The following data show the distribution of
Canada Geese (Branta c. canadensis), banded in
the James Bay area of Canada: Charlton Island,
N.W.T. (100); Akimiski Island (1,000); and near
Seneca Falls, New York (253). Charlton Island is
approximately 75 miles east of Moosonee, Ontario,
Canada, and Akimiski Island is approximately 135
miles north of Moosonee. Seneca Falls in located
in the Finger Lakes area of north central New
York.
This is no attempt to arrive at any particular con-
clusion. The data are presented for the interest of
those banders who do not have the opportunity to
handle and band waterfowl. One interesting ques-
tion arises, which I am not attempting to answer.
Both Charlton Island and Akimiski Island are in
James Bay and, geographically, only a short dis-
tance apart. However, all the recoveries of the
Charlton Island birds were in the Atlantic Flyway,
while recoveries from the Akimiski Island birds
were divided -- approximately 75% being in the
Mississippi Flyway and 25% in the Atlantic
Flyway.
Organizations directly contributing to this work
are: U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, Canadian
Wildlife Service, and the Ontario Department of
Lands and Forests. Individuals contributing are:
Alex Hunter (at that time an employee of the On-
tario Department of Lands and Forests, who ac-
companied me on several banding trips into the
James Bay country) and Vernon E. Dewey (station-
ed at the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge
near Seneca Falls, New York.
Seneca Falls, NY
1966
Seneca Falls, NY
Provinces, Ontario, 1; and Quebec, 11. One bird,
No. 508-88259, was trapped and released at the
Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge, Rock Hall,
Maryland.
Distances from site of banding Seneca
Maryland, Trappe 250 mi.
Delaware, Taylor's Br. 250 mi.
Quebec, Povungnituk 1,200 mi.
Penna., Mountaintop 150 mi.
Ontario, Brockport lO0 mi.
Virginia, Lewisefta 375 mi.
Banded near Senece Fells, NY
Band No.
488-12570
508-30499
508-88211
508-88212
508-88259
508-88307
Date Date
Banded Recovery Location Recovered
04-16-65 Trappe, MD 12-02-70
05-04-65 Taylor's Bridge, DE 01-07-67
04-16-65 Povungnituk, Que. 07-00-65
04-16-65 Mountaintop, PA 10-21-71
04-08-65 Upper Can. Migr. BR, Ont. 05-05-70
05-26-66 LewJsetta, VA 01-06-67
Birds from these bandings were recovered in the
following states: Pennsylvania, 3; Virginia, 3;
Maryland, 20; Delaware, 4; .and two Canadian
Banded et Cherlten Island, NWT, Canada
Date
Band No. Banded Recovery Location
508-9B014 07-14-55 Charles City, VA
508-98016 07-1B-55 Rochester, NY
508-98041 07-18-55 Chadton Is., NWT
508-98072 07-24-55 Whorton, MD
508-98088 07-24-55 Factory River, Que.
Distances frem site of banding
Quebec, Factory R.
NWT, Charhon Is.
New York, Rochester
Maryland, Queenstown
Virginia, Richmond
Chadton
Date
Recovered
12-19-55
11-26-55
07-09-56
11-26-57
05-03-58
75 mi.
O0 mi.
625 mi.
950 mi.
1,100 mi.
Methods of recovery
Banded near Seneca Falls, HY
1965 1966 1967 1968 1969 1970 1971 1972 1973 1974
Shot 6 6 5 5 4 4 4 3 1 3
Retrepped 1 1 1 1
Banded on Chadton Island, NWT, Canada
1955 1956 1957 1958 1959 1964
Shot 17 2 2 I 1 1
Retrapped 1
Banded on Akimiski Island, NWT. Canada
1957 1958 1959 1960 1961 1962 1963 1964 1965 1966
Shot 96 66 61 27 6 21 7 13 9 10
Retrapped 15 13 4 3 1 1 2 1 1
1967 1968 1969 1970 1971
6 6 4 1 2
2 1 1
1972
2
1976
1
There were 26 recoveries from these bandings, as
follows: Quebec, 1; Northwest Territories, 1;
Maryland, 5; and Virginia, 17. The 17 Virginia
recoveries were all within a 20 mile area along the
James River. Bird No. 508-98041 was recaptured
and released on Chadton Island.
Charlton Is., N.W.T. Q
Banded 1955
Chadton Island
N.W.T., Canada
The Akimiski banding produced 377 recoveries --
267 in the States and 110 in Canada. Comparatively
large numbers were recovered in a few areas. The
Q AIta
Akimiski Is.. N.W.T.
Banded on Akimiski Island, NWT, Canada
Date
Band No. Banded Recovery Location
508-09005 07-1 i-57 Fennville, MI
508-09020 07-1 i-57 Huntsville, AL
508-09056 07-13-57 Mississa River, Ont.
508-09087 07-13-57 Herrin, IL
508-09142 07-13-57 Akimiski Is., NWT
508-09158 07-13-57 Springville, TN
508-09198 07-14-57 Fowler, IN
508-09214 07-14-57 Hopewell, VA
508-09223 07-15-57 Romancoke, MD
508-09245 07-15-57 Ballard WMA, KY
508-09320 07-15-57 Fremont, OH
508-09340 07-17-57 Horicon NWR, WI*
508-09388 07-17-57 Povungnituk, Que.
508-09457 07-19-57 Columbia, SC
508-09519 07-19-57 Linesville, PA
508-09789 07-23-57 Brooks, Alta.
508-09990 07-24-57 Ansonville, NC
* Trapped and released
Date
Recovered
i 0-00-72
i 1-07-66
05-09-63
i 2-01-57
05-03-66
12-10-60
1 i-14-57
12-12-60
i 2-27-60
12-19-66
Fall '72
10-14-61
09-00-68
i i-23-57
i 0-24-59
06-25-68
i i-i 9-59
Banded 1957
Akimiski Island
N.W.T., Canada
Decatur, Alabama area produced 58; Albany
River, Ontario, Canada, 24; Attawapiskat River,
Ontario, Canada, 23; Fennville, Michigan, 19; An-
sonville, North Carolina, 24; Wheeler National
Wildlife Refuge, Alabama, trapped and released
15. In subsequent banding operations on Akimiski
Island, 6 were trapped and released. Jack Miner
Bird Sanctuary, Kingsville, Ontario, Canada,
trapped and released 9. Tennessee National
Wildlife Refuge trapped and released 6. One bird
was trapped 3 times at the Jack Miner Refuge, and
was later shot on Akimiski Island.
701/2 Lake Avenue, Wolcott, NY 14590
(Ed. note: Mr. Buckalew is 65 years old and work-
ed as a Refuge Manager under the U.S. Fish &
Wildlife Service for 35 years as well as being a U.S.
Game Management Agent. These activities took
him from the Arctic to Florida and as far west as
Wisconsin. He started banding in 1927 and is par-
ticularly interested in the colonial birds of the Del-
Mar-Va Peninsula.}
Distances fram site of banding
Michigan, Fennville
Ontario, Mississa River
NWT, Akimiski
Indiana, Fowler
Maryland, Romancoke
DhJo, Fremont
Quebec, Povungnituck
Alberta, Brooks
N. Carolina, Ansonville
Alabama, Huntsville
Illinois, Herrin
Tennessee, Springville
Virginia, Hopewell
Kentucky, Ballard
Wisconsin, Mayville
Penna., Linesville
S. Carolina, Columbia
Akimiski
800 mi.
200 mi.
O0 mr.
i,000 mi.
1,050 mt
925 mi.
500 mr.
600 m.
i,000 m.
i,350 mi.
i,000 mi.
i,250 m.
i,150 m.
1,050 m.
800 m.
950 mi.
i,100 m.