BREEDING CONDITIONS REPORT, 1999


RESPONDENT

Paul Smith

SITE NAME

East Bay, Southampton Island, Nunavut, Canada

Contact details (phone/fax//e-mail//address):
(613)990-2384/(613)998-0458(fax) // paulallen.smith@ec.gc.ca // National Wildlife Research Centre, Carleton University, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0H3, Canada

PROJECT DETAILS

Project name:

Shorebirds of East Bay

Start of survey:

End of survey: Team size:

1.06

28.07

2


WEATHER CONDITIONS

Season phenology: late

Weather conditions:

Snow cover reduced to 50% on 18 June and completely melted on 22 June. Snow cover was heavy at the time of nest initiation, and temperatures throughout June were below average.

 

Season temperature: cold
Season humidity:
Date of 50% snow-cover: 18.06
Date of ice-break on rivers:
Date of final loss of snow: 22.06

BIOTIC CONDITIONS

Rodents abundance evaluation:

low

Breeding conditions:

At this site, 1999 was a phenologically late year with low lemming densities. Reproductive success was low for the few bird species that were monitored intensively. Breeding was likely adversely influenced by both the late spring snow melt/cold temperatures and high predation as a result of low lemming densities. Hatching success in Sabine's Gulls was 22%.
 

Rodent dynamics:

Lemmings were at a low in this year. No capture data.

Rodent species recorded:

LatinAbundance
Lemmus trimucronatusrare
Dicrostonyx groenlandicusrare

Summary of fauna studies:

As for 1998, research in 1999 was focussed on Sabine's Gulls, eiders and Herring Gulls. Incidental observations of other birds were also recorded, as well as surveys of breeding densities for all waterbirds.

 

FAUNA IN STUDY AREA

Group of speciesPresenceAbundanceBreedingDetailed studiesComment
arctic foxesYescommonbreeding  
lemmingsYesrarebreeding  
wadersYesabundanthatchingYes 
swansYesrarebreeding  
geeseYesabundanthatching  
ducksYescommonhatchingYes 
birds of preyYesrare   
buzzardsNo    
ptarmigansYesrare   
cranesYesrare   
skuasYescommonbreeding  
pomarine skuasNo    
gulls/ternsYesabundanthatchingYes 
owlsNo    
passerinesYesabundantfledgingYes 
diversYescommonhatching  
reindeersYesabundantbreeding  

 

SEABIRD COLONIES

speciesComment

 

WATERBIRD NON-BREEDING AGGREGATIONS

speciesAggregation typeNumberComment
Anser caerulescensmoult2 000.00 

 

HUMAN ACTIVITY IN THE STUDY AREA

Human activityComment
seasonal fishing/hunting 
summer field camp 

 


Recommended citation

Smith, P. . (1999). Breeding conditions report for East Bay, Southampton Island, Nunavut, Canada, 1999. ARCTIC BIRDS: an international breeding conditions survey. (Online database). Eds. M.Soloviev, P.Tomkovich. . Updated 11 Dec. 2008. Accessed .

 more on citation guidelines

 

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