Andrew Boyne, Canadian Wildlife Service

John Chardine, Canadian Wildlife Service

In 1993, the harvest of murres or turrs in Newfoundland and Labrador was restricted by imposing a bag limit and shorter hunting seasons lasting about 3.5 months. Since then the Canadian Wildlife Service has conducted three special harvest surveys, the results of which can be compared with previous surveys dating from the late 1970s onwards. The annual harvest before restrictions averaged from 600,000-900,000 birds per year, compared with current estimated harvests of 173,000-287,000 birds per year. Thus the restrictions have had the desired effect of substantially reducing the number of murres taken annually. Over the period that harvest surveys have been conducted, the number of murre hunters has declined along with the number of birds killed per hunter per season. However, it is encouraging to note that the number of birds killed per hunter.day has not declined over the same period, suggesting that the availability of birds may not have declined. Recent information from the breeding colony of Thick-billed Murres at Coats Island suggests that there has been an increase in the number of potential recruits at the colony as a result of the reduced harvest.

A. When the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service initially set bag and season limits on sea ducks (i.e., seven daily - 107-day season) interest in sea duck hunting was minimal, and consequently harvest was light. Also, sea duck populations were at high levels. In recent times, especially in regions such as New England where severe harvest restrictions have been placed on black ducks, many sportsman have turned their attention to hunting sea ducks. As might be expected, the harvest of sea ducks has increased proportionately.

allen newell (allen.newell@analog.com)

Tue Sep 2 13:45:06 EDT 1997

Peter Adams, Memorial University

Activity budgets of Harlequin ducks were studied during the summer (July and August) at the Gannet Islands, Labrador. The study was designed to determine the percentage of time spent feeding during the different stages of their moult. The Harlequins were observed with the use of a spotting scope from various locations within the Gannet Clusters. During each focal sample individual ducks were observed for a total of five minutes with activities recorded at fifteen second intervals. The stage of moult of each male Harlequin was determined through a close examination of their plumage. Later in the summer, stages of wing moult were also determined for both males and females. The total population of Harlequins at each observation area was also determined during each focal sample. Weekly Harlequin surveys were carried out by boat to determine the total population of Harlequins at the Gannet Islands. It was determined that approximately 120 - 125 Harlequins were molting there during the study period. Also during this study Harlequins previously banded in Maine and in Labrador were resighted.

Shauna Baillie, Memorial University of Newfoundland

Due to a capelin stock crash in southern Labrador in the early 1990s, breeding seabirds in the region have exhibited evidence of food stress. Despite increasing capelin biomass in puffin chick diet at the Gannet Islands over the past three years (3% to 26% biomass), present use of capelin remains lower than historical records (75 to 80% biomass). In this part of my study, I plan to show impacts of food stress by comparing diet composition in relation to prey availability, breeding productivity and linear phase chick growth among years 1996, 1997 and 1998. My late 1990s study will be constrasted with those conducted in the early 1980s at the Gannets when Capelin was abundant.

Sabir Bin Muzaffar, Memorial University of Newfoundland

A survey was made of the existing parasite fauna of four species alcids (Fratercula arctica, Alca torda, Uria alga and Uria lomvia) in the Gannet Islands, Labrador. The study was designed to investigate possible effects of ectoparasites on the breeding biology of the species concerned. Birds were captured by fleyging or noosing. Chicks were collected by hand from nest sites. They were dust ruffled using a commercial Cat-flea powder and left in a container for a measured time period to allow ectoparasites to fall into the collecting tray at the bottom. The birds were then banded, measured, and released. The ectoparasites were carefully transferred into ziplok bags containing 70% ethanol. Preliminary analysis of the samples revealed lice of the genera Quadraceps, Saemundssonia and Austromenpon. Ticks of the species Ixodes uriae were also found along with feather mites belonging to the family Proctophyllodidae. A diversity of acarids of uncertain affinities, in addition to some parasitic Diptera larvae (possibly of the family Calliphoridae) were also recovered from the samples. The effects of these groups of parasites on the ornaments and health of the host species, as well as the evolution of host parasite interactions are all avenues that can potentially be explored by this study.

John Chardine, Canadian Wildlife Service

The study of metapopulation dynamics and landscape ecology are two currently developing branches of biology. The study of metapopulation dynamics deals with species moving through a habitat matrix without necessarily associating how the structure of the habitat influences the dispersal of the species. On the other hand, in the study of landscape ecology there is often more emphasis on the structure of the habitat and the distributions of habitat types than the behavior of the species moving through that habitat. I propose a study of Arctic Terns breeding in the Gulf of Maine and the Bay of Fundy that will show how these two disciplines can be closely linked through examining the structure of the breeding population and the distribution of nesting colonies.

Tony Diamond, University of New Brunswick

ACWERN seabird research has spanned geographically from Machias Seal Island, New Brunswick in the Bay of Fundy at the southern limit of Atlantic Canada to the Gannet Islands in the sub-arctic waters of Labrador. To date, twelve graduate and undergraduate student projects have focused on seabird ecology, with work on foraging and diet of Atlantic Puffins, murres and Razorbills at several sites, tern diet and behaviour at Machias Seal, the role of ectoparasites, and interactions between seabird species and their predators. At Machias Seal, Witless Bay and the Gannet Islands demographic studies and census work in collaboration with the CWS have become an important aspect of the programme. Priorities for future work include population biology and conservation related work on the Razorbill, including further exploration of their recently discovered important wintering area in the Bay of Fundy.

Tony Diamond, University of New Brunswick

In the long term, we plan to clarify relationships between persistence of forest songbird populations and the characteristics of their habitats, at spatial scales from the territory to the landscape. In two study areas we approach this problem in different ways. In and around Fundy National Park in southern New Brunswick, we compare year-to-year changes in density and productivity of breeding pairs of songbird in mature hardwood plots set within different landscapes dominated by (i) mature contiguous forest (Fundy N.P.); (ii) industrial softwood plantations; and (iii) privately-owned woodlots. Here Dorothy McFarlane not only runs these surveys, but operates a MAPS (constant-effort banding) site and carries out her own M.Sc. research on movements of juvenile songbirds. In northern NB, Pete McKinley and John Gunn are studying resource use and productivity, respectively, in 2 50 km2 study grids, one in heavily- harvested forest and one in relatively undisturbed, on land owned by Fraser Papers.

Population level responses are affected by landscape structure through effects of landscape change on the process of movement. These effects may be discernable and different at multiple spatial scales. Understanding an organisms ability to move to access vital resources can provide us with knowledge of the importance of elements of the landscape for populations hence improving our ability to deal with conservation problems. We were able to infer connectivity within a heterogeneous landscape for yellow-spotted salamanders (Ambystoma maculatum) by conducting a survey and a series of analyses which examine the effects of landscape structure on population level response variable presence/absence and density at multiple spatial scales. Our results show effects of landscape structure at small spatial scales but a lack of multiple scale effects. I will discuss the value of examining these questions through studying a species such as the yellow-spotted salamander.

Richard Elliot and George Finney, Canadian Wildlife Service

Most CWS conservation and management programs (e.g. habitat, landbird, seabird, toxicology, waterfowl management programs) rely on sound scientific data to effectively address impacts of human activity on migratory birds and ecosystems of Atlantic Canada. These human factors include: release of oil at sea, forest harvesting, waterfowl hunting, impacts of marine fisheries, intensive agricultural practices, aquaculture, long range transport of airborne pollutants and climate change. Key species groups requiring urgent attention include endangered species and those at risk of becoming endangered, and marine and coastal birds including sea ducks, seabirds and shorebirds. Much concern is now focused on coastal ecosystems, such as the Bay of Fundy and Gulf of St. Lawrence, areas of Labrador subject to huge hydro and mining proposals, and forested areas of the Maritimes. Although much of the necessary information will be collected by CWS and other management agencies, we will discuss several specific research areas which may best be addressed in conjunction with ACWERN students and chairs.

R. Ian Goudie