12-20 



Distribution Within thi? Harbor 



The western side of the harbor was used extensively by water- 

 fowl, gulls and shorebirds. Substantially fewer numbers and species 

 utilized the eastern side (Figure 12-7) . Waterfowl were found in the 

 largest numbers in the City Point-West River Area. The average number 

 observed in this area was approximately 7900 per year followed by over 

 5500 along the Long Wharf flats and almost 5000 in Area 5 south of Sandy 

 Point (Figure 12-7 and 12-8) . Yearly fluctuations in waterfowl abundance 

 corresponded with those of total numbers . 



Gulls were sighted most frequently in the Long Wharf flat 

 area. Largest numbers occurred there during every year of the study with 

 an average yearly figure of over 4000. The remaining western half of 

 the harbor supported approximately the same number of gulls (Figure 12-7 

 and 12-8) . 



Shorebirds were found in highest average numbers on the Long 

 Wharf flats followed by the Sandy Point and City Point areas. However, 

 a high of 8293 sightings on Long Wharf in 1973 resulted in a dispropor- 

 tionately affected average (Figure 12-8) . Similar average numbers of 

 shorebirds were observed in Area 5 during the other four years of the 

 study (Figure 12-7 and 12-8) . 



Although waterfowl were found in largest nimbers in Area 4 

 (based on averages for the five-year period) , there were species differ- 

 ences. Areas 4 and 5 (Sandy Point) were most important to the diving 

 ducks (scaup, canvasback and goldeneye) while Area 3 (Long Wharf) and 4 

 were used heavily by black ducks. The only year in which the most 

 waterfowl were observed in Area 5 was 1975; this year also recorded the 

 largest number of scaup in the harbor, indicating the preference for the 

 area of open water by this species . 



Total yearly averages for both gulls and shorebirds were 

 highest in Area 3 followed by Area 5. For both groups, highest numbers 



