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RESPONDENT
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Richard Cotter
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SITE NAME
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Polemond River, Ungava Peninsula, Canada
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| Contact details
(phone/fax//e-mail//address): |
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PROJECT DETAILS |
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Start of survey:
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End
of survey: |
Team
size: |
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17.05
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WEATHER
CONDITIONS
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Weather conditions: |
| Upon our arrival at the study area on 17 May, ground snow cover was approx. 75%. Temperatures, however, were mild and snow melt was rapid and we were able to begin searching for nests on 24 May.
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| Date of ice-break on
rivers: |
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| Date of final loss of
snow: |
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BIOTIC
CONDITIONS
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| Rodents abundance evaluation: |
high
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Breeding conditions:
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A total of 675 nests of Canada Geese were eventually found in the 34.5 km2 main study area, resulting in a nest density of 19.6 nests/ km2 (highest density since the study began in 1997). Mean nest initiation and hatching dates in 2003 were 28 May and 27 June (range: 21 June-13 July), respectively. Mean clutch sizes for the main study area (4.5) and at the secondary sites (4.3) were close to the long-term average-the 1997-2002 averages were 4.5 and 4.1 for the main and secondary sites, respectively. Apparent nesting success for the main study area was 74%, higher than the 1997-2002 average of 66%. Predation (24%) and nest abandonment (2%) together accounted for all nest losses. Herring Gulls and arctic foxes were the principal egg-predators.
Plumage characteristics of goslings captured between 29.07 and 8.08 in the Ungava Bay region suggested that most goslings hatched during mid-June, earlier than average. Gosling production was good to excellent in most areas with only a few areas yielding fewer brood flocks than expected.
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Rodent dynamics:
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| For the second consecutive year, there was an abundance of small mammals on the study area. Trapping took place between 14 July and 25 July, during which time 30 small mammals, primarily Ungava Lemming, were caught. This number was similar to the number caught in 2002 (32 microtines). This phenomenon may help explain the lower than expected nest predation by arctic foxes on the study area where we found four active den sites as well as two other dens within a few kilometres of the study area.
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Rodent species recorded:
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Summary
of fauna studies: |
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