Cross Creeks Waterfowl Count and Information

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United States Department of the Interior
Fish and Wildlife Service
Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuge
Weekly Waterfowl Population Summary

Calendar Week (Sun.- Sat.): Dec. 17 - Dec. 23, 2000

Whistling - Duck		Ring-necked Duck	800
Tundra Swan		Greater Scaup
Trumpeter Swan		Lesser Scaup
Mute Swan		Oldsquaw
Gr. White-Fronted Goose		Black Scoter
Snow Goose	2	Surf Scoter
Canada Goose	5,252	Common Goldeneye
Wood Duck	9	Bufflehead
Green-winged Teal	12	Hooded Merganser	100
American Black Duck	1,537	Common Merganser
Mallard	31,126	Red-breasted Merganser
Northern Pintail	192	Ruddy Duck
Blue-winged Teal		Adult Bald Eagle
Cinnamon Teal		Imm. Bald Eagle	1
Northern Shoveler		Golden Eagle
Gadwall	860	Scaup	35
American Wigeon	634	Unknown
Canvasback
Redhead		American Coot	37

	Geese	Ducks	Coots	Swans
Total	5,254	35,305	37
Preceding Week (%change)	44%	48%
Preceding Year (%change)	172%	246%
10 Year Average (%change)	‑5%	17%

NOTE: %change = difference divided by former population level.

Supplementary Information

Waterfowl Activity: Due to weather conditions, waterfowl are having to utilize atypical habitats. This week waterfowl were observed in South Cross Creek and Elk Reservoirs, in creek bays with unfrozen surface water, and the main river channels. On day of survey observed significant numbers of geese and ducks flying up and down the river bottoms.

Hunting Pressure and Success: No data available – on survey date heard about 35 shots from goose pits adjacent to refuge and Barkley WMA.

Weather: Experienced colder than normal weather all week. All night time lows have been below 20 - dropping to 8 on Wednesday morning (Dec. 20). Daytime highs in the 20's were common this week. Had two snow events this week, estimate total of 3 to 4 inches. All impoundments frozen over except South Cross and Elk Reservoirs. Thunderstorms that moved through middle Tennessee added between 1 to 2 feet of water to Upper Pool 4, Elk Reservoir, and Pools 7 and 6.

Habitat: On this survey, observed 1,200 ducks and 430 geese in the Pool 8 corn field. Fifty two (52%) percent (18,400) ducks were estimated to be present on less than 50 acres of water surface in Elk Reservoir. Confidence in this estimate is low because so many ducks were huddled wing to wing along shoreline ice surrounding open water and the last two open holes left in the reservoir. Moist soil plant foods are cut off by ice and/or snow.

Census was complete XX Census was a sample ________ Percentage of population covered 100 %

Census Date: 12/20/2000 Ground Survey Reported by: Walter H. Neasbitt, Acting Refuge Mgr.

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