This is report # 5 from Jean Iron via satellite phone for period 31 May to 2 June. She is a volunteer with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources (OMNR) which administers the research camp on Akimiski Island. Recent temperatures have been warmer (17C on 1 June) and closer to normal daily highs of about 15C. Wide temperature changes depending on wind direction. Wednesday's forecast is a high of 22C. At high tide there is a narrow band of open water along the coast. The sea ice is grounded at low tide with no open water. However, there is a wide band of mudflats at low tide where shorebirds and geese feed. Sunrise today was about 5:09 and sunset tonight about 21:47. Huge mirages over James Bay caused by the sun, warm air and sea ice. Some good displays of northern lights. "Interior" Canada Goose (subspecies interior): 950 nests and many hatched young to date. First molt migrants seen on 31 May. These are "Giant" Canada Geese (subspecies maxima) arriving from southern Ontario and the northern United States. Yesterday's molt migrants included flocks of 50-70 birds continuing northward. They generally comprise year-old birds and failed breeders. Successful breeders do not undertake molt migrations. They remain with the young and molt locally while the young grow to full size as a family group. "Lesser" Snow Goose (subspecies caerulescens): 1000 nesting pairs on west side of island. No goslings to date because hatching is later than in Canada Geese. Ken Abraham (OMNR) estimated that 80% of the colony is blue morph birds. Many older birders remember when the Blue Goose was considered a distinct species. The Blue Goose was reclassified as a morph of the Snow Goose in 1973 by the American Ornithologists Union. Historically the two forms nested and wintered in separate areas and mixed pairs were unknown. They began interbreeding about 50 to 90 years ago, probably because of human alterations to their winter habitat that brought the two forms together. Harry Lumsden (1987) in the first Breeding Bird Atlas reported that there were about a 100 pairs at Cape Henrietta Maria at the junction of Hudson and James Bays in 1974. Ken Abraham (2007) in the second Breeding Bird Atlas reported 130,000 pairs in 2005 in the Cape area. There is a tendency to think of bird populations as fixed, but the changes documented in the second Ontario Breeding Bird Atlas (2007) for the Snow Goose and for many other bird species are staggering and ongoing. Nest Predation: Increased nest predation this year on goose nests and small flightless goslings by Red Foxes, Herring Gulls and Northern Ravens because of low small mammal populations such as voles. In years when voles and lemmings are abundant in the north, predation is much less on nesting geese and shorebirds by gulls, jaegers, ravens, raptors, foxes, weasels, etc. First ever record of a Gadwall for Akimiski on 31 May. Shorebird Migration: Many distant large flocks of unidentified shorebirds migrating across James Bay from the southeast to northwest. On 2 June there were 85 Black-bellied Plover, 5 Red Knots, 4 Sanderlings and 130 Dunlin on mudflats between sea ice and shore. Short-billed Dowitcher: Jean observed 8 individuals on 2 June. They were the expected nominate subspecies griseus based on the cinnamon coloration being restricted to the chest area. Gyrfalcon: An intermediate (gray) morph bird killed a Northern Pintail on 31 May. While the Gyr ate its prey, a Herring Gull and several Northern Ravens tried to get a piece of the action. Peregrine Falcon: Three along coast chasing longspurs and pipits. These are migrants (mainly subspecies tundrius) going much farther north to breed. No cliffs for nest sites on Akimiski and along Ontario's coast of Hudson and James Bays. Other Bird Sightings: 31 May: First 2 Arctic Terns (65 migrants fishing yesterday along shore at high tide), scattered small groups of American Golden and Black-bellied Plovers, 2 Bank Swallows, singing Horned Larks on territory (nominate subspecies alpestris), Yellow Warbler, 100s of Lapland Longspurs. 1 June: American Kestrel at camp, singing Blackpoll and Wilson's Warblers, 1 Tree and 1 Barn Swallow. 2 June: 1 Cedar Waxwing, and many Lincolin's Sparrows singing loudly. Follow daily changes in snow and ice conditions. http://www.natice.noaa.gov/pub/ims_gif/DATA/cursnow_usa.gif Next update 6 June. Ron Pittaway Minden/Toronto ON