Methods

Travel to study sites will be by boat, floatplane, or helicopter. Mobile base camps will be established at optimum locations for census work. Optimum size of field group is two or three people, to allow for extra assistant(s) and to maximize utility of aircraft (i.e. one trip to deliver personnel and gear) and minimize the impact on the environment.

The main purpose of the survey is to gain knowledge of the distribution of bird species on the islands. Of the several census methods examined, Breeding Bird Atlas criteria, Line Transects, and Point-Count methods seem most suitable. Survey methods will be custom-designed for each island depending on variables such as size, time availability, habitat, etc. Where fairly homogeneous habitats exist, Point-Counts will be the preferred method; each major island habitat will be sampled with a minimum of five stations for each habitat type. These surveys will be done early in the day, while the rest of the day will be used to monitor and record migrants and non-breeders as well as secure breeding evidence. The time spent in all monitoring activities will be recorded and basic habitat descriptions will be made. On the smaller islands, attempts will be made to get full counts of breeding and non-breeding birds, using walking transects in a grid pattern, and walks along the island coasts. The larger islands, such as Akimiski and Charlton may be divided into grid squares, as used in the various Breeding Bird Atlas surveys. Sampling methods will be reviewed and updated as the project progresses.

There will be no collecting of live specimens. Rare and extralimital species will be verified, if possible, by photographs, sound recordings, and detailed field observation notes. Butterflies, reptiles, and amphibians will be captured as necessary, measured, photographed, and released.