Eider with a satellite transmitter – USGS
Another season of migration has resulted in another round of data for the telemetry studies conducted by the Sea Duck Joint Venture. These ongoing studies continue to track annual migration patterns for four species of sea ducks (surf scoter, black scoter, white-winged scoter, long-tailed duck) in the Atlantic flyway and Great Lakes.
The study follows ducks to near-shore and off-shore habitats, maps the estimated length-of-stay during winter, then follows ducks back to the breeding and molting areas. Study results will support a various goals in the North American Waterfowl Management plan and aid in policy development for wind turbine placement in areas such as Maine’s Penobscot Bay, Nantucket Sound, and coastal Rhode Island.
While the studies are vital waterfowl conservation and management the annual tracking data is a wonderful tool for sea duck and diver hunters to analyze annual migration trends.
In short, a little knowledge goes a long. If you are wondering where those ducks come from and where they go before they pass over your decoys then the telemetry studies at the Sea Duck Joint Venture website will help unravel that mystery. Waterfowler.com encourages our readers to visit the ongoing study results and migration maps at http://seaduckjv.org/atlantic_migration_study.html
