Welcome to Frank's Field Notes, a semi-regular look at what’s happening across the Prairie Pothole Region during spring migration and breeding season.

Part field journal, part migration report, and part window into duck country, Delta Waterfowl Chief Scientist and President Dr. Frank Rohwer offers firsthand observations from the field on ducks, geese, weather, habitat conditions, and the annual return north.

Some bag limits make you scratch your head

11/10/2026

Scaup are probably the most abundant ducks in North Dakota right now

More swans than ever

11/9/2026

There are more Tundra Swans this fall in ND than I have ever seen.

scaup are here in abundance

11/8/2026

We have lots of scaup around

divers moving too

11/7/2026

Not only are geese really moving through North Dakota, but so are divers.

They are here in numbers

11/6/2026

For the last two nights when I walk the dogs there have been constant flights of migrating geese.

Harvest rates

11/5/2026

Here are the averages for the top 5 harvested ducks in Mississippi and Central Flyways combined.

finally

11/4/2026

The snows also just started to arrive – way late compared to other years.

Great photo from Alaska

11/3/2026

This is a lovely photo of Common Eiders fling over sea ice.

How many for a full duck?

11/2/2026

Today back in ND I shot a pheasant that was full of soybeans.

still in ND, but not for long

11/1/2026

We raise a lot of Gadwall here in prairie North Dakota.

parkland nesters and north

10/31/2026

Buffleheads are showing up near Bismarck on the larger wetlands.

looks good, tastes not so good

10/30/2026

A male Red-breasted Merganser in full breeding plumage is certainly handsome.

Early migrants

10/29/2026

Cranes are large birds that surprise me with their early migration.

Seems easy, but not so much

10/28/2026

Tundra Swans have that lovely yellow spot at the end of the bill.

Filoplumes

10/27/2026

Those tiny hair-like feathers with the forked ends on this plucked goose breast are filoplumes.

Kleptoparasitism

10/25/2026

That is the ridiculous jargon for when coots try and steal vegetation that the Tundra Swan has pulled up from the bottom.

few juveniles

10/24/2026

There are lots of migrating Tundra Swans that are stopping on the large wetlands.

Weather change - birds moving

10/23/2026

Lovely sunset was enhanced by ducks moving

They like cattail ponds too

10/22/2026

North Dakota pheasants really like wetlands.

little late to molt

10/21/2026

Looks like a young male at the Delta Marsh.

This reflects rapid population growth

10/20/2026

Trumpeter Swans released in Minnesota have shown remarkable population growth.

nice looking Redheads and Cans

10/19/2026

While working at the edge of Long Island Bay (Lake Winnipegosis) it was impressive how many birds we saw – thousands.

Happy Springers

10/18/2026

My two spaniels were in heaven.

adult males

10/17/2026

There are lots of Wigeon at the Delta Marsh this fall using the diked areas with shallow water

Surprising

10/16/2026

Gadwall and Wigeon males surprise me.

pheasants follow same rules

10/15/2026

Just like in ducks – display feathers are grown last.

Sparrow migration

10/14/2026

Many other species are also passing through Delta – like White-throated Sparrows

Fall in ND is glorious

10/13/2026

Cool fall colors, magnificent animals, and amazing scenery.

flocking blackbirds

10/12/2026

We got a whisper of cold temperatures and that seems to have inspired the blackbirds to really flock up.

Opening weekend

10/11/2026

For the first time in 13 years in North Dakota I made opening day for Pheasants.

relatively late to molt

10/10/2026

This is an interesting time of year because of the variation in molt that is apparent in male ducks.