Category: Aerial Waterfowl Inventory

Wind and weather influenced the waterfowl survey this week; nevertheless, we did sneak in the Illinois River flight on Wednesday, September 16th . We weren’t able to get to the Mississippi River due to gusting winds. My tolerance for wind is minimal once it exceeds 20 mph. Those abundant blue-winged teal that dominated the waterfowl numbers on September 9th must have departed central Illinois on Friday evening (September 11th); however, I can’t verify this on weather radar due to a few isolated rain showers that were passing through at sunset. Likewise, hunter reports from the weekend indicated poor success afield. I estimated teal numbers at 30,495 along the Illinois River which was still 30% above the 10-yr average, but nearly 50% lower than the previous week. It looks like we picked up a few American green-winged teal, but lost the fickle blue-wings when temperatures dipped into the low 40’s over the weekend. To the contrary, total duck abundance (55,155) was relatively high this week and was 51% above average for the 3rd week of September. For more information about the waterfowl survey, check out our webpage at www.bellrose.org.

I was glancing through the recent issue of Ducks Unlimited Magazine today and found an article by Wade Bourne on blind concealment. I couldn’t agree more with Mr. Bourne’s comments: “When you think you have enough camo on a blind, add more. You can never be too well hidden from the prying eyes of ducks.” This couldn’t have resonated more with me as I reviewed a few photos from this week’s flight. Hunters tend to think about concealment as they see the decoys and not from a duck’s perspective. Blinds and camouflage should be constructed so that the hunters cannot be seen from above. And, the number one observation I make from the air is a boat stashed 50 yards from a group of hunters. The hunters can’t see the boat nearby, but from a duck’s view, the boat stands out and likely flares birds from the decoys. From the photos, you can see which group of hunters will likely harvest the most birds.

Good luck hunting this last weekend of teal season (September 19–20) and stay tuned for more updates next week…

We had a major influx of teal into the Illinois and Mississippi rivers this week. The increase was likely due to the weather system that passed through the prairies over Labor Day weekend. This week’s teal total (62,265) along the Illinois River was 143% above the 10-yr average (25,603). Teal abundance along the Mississippi River nearly quadrupled this week and were estimated at 20,455 birds. We are way ahead of normal for the second week of September with duck numbers 125% above average for the Illinois and 258% above average for the Mississippi River. I even saw a few gadwall, American wigeon, and ruddy ducks on Wednesday’s flight. As nightly low temperatures in North Dakota dip into the upper 30’s and low 40’s over the weekend, I am sure we will see even more migrating ducks heading our way.

Ducks undergo multiple feather molts at various times of the year. Ducks even molt their flight feathers after the breeding season which renders them flightless for a few weeks during summer. During this flightless period, a duck’s feathers are very drab and brown in color. In fact, a drake mallard loses that brilliant green head during summer and resembles a female at this time of year. For this reason most of the birds during the September flights appear as “brown ducks” from the airplane. To estimate species abundance in September, I sometimes intentionally flush ducks from the water so I can see their wings and identify them. This photo from Wednesday’s flight shows the wing color and size differences in a few of the species I encounter. You should be able to find blue-winged and American green-winged teal, mallards, northern pintail, northern shoveler, and maybe even an American black duck in the picture. For more information about the waterfowl survey, check out our webpage at www.bellrose.org.

Good luck teal and Canada goose hunting and stay tuned for more updates next week…

The first teal flight for fall 2015 is in the books, and so we begin our 67th year of waterfowl surveys on the Illinois and Mississippi rivers. Frank Bellrose started flying the waterfowl survey back in 1948 when pilots, aircraft, and fuel became available after WWII. Since 1948, we have only missed one fall of data collection. The 2001 survey was not flown due to funding issues and pilot availability. This aerial inventory has a longer history than even the aerial breeding waterfowl population survey of the prairies which originated in 1955. We are proud of this accomplishment and usually note that our long-term database has only had 4 biologist observers over the years. I give kudos to my predecessors Frank Bellrose, Tud Crompton, and Michelle Horath as this fall marks my 11th year in the airplane.

Duck numbers this week for the Illinois River were comparable to the weekly 10-yr average and totaled 31,900 total ducks. Blue-winged and American green-winged teal abundance (23,895) was 7.2% above the 10-yr average (21,975). Total ducks on the Mississippi River were well above the 10-yr average; however, early season duck abundance (8,055 ducks) along the Mississippi River is typically lower than the Illinois River. Teal comprised 92% of the ducks observed this week on the Mississippi River. Other early season migrants noted along both rivers included northern shoveler and northern pintail. The weather forecast from North Dakota predicts above normal temperatures for the first week of September so I doubt we get a wave of migrating teal out of the prairies anytime soon.

My early September estimate of wetland habitat conditions for waterfowl this fall ranked well below average for both the Illinois and Mississippi rivers. It was a wet June-July and consequently our rivers were elevated for most of the growing season. The last rise in water levels in late August destroyed any chance for waterfowl foods in the unprotected wetlands of the Illinois Valley. Most of the refuges and duck clubs along the Mississippi River had below average moist-soil plant growth as well. Some notable exceptions include Ted Shanks, Delair, Keithsburg, and Port Louisa refuges. Along the Illinois River; Hennepin & Hopper lakes, Banner Marsh, and Emiquon were the only places with significant amounts of duck food.

Good luck teal and Canada goose hunting and stay tuned for more updates next week…

Greater white-fronted geese, commonly known as speckle bellies, have finally arrived in decent numbers along the Illinois River. We witnessed several groups of “specks” between Pekin and Beardstown, IL this week. In contrast, duck numbers along the Illinois and Mississippi rivers continued to decline. Total ducks (132,360) were 20% below normal along the Illinois River, yet mallard concentrations were holding at some refuges (www.bellrose.org). Mallards were still plentiful (254,820; 94.6% above average) on the lower Mississippi River between Grafton and Quincy, IL; however, mallard numbers were down 26% from the previous week. Canvasbacks were holding steady along Pool 19 between Nauvoo, IL and Fort Madison, IA.

Be safe and happy hunting! Stay tuned for more updates next week…

Once again ice was a critical factor during the waterfowl survey of the Illinois and Mississippi rivers. Total ducks (154,355) were 36% below normal along the Illinois River. Although mallards (144,050) were lingering at a few Illinois River refuges, their numbers remained 18% below the 10-yr average (www.bellrose.org). Ice was more prevalent from the preceding week along the Mississippi River, yet mallards (359,710) remained 48% above average for this time of year. Pool 19 of the Mississippi River was more than 70% frozen during the survey, and canvasback numbers declined about 50% from the previous week. Despite the ice, duck abundance along the Mississippi River remains 21% above average for this time of year.

Be safe and happy hunting! Stay tuned for more updates next week…

We flew the waterfowl survey of the Illinois and Mississippi rivers on November 25th. Many of the wetlands along both rivers thawed with the warm rains. Despite open water, duck abundance for many species were well below their 10-yr averages (www.bellrose.org). On the Illinois River, we were basically down to mallards which represented 91% of the ducks observed, and total duck abundance was 32% below the 10-yr average. Mallards are able to withstand the colder temperatures and ice by field feeding on waste grains (i.e., corn). Other dabbling ducks are not as likely to field feed and generally head to warmer regions when our wetlands freeze. Mallards were also very abundant along the Mississippi River as they were nearly 50% above average. Diving ducks were still observed in large numbers along Pool 19 where we witnessed a 4-mile long raft below Nauvoo, IL. This huge raft was comprised primarily of canvasbacks which totaled nearly 177,000 birds. Canvasback numbers were 78% above average for this time of year. I am sure this raft is impressive as you drive along IL Route 96 from Hamilton to Nauvoo, IL.

Be safe and happy hunting! Stay tuned for more updates next week…

We flew the waterfowl survey of the Illinois and Mississippi rivers on November 20th , and as expected with the arctic plunge, most (91%) of the refuges and survey locations were more than 90% ice-covered. In fact ice conditions along the Illinois River valley (IRV) resembled what is normally seen in late December. My colleague and former aerial survey observer, Michelle Horath, informed me that she started recording ice conditions during the waterfowl survey back in fall 2002. This year is the earliest we have been over 90% ice since monitoring began 13 years ago. Michelle also ran some numbers this week and determined that the peak number of mallards in the IRV over that last 10 years has averaged November 27th . Mallard numbers this week were slightly higher than last week; however, my feeling is that we may be on the backside of the duck abundance curve this fall. Only time will tell. On a brighter note, mallard numbers along the Mississippi River were holding steady, and total duck abundance (497,660) was 43% above the 10-yr average (www.bellrose.org). Diving duck hunters along the Mississippi River should be happy as I estimated over 123,000 canvasbacks this week from Keokuk, IA to Dallas City, IL.

Be safe and happy hunting! Stay tuned for more updates next week…

We have had several movements of ducks into and out of the Illinois River valley (IRV) since my last blog on November 5th. On the evening of November 6th, we lost those spectacular numbers of ducks from the IRV; however, it was evident from hunting reports that we had new ducks on Saturday, November 8th . Waterfowling was especially good on Veteran’s Day as migrating mallards arrived along the Illinois and Mississippi rivers. Nevertheless, weather radar noted a big emigration of ducks at sunset on the 11th . Duck abundance in the IRV was noticeably lower on Wednesday’s (November 12th) waterfowl survey, and duck numbers in the IRV were down 54% from the previous week and 11% below the 10-yr average for the second week of November (www.bellrose.org). This same trend was not evident along the Mississippi River as duck abundance on many of the refuges skyrocketed; namely Dardenne, Cannon, and Shanks refuges. Duck numbers along the Mississippi increased 29% from the previous week and were 74% above the 10-yr average.

Temperatures have plummeted with the arrival of the polar vortex and our lakes and marshes are freezing fast. Many hunters along the Illinois and Mississippi rivers have started downsizing their decoy spreads and some have pulled their decoys and blinds completely. Let’s hope we thaw out sooner than later and before the mallards head south.

Be safe and happy hunting! Stay tuned for more updates next week…

“They’re Here!” to quote the 1982 movie Poltergeist. Duck numbers have sky rocketed since last week’s (October 29th) waterfowl survey of the Illinois and Mississippi rivers. Duck numbers in the Illinois Valley are up 167% (562,800 total ducks) from the previous week, and up nearly 200% (391,365 total ducks) along the Mississippi River. Even more amazing are the numbers of lesser scaup, commonly known as bluebills, along the IRV. We counted 48,155 scaup this week which is the highest fall count of bluebills on the Illinois since Tud Crompton estimated 52,000 of these diving ducks back in 1979. Our estimates of scaup rank 11th since surveys began in 1948. We also documented the 2nd highest number of gadwall, American green-winged teal, and northern shovelers since surveys began 66 years ago; interestingly, the highest numbers of these non-mallard dabbling ducks was observed during fall 2013. Check out our webpage www.bellrose.org for the other species numbers.

I was hopeful in last week’s blog that the northerly winds would bring a bunch of ducks from the prairies on Halloween weekend, but for the most part, I don’t think that happened. Duck hunting was a little better on the afternoon of Halloween, but it tanked over the weekend. What I didn’t count on was the migration event that occurred when the second weather front blew through Illinois. Tuesday morning, November 4th , we had a mass movement of ducks into the Illinois and Mississippi rivers. I received many reports of ducks arriving on Tuesday morning with the gusty northwest winds, and hunting has been exceptional for the past several days. We can only hope the cold weather moving in during the second week of November doesn’t push a bunch of these birds further south.

Be safe and happy hunting! Stay tuned for more updates next week…

As usual, the refuges along the rivers fill up with ducks the week after the central zone duck season opens. Duck season began on October 25th for most of the Illinois River valley, and duck abundance increased 55% on the refuges from the previous week. We flew the waterfowl survey on October 29th and estimated 210,315 ducks in the Illinois River valley (IRV) which was only 11.5% below the 10-yr average for late October. Similarly, the Mississippi River had 130,890 ducks which was only 12.5 % below the 10-yr average on the Mississippi (www.bellrose.org ). If you recall, duck numbers on the Mississippi have been running more than 50% below average for the last several surveys. Mallards appear to be the reason for the below average duck numbers. We are short about 50,000 mallards in the IRV when compared to the 10-yr average. The cold weather and northwest winds pushing through the central United States on Halloween may just bring the mallards we are looking for. A duck hunter can only hope!

Hunter success appeared to be about average for many areas along the Illinois River despite below average number of ducks. Hunting reports from site managers at state fish and wildlife areas in Marshall, Woodford, and Fulton counties were slightly higher than average harvest for opening weekend. However, duck harvest was 5-47% below average for the Mississippi River Area near the confluence of the Illinois and Mississippi rivers on opening weekend.

Pintail numbers have been running well above average along both rivers; however, recent pintail numbers dropped 40% in the IRV from the previous week. Weather radar documented this movement of birds out of central Illinois on the evening of October 28th. This exodus of waterbirds can be seen leaving the refuges from Chillicothe to Beardstown at sunset on the 28th.

Be safe and happy hunting! Stay tuned for more updates next week…