End of 2001 Waterfowl Count

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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.): Feb. 11 - Feb. 17, 2001

Census Date: 2/15/01

Whistling - Duck		Ring-necked Duck	400
Tundra Swan		Greater Scaup
Trumpeter Swan		Lesser Scaup
Mute Swan		Oldsquaw
White-Fronted Goose	20	Black Scoter
Snow Goose		Surf Scoter
Canada Goose	1,649	Common Goldeneye
Wood Duck	42	Bufflehead
Green-winged Teal	22	Hooded Merganser	8
American Black Duck	348	Common Merganser
Mallard	6,682	Red-breasted Merganser
Northern Pintail	98	Ruddy Duck
Blue-winged Teal		Adult Bald Eagle	1
Cinnamon Teal		Imm. Bald Eagle
Northern Shoveler		Golden Eagle
Gadwall	16	Scaup
American Wigeon	119	Unknown
Canvasback	181
Redhead		American Coot	3

	Geese	Ducks	Coots	Swans
Total	1,649	7,916	3
Preceding Week (%change)	-65%	-50%
Preceding Year (%change)	-72%	-50%
10 Year Average (%change)	-72%	-25%

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

Supplementary Information

Waterfowl Activity: The highest concentration of ducks were observed in Pool 7, 62% of total counted. Geese are using the middle portion of the refuge (Lower & Upper Pool 4 and Pool 12). These three pools accounted for 63% of geese recorded on this survey. Overall waterfowl numbers have dropped by 50% since the last survey. Observed two crippled Canada geese, one looked like half of left wing completely shot off.

Hunting Pressure and Success: Waterfowl season closed.

Weather: Rained Monday through Friday - received 3 to 5 inches through river drainage. By Friday morning the Cumberland River had risen to 359 msl at the Dover gauge. Most the week the temperatures have been very mild, day time highs in 50' to 60'. Had two nights where the lows remained in the low 50's. Still adding water to Pools 6 & 7 through collected rainfall.

Habitat: This week the pools having the best duck use were Pools 6 & 7. Rising water levels in these two pools is probably floating additional seed sources as well as generating macro invertebrate populations. Japanese millet planted in Pool 6 is beginning to shallow flood. Over the past two weeks, 300 to 400 ducks have been seen in this millet patch.

Census was complete____xx____ Census was a sample ________ Percentage of population covered 100 %

Census Date: February 15, 2001 Ground Survey Reported by: Walter H. Neasbitt, Acting Refuge Mgr.

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