May 18th 2008 - Survey Wrap Up

Delta's Cam Meuckon

Water levels in central and western SK are average to above average. Southern Alberta, an area known for its pintail production, is very dry. For example, last summer I banded ducks in southern Alberta on a large staging marsh called Frank Lake, where water levels were consistently knee to waist deep. Current reports are that the Frank Lake basin is nearly dry.

I started waterfowl hunting in 1988, a time when duck numbers were quite low and bag limits were so restrictive that my father and I hunted geese (Canada’s and snows) almost exclusively until the early 1990s. This all seems like a distant memory, because I’ve grown accustomed to liberal bag limits, lengthy seasons and awesome fall flights. I certainly hope that the current conditions aren't an indicator of a repeat of the late 1980s.

Low water levels, habitat loss and extremely high numbers of predators on the breeding grounds are all indicators that ducks need as much help from duck hunters today as ever.

I am heading back to the Delta office in Winnipeg, while the CWS and USFWS crews continue their survey work for another week. I hope these reports have provided you an idea of how the air-ground surveys are conducted and what your favorite birds are facing this spring.

Special thanks to everyone involved in the surveys and to all the Delta members who contribute so much to the future of waterfowl and waterfowl hunting across North America.

Until next time!

Cam Meuckon

May 17th 2008 - Conditions Improve Slightly in Parklands

After two days in the Regina area, where water conditions and nesting habitat are poor and on par with everything else we have seen this spring, we are heading north into the parkland region of Saskatchewan.

The area’s rolling hills and river valleys offer nesting ducks solid habitat conditions—even in dry years. This area’s wetlands are generally larger and more permanent than in other areas we have been. They’re also full of ducks!! In fact, on a survey near Grayson, Saskatchewan we counted more than 300 ducks, including teal, mallards, gadwall and all kinds of diver species.

Compared to the numbers we had in Manitoba and Southern SK, which were as low as 20 ducks per transect, this was a welcome sight. Despite the dry conditions, the good news is that the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service flight crew, which works a day ahead of the ground crew, indicated that conditions will likely improve as they work there way north.

I sure hope so.

May 15th 2008 – Southeastern Saskatchewan is Dry

During our survey, we classify wetlands based on water depth, types of vegetation associated with the wetland and estimated permanency of the wetland.  These range from a type 1 pond which is only inches deep and typically don’t last longer than three weeks, to a type 5 pond that is deep and will last throughout the year.  We also classify artificial wetlands, dugouts, borrow pits, gravel pits etc. Typically these hold water even in dry years, but are far less productive than natural wetlands.

Type 1 ponds in this part of Saskatchewan are virtually non existent as far as I can tell, however many of the larger wetlands have good water depth and were holding larger numbers of birds than what we have seen in Manitoba. Overall, this isn’t good because the smaller wetlands are typically highly productive and are therefore critical to nesting effort and success.

Saskatchewan farmer Keith Montgomery

Several landowners have commented to me about the water conditions in this part of Saskatchewan.  Keith Montgomery, a longtime resident and cattle rancher in the Wapella region of Saskatchewan, believes that water levels are far lower than typical years.  He also notes that the number of ducks on his property is considerably lower than normal.

From here we are heading north through Saskatchewan where we will spend a couple nights in the capital city of Regina and then travel north into the parkland region of Yorkton. I hope things improve as we head towards Yorkton.

Cam Meuckon

May 14, 2008 - Southwest Manitoba Still Dry

We have finished up our last day of survey work in Manitoba and will be traveling to Saskatchewan tomorrow. Today I was working near a community called Snowflake, in extreme southern Manitoba.  At one point we were only two miles from the international border.

This area is dotted with abandoned farm yards that create excellent habitat for predators.  In fact, in one farm yard, I had a close encounter with a raccoon cruising the edge of a stream. I also found a Canada goose nest that appeared to be depredated by an avian predator.

Water conditions here were no better than they were in other areas of Manitoba. Most basins were dry, with most birds concentrated on large permanent wetlands.

On a lighter note I passed through the town of Denrea, where they have a 20-foot-tall blue goose marking the region as a major staging area for snow geese.

Tomorrow we will be heading west, where I hope I will have better news to report.

Cam Meuckon

May 12, 2008 - Southwest Manitoba Looking Dry

Every morning our crew of nine is up and on the road early enough to catch the birds when they are on open water performing their courtship displays and competing for hens. Typically we are able to cover between 2-4 survey segments every morning.

I'm afraid my first day afield in Southern Manitoba has yielded little in the way of good news. I've heard people say that “Where you find water you will find ducks”, well, I haven't seen much of either.  The small seasonal wetlands in this part of the province are drier than I can remember seeing. On one transect line completed today over 90% of the wetland basins were dry.

On the ponds that did hold water there were good numbers of mallards, blue and green winged teal, shoveler, pintail, redheads and canvasback. One pond in particular held several hundred gadwall and a variety of other species. Overall however, habitat conditions are far from favorable for nesting ducks.  Dry conditions also allow wetland margins to be cleared and cultivated, restricting nesting habitat.

Today’s highlight came when I was stopped by a local farmer.  I was cruising on an ATV, armed with maps, data sheets and binoculars, which naturally piqued his curiosity. It turns out he was a second generation rancher from Hartney in southern MB.  He is also a dedicated conservationist who has abundant wetlands on his land and has installed and maintained several home made nesting structures on his land. We had the opportunity to visit about Delta’s Hen House program.

It’s raining here right now and conditions can literally change overnight. Within the next day or two we will be headed to Saskatchewan, where reportedly water conditions are better than in Manitoba.

Cam Meuckon

May 11, 2008 - Delta Waterfowl Joins the Spring Survey

As a duck hunter growing up in Southern Manitoba, spring has always been nearly as exciting a time as the fall. Throughout April and May literally millions of ducks and geese make the return journey to their traditional breeding grounds across the Canadian prairie. After 5 months of Manitoba winter the first pair of Mallards are a most welcome sight!  

In early May when the breeding season is in full swing, waterfowl biologists from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) and the Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS) head afield to estimate breeding populations for ducks and geese.  These surveys are done annually and are used to monitor population status and determine annual hunting regulations across North America. I've been fortunate enough to be involved with these annual air / ground surveys for the last 5 years, originally as a student technician with CWS and this year contributing to the survey on behalf of Delta Waterfowl.

Over the next couple of weeks I'll be providing you with reports from the front lines of Canada's duck factory as part of my role in the survey in southern Manitoba and Saskatchewan.  Information on water levels, habitat conditions, numbers of birds, how the survey's are conducted, and anything else that may be of interest along the way!  

I'll start off with a brief summary of how the surveys are conducted. As mentioned earlier, the air ground surveys are a joint effort between USFWS and CWS.  USFWS provide the plane, pilot and an observer for the survey.  This year our pilot is from Alaska and our observer is from Maryland.  This flight crew flies a predetermined transect at approximately 125 feet and 100 mph counting ducks and surveying water levels along their line.  After the flight crew completes their run, the CWS ground crew does a shorter segment of the transect.  This second run of the same transect provides a correction factor for birds the air crew may have missed.  Once these numbers are pooled an estimate of the breeding population is generated.   

So to all the Delta members across North America who are anxiously awaiting news from the breeding grounds, I sincerely hope I can provide you with a snapshot of the Canadian breeding grounds and an idea of what's to come this fall!

Stay tuned!

Cam Meuckon
Hunter Recruitment Director
Delta Waterfowl Foundation