Flight pattern: A late arrival for shorebirds in New Brunswick
Every summer thousands of shorebirds stopover in Johnson's Mills, N.B. on their way south. However, spotting the birds isn't a sure thing this year.
The Nature Conversancy of Canada expects thousands will arrive by mid-July, but the organization says their behavior has been a little unpredictable this year, as only a small amount has arrived so far.
The site's manager, Jasmine Anderson says Johnson's Mills is a critical stopping place for the shorebirds on their migration. As the tide rolls in, the sandpipers huddle together on the beaches, drawing in tourists and locals eager to catch a glimpse of the small birds.
"Our expectations of when they'll arrive has been changing just because … probably the weather changing in the Arctic or different food sources. I'm not sure what has caused their behaviour to change, but something definitely is," says Anderson.
"They also come here to fuel for their migration down south, so they spend about two to three weeks here, and during that time period, they double their weight basically."
Once they grow to about the size of a large strawberry, they leave the beach, flying 72 hours straight to South America.
Though the building is still closed due to the pandemic, the Nature Conservancy is trying its best to protect the land for the shorebird's arrival.
"The signs kind of let people know that the shorebirds need our help, so they remind people to stay off the beach two hours before and two hours after high tide and that is because the birds can't swim, so they use that time to sleep and rest on the beach," says Anderson.
Though the shores may be quiet now, thousands of birds are expected to migrate within the next few weeks.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Quebec nurse had to clean up after husband's death in Montreal hospital
On a night she should have been mourning, a nurse from Quebec's Laurentians region says she was forced to clean up her husband after he died at a hospital in Montreal.
Northern Ont. lawyer who abandoned clients in child protection cases disbarred
A North Bay, Ont., lawyer who abandoned 15 clients – many of them child protection cases – has lost his licence to practise law.
Bank of Canada officials split on when to start cutting interest rates
Members of the Bank of Canada's governing council were split on how long the central bank should wait before it starts cutting interest rates when they met earlier this month.
Maple Leafs fall to Bruins in Game 3, trail series 2-1
Brad Marchand scored twice, including the winner in the third period, and added an assist as the Boston Bruins downed the Toronto Maple Leafs 4-2 to take a 2-1 lead in their first-round playoff series Wednesday
Cuban government apologizes to Montreal-area family after delivering wrong body
Cuba's foreign affairs minister has apologized to a Montreal-area family after they were sent the wrong body following the death of a loved one.
'It was instant karma': Viral video captures failed theft attempt in Nanaimo, B.C.
Mounties in Nanaimo, B.C., say two late-night revellers are lucky their allegedly drunken antics weren't reported to police after security cameras captured the men trying to steal a heavy sign from a downtown business.
What is changing about Canada's capital gains tax and how does it impact me?
The federal government's proposed change to capital gains taxation is expected to increase taxes on investments and mainly affect wealthy Canadians and businesses. Here's what you need to know about the move.
New Indigenous loan guarantee program a 'really big deal,' Freeland says at Toronto conference
Canada's Deputy Prime Minister Chrystia Freeland was among the 1,700 delegates attending the two-day First Nations Major Projects Coalition (FNMPC) conference that concluded Tuesday in Toronto.
'Life was not fair to him': Daughter of N.B. man exonerated of murder remembers him as a kind soul
The daughter of a New Brunswick man recently exonerated from murder, is remembering her father as somebody who, despite a wrongful conviction, never became bitter or angry.