Counting ducks for the survey
A lot went on last Wednesday during the hour before first light at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge. The nocturnal leopard frog chorus, punctuated by the calls of Sora rails, slowly died out and segued into the calls of day birds; Cardinals, Marsh Wrens and the bored quacking of Blue-winged Teal. The Cheshire Cat grin of a crescent moon in the night sky faded as the stars winked out and clouds on the Eastern horizon shifted through a palette of colors, while the sky lightened and turned a pale blue.
At first light the dawn flight took off. Herons, ibis and egrets left their overnight roost at the far end of Stony Bayou and flew East to spread out and forage in the refuge’s pools. Blackbirds noisily rose up out of the sawgrass where they had spent the night and Northern Harriers swept low over the marsh.
First light is when my work day began: counting the morning Wood Duck flight for the mid-February duck survey. I had eight birds silhouetted against the bright morning sky. I added them to the data sheet on my clipboard and then began to slowly drive my route on the refuge’s interior pools looking for more ducks.
We’re nearing the end of the winter duck season. This year started strong and peaked at almost 2,000 ducks in December, earlier than it usually does. Since then, numbers have dropped and on last week’s survey I had only 508 ducks, less than the refuge typically has in February. Mallards and Black Ducks are gone for another year. Most of the Redheads and Green-winged Teal have also left and we’re down to one Northern Pintail. Most of these Northbound ducks are only going part way home. They’ll make their trip in stages as Spring unfolds and conditions allow.
Duck diversity has dropped by a third. I had only thirteen species on my survey. Diversity and numbers will drop further by the time of my next survey in mid-March, but the last migrant Blue-wing Teal will still be moving through in May. After that, it will just be our resident Wood Ducks.
I enjoy duck season at the refuge and always regret its end. However, it leads to the excitement of Spring migration and then the shift into the long, hot Wakulla summer with its breeding birds, wildflowers and swarms of dragonflies. There’s plenty to keep you occupied until the first Southbound Blue-winged Teal come back in late August and another duck season begins.
It’s still winter, but Spring is stealthily and steadily sneaking in. Willow catkins are out, Swamp Dogwood is blooming along the East River and the first green cypress needles have appeared. I’ve already had my first migrant warbler – a Louisiana Waterthrush at the Double Bridges – and it’s time to watch for returning Swallow-tailed Kites.
Come down to St. Marks. Catch some late ducks, a flamingo and maybe some early migrants.
It’s important to stay busy.
Don Morrow can be reached at donaldcmorrow@gmail.com.