This Project was developed to monitor Leach’s Storm-Petrel stranding and mortality, identify the potential causes of the stranding, and the potential predators involved. This Project will fill important data gaps and be crucial for informing potential future conservation efforts. The Project is focused on the Cape Freels area of the northeast coast of Newfoundland.
Project Term: January 2022 – March 2023
May 30th, 2022 – Leach’s Storm-Petrel (LESP) Study Already Provides Interesting Results
Our study of LESP strandings in Cape Freels is underway with very interesting results so far. We have collected 1796 wings of deceased LESP throughout the study area and have bagged them for further analysis by Environment and Climate Change Canada officials. These officials are amazed at the number of wings which represents a large number of strandings. This also means their are an unknown number of predators in the area, which we hope to document over the coming weeks and months.
Nighttime surveys of the area will commence this week, with various equipment assisting us to collect data and stranded LESP, which we plan on releasing back into the ocean.
September 13th, 2022 – Leach’s Storm-Petrels (LESP) of Cape Freels
Continuing our work studying Leach’s Storm-Petrels strandings in Cape Freels, we recently conducted a site cleanup of LESP wings, which is all that remain from birds that have been eaten by predators. On this occasion, 2 five gallon buckets full of wings were collected. Collecting these wings is important to help estimate the number of LESP affected in the study area, plus determine the sex and age of the LESP.
We thank the Department of Environment and Climate Change Canada for having us work on this research.
Indian Bay Ecosystem Corporation (IBEC) 