Waterfowl Count for 1-12-01

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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.): Jan. 7th - 13th, 2001

Census Date: 1/12/01

Whistling - Duck		Ring-necked Duck	62
Tundra Swan		Greater Scaup
Trumpeter Swan		Lesser Scaup
Mute Swan		Oldsquaw
Gr. White-Fronted Goose		Black Scoter
Snow Goose	6	Surf Scoter
Canada Goose	20,017	Common Goldeneye
Wood Duck		Bufflehead
Green-winged Teal	40	Hooded Merganser	82
American Black Duck	1,484	Common Merganser
Mallard	14,055	Red-breasted Merganser
Northern Pintail	240	Ruddy Duck
Blue-winged Teal		Adult Bald Eagle
Cinnamon Teal		Imm. Bald Eagle	1
Northern Shoveler		Golden Eagle
Gadwall	494	Immature Golden Eagle	1
American Wigeon	697	Scaup	5
Canvasback		Unknown
Redhead		American Coot	36

	Geese	Ducks	Coots	Swans
Total	20,023	17,159	36
Preceding Week (%change)	+2%	-55%
Preceding Year (%change)	+847%	+42%
10 Year Average (%change)	+64%	-53%

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

Supplementary Information

Waterfowl Activity: This is the first survey since Dec. 14, 2000, that waterfowl were observed throughout the refuge. The highest concentration of birds was seen in Pool 7. This time the waterfowl distribution is returning to a typical pattern when waterfowl impoundments are not frozen over.

Hunting Pressure and Success: Based on several conversations with hunters, duck harvest has decreased over the past week. Goose harvest opportunities have increased.

Weather: After four weeks of unseasonably cold weather, temperatures are returning to normal. Higher than average temperatures are needed to continue to melt ice still covering approximately 60% of the refuge’s waterfowl impoundments. By the end of the week, open water was observed in every impoundment.

Habitat: Waterfowl are again using all the major habitat types available. Large number os geese in winter wheat and corn fields in addition to the open water area in Elk Reservoir and creek bays that have thawed. The highest concentration of ducks was observed in shallow flooded moist soil and millet in Pool 7. Proportionally, this survey recorded the highest waterfowl use on northside of refuge with 34% of ducks and geese observed between Lee Creek and Bull Pasture Creek.

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

Census Date: January 12, 2001
Ground Survey Reported by: Walter H. Neasbitt, Acting Refuge Mgr.

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