The cold air mass moving across the country has definitely put some birds on the move. Reports are streaming in from the Pacific to the Mississippi Flyways of a significant migration of big ducks and light geese. As the front moves east and cold weather remains in place for the middle of the country the push of birds should continue.
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And now, on to the Migration Report.
CANADA.
The woman of large stature is breaking into song. With significant snow cover and subfreezing temperature across much of Canada the final leg of the fall migration appears to be pouring over the border into the US.
While some areas of the country will bounce back to warmer weather, it is a safe bet that this most recent cold front will drive most waterfowl to points south.
The ducks and geese that do remain will be concentrated to larger water bodies, flowing rivers and streams and their adjacent grain fields.
PACIFIC FLYWAY
Fair skies and average temperature for the upper flyway will move the migration back to a slow but steady push over the next few days. A slight cool down in British Columbia later in the weekend could increase migration activity, but the rise is not likely to be significant.
Overall, bird numbers are good along the flyway. The western and inland portions of the northern tier are still holding good mallard concentrations, though reports of decoy and call shy birds indicate a slight stagnation to the inbound migration for those areas.
Central and southern portions of the flyway report a significant movement of wigeon, pintail and speckle belly geese over the past week. Warmer weather for the southern flyway will slow overall waterfowl activity for the short term, but bird numbers appear good enough to keep the hunting action going well.
Inland portions of the southern flyway saw an increase in migration as the latest cold front put snow on the ground to their north, but the latest reports indicate that the influx of new birds has slowed over the last twenty-four hours.
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CENTRAL FLYWAY
A significant push of ducks and geese is moving down the flyway. From Montana through the Dakotas and as far south as Colorado and Kansas the reports streaming in are of large concentrations of ducks and geese on the move. Northern portions of the flyway lakes and sloughs are quickly icing over, forcing birds onto rivers, streams and larger lakes.
Mid tier states should be in for a spectacular weekend of hunting as birds stack up on and slightly south of a line from north eastern Colorado to the Missouri/Nebraska border. The far southern end of the flyway also reports an increase in duck numbers. Although not at peak, mallard and white fronted goose numbers have been rising over the past few days in all parts of Texas. Smaller puddle duck and diver concentrations are strong along the Texas coast.
Look for bird numbers to rise throughout the mid and southern portions of the flyway as the weekend draws near.
MISSISSIPPI FLYWAY
Snow, wind and sub-freezing temperatures have brought a good push of birds out of Canada. From the upper Mississippi River to the Ohio Valley this week’s cold front brought a new wave of birds. Though some areas, particularly those effected by drought, report only a slight increase in duck numbers, areas along major rivers and the Great Lakes have consistently reported a major jump in mallard, diver and goose numbers.
The wave of new birds is not limited to the upper flyway. Reports from Iowa to the rice belt of Louisiana indicate a respectable migration of new ducks all along the flyway. The recently released November survey for Louisiana indicates an overall increase of more than 250,000 ducks from last year’s survey. These numbers also do not include the new birds that moved into The Bayou State with the recent cold front.
Many areas of the lower flyway are suffering from a severe lack of water. In those areas concentrations of ducks and geese are likely to be subject to heavy gunning pressure on the flooded agricultural fields and impoundments.
The weekend outlook is good for hunting through most of the flyway, though some far northern areas may face a significant drop in bird numbers, as the cold and snow continue to hang on.
ATLANTIC FLYWAY
The cold front that plowed through the mid-west is taking aim on the upper Atlantic Flyway as the week winds down. In the upper flyway wind and rain will shift to blowing snow in some areas bringing the temperature closer to, if not slightly below, normal for this time of year.
A sizable migration of puddle ducks and light and dark geese is being reported in the upper flyway. Bird numbers began to rise from New York to Virginia, well ahead of the cold front, as birds moved down out of Canada and across the Great Lakes.
Migration activity for northern and mid tier states should increase as the front drives eastward into the Atlantic. Southern flyway states are also likely to see a rise in early divers, such as ring necks, as well as a bump in small puddle ducks, such as teal, wigeon and pintail.
Outside the WFC office in Woodstock, Illinois, the light snow flurries, the weather folks called for, have turned into a decent winter weather event. Though the snow may not pile up as deep as some might hope, there is no denying that the weather, many have been waiting for, has arrived. All that is left to do is hit the field and see what the winter winds have brought.
