Skimming through some fairly recent aerial survey data and noted the following interesting notes given our propensity for tracking weather systems and hoping for brutal cold at the top of the flyway:
November 2016 aerial survey - 3,059,000 total ducks counted in LAThe estimate of 3.06 million ducks from this survey is 2.5 times the 1.21 million from last November and is similar to the 3.12 million estimated in 2014 when early freezing weather in the Flyway pushed large numbers of birds into Louisiana.
The relatively high survey total is surprising given the lack of cold weather typically associated with migration events to this point in the year and recent communications from colleagues in Saskatchewan, North Dakota, and Minnesota reporting warm temperatures and delayed migrations.
And most seem to recall that 2014 was an early cold fall with strong hunting off the bat.
November 2019 aerial survey - 1,042,000 total ducks counted in LA (3rd lowest on record at the time)Despite early blizzard conditions in the Dakotas and freezing temperatures down into the mid-latitudes, there doesn’t appear to have been a major migratory movement into much of coastal Louisiana.
But went on to state....
A recent survey in Missouri showed about 25% above average numbers currently on their surveyed areas.
What's all this mean? Apparently we can get a lot of ducks with mild weather, and just the same can get few ducks with harsh weather.......the birds are gonna bird.
I'm eager to see how the grays turn up late this month and early Nov. Last November's count was a record low for the species at the timeframe, and it was plainly apparent across my salt marsh areas where we are accustomed to seeing plenty.