State eyeballs waterfowl and finds declining numbers

Written by Jack Sanders
Thursday, 19 January 2012 12:11

Both Greater (shown here) and Lesser Scaup are on the decline in our waters, the Connecticut environmental protection agency reports.Connecticut’s annual Midwinter Waterfowl Survey the week of Jan. 2 had disappointing results — both because of the weather and because some species are declining in number.

The Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection (DEEP — the new version of the old DEP) is one of the agencies throughout the Atlantic Flyway that do annual winter waterfowl surveys — mostly because it is the agency that oversees hunting and hunters of these birds. Our interest here, of course, is observing and appreciating, not hunting.

The survey is used as an index of long-term wintering waterfowl trends. The Atlantic Flyway is a bird migration route that generally follows the Atlantic Coast of North America and the Appalachian Mountains. In Connecticut, DEEP surveys from a helicopter traveling along the coast, the three major river systems, and “selected inland lakes and reservoirs.”

“Survey conditions for the 2012 Midwinter Waterfowl Survey were relatively poor,” said Dwayne Gardner, DEEP spokesman.

One problem was unusually mild temperatures that left most inland bodies of water open. “The Midwinter Survey is designed to obtain an index of wintering birds that have been pushed to the coast when inland waters freeze,” Mr. Gardner said. “When inland waters are unfrozen and open, waterfowl are distributed in many areas that are not surveyed.”

Surveyors counted 15,893 ducks of various species, well below 22,926 counted in 2011. “This is in agreement with the general paucity of waterfowl on the coast that many hunters were reporting,” Mr. Gardner said.

The “puddle duck” count of 4,567 was not far off from the recent five-year average of 4,734, but it was well below the record 6,661 counted in 2011, when inland was ice- and snow-covered. Puddle ducks, which are typically found in fresh shallow marshes and rivers, include the mallard, American black duck, American wigeon, and gadwall.

DEEP is concerned about a recent trend of finding many ducks remaining in urban sanctuaries because of “supplemental feeding activities.”

“The department discourages citizens from feeding waterfowl for a number of reasons, including increased risk of disease transmission and potential for poor nutrition,” said Rick Jacobson, director for the DEEP Wildlife Division. DEEP has a brochure, “Do Not Feed Waterfowl,” that outlines the potential hazards of feeding waterfowl. It is available on the DEEP’s Web site at www.ct.gov/dep/.

The scaup count was one of the lowest in the past 15 years, and part of a trend. “The decline in the Continental scaup population continues to be of concern for biologists nationwide,” Mr. Gardner said. “Habitat changes on the scaup’s breeding grounds in boreal regions of North America may be a factor in the long-term decline of the population.”

Mergansers were less abundant than what was observed in 2011 and under the five-year average. Atlantic Brant numbers were higher than in 2011 and above the recent average.

And, no surprise, Canada Goose counts were “once again high.”

Here is a summary of the survey results, with the first number the 2012 count, and the second, the five-year average:

Atlantic Brant: 1,700, 1,300

Black Duck: 2,100, 3,500

Bufflehead: 1,200, 900

Canada Goose: 4,100, 3,500

Canvasback: 0, 100

Mallard: 2,000, 1,800

Merganser: 900, 1,400

Mute Swan: 700, 800

Long-tailed Duck: 300, 300

Common Goldeneye: 800, 700

Scaup: 1,000, 3,000

Coming up

eBird Workshop, basic tools and features of the eBird program with Bedford Audubon Naturalist Adam Zorn, Thursday, Jan, 19, 7 to 9 pm, Bylane Farm, 35 Todd Road, Katonah; register at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 914-519-7801; bedfordaudubon.org.

Bald Eagle Survey at the New Croton Dam and Visit to Black Rock Park, Croton-on-Hudson with Naturalist Tait Johansson, Sunday, Jan. 22, 3 to 5 p.m. from Bylane Farm, 35 Todd Road, Katonah at 2:30 p.m., register at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it or 914-519-7801. bedfordaudubon.org.

Hudson River EagleFest, celebrate the Bald Eagle on the Hudson River, Saturday, Feb. 4 (snow date: Feb 5), 9 to 4, free, Croton Point County Park, Croton on Hudson, N.Y., www.teatown.org/eaglefest.

First Sunday Bird Walks at Greenwich Point (Tod’s Point ), Feb. 5, March 4, 9 to 11 a.m., spotting scopes available, free, sponsored by Wild Wings, Bruce Museum and Audubon Greenwich; for info, Meredith Sampson, 203-637-9822.

Bird Gardening, five-session class on how to attract birds with plants, with Julia Cencebaugh Kloth, Wednesdays, Feb. 8, 15, 22, 29, March 7, 7 to 9 p.m., $97, Ridgefield Continuing Education, at East Ridge Middle School, ridgefieldschools.org, 203-431-9995.

Cape Ann Birding Weekend, Feb. 18 to 20, Saw Mill River Audubon, (914) 666-6503 or emailing This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it

Training session for Great Backyard Bird, Saturday, Feb. 18, 1 to 2:30, Audubon Greenwich, 613 Riversville Road, RSVP 203-869-5272 x230.

Great Backyard Bird Count, Feb. 17-20, www.birdsource.org.

Master Bird Conservationist program, four classes with lectures and field trips, Feb. 22, March 7, 21, and April 4, free, but volunteer service expected, Connecticut Audubon, at Bridgeport City Hall Annex, audubonct.org 203-264-5098.

Eagle Viewing Trips, on Connecticut River, Feb. 11 through March 18, 9, 11:30 and 2 on weekends, and 10 and 1 on Thursdays, $40, Connecticut Audubon, 1-800-996-8747.

Cuba bird study, trip with Connecticut Audubon, survey work involved, March 3-15, 860-767-0660

Copyright 2012 by Jack Sanders. Send sightings or comments to: jackfsanders [at sign] gmail.com, or to Bird Notes, Box 1019, Ridgefield, CT 06877. If you need help identifying a bird, try your local nature center. If you find an injured bird, call wildlife rehabilitator Darlene Wimbrow of Redding, 203-438-0618, Wildlife in Crisis of Weston, 203-544-9913, or Wild Wings of Greenwich, 203-637-9822. The columnist’s website is www. sandersbooks. com.