Cross Creeks Waterfowl count for 1-25-01

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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. 21, 2001-Jan. 27, 2001

Census Date: 1/25/01

Whistling - Duck		Ring-necked Duck	736
Tundra Swan		Greater Scaup
Trumpeter Swan		Lesser Scaup
Mute Swan		Oldsquaw
Gr. White-Fronted Goose		Black Scoter
Snow Goose	7	Surf Scoter
Canada Goose	14,311	Common Goldeneye
Wood Duck		Bufflehead
Green-winged Teal	281	Hooded Merganser	109
American Black Duck	1,771	Common Merganser
Mallard	22,295	Red-breasted Merganser
Northern Pintail	321	Ruddy Duck
Blue-winged Teal		Adult Bald Eagle	3
Cinnamon Teal		Imm. Bald Eagle
Northern Shoveler		Golden Eagle
Gadwall	709	Scaup
American Wigeon	442	Unknown
Canvasback		Ross' Goose	1
Redhead		American Coot	35

	Geese	Ducks	Coots	Swans
Total	14,319	26,664	35
Preceding Week (%change)	+11%	-6%
Preceding Year (%change)	+294%	+50%
10 Year Average (%change)	-15%	-12%

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

Supplementary Information

Waterfowl Activity: This survey picked up far less waterfowl on the north side this week than last survey. Waterfowl use of Pools 1 & 3 has increased dramatically over the past two weeks. On this survey, 22% of ducks recorded were seen in these two pools. The heaviest concentration of geese was observed in Lower & Upper Pool 4.

Hunting Pressure and Success: No data

Weather: Weather has moderated this week, with morning lows still in the 20's but afternoon highs reaching into the mid to upper 40's. On day of survey narrow bands of ice were seen along impoundment shorelines. This is the first week since third week of December when during some portion of the week all ice in refuge impoundments had melted.

Habitat: Break up of ice and increase of water levels in Pool 1 - 3 has had most noticable effect on refuge waterfowl distribution. Ducks and geese were making good use of recently flooded shallows in Pools 1 through 3. Cold mornings brougnt birds to corn fields, based on several field observations. However, most duck activity was observed in shallow flooded agricultural fields, moist soils and grasses.

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

Census Date: January 25, 2001 Ground Survey Reported by: Walter H. Neasbitt, Acting Refuge Mgr.

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