State Mid-Winter Waterfowl Survey Completed

West Virginia wildlife biologists counted 2,200 ducks and 4,980 geese during the annual mid-winter waterfowl survey in early January, according to Steve Wilson, Waterfowl Biologist for the Wildlife Resources Section of the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources.

“The number of ducks counted was below average, which was expected because of the unusually mild weather in December and most of January,” Wilson reported. Wintering ducks remain further north or scatter out among smaller waters until ice and snow force them south or onto larger water bodies that are not frozen. “The number of Canada geese was above average as a result of good production in the summer of 2006 and the mild weather,” said Wilson.

The real value of the mid-winter survey is the long term trends over broad areas. West Virginia’s data will be combined with that from other states to obtain regional and national totals that provide reliable trend data for overall waterfowl populations.

Canada geese, mallards, and black ducks were, as usual, the leading species observed in the 2006 survey. Other notable species include: American wigeon, gadwall, pintail, scaup, bufflehead, mergansers, a mute swan and three bald eagles. Green-winged teal were also observed, which is a sure sign of mild weather.

Waters surveyed in January included: Kanawha River (Nitro-Point Pleasant), Ohio River (Huntington-Parkersburg), Tygart Lake/ Pleasant Creek Marsh, Shenandoah River (state line-state line), and New River (Hinton-state line) including Bluestone Lake.

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