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United
States Department of the Interior
Fish and Wildlife Service
Cross Creeks National Wildlife Refuge
Weekly Waterfowl Population Summary
Please Note - Sample Survey Only
A complete survey was not possible due to flooding concerns
Calendar
Week (Sun.- Sat.): November 25 - December 1, 2001
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Whistling - Duck
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Ring-necked Duck
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75 |
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Tundra Swan
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Greater Scaup
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|
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Trumpeter Swan
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Lesser Scaup
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|
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Mute Swan
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Oldsquaw
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|
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White-Fronted Goose
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|
Black Scoter
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|
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Snow Goose
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1 |
Surf Scoter
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|
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Canada Goose
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2,776 |
Common Goldeneye
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|
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Wood Duck
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2 |
Bufflehead
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|
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Green-winged Teal
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100 |
Hooded Merganser
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|
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American Black Duck
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216
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Common Merganser
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|
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Mallard
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2,718 |
Red-breasted Merganser
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|
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Northern Pintail
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410 |
Ruddy Duck
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|
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Blue-winged Teal
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Adult Bald Eagle
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|
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Cinnamon Teal
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Imm. Bald Eagle
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|
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Northern Shoveler
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|
Golden Eagle
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|
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Gadwall
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496 |
Scaup
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|
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American Wigeon
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510 |
Unknown
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Canvasback
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|
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Redhead
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American Coot
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|
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Geese
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Ducks
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Coots
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Swans
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Total
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2,777 |
4,527 |
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Preceding Week (%change)
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N/A |
N/A |
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Preceding Year
(%change)
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N/A |
N/A |
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10 Year Average (%change)
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N/A |
N/A |
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NOTE:
%change = difference divided by former population level.
Supplementary Information
Waterfowl Activity: Due to this week’s weather events it
appears that the ducks have dispersed throughout the Cumberland River
drainage. Canada geese seem to be holding steady to the deep water and
field habitats.
Hunting Pressure and Success: Season Opens Dec. 1.
Weather: Refuge had five days of rain. Between 12 - 14 inches of rain
fell causing Elk and South Cross Creek Reservoir waters to flow over
their dikes and bring water levels in the impoundments they feed above
their maximum drain elevations. Sometime during the week all
impoundments spilled water across their emergency spillways and/or
roads/dikes which surround them.
Habitat: Believe ducks dispersed to areas that are typically not
available to them. This week’s rain event has created thousands of acres
of temporary ponds throughout the area surrounding the refuge. Refuge
now has several hundred acres of shallow flooded agricultural fields
that typically do not have standing water or do not have standing water
until the end of the winter waterfowl season. Refuge also has a
percentage of winter wheat fields in standing water, reducing the
acreage of browse intended for Canada goose use.
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