackie Waddell, C. Redmond, Ralph Widrig, R. Thompson, R. Thexston, Jean Wilson, Joanne Sauace, Samantha Perin, Mark Pokorski, Wini- fred Cairns, Maureen Cameron-MacMillan, Roland Chiasson, CWS staff, Brian Dalzell, Con Desplanque, Robert Doiron, Becky Whittam, Jaakko Finne, Ramsey Hart, John Kearney, S. Kierstead, D. MacKinnon, Weldon MacPhail, Richard Knapton, Peter McIntyre, Eric Ogil- vie, Mary Hilton, David Sargeant, David Seeler, Gary Stewart, Jim Wolford We greatly appreciate your contributions to shorebird monitoring! Please let us know if there are any mistakes and our deepest apologies if we missed anyone. Page 14 Calidris No. 18, March 2010 Page 14 Calidris No. 18, March 2010 L o u i s - E m i l e Cormier at his site C o r m i e r v i l l e Mar sh . Pho t o taken by Kate Rob- inson courtesy of L o u i s - E m i l e Cormier. A huge round of applause for the volunteers that have taken on new survey sites! The new sites and their surveyors are: Cormierville Marsh, NB – Louis-Emile Cormier Sackville Marsh and Tantramar River, NB – Kathy Bunker- Popma Four Road - Nature NB – Species at Risk Kingsburg Beach Lunenburg NS—James R. Hirtle Bay Beach, Cape LaHave Island, NS—James R. Hirtle The following new sites in the Acadian Penninsula: Baie de Petit Pokemouche, Swinging Point, Poitne à Barreau, Le Goulet, Grand Lac, Pigeon Hill, Grande Plaine, Miscou Beach, Chaisson Office and Cap Bateau are being surveyed by Lewanny Richard- son and Nathalie Paulin for Nature NB –Species at Risk. Old sites with new surveyors: Rotary Park—Greg Campbell Cap Brûlé—Juliette Pellerin Cap Bimet—Becky Stewart New Purple Sandpiper Sites: Indian Point, St. Andrews, NB - Tracey Dean Johnson’s Point “The Ledges”, NB - Kathy and Harold Popma As always, thank you to everyone who contrib- uted to the newsletter! A huge thank you goes out to those that wrote arti- cles for our newsletter and all the photographers who gave us permission to use their great shorebird pictures. Most of all, our gratitude goes out to all the volunteers who participate in the Maritimes Shorebird Survey. It is always a pleasure to hear your shorebird news and receive your survey data! Thank You New MSS Sites! If you have a new site that you are surveying please let us know and we will be delighted to send you the survey site description forms and more data sheets. Harold Popma surveying Johnson Mills for Purple Sandpipers this winter. Photo courtesy of Kathy and Haro l d Popma. A Baird Sandpiper and Pectoral Sandpiper courtesy of June Swift. Page 15 Calidris No. 18, March 2010 Francis Spalding surveyed shorebirds at Economy on the northern shore of Cobequid Bay, Bay of Fundy since 1977. His las t Mari t ime Shorebird Survey (MSS) was in 2007. In all he conducted 116 sur- veys for MSS! Francis Spalding- surveyed that site 15 years, over a period of 30 years! Economy is part of the Cobequid Bay Important Bird Area and recognised as part of the Hemispheric Shore- bird Reserve under the Western Hemispher Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN). This site is a priority site for migrant shorebirds in Atlantic Canada especially Black-bellied Plover, Semipalmated Plover and Sander- ling (Atlantic Canada Shorebird Conservation Plan 2008). This site is now available. Thank you Francis! Photo courtesy of Francis Spalding. Retiring MSS Surveyors... Economy is located on the northern shore of Cobequid Bay, Bay of Fundy, in southern Colchester County, Nova Scot ia. This s i te is avai lable ! Johnny and Sandra Nickerson surveyed two sites on the south shore of Nova Scotia on Cape Sa- ble Island, the Hawk Flats since 1983 and Daniels Head since 2005. They retired from MSS surveys last spring after surveying West Baccaro for Purple Sandpipers in January. The Hawk Flats produce clams and bloodworms in abundance attracting large numbers of shorebirds and a diversity of species at low tide. Several shorebird rarities have been seen at this site. Daniels Head is another great site nearby site where a dune restoration project is currently underway. American Oystercatchers are observed occasionally at this site. These sites are both part of the globally and nationally- significant Eastern Cape Sable Island Important Bird Area. Thank you Johnny and Sandra! T h e H a w k Flats are lo cated at the southern t ip of Cape Sa- ble Is land in N o v a S c o t i a . This an avai l - able MSS si te ! Daniels Head is located on Cape Sable Is land in southern Nova Scot ia. This s i te is avai lable ! Johnny surveying shorebirds at the Hawk Flats, photo cour- tesy of Johnny Nickerson. Page 16 Calidris No. 18, March 2010 Peter Hicklin Retires A Career devoted to Shorebirds... In 1977 Peter Hicklin, known by many as Pete, started working at Canadian Wildlife Service. He became the Shorebird Biologist for the Atlantic Region. Yet, his interest in shorebirds had begun before that when he first saw a flock of Semipal- mated Sandpipers in the Bay of Fundy and won- dered “Where are they going? Where are they from?”. Known for his keen attention to detail, friendly nature and appreciation for a good cup of coffee, Pete has been keeping the Sackville CWS office lively at for 32 years, cranking out reports, scientific papers, conducting shorebird surveys (including some aerial ones), and band- ing Semipalmated Sandpipers. Peter Hicklin has made huge contribu- tions to the Atlantic Canada shorebird program and our understanding of the shorebirds that mi- grate through the Maritimes. On October 23rd, 2009 the Sackville Environment Canada office The research continues... gathered to celebrate his career. It has been a career dedica- tion to Semipalmated Sandpipers, scientific inquiry, and publishing his findings. We are grateful for all the work he has done and continues to do! Now at the office as an emeritus, he still has many projects on the go. Thank you pete! Peter Hicklin conducting an aerial survey in 1976. Retirement Projects By Peter Hicklin Life as an Emeritus… I retired from my position as Wildlife Biologist with the Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS), Environment Canada, on 2 October, 2009, following 32 years and 32 days of service. Over that period of time, amongst other things, I supervised the shorebird monitoring program known as the Maritime Shorebirds Surveys, now referred to as the Atlantic Canada Shorebird Survey following the “official” inclusion of New- foundland and Labrador into the program, an important development. A major part of this shorebird monitor- ing program involved the censusing of migrant shorebirds over a 10-year period at four wetlands in the Aca- dian Peninsula of New Brunswick by librarian Marcel David, based in Caraquet, New Brunswick. Marcel con- ducted his investigations mainly over the fall months but also made a series of detailed spring surveys once year at one of the sites (Maisonnette) during the northward migration. A few years ago, Marcel took a position as national librarian in Ottawa; however, his shorebird surveys in the Acadian Peninsula continue to this day during his annual holidays! But when Marcel left Caraquet for his new job, he left me all his many notebooks with the detailed shorebird data he had accumulated over that decade. Presently, in retirement, but still with a work area and computer available to me at the CWS as an Emeritus Biologist, I am summarizing Marcel’s fascinating data set in report form which will I hope be pub- Page 17 Calidris No. 18, March 2010 lished some day in an ornithological journal. So far, I have completed the “Results” section of the report and am presently putting it all into context as I proceed with the “Discussion”. All is progressing very well… Another major project that I was involved with over 16 field seasons, between 1981 and 2006, was the banding of Semipalmated Sandpipers at Grande Anse, New Brunswick, in Shepody Bay, Bay of Fundy. Beyond the banding process, we also measured the bill and wing lengths and fresh masses of nearly 20,000 Semipalmated Sandpipers over that period. I considered taking these measurements as being important because I knew, from the very beginning, that different populations breeding from the eastern to the western regions of the country were distin- guishable on the basis of their morphological measurements: bill lengths of breeding birds show a cline from longer to shorter bills from east to west (see Har- rington and Morri- son, 1979). Fur- thermore, the birds were stopping in Fundy to deposit energy-rich fat in order to complete their southward migration. Consequently, it seemed important for us to also monitor the birds’ annual rates of weight gain to make sure that changing tidal currents and water levels, related to the construction of bar- rages or aboiteaus across a number of tidal rivers in the bay since the early 1970s, did not negatively affect the birds’ ability to successfully complete the long non-stop migration to South America over the Atlantic Ocean. John Chardine, a research scientist with Environment Canada, and I are presently analyzing this large data set (actually, John is the one in charge of the data analy- sis!) to look at trends in body size, between and within seasons, over the years of trapping. The journal Waterbirds is planning a special issue of the journal on the status of the Semipalmated Sandpiper in 2010 and our article will make up part of this special publication. So keep your eyes open for copies; Kate Robinson will tell you when it is to appear on the shelves! In the meantime, keep a close eye on these very special birds and do all you can to ensure the conservation of wetland habitats so important to all our migrant shorebirds in Atlantic Canada! Literature Cited Harrington, B.A. and R.I.G. Morrison. 1979. Semipalmated Sandpiper migration in North American Studies in Avian Biology 2: 83-100. Peter Hicklin at Johnson Mills. Photo courtesy of John Chardine. A Semipalmated Sandpiper being banded. The plastic flag is white indicating it was banded in Canada. Semipalmated Sandpipers taking flight. NCC acquires more land at Johnson’s Mills! Page 18 Calidris No. 18, March 2010 This sizeable land acquisi- tion was made possible with the team work and help of concerned individuals, corporations, founda- tions and conservation organiza- tions. NCC’s partners for this land acquisition at the Johnson’s Mills Shorebird Reserve include the Government of Canada, Mountain Equipment Co-Op, the Province of New Brunswick and many indi- viduals. In all, NCC has now se- cured over 460 acres (186 hectares) of critical habitat for migrating shorebirds! This a really special Great news for shorebird habitat conservation, Nature Conservancy Canada (NCC) has purchased more land for the Johnson’s Mills Shorebird Reserve! On June 23, 2009 NCC announced they pro- tecting of over 145 acres (59 hectares) of environ- mentally sensitive shorebird habitat on the Dorchester Cape around Johnson’s Mills. This property will con- tribute to a buffer zone that will provide protection to this important stop-over site for Semipalmated Sand- pipers and other shorebirds. NCC operates the Johnson’s Mills Shorebird Interpretation Centre during the peak shorebird migration season (July until early September). This centre provides education to the public and introduces many visitors to the fascination of shorebirds. Photo courtesy of NCC. Map of NCC ownded land in the Upper Bay of Fundy. This map is illustrative only. Do not rely on it as being precise for routes or locations of features, nor for navigation. Map courtesy of NCC.. Shorebirds at Johnson’s Mills photo courtesy of NCC. Page 19 Calidris No. 18, March 2010 Mitigating Human Disturbance tinuing their journey south. As 75% of the world’s population of Semipalmated Sandpiper stage in the Bay of Fundy the species can be sensitive to distur- bances. So if your planning to visit them or conduct- ing shorebird surveys in general it is always impor- tant to be mindful and respectful of these long dis- tance travelers. It is especially, important to explain this and why it is necessary to those accompanying you on surveys. Many visitors come from far and wide to visit the Bay of Fundy to see the extreme tides, the Hopewell rocks and the stars of the show the Semipalmated Sandpiper. They stop in the Bay of Fundy in late summer and fall on their way back from the breeding grounds in the low Arctic to feed on Corophium volutator mud shrimp. This is a critical time for them to rest and feed before con- This photo shows how shorebirds can be easily disturbed. Photo courtesy of Peter Hicklin/Enviornment Canada. When surveying shorebirds and visiting sites,   please remember to:   Approach shorebirds slowly    Avoid sudden movements and making loud noises   Keep your distance from roosting and feeding shore‐ birds, if you can identify them you are close enough   Wear clothing  that is not very brightly coloured      Keep dogs on leashes, when at the beach  area of the Bay of Fundy as hundreds of thousands of shorebirds can be seen on their south bound mi- gration. This land acquisition will ensure migratory birds can continue to rest un- disturbed and that no further development will oc- cur. News item, map and photographs courtesy of NCC. For the full report see NCC Atlantic, News from the field: ‘The Nature Conservancy of Canada Saves more than 145 acres of shorebird habitat in New Bruns- wick’ News June 23, 2009 http://www.natureconservancy.ca/site/News2?abbr= at_ncc_&page=NewsArticle&id=11791&security=1 404&news_iv_ctrl=1067 Over 66 percent of the  shoreline at Johnson’s Mills  is now protected by NCC!  Shorebirds feeding on the mudflats at low tide. During the shorebird migration season, each individual bird will eat an average of 10,000-20,000 Corophium at every low tide. Corophium volutator, commonly called mud shrimp, is a small amphipod about the size of a grain of rice. Courtesy of NCC. Page 20 Calidris No. 18, March 2010 Shorebird Sites on Prince Edward Island Given the extensive suitable habitat for shorebirds and significant coastline, David Seeler has kindly written an overview of some of the islands' best shorebird areas. Prince Edward Island (PEI) sits nestled just above the northern shores of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia. Due to the Island’s irregular shape, its coastline is approxi- mately 1,107 km in length. The coast is dotted with bays and estuaries, many protected by islands, sand spits, and dunes with barrier beaches. The shallow nature of many of these bays and estuaries results in extensive mudflats being made available to migrating shorebirds during ebb tide. Dramatic numbers, such as those observed in the Bay of Fundy, are not seen on PEI but should you wish to under- take a shorebird adventure, then the Island is the place to visit. Whether you arrive by ferry or via the Confederation Bridge, your adventure begins as soon as you step on the shores of PEI. At Borden, the sandy beaches and mudflats to the west of the bridge bordered by Noonan’s Marsh are an excellent spot to start, particularly when fall migration is in full swing. Similarly, the environs surrounding the ferry terminal at Wood Islands may also be productive during the fall migratory period. Sites that were monitored this year for the Mari- times Shorebird Survey (MSS) were the Cavendish Sand- spit, and the area from Covehead to Brackley in the Prince Edward Island National Park (PEINP). While the Caven- dish sand spit in the PEINP is generally closed in order to protect nesting Piping Plover pairs, MSS surveyors have been given access to the area to do counts. This site can be particularly busy as July fades into August with both the north and south shores being actively used by migrating shorebirds. The north side is essentially a long sandy beach backed by dunes. The south side has extensive mudflats interspersed with sandy beaches which become exposed at ebb tide. The Brackley to Covehead stretch within the PEINP is productive from late April through mid- November with the middle two weeks of July being rela- tively quiet save the activities of nesting Willet. The bays are shallow and well protected offering good feeding sites at low tide. While a careful eye must be cast in the saltwa- ter marshes to the south of the park road, there is a pull-off at the Covehead Bridge which allows unfettered, although at times distant, viewing of shorebirds as the floor of Cove- head Bay becomes visible. Good numbers of shorebirds can be observed either here, or along the north side beaches, when weather has thrown significant amounts of seaweed up onto the shore. Arriving birds do love to probe the rotting vegetative matter and depending on when they arrived, there may be more shorebirds in the vegetation on the north side beaches as compared to more suitable habi- tat for those species within the protected bays. In the past, other areas outside of the PEINP were regularly monitored such as Malpeque Bay. Legion Shore on the south side of Malpeque Bay can be very pro- ductive especially at low tide. Continued development in the area makes access difficult but one may do so via Locke Shore Road. Similarly, good viewing at low tide can be had at the mouth of the Barbara Weit River adja- cent to Rte. 306 during the fall migration when a low tide exposes the floor of the estuary. For those who wish to see shorebirds in greater numbers the following sites immediately come to mind. Tracadie Bay, a short distance away from Cove- head, provides exciting opportunities. Whether you walk the sandbar just to the south of the bay entrance or you go directly to the harbour, you may observe significant num- ber of shorebirds. During ebb tide they move from the sandbar onto an extensive mudflat just to the east of Tra- cadie Harbour. Knowledge of tidal activity for the area, or good optics, is essential for the observer as these mudflats are extensive and you may be viewing birds up to 800 m or more at low tide. If you are visiting in the summer, early morning or evening can be a good time to check the site, while evenings will provide you with the best views from September onwards. Depending on the time of day and tides, it is my belief that shorebirds move between this site and Covehead Bay on a frequent basis. As one moves east towards Morell, the next site of interest is the sand flats in St. Peters Harbour located just south of the tip of the Greenwich Sandspit in St Peters Bay (PEINP). This site is accessed via St Peters Harbour Road. Ebb tide is again an ideal time to move out onto the exten- sive flats as shorebirds congregate along the waters reced- Tracadie Harbour Sandspit, photo courtesy of David Seeler. Page 21 Calidris No. 18, March 2010 ing edge. This site can be active, or for an unknown reason, be devoid of shorebirds; my experience is that there are more shorebirds here than along the tip of Greenwich despite only a narrow channel separating the two sites. Further east, two sites afford excellent viewing con- ditions, a good diversity of species and good numbers. The beaches on the south side of the Souris Causeway (Rte 2) give rise to extensive sand flats as the tide recedes. Similarly, the north side which is best viewed at a pull-off at the north- east end of the bridge. An ebb tide exposes an extensive mud- flat which is well used by migrating shorebirds. Again due to the shallow nature of the Souris River estuary, a good knowl- edge of the tides is essential so that the birds are not widely scattered. Little Harbour supports an expansive tidal marsh and large sand dune and beach systems. Little Harbour is a must visit especially in the spring if you are looking for rari- ties on PEI. Spring migrants are picked up here and, in fact, spring may very well be the best time to locate unusual spe- cies. Early morning visits in spring will net most, if not all, of the marsh birds resident on the island including Wilson’s Snipe, Willet, but also other birds such as American Bittern, Sora, and Virginia Rail. Little Harbour should also be checked at other times of the year – even during the winter months. For example, the first of PEI’s two records of Northern Lapwing was sighted in the dunes bor- dering Black’s Pond just to the east of Little Harbour access road. This area is accessed via Little Harbour Beach Road which is east of Souris along Rte 16. Just west of Souris on Rte 2, you can access the Rollo Bay Wildlife Management Area via Peter’s Lane which is opposite Rte. 307. At the end of this road, you not only overlook an extensive tidal sys- tem of salt marshes and pools but a vast mudflat which, in the fall, is a temporary home to a significant numbers of shorebirds and other spe- cies. This spot, along with Tracadie Harbour, and the next location, may be amongst the best locations to view num- bers of shore birds on PEI. Southwest of Charlottetown along the south shore, the mudflats between Rice Point and St. Peter’s Island of- ten team with shorebirds at low tide. This site is rarely vis- ited but may in fact be a hidden gemstone in terms of shorebird activity. As the tide increases, the birds head into the tidal salt marshes and pools to wait out the high tide in the surrounding area. The primary difficulty with this locale is the presence of hunters during hunting season. One last site worth mentioning is in Cascumpec Bay on the north shore. The Alberton Harbour mudflats located just off of the harbour provide another opportunity for migrating shorebirds to feed and rest. During the fall migration reports of significant numbers have been made but, alas, few observers were able to make the trip. I sus- pect that this site may very well prove to be as active as Rollo Bay or Tracadie Harbour over time. If you are interested in the chase and love shore birds, then may I suggest that you visit our fair Isle. I would be more than happy to provide whatever guidance that I can. David Seeler I wish to thank Dwaine Oakley who reviewed this article. Surveyors are needed on PEI! The only sites survyed in 2009 were inside the Prince Edward Island National Park. If you are interested in surveying a site for shorebirds in PEI please get in touch. Contact: Kate Robinson Phone: (506) 364 5058 Email: kate.robinson@ec.gc.ca Rollo Bay photo courtesy of David Seeler. Mudflats at Little Harbour. Photo courtesy of Dwaine Oakley. Malpeq ue Bay Bedeque Bay Cascumpec Bay Tr ac ad ie Ba y E as t P oi nt Rice Point Souris R ollo B ay L ittle H arbour Morell St . P ete r’s B ay St . P et er ’s H ar bo ur Pluvialis dominica Pluvier bronzé American Golden-Plovers are seen in upland ar- eas, short grass fields and pastures, as well as occasionally on dry mudflats. They look similar to Black-bellied Plov- ers yet they are slightly smaller and have a distinctly dark cap. Description American Golden-Plovers are medium-sized plovers having upperparts with yellow markings on a dark grayish-brown background. They are generally 24-28 cm in length with wingspans of approximately 180 mm. Bill black, legs gray to black. Breeding adult gold spangled above, with much black below. They have a white super- cilium extending into a neck stripe. Males are entirely black below, females generally duller with a less defined head and neck stripe. Non-breeding adults and some first summer birds look irregularly mottled or virtually plain. In flight, all brown with faintly indicated wing stripes from above, lighter below with grey underwings. Toes do not extend beyond tail tip. Range The breeding range of the American Golden-Plover extends across the southern part of the Canadian and Alas- kan Arctic as well as NE Manitoba, Yukon, and NW Brit- ish Colombia. Wintering mainly occurs in Brazil, Para- guay, Bolivia, and Chile, southwards through Uruguay and Argentina. While some winter in Central America, Colom- bia, and Venezuela. Habitat American Golden-Plovers nest primarily on arctic and subarctic tundra, usually in sparse vegetation, or higher well-drained rocky slopes. American golden- plovers are found primarily wintering within grasslands, with only a few wintering on coastal wetlands. Migration Adults begin leaving the breeding grounds on June/July while most depart in August. Juveniles linger in northerly regions until late August – early October. Ap- proximately 70% migrate south through Atlantic Canada. These birds use a variety of inland and coastal habitats including native prairie, pastures, tilled farmland, golf courses, mudflats, estuaries, and beaches. Extensive wet- lands in the Pantanal region at the headwaters of the Para- guay River in Brazil are likely an important stopover. Birds arrive on the wintering grounds from late August to December, while the spring migration generally begins late January, with a major exodus in February. They are well known for an elliptical migratory pattern with their spring route lying mostly west of the fall route. They return from wintering grounds through central North Amer- ica. The passage North through upper Midwestern US and S. Canada usually peaks early to mid May. The American golden-plover gen- erally arrive on breeding grounds mid-May to early June and is generally based on latitude and variations in snowmelt. In the fall, they migrate south via an Atlantic route. Breeding Male American Golden-Plovers are very site faithful returning to the same site year after year and tend to be very territorial. Pairing often takes place when fe- male settles on territory established by the male. Aggres- sive courtship displays and territorial disputes are com- mon. Production of nest scrapes is part of pair-bonding, while the male generally completes the final nest within a few days using pieces of lichen. They generally have a clutch size of 4 eggs with an incubation time of 26-27 days. Males generally incubate during the day and females Americn Golden-Plover at Saint John, NB. Photo courtesy of Merv Cormier. Focus on: The American Golden-Plover Page 22 Calidris No. 18, March 2010 American Golden-Plover in non-breeding plumage at Jones beach, New York, USA on September 13, 2008. Photo courtesy of Lloyd Spitalnik. The name ‘turnstone’ comes from the foraging behaviour they have of turning over small rocks and pebbles with their beaks in search of food! Ruddy Turnstone August 22, 2006 at Mahoney's Beach, NS. Photo courtsey of Bruce Stevens Ruddy Turnstone at Miscou Island Aug13, 2007. Photo courtesy of Jim Clifford. Site Name Prov No. Sur- veys at Site No. Surveys with RUTU Ave. No. RUTU Blackett's Cove PE 1 1 37.0 Cheverie Creek NS 1 1 35.0 Tabusintac Dune NB 3 3 34.7 Harrington River NS 1 1 25.0 Mills Point PE 1 1 25.0 Carleton Cove PE 1 1 24.0 Graham Head NS 2 2 20.0 Grand Manan NB 1 1 20.0 Railway Saltmarsh NS 1 1 20.0 Cape Sable NS 229 156 19.0 during the night. During the incubation period, the male usually forages nearby, whereas the female will forage much further from the nest. Chicks generally emerge to within 1 day with no assistance from parents. Eggshells are removed following emergence and deposited away from nest site. Early-hatched chicks forage on insects near nest while adults continue to incubate late hatching eggs. The entire family soon moves to wetter tundra in search of food and concealment in dense cover, at times within 3 days of hatching. Chicks fledge at approximately 21-22 days. These birds attempt to breed every year and are known to live up to 15 years. Diet Major foods common to this species includes adult and larval insects such as grasshoppers, beetles, grubs, cutworms, wireworms, as wells as small molluscs and crustaceans, spiders, crowberries and blueberries. There have been reports of birds eating seeds, weevils, ants, and even earthworms. Fallout of airborne arthropods on snow- patches is thought to provide limited early spring food sources. Predators They are predated by a variety of avian and mammalian predators on breeding and wintering grounds, including jaegers, Northern Shrike, Northern Harriers, Rough-legged Hawks foxes, and even caribou! Caribou were found to trample nests or even eat eggs. Lemming cycles are a major significance to nesting success as predator diets shift with changing lemming populations. Threats Most breeding ranges of these plovers are intact and relatively unexploited by humans, however, climate change may desynchronize the availability of food when adults and chicks need to store adequate reserves. Win- ter ranges and migratory routes are less secure and under pressure from agriculture, ranching, pollution, and bur- geoning human populations. Coastal wintering popula- tions are therefore threatened by increasing urbanization and tourism. Flooded lowlands grazed by cattle, which are beginning to be drained and converted to cropland will likely have serious impacts on the species. Population Status and Conservation The total population of American Golden-Plover is esti- mated at over 150,000 individuals in North America. The Canadian population has undergone significant de- clines. About 70% American Golden-Plovers pass through Atlantic Canada as fall migrants. MSS data in- dicates declining numbers. This plover is considered a species of High Concern under the Canadian Shorebird Conservation Plan (2000). In Atlantic Canada, surveys of upland sites need to be maintained particularly in fall to provide adequate monitoring of American Golden-Plover. They are protected in Canada under the North America under the Migratory Birds Convention Act. Some areas of their wintering grounds are conserved as part of the West- ern Hemisphere Shorebird Reserve Network (WHSRN). Information extracted from: Johnson, Oscar W. and Peter G. Connors. 1996. American Golden-Plover (Pluvialis dominica), The Birds of North America Online (A. Poole, Ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology; Retrieved from the Birds of North Amer- ica Online: http://bna.birds.cornell.edu/bna/species/201 Maritimes Shorebird Survey data In 2009, American Golden-Plovers were observed at 13 MSS sites throughout the Maritimes, with a maximum number of 5 birds seen at The Thoroughfare - Grand Manan Island, NB, on October 5th by Roger Burrows. The highest number of American Golden-Plover recorded at a MSS site was 575 in 1978 at Evangeline Beach, Wolfville, NS, observed by John Kear- ney, Peter Smith, Gay Hansen, and Andrew MacInnes. Table 1. MSS sites with the highest average numbers of American Golden-Plover observed since 1974. Page 23 Calidris No. 18, March 2010 Site Name Prov No. Surveys at Site No. Surveys with American Golden-Plover Ave. No. American Golden- Plover Evangeline Beach NS 33 3 17.7 Sydney Airport NS 32 22 17.4 South Shore Malpeque Bay PE 137 29 11.6 Bathurst Har- bour NB 24 24 9.7 Round Bay NS 3 2 6 Oak Island East NS 6 3 5.8 Grand Pre East NS 16 5 5.2 Windsor Sewage Lagoons NS 40 8 3.5 Miscou Island Pond NB 2 1 3.5 Saint Andrews NB 2 1 3.5 Page 24 Calidris No. 18, March 2010 Sharing Shorebirding Skills By Bryan Martin, Wildlife Technician Canadian Wildlife Service, Environment Canada Let’s think back to a time, probably many years ago, while you were sitting on the beach with the sun on your face, the wind in your hair, and the sweet smell of salt water and sea grass permeating the air. This was a time before you knew the differ- ence between a Piping Plover and a Sanderling. You only knew that they were amazing little crea- tures running up and down the beach with the abil- ity to hold your attention for hours on end. For some of us this may have been only a short time ago, but for many birders, this may have been many moons ago when both the coastline and the number of shorebirds were very different. Many of you probably survey sites for shorebirds on a regular basis now and may be able to think back to that one particular time or person that lit the spark which started your journey with shorebirds. Unfortunately, due to various reasons, many youngsters are not getting the opportunity to see these beautiful birds with the same eyes we may have seen them with years ago. Furthermore, some of us are retiring from our survey sites with no one available to take our places. Dwindling man- (women-) power is a concerning thing for people working in conservation as the more eyes and ears we have out there, the better. With this in mind, we must somehow pique the interest of local youth and young adults, to help them discover the passion of s h o r e b i r d s . We can do this in many ways, whether it be as simple as taking our children or grandchildren on an outing, or more in depth by get- ting involved with school presentations, having an open house for local naturalists groups, or volunteering a day with a local chapter of scouts and girl guides. By providing a mentorship to these young bud- ding naturalists, not only are we lighting a spark that could create a lifetime of enjoyment through birding, but we are also ensuring the continued monitoring of these important species that we so often find in our backyards. By providing mentorship for both the young and old alike, we can also make new friends, experience the excitement of new naturalist as they identify there firsts birds, or simply experience the sat- isfaction that we are passing on knowledge to others that may otherwise be lost. We are passing on this knowledge to people that could draw much enjoyment from our help. So what are we waiting for, lets get out there and find someone for whom we can become a mentor and go birding! The Benefits of Mentoring Photo of Bryan Martin surveying shorebirds at Petit Cap, NB October 2009. This site is available. Photo by Kate Robinson. Passing on your expertise to new surveyors improves and strengthens the Atlantic Canada Shorebird pro- gram. Shorebird identification and counting strategies can take a while to master. Providing guidance to new surveyors maintains the integrity and quality of shore- bird surveys. Sharing expertise between new and ex- perienced shorebird surveyors will help expand the program and allow accurate shorebird monitoring to continue. The Atlantic Canada Shorebird Survey would like to invite you to consider becoming a mentor to a new shorebird surveyor. If you are interested in becoming a Maritimes Shorebird Survey mentor please contact Kate Robinson or the Sackville office for more information. kate.robinson@ec.gc.ca 506 364-5058 Page 25 Calidris No. 18, March 2010 Mitigatin Human Disturbance Monitoring and Conserving Important Bird Areas in Nova Scotia By Sue Abbott, NS Projects Coordinator, Bird Studies Canada Most wildlife watchers know a spot around their community that is important for birds, but many may not know a place that has been officially des- ignated as an “Important Bird Area”. Important Bird Areas, or IBAs, are sites that support groups of birds, including large congregations migrating birds (e.g. shorebirds), species at risk, and birds that have restricted ranges or specialized habitats. Whether small or large, in Asia or Africa, about 10,000 IBAs around the world have been desig- nated using standardized, science-based criteria developed by BirdLife International and vetted by national committees. Across Canada, nearly 600 IBAs have been designated, ranging in size from the 61,000 km2 Queen Maud Gulf, Nunavut to the 1 km2 Rocks off Fourchu Head, Nova Scotia. In Canada, IBAs have been valuable tools for devel- oping wildlife reserve networks, guiding land ac- quisition, conservation planning efforts, and build- ing conservation partnerships. Almost all of Nova Scotia’s 32 IBAs are located along the coast because of the significance of the province’s coastal habitats to shorebirds, waterfowl and seabirds, such as Piping Plover, Semipalmated Sandpiper, Canada Goose, Roseate Tern, Great Cormorant and Leach’s Storm-petrel. The only inland IBA is found in Cape Breton and was designated for its importance to a rare forest songbird, the Bicknell’s Thrush. About one third of Nova Scotia’s IBAs, including sites on the Bay of Fundy and South Shore, have been designated because of significant concentrations of shore- birds. With growing pressures from coastal de- velopment, climate change, and recreation, the health of Nova Scotia’s IBAs need regular moni- toring to assess bird populations and habitat qual- ity. In partnership with Nature Canada, Bird Stud- ies Canada has initiated a project that will establish a network of volunteer “Caretakers” for IBAs in Nova Scotia. The Caretaker network will be made up of people and community groups who assist Map of Important Bird Areas (IBAs) created with Google Earth, courtesy of Sue Abbott and Kevin Kelly/Bird Studies Canada. The Nova Scotia IBAs are shown in red, New Brunswick IBAs are shown in orange and Prince Edward Island IBAs are in purple.. with bird and habitat monitoring at IBAs around the prov- ince. Bird Studies Canada will be offering training work- shops to increase bird identification and monitoring skills of volunteers. We will offer workshops around the prov- ince over the next four years, building capacity within our communities for monitoring and conserving IBAs and birds. In August 2010, we will offer training workshops for interested volunteers on Nova Scotia’s South Shore with a focus on shorebirds. Some Maritime Shorebird Survey (MSS) sites are located within IBAs, so we will be working closely with Environment Canada’s Canadian Wildlife Service and MSS volunteers to collaborate on training and shorebird monitoring at these sites. We’re also seeking experienced MSS volunteers to help with mentoring new volunteers in the field or donating images of shorebirds to assist with training. Given the significant declines of many shorebird populations, monitoring ef- forts by the Maritime Shorebird Survey and at IBAs are becoming even more important to help increase our under- standing of population trends and potential threats to habi- tats. Visit our new IBA website at www.ibacanada.com, and contact Bird Studies Canada to learn more about our up- coming workshops and how to get involved at an IBA in Nova Scotia (sabbott@birdscanada.org or 902/426-4055). Page 26 Calidris No. 18, March 2010 Page 26 Purple Sandpiper 2008/2009 Winter Survey Results The Purple Sandpiper is a species of shorebird that regu- larly over-winters in the Maritime Provinces. Winter sur- veys are necessary to monitor their numbers and identify key over-wintering sites. Last winter (November 2008-April 2009), winter-hardy volunteers surveyed along our shorelines for Purple Sandpi- pers. It was the second year of winter surveys for Maritimes Shorebird Survey (MSS). Survey efforts by MSS volun- teers are the first focused and sustained look at Purple Sandpipers in the Maritime Provinces. So here is the full report on the 2008/2009 Purple Sandpiper Survey. Purple Sandpiper Winter Survey Results 2008-9 There were 18 sites surveyed in the Maritimes in the winter of 2008/2009. Out of the 66 winter Maritimes shorebird surveys conducted, Purple Sandpipers were observed in 19 of the surveys at 7 different locations in the Maritime Prov- inces (3 sites in New Brunswick and 4 in Nova Scotia). The maximum number of Purple Sandpipers observed on a MSS survey last winter was 161 at Point Lepreau on Febru- ary 22nd by Jim Wilson, Merv Cormier, Samantha Perin, and Mark Pokorski. David Seeler conducted the most winter surveys at Cove- head & Brackley Marsh but he did not observe any Purple Sandpipers. Shirley Cohrs conducted the second most win- ter surveys (15) at Crescent Beach, NS, and she saw Purple Sandpipers on 6 of those surveys. Prior to the winter, a Pur- ple Sandpiper was observed on a shorebird survey on Octo- ber 18th at Maisonette Dune by Robert Doiron. The next date a Purple Sandpiper were observed at a MSS site was November 2nd, 2008, at Maisonette Beach by Robert Doi- ron. The last Purple Sandpiper observed on a MSS survey was 10 on April 23rd, 2009, at Indian Point, NB,by Tracey Dean. No Purple Sandpipers were observed at a MSS site in the Spring of 2009. See Table 1 for the list of sites where Purple Sandpipers were observed last winter. See Table 2 for a list of all the winter surveyors and their sites. From the winter surveys we are also learning about the oc- currences of other shorebirds in the Maritimes in the win- ter. Black-bellied Plovers and Dunlin were also commonly observed on winter surveys. The species seen at each site can be seen on Table 3. Thanks to everyone that braved the cold to conduct winter surveys in search of Purple Sandpipers! Site Name Prov Surveyor Total Surveys Average PUSA PUSA Maxi- mum Indian Point NB Dean, Tracey 3 31.7 65 Maison- ette Dune NB Doiron, Robert 1 1 1 Point Lepreau NB Wilson, Jim; Cormier, Merv; Perin, Samantha; Pokorski, Mark 2 104.5 161 Daniels Head NS Nickerson, Johnny and Sandra 1 21 21 West Baccaro NS Nickerson, John and Sandra 2 8.5 12 West Pubnico NS Clyde Stoddart 1 15 15 Table 1. Sites with Purple Sandpipers (PUSA) ob- served during MSS Winter Surveys 2008/2009 If you, or someone you know, wishes to take on the chal- lenge of surveying a site in the winter for Purple Sandpi- pers, or in selecting an upland site, please contact Kate Robinson kate.robinson@ec.gc.ca for more information. Purple Sandpipers in flight taken at Saint John. Photo courtesy of Merv Cormier. Page 27 Calidris No. 18, March 2010 Purple Sandpiper Winter Survey 2008/2009 Results Continued Site Name Prov Surveyor Total Surveys Castalia Marsh - Grand Manan Island NB Burrows, Roger 2 Grand Harbour - Grand Manan Island NB Burrows, Roger 4 Johnson's Mills Ledges NB Bunker-Popma, Katherine 1 Indian Point NB Dean, Tracey 3 Long Pond Beach - Grand Manan Island NB Burrows, Roger 1 Maisonette Dune NB Doiron, Robert 1 Point Lepreau NB Wilson, Jim; Cormier, Merv; Perin, Samantha; Pokorski, Mark 2 Sackville Waterfowl Park NB Erskine, Tony 1 The Thoroughfare - Grand Manan Island NB Burrows, Roger 1 White Head Island NB Burrows, Roger 4 Big Island NS McKenna, Ken 2 Cherry Hill Beach/Conrad Beach NS Fullerton, Sylvia 7 Crescent Beach NS Cohrs, Shirley 15 Daniel Head NS Nickerson, Johnny and San- dra 1 Three-Fathom Harbour NS Myers, Susann 1 West Baccaro NS Nickerson, John and Sandra 2 West Pubnico NS Clyde Stoddart 1 Covehead and Brakley Marshes PE Seeler, David 17 Site # 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 Table 2. Sites surveyed in the winter of 2008/2009 (November 1st 2008 to April 19th 2009) and their surveyors* Photos of Purple Sandpipers taken on the Cape Tourmentine 2009 Christmas Bird Count by Anton Struchkov. *For species observed see Table 3 on the next page. Page 28 Calidris No. 18, March 2010 Page 28 Purple Sandpiper 2008/2009 Winter Survey Results T ab le 3 . M ax im u m c ou n ts o f sh or eb ir d s re co rd ed a t M ar it im es S h or eb ir d S u rv ey s it es s u rv ey ed in t h e w in te r of 2 00 8/ 20 09 (N ov em b er 1 st 2 00 8 to A p ri l 1 9t h 2 00 9) * S p ec ie s S it e # 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 G ra n d m ax ** B la ck -b el lie d P lo ve r 7 4 19 47 13 3 38 46 16 47 A m er ic an G ol de n- P lo ve r 1 1 1 S em ip al m at ed P lo ve r 4 1 4 K ill de er 2 2 G re at er Y el lo w le gs 8 6 10 28 2 28 H ud so ni an G od w it 5 5 R ud dy T ur ns to ne 1 2 2 1 2 R ed K no t 11 1 11 S an de rli ng 23 9 9 4 10 23 S em ip al m at ed S an dp ip er 12 5 42 12 5 W hi te -r um pe d S an dp ip er 6 10 3 5 2 10 P u rp le S an d p ip er 65 1 16 1 12 38 21 12 15 16 1 D un lin 20 27 5 1 18 31 1 25 5 27 5 C om m on S ni pe 1 1 N o . S p ec ie s 3 4 0 1 0 7 1 2 1 6 2 5 5 3 4 1 1 8 8 N o . S u rv e ys 2 4 1 3 1 1 2 1 1 4 2 7 15 1 1 2 1 17 17 *F or s ite r ef er en ce n um be rs a nd lo ca tio ns s ee T ab le 2 . ** G ra nd M ax : m ax im um c ou nt a t a s ite in w in te r 20 08 /2 00 9. Page 29 Calidris No. 18, March 2010 Picture Galerie Purple Sandpipers at Dalhousie, NB. Photo courtesy of Allan Madden. Pectoral Sandpiper stalking at Brier Island 2009. Photo courtesy of June Swift. Dunlin on the South Shore of Nova Scotia. Photo courtesy of Elke Love.. Page 30 Calidris No. 18, March 2010 The 2009 Survey Results Summary of the 2009 Maritimes Shorebird survey …………….p. 31 Surveyors and sites surveyed each season Table 1 - Spring sites surveyed and surveyors…………………...…p. 32 Table 2 - Fall sites surveyed and surveyors………………………....p. 33 Table 3 - Summer sites surveyed and surveyors………………….....p. 35 Table 4– Winter sites surveyed and surveyors……………………....p. 35 Species surveyed each site per season Table 5 - Spring maximum shorebird counts per site surveyed……..p.36 Table 6 - Fall maximum shorebird counts per site surveyed……...…p.38 Table 7 - Summer maximum shorebird counts per site surveyed……p.41 Table 8 - Winter maximum shorebird counts per site surveyed……..p.42 Overview White-rumped Sandpiper photo courtesy of Richard Stern. Page 31 Calidris No. 18, March 2010 Winter So far this winter (November 1st 2009 – February 1st 2010), 33 sur- veys have been conducted at 10 MSS sites (4 in NB, 5 in NS and 1 in PEI) and a total of 11 shorebird species have been observed. See Table 4 for the winter surveyors that have already sent in some data and see Table 8 for the maximum numbers of shorebird species seen at each site so far. The winter survey for Purple Sandpiper continues. A complete report will feature in the next issue of Calidris. The 2009 Survey Results Spring Surveys In the spring of 2009, 30 sites were surveyed for shorebirds in the Maritimes Provinces: 20 in New Brunswick, 7 in Nova Scotia, and 2 sites in Prince Edward Island. Overall, 102 surveys were con- ducted and 22 shorebird species were observed. We’ve listed the 22 participants and their sites surveyed in Table 1 and the species they observed are shown in Table 5. Once again the site with highest number of shorebird species in the spring was Maissonette Dune surveyed by Robert Doiron and Marcel David, with 16 species. Second was Covehead and Brackley Marsh in PEI National Park with 12 species. At Cherry Hill Beach, NS Sylvia Fullerton observed 10 species in the Spring, while in NB the site with greatest number of species was St. Leonard Lagoon surveyed by Roy LaPointe with 7 shorebird species. The site that was surveyed the most in the spring was Covehead and Brackley Marsh by David Seeler. In Prince Edward Island, David Seeler recorded the maximum numbers in spring for the following species at Covehead & Brack- ley Marsh: 71 Black-bellied Plovers, 2 American Golden- Plovers, 44 Greater Yellowlegs, 16 Willets, and 31 Dunlin. In Nova Scotia, Sylvia Fullerton observed 6 Piping Plovers in the spring at Cherry Hill Beach. At Carters beach 3 Whimbrels were observed by Ruth E Smith. In New Brunswick, the following maximum spring numbers of 196 Semipalmated Plovers, 44 Ruddy Turnstone, 375 Semipalmated Sandpipers, 228 Least Sandpipers, 1 Purple Sandpiper and 1 Ruff were observed at Maisonnette Dune. Roy LaPointe saw 55 Short-billed Dowitch- ers at St. Leonard Lagoon. Peter Pearce observed 7 Common Snipe, 14 Killdeer, 7 Lesser Yellowlegs and the only other Ruff observed in a survey this year at Wilkin's Airstrip/Field! He also saw the maxima of 12 Solitary Sandpipers at Carmen Creek. Thank you to everyone that conducted spring surveys. Fall Surveys In the fall of 2009, 57 sites were surveyed in the Maritime Provinces: 29 in New-Brunswick, 25 in Nova Scotia and 2 in Prince Edward Island. Overall, 436 surveys were conducted and 31 species were observed. A big round of applause for everyone who participated! The 26 surveyors and their sites are listed in Table 2. The results can be found in Table 6. Sylvia Fullerton recorded the highest number of shorebird species (21) at a site in 2009 at Cherry Hill Beach, NS. The two runner-up sites with the next highest number of species (20) were at Cormier- ville Marsh, a new site near Bouctouche in NB, surveyed by Louis- Emile Cormier and Covehead & Brackley Marsh in PEI surveyed by David Seeler. In New Brunswick, the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) Staff recorded the maxima of 100,000 Semipalmated Sandpipers at Johnson’s Mills. In the Acadian Peninsula, Marcel David observed the species maxima of 114 Red Knots and 177 White-rumped Sandpipers at Mal Bay South as well as 48 Hudsonian Godwits at Maisonette Dune. While at Miscou Beach, Lewnanny Richardson and Nathalie Paulin saw the maxima of 50 Whimbrels. At Sackville Waterfowl Park, Tony Erskine observed 139 Lesser Yellowlegs. At Saints Rest Marsh & Beach Eileen Pike observed the maximums of 250 Black-bellied Plovers and 500 Least Sandpipers. Roy La- Pointe observed 18 Killdeer at Saint Basile shore and shoals, Mada- waska. Roger Burrows reported from his Grand Manan surveys a Curlew Sandpiper, and a Common Ringed Plover, an extremely rare visitor that had never been seen in a MSS survey before! In Nova Scotia, Shirley Cohrs observed the most species maxima for the fall at Crescent Beach: 720 Black-bellied Plovers, 63 Willets, 2 Western Sandpipers, 325 Short-billed Dowitchers, and 3 Long- billed Dowitchers. Susann Myers observed 31 American Golden- Plover at Sydney Airport and 920 Dunlin at Three Fathom Har- bour. Sylvia Fullerton observed 16 Pectoral Sandpipers, and 12,500 Sanderlings at Cherry Hill Beach. Linden Thurber observed the maximums of 7 Spotted Sandpipers, 6 Baird’s Sandpipers and 5 Buff-breasted Sandpipers at Big Pond Cove. James R. Hirtle saw a Stilt Sandpiper and a Red-necked Phalarope at Hell’s Point! In Prince Edward Island, David Seeler observed 128 Greater Yellow- legs at Covehead & Brackley Marsh and 280 Dunlin in PEI Na- tional Park. Summer In the summer, 90 surveys were conducted at 28 sites (16 in New Brunswick, 10 in Nova Scotia, and 2 in PEI) and 16 shorebird species were observed. The sites surveyed this spring and their surveyors are listed in Table 3. See Table 5 for the for the maxi- mum numbers of shorebird species recorded at each site. David Seeler observed the greatest number of shorebird species at a site (11) during the summer at Covehead and Brakley Marshes, PE. In Nova Scotia, the site with the highest number of species observed (10) was at Cherry Hill Beach surveyed by Sylvia Fuller- ton. It was here that the maxima of 10 Piping Plovers was ob- served. In New Brunswick, the site with the highest number of species observed (7) was Tracadie Dune surveyed by Lewnanny Richardson and Nathalie Paulin. Calidris No. 18, March 2010 Page 32 Table 1. Sites surveyed in the spring of 2009 (April 20th to June 9th)* Site # Site Name Surveys Prov Surveyor 1 Cap Bimet 2 NB Stewart, Becky 2 Cap Brule 3 NB Stewart, Becky; with assistance from Tobin, Sonjas; Whittam, Becky 3 Carman Creek 3 NB Pearce, Peter 4 Castalia Marsh - Grand Manan Island 2 NB Burrows, Roger 5 Chemin Cedrière Beach 2 NB Richardson, Lewnanny; Paulin, Nathalie 6 Chiasson Office 1 NB Richardson, Lewnanny; Paulin, Nathalie 7 Four Road 1 NB Richardson, Lewnanny; Paulin, Nathalie 8 Grand Harbour - Grand Manan Island 4 NB Burrows, Roger 9 Keswick River ( mouth) 2 NB Pearce, Peter 10 Killdeer Marsh 1 NB Bunker-Popma, Kathy 11 Le Goulet 1 NB Richardson, Lewnanny; Paulin, Nathalie 12 Maisonette Dune 8 NB David, Marcel; Doiron, Robert 13 Plover Ground South 1 NB Richardson, Lewnanny; Paulin, Nathalie 14 Pointe à Barreau 1 NB Richardson, Lewnanny; Paulin, Nathalie 15 Rotary Park/Marsh 2 NB Campbell, Greg; Robinson, Kate 16 St. Leonard Lagoon 4 NB LaPointe, Roy 17 Ste-Anne-de-Madawaska Sewage Lagoon 4 NB LaPointe, Roy 18 Tracadie Dune 1 NB Richardson, Lewnanny; Paulin, Nathalie 19 White Head Island 1 NB Burrows, Roger 20 Wilkin's Airstrip/Field 10 NB Pearce, Peter 21 Carters Beach 1 NS Smith, Ruth E. 22 Cherry Hill Beach/Conrad Beach 3 NS Fullerton, Sylvia 23 Conrads Island Beach 1 NS Hirtle, James R. 24 Lingan Beach 3 NS MacDonald, Clive and Theresa 25 Smith Marsh 1 NS Smith, Ruth E. 26 South Bar 2 NS MacDonald, Clive and Theresa 27 Stoney Island Beach 3 NS Smith, Sid and Betty June 29 Cavendish Sandspit 1 PE Seeler, David 30 Covehead and Brakley Marshes 33 PE Seeler, David 28 Three-Fathom Harbour 1 NS Myers, Susann *See Table 5 for the for the maximum numbers of shorebird species recorded at each site in spring 2009. Calidris No. 18, March 2010 Page 33 Table 2. Sites surveyed in the fall of 2009 (July 20th to October 31st)* Site # Site Name Prov Sur- veys Surveyor 1 Annes Acres NB 2 Robinson, Kate 2 Baie de Petit Pokemouche NB 2 Richardson, Lewnanny; Paulin, Nathalie 3 Cap Bateau NB 1 Richardson, Lewnanny; Paulin, Nathalie 4 Castalia Marsh - Grand Manan Island NB 19 Burrows, Roger 5 Chemin Cedrière Beach NB 2 Richardson, Lewnanny; Paulin, Nathalie 6 Dorchester Island NB 1 Bunker-Popma, Kathy 7 Four Road NB 1 Richardson, Lewnanny; Paulin, Nathalie 8 Grand Harbour - Grand Manan Island NB 31 Roger, Burrows 9 Grand lac NB 2 Richardson, Lewnanny; Paulin, Nathalie 10 Grand Passage / Pokemouche Beach NB 1 Richardson, Lewnanny; Paulin, Nathalie 11 Grande Anse / Johnson's Mills NB 50 NCC Staff 12 Ingall's Head NB 23 Burrows, Roger 13 Johnston Point Sandbar NB 2 Robinson, Kate; Martin, Bryan 14 Killdeer Marsh NB 8 Bunker-Popma, Kathy 15 Long Pond Beach - Grand Manan Island NB 16 Burrows, Roger 16 Maisonette Dune NB 2 David, Marcel 17 Mal Bay North (MacGregor Malbaie) NB 4 David, Marcel 18 Mal Bay South (Windsor's Malbaie) NB 3 David, Marcel 19 Marais Cormierville NB 14 Cormier, Louis-Émile 20 Miscou Beach NB 1 Richardson, Lewnanny; Paulin, Nathalie 21 Petit Cap and Shemogue NB 2 Robinson, Kate; Martin, Bryan 22 Pointe à Barreau NB 2 Richardson, Lewnanny; Paulin, Nathalie 23 Rotary Park/Marsh NB 2 Campbell, Greg; Robinson, Kate 24 Sackville Waterfowl Park NB 13 Erskine, Anthony J. (Tony) 25 Saint Basile shore and shoals NB 1 LaPointe, Roy 26 Saints Rest Marsh & Beach NB 6 Pike, Eileen 27 St. Leonard Lagoon NB 2 LaPointe, Roy 28 Ste-Anne-de-Madawaska Sewage Lagoon NB 2 LaPointe, Roy 29 The Thoroughfare - Grand Manan Island NB 20 Roger, Burrows 30 Tracadie Dune NB 2 Richardson, Lewnanny; Paulin, Nathalie 31 White Head Island NB 19 Burrows, Roger 32 Back Oler Farm Marsh NS 1 Hirtle, James R. 33 Bay Beach - Cape LaHave Island NS 1 Hirtle, James R. 34 Big Pond Cove NS 6 Thurber, Linden 35 Carters Beach NS 2 Smith, Ruth E. 36 Cherry Hill Beach/Conrad Beach NS 15 Fullerton, Sylvia; (Cohrs, Shirley surveyed once) Table continues on next page. Calidris No. 18, March 2010 Page 34 Table 2 (cont’d)* *See Table 6 for the maximum numbers of shorebird species recorded at each site in fall 2009. Site # Site Name Prov Total Surveyor 37 Conrads Island Beach NS 8 Hirtle, James R.; Mills Eric 38 Crescent Beach NS 11 Cohrs, Shirley 39 Grand Desert Marsh NS 2 Myers, Susann 40 Guzzle, East Tip Grand Pré NS 1 Tufts, Judy 41 Hell's Point NS 3 Hirtle, James R. 42 Kingsburg Beach NS 1 Hirtle, James R. 43 Lingan Beach NS 6 MacDonald, Clive and Theresa 44 North East Cove NS 2 Thurber, Linden 45 Oxners Beach NS 1 Hirtle, James R. 46 Port Joli Beach NS 1 Smith, Ruth E. 47 Schooner Pond Beach NS 1 Myers, Susann 48 Second Peninsula NS 1 Hirtle, James R. 49 South Bar NS 6 MacDonald, Clive and Theresa 50 Stoney Island Beach NS 2 Smith, Sid and Betty June 51 Sunday Point NS 5 Ruff, Eric & Barbara 52 Sydney Airport NS 1 Myers, Susann 53 Three-Fathom Harbour NS 10 Myers, Susann 54 Windsor Sewage Lagoons NS 3 Tufts, Judy 55 Wolfville Harbour Wharf & Sewage Ponds NS 6 Tufts, Judy 56 Cavendish Sandspit PE 3 Seeler, David 57 Covehead and Brakley Marshes PE 82 Seeler, David Calidris No. 18, March 2010 Page 35 Table 3. Sites surveyed in the Summer of 2009 (June 10th to July 19th)* Site # Site Name Prov Surveys Surveyor 1 Castalia Marsh - Grand Manan Island NB 1 Burrows, Roger 2 Grand Harbour - Grand Manan Island NB 1 Roger, Burrows 3 Killdeer Marsh NB 1 Bunker-Popma, Kathy 4 The Thoroughfare - Grand Manan Island NB 1 Roger, Burrows 5 Cherry Hill Beach/Conrad Beach NS 4 Fullerton, Sylvia 6 Crescent Beach NS 1 Shirley Cohrs 7 Kingsburg Beach NS 2 Hirtle, James R. 8 Stoney Island Beach NS 1 Smith, Sid and Betty June 9 Sunday Point NS 1 Ruff, Eric & Barbara 10 Covehead and Brakley Marshes PE 20 Seeler, David Site # Site Name Prov Surveys Surveyor 1 Chemin Cedrière Beach NB 2 Richardson, Lewnanny; Paulin, Nathalie 2 Chiasson Office NB 1 Richardson, Lewnanny; Paulin, Nathalie 3 Four Road NB 1 Richardson, Lewnanny; Paulin, Nathalie 4 Grand lac NB 1 Richardson, Lewnanny; Paulin, Nathalie 5 Grand Passage / Pokemouche Beach NB 2 Richardson, Lewnanny; Paulin, Nathalie 6 Grande Anse / Johnson's Mills NB 19 NCC Staff 7 Grande Plaine NB 1 Richardson, Lewnanny; Paulin, Nathalie 8 Le Goulet NB 1 Richardson, Lewnanny; Paulin, Nathalie 9 Long Pond Beach - Grand Manan Island NB 1 Burrows, Roger 10 Pigeon Hill NB 1 Richardson, Lewnanny; Paulin, Nathalie 11 Plover Ground South NB 1 Richardson, Lewnanny; Paulin, Nathalie 12 Sackville Waterfowl Park NB 3 Erskine, Anthony J. (Tony) 13 Swinging Point NB 2 Richardson, Lewnanny; Paulin, Nathalie 14 Tabusintac Dune NB 1 Richardson, Lewnanny; Paulin, Nathalie 15 Tracadie Dune NB 2 Richardson, Lewnanny; Paulin, Nathalie 16 White Head Island NB 2 Burrows, Roger 17 Carters Beach NS 1 Smith, Ruth E. 18 Cherry Hill Beach/Conrad Beach NS 4 Fullerton, Sylvia 19 Conrads Island Beach NS 1 Hirtle, James R. 20 Crescent Beach NS 1 Cohrs, Shirley 21 Lingan Beach NS 2 MacDonald, Clive and Theresa 22 South Bar NS 1 MacDonald, Clive and Theresa 23 Stoney Island Beach NS 1 Smith, Sid and Betty June 24 Sunday Point NS 1 Ruff, Eric & Barbara 26 Wolfville Harbour Wharf & Sewage Ponds NS 1 Tufts, Judy 27 Cavendish Sandspit PE 2 Seeler, David 28 Covehead and Brakley Marshes PE 30 Seeler, David 25 Three-Fathom Harbour NS 4 Myers, Susann *See Table 7 for the maximum numbers of shorebird species recorded at each site in the summer of 2009. Table 4. Sites surveyed in the Winter of 2009 (November 1st 2009 to April 19th 2010)* Please note more data for this season still to be received and added. A full report will feature in the next edition of Calidris. *See Table 8 for the maximum numbers of shorebird species at each site in the winter of 2009. Calidris No. 18, March 2010 Page 36 T ab le 5 . M ax im um n um be rs o f sh or eb ir ds r ec or de d at M ar it im es S ho re bi rd S ur ve y si te s in th e sp ri ng o f 20 09 ( 20 A pr il to 9 J un e) an d m ax im a fo r al l s it es * *F or s ite r ef er en ce n um be r an d lo ca tio ns s ee T ab le 1 . T ab le c on tin ue s on n ex t p ag e. S p ec ie s S it e # 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 B la ck -b el lie d P lo ve r 12 21 2 65 A m er ic an G ol de n- P lo ve r S em ip al m at ed P lo ve r 5 3 3 19 6 P ip in g P lo ve r