I visited Charlton Island from June 11-14, 1992 accompanied by my brother, Paul Tymstra. We were flown there from Moosonee in one of Bushland Air's floatplanes. Weather varied from a sultry 21 degrees C. to near freezing with some light flurries on the last day. The trip was intended as a scouter to get an idea of island terrain and to determine needs for future trips to this, and other, islands of James Bay. Despite the brevity of the visit and generally inclement weather, we managed to record 63 species of birds.
Our base camp was located on the island's southern shore near the abandoned Charlton Depot, an old Hudson Bay Company trading post, directly across from Danby Island. We camped near a small settlement of several buildings which are inhabited by natives from Waskaganish at varying times of the year. A family was staying there at the time of our visit. We surveyed the stretches of coastline 8 km. to the east and 6 km. to the west of the 'Depot,' as well as a 4 km. walk inland to some small lakes to the north. The island is a huge drift of sand with dunes rising to at least 30 m. The terrain is gently rolling and covered with open spruce forest (some trees growing as high as 20 m.) and a ground cover of lichens, blueberries, Labrador Tea, etc. A few small lakes dot the interior of the island. Large areas of the island had been burned, perhaps 15 years ago or more, and near the camp, natives collected most of the dead wood, leaving an open lichen plain. Birds were sparse in this habitat but a good variety was seen around the numerous creeks that thread across the landscape, many of which were dammed by beavers. Most productive areas were along the coast where there were extensive tidal mudflats.
Shorebirds were almost non-existent in this time period, the bulk of which nest further north, but Anatids were plentiful with high counts of 500 Canada geese, 260 Brant, two Snow Geese (one blue phase), and several duck species. Surprise birds were four European Starlings feeding on the mudflats, two pairs of Red-winged Blackbirds on territory, Ring-billed Gulls, and a male Northern Shoveler. W. Todd did not find these species in his visits to the island early in the century. A Hawk Owl lingered around our camp for a couple of days. One of the natives caught the bird with a noose on the end of a stick, and promised to release it later. Nests of Savannah Sparrow and White-throated Sparrow were found.
Mammalian sightings included two Red Squirrels, a Muskrat, several fresh beaver cuttings and dams in good repair, tracks of Timber Wolf (a pair is said to be resident on the island), and older tracks of caribou on the mudflats (natives said one or two occasionally came here).
On the first day, it was 21 degrees C., and an American Toad was heard calling, and three Wood Frogs were seen along a creek. Several butterflies were seen on the first two days but because we didn't have a net, none were collected. What we did see were a few Red Admirals, Painted Ladies, Tiger Swallowtail, and Fritillary sp. Marsh Marigold was in bloom.
Birds seen (highest daily total):
Canada Goose 500
Green-winged Teal 2
American Black Duck 90
Mallard 15
Northern Pintail 6
Northern Shoveler 1
American Wigeon 2
Greater Scaup 2
Black Scoter 400
Surf Scoter 3
White-winged Scoter 20
Common Goldeneye 40
Hooded Merganser 1
Common Merganser 3
Red-breasted Merganser 8
Osprey 2
Bald Eagle 1
Northern Harrier 2
American Kestrel 1
Black-bellied Plover 1
Killdeer 6
Spotted Sandpiper 6
Ruddy Turnstone 25
Red Knot 3
Common Snipe 4
Bonaparte's Gull 16
Ring-billed Gull 6
Herring Gull 8
Arctic Tern 35
Northern Hawk-Owl 1
Short-eared Owl 1
Northern Flicker 1
Alder Flycatcher 5
Gray Jay 5
American Crow 6
Common Raven 1
Winter Wren 2
Golden-crowned Kinglet 2
Ruby-crowned Kinglet 15
Hermit Thrush 5
American Robin 8
Cedar Waxwing 2
European Starling 4
Orange-crowned Warbler 2
Yellow Warbler 4
Magnolia Warbler 1
Yellow-rumped Warbler 10
Palm Warbler 1
Common Yellowthroat 1
Savannah Sparrow 16
Fox Sparrow 4
Swamp Sparrow 4
White-throated Sparrow 15
White-crowned Sparrow 2
Dark-eyed Junco 10
Red-winged Blackbird 4
Rusty Blackbird 1
Pine Grosbeak 1
Common Redpoll 4
