Old Man Winter is making an early appearance in much of the US and the onset of the season has hopes running high for a big push of birds in time for the Christmas Holiday.
Hello, folks, and, as always, welcome to Waterfowler.com.
Thanks to the ongoing efforts of the National Wildlife Federation and many supporting organizations, waterfowl hunters can rest easier this holiday season as President Bush abandonned a rulemaking-plan that would strip isolated wetlands of protections provided by the Clean Water Act. Details of the Bush Administration decision can be found on the WFC homepage.
Waterfowler.com would also like to remind our Members to check their User Profiles and update their memberships and information so that we may continue to keep you up to date on such important issues.
And now, on to the Migration Report.
PACIFIC FLYWAY
It appears that the big push of birds has made it into the Northwestern portion of the flyway. Record numbers of ducks are being reported from the Skagit Valley north. The new arrivals look to be holding on larger bodies of water but can be expected to begin filtering out into fields and sloughs as the weekend nears.
Geese are still the best bet inland, though duck numbers have improved. Snow and sub-freezing temps have most of the birds hitting fields heavily before returning to the open waters of local rivers.
OR and CA look to have picked up a fair number of new birds over the weekend. Recent reports show an improvement in hunter success as well as somewhat higher numbers of birds moving south, overall. A slight warming trend may stall any new arrivals, but temps should begin to return to normal in time for the holidays.
Inland portions of the southern flyway will have to wait until the next big weather system arrives before they can expect new birds. The mid–season lull seems to be in full effect for much of the southern flyway.
CENTRAL FLYWAY
Mallards and geese are still to be found in good supply as far north as MT, though geese are about all that is left in ND. Where the rivers remain open, birds are concentrating adjacent to fields. As one might expect, open water is the key to late fall birds in the upper flyway.
Mid-tier states east of the Rockies continue to be the top producers for the Central Flyway. After a series of cold fronts moved through the region, small lakes and sloughs locked up, pushing birds onto moving waters, large lakes and fields. A slight warming trend may reopen some waters this week but such windows of opportunity will be brief.
Along the lower end of the flyway, hunters are reporting a rise in teal and ringneck numbers over the past few days. Geese are in good supply in north TX and OK, as usual for this time of year.
Coastal hunters also report a fresh batch of teal with new flights of divers thrown into the mix.
MISSISSIPPI FLYWAY
The upper tier of the flyway is having a heyday with late season geese. Large concentrations of geese are still holding in western portions of the Upper Mississippi Flyway and do not appear eager to leave.
Eastern upper flyway states report hunting is improving on their southern borders with geese still around in fair numbers around the Great Lakes. Around Lake Saint Claire, diver numbers are strong and holding though some departure of Canvasbacks has been reported.
In the Mid-tier, central and southern IL are reporting the highest success rates and overall bird numbers. MO, TN and KY have begun to see new birds over the last few days but such reports are scattered at best.
The southern end of the flyway has yet to see a big push of new birds, but that looks to be changing. Late breaking reports out of northern AR tell of a new wave of birds hitting the area in the first days of this week.
Overall, however, the southern end of the flyway is slow. Hunters who are willing to stay late and scout hard are finding some success. The bright spot for the southern flyway is AL where hunters have reported a sharp rise in Gadwall numbers over the past week.
ATLANTIC FLYWAY
Another late fall storm is drawing down on the Upper Atlantic Flyway. Every possible form of precipitation is forecast for much of the region and flood warnings are going out once again. Weather and water conditions will be tough this weekend as rising waters break loose ice and new rains swell rivers out of their banks.
Bird numbers dropped slightly for much of the upper flyway after the most recent cold front, but enough birds remain to tempt waterfowlers out into the treacherous conditions. Safety must be top priority for hunters in the region who choose to venture out this coming weekend.
Mid-coastal states benefited from the foul weather to their north. Mallards and divers have begun their move into the Carolinas and as far south as GA, though in smaller numbers for points south. FL saw a rise in diver and teal numbers over the weekend and should see those numbers increase as the next storm moves into the New England states.
Fall is all but a memory and Christmas is fast becoming a reality. Last minute notes are clogging Santa’s mail box and it seems like everyone has the same wish list, ducks and geese.
