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Re: where did all the divers go?
- To: carolinabirds@duke.edu
- Subject: Re: where did all the divers go?
- From: <steven.shultz@unifi.com>
- Date: Mon, 04 Feb 2002 10:49:10 -0500
- Sender: carolinabirds-owner@acpub.duke.edu
I'm guessing a couple of factors are involved (as is usually the case <g>).
According to the DU winter flight forecast, the absolute numbers of ducks
remain high due to several consecutive productive breeding seasons. So the
numbers appear stable, the ducks are just not being seen in certain places.
This has not been a particularly severe winter in the east, probably
allowing ducks to winter farther north than in recent winters. I also
find that ducks tend to disperse from early winter feeding areas late in
the season. Anyone who visits Pea Island NWR in November and again in
February will see the results of this movement. Of the thousands and
thousands of ducks present in Nov, few remain in February. These birds
have probably moved to secondary wintering locations. We have seen much
the same in the Raleigh area. Areas that hold larger concentrations of
waterfowl early in the season are holding fewer, and areas no occupied
early now have ducks. My theory is that the birds are forced to move to
areas of lower quality forage after the most attractive areas are spent.
Best,
Steve Shultz
Apex, NC
"Harrold, Eric S" <esharrol@email.uncc.edu>@acpub.duke.edu on 02/04/2002
09:59:43 AM
Sent by: carolinabirds-owner@acpub.duke.edu
To: "'carolinabirds@duke.edu'" <carolinabirds@duke.edu>
cc:
Subject: where did all the divers go?
Birders,
Do any other inlanders feel like they have been short-ended on the diving
ducks this winter? I'm sure others have been out more than I have in recent
weeks in the Charlotte area and thus may have an experience contrary to
mine. So far, no Canvasbacks have shown up at University Place pond or Don
T. Howell reservoir (to my knowledge or experience). This weekend while
birding with some Mecklenburg Audubon folks I saw Buffleheads for the first
time this season at Cowan's Ford. Aside from Ruddies in the usual places,
its been a bummer thus far. What's the line on this subject in Raleigh,
Hickory, etc?...
Eric Harrold
Charlotte, NC