James Bay is a shallow bay (with depths rarely exceeding ten fathoms) stretching about 320 kilometres long by 130-160 kilometres
wide. Its area is actually shrinking due to isostatic
rebound (the bouncing back up of land that was once compressed by glaciers). Many large rivers discharge into James Bay, including the
La Grande, Eastmain, Broadback, Nottaway, Moose, Abitibi, Albany, and Attawapiskat Rivers.
There are more than 30 islands with an area of over one square kilometre, many that have never been surveyed
for birdlife. I have arbitrarily arranged these islands into six major groups:
Charlton, Rupert Bay, Weston, Twin Island, Akimiski, and Bear Island
groups.The main islands to be investigated (islands already visited by JBIAS in
italics) are the Charlton Island Group (Charlton, Danby, Carey, Strutton,
Scoter, Flock Geese, and Inner Flock Geese Islands; Wolf Islet, Lisbon Rocks),
the Rupert Bay Group (Jacob, Tent, Dixon, Caroline, Moss, Gushue, and Stag
Islands; Stag Rock, Cormorant Rock, McNab Rocks), the Weston Island Group
(Trodely, Weston, Solomon's Temple, Pebble, Cape Hope, Gull, and Tiders
Islands), the Twin Island Group (South Twin, North Twin, Spencer, Grey
Goose, Big Rock, Eider, Loon, East Cub, and Walter Islands), the Akimiski
Island Group (Akimiski, Gasket, and Gullery Islands; Albert Shoal, Akimiski
Strait Isles), the Bear Island Group (Gasket Rock, North Bear, Bear, South Bear,
Sunday, Bare, and Two Cubs Islands; Sheldrake Shoal). There are hundreds of
smaller islands and shoals, mostly unnamed, that will be surveyed if
opportunities arise.