Scoters on Mississippi Sound

[Carl]

Was down on Mississippi Sound today doing work for my former agency. Surprisingly did not see a single redhead, scaup or buffy. But did see 3 scoters. Which I assume were white wings.

 

[SJ Fairbank]

Was down on Mississippi Sound today doing work for my former agency. Surprisingly did not see a single redhead, scaup or buffy. But did see 3 scoters. Which I assume were white wings.

They look like Skunkheads/Surf scoters...if that's a white patch on the back of their head.

 

[Carl]

I couldn’t see distinct white patches. But the sun angle was horrible.

 

[Eric Patterson]

Carl

Crazy how the Mobile Delta has just died for ducks. Back in the 80s and early 90s it was very productive.

 

[Carl]

Carl

Crazy how the Mobile Delta has just died for ducks. Back in the 80s and early 90s it was very productive.

I drove the bayway twice. Bet I didn’t see 100 ducks. Very few blinds.
Back in the late 90s there would have been thousands of ducks along the bayway by this time.

 

[Eric Patterson]

I don't think you can blame hunting pressure on it. There must have been an unfavorable change in available food since then. Maybe some ducks will arrive in the coming weeks with colder temps.

 

[Carl]

It changed after hurricanes Ivan and Katrina followed by two years of drought killed back the grassbeds. Ducks stopped coming. then the winters got warmer by time the grassbeds recovered. There is tons of food now but the ducks never returned.

 

[Eric Patterson]

Well then one good cold winter could turn it around. Imagine being the hunter that didn't give up hope and kept all their gear. When the time comes they will have the bay to themselves and it will be like turning back the clock decades.

 

[Carl]

Or I should say never returned in the numbers we had from 97-2003.

 

[Carl]

Lots of guys did give up.
I never did and adapted.
Still had good and great seasons.

 

[SJ Fairbank]

I couldn’t see distinct white patches. But the sun angle was horrible.

Tough to tell in the photo. At full size I thought there was white, zoomed in a bit and it may be the lighting.

We're seeing the same change in duck migration patterns. The birds are bypassing us for the most part, I think much of it is changes in weather and agriculture rather than fewer birds overall. Different fertilizers ( liquid vs. manure) and corn everywhere change the route and timing. No ice up north let's them sit tight until later in the season than the good old days.