Got out about noon today. After my motor stalling and figuring out that the gas line came off the tank, I got cranked back up and ran around to a bunch of my usual diver spots looking for birds.
It was not easy to find any in huntable numbers. Places that used to hold large mixed flocks of divers were very noticeably empty. Where I should have seen many small groups and singles buffies, I saw none. Saw no redheads. Finally found a flock of about 50 bluebills and set up. Had just two come to visit. And a little later a nice ruddy came in. It was all the ducks I saw over the decoys and I only saw 3 others flying in the distance. And this is in a spot that normally holds many buffies and hundreds of lesser scaup.
Nice day on the water, but I just cant believe the lack of birds here. About all we have is blind-shy gadwalls by the hundreds and coots by the thousands.
Something seems to have changed for us. Canvasbacks were never common but have been very rare to non-existent for the last 10 years. I've shot 2 ringer necks since 2005, before then they were a normal part of a days hunting. Where we used to see flocks of 50+ bluebills and say "lets go look for a better spot", now we are happy to see singles and pairs in the old places we used to diver hunt.
Not sure if its a change in migration pattern caused by the huge submerged grass bed die-off on the lower Mobile-Tensaw Delta and Upper Mobile Bay that happened between 2001 and 2005, from which some places have never recovered; or if its just this unusually warm weather. But something has changed and it sure makes for some tough hunting and lonely skies.
Two gentleman in their finest black & white.
View attachment 12-29-14_CF1_n.jpg
A Ruddy in winter colors.
View attachment 12-29-14-CF2.jpg
It was not easy to find any in huntable numbers. Places that used to hold large mixed flocks of divers were very noticeably empty. Where I should have seen many small groups and singles buffies, I saw none. Saw no redheads. Finally found a flock of about 50 bluebills and set up. Had just two come to visit. And a little later a nice ruddy came in. It was all the ducks I saw over the decoys and I only saw 3 others flying in the distance. And this is in a spot that normally holds many buffies and hundreds of lesser scaup.
Nice day on the water, but I just cant believe the lack of birds here. About all we have is blind-shy gadwalls by the hundreds and coots by the thousands.
Something seems to have changed for us. Canvasbacks were never common but have been very rare to non-existent for the last 10 years. I've shot 2 ringer necks since 2005, before then they were a normal part of a days hunting. Where we used to see flocks of 50+ bluebills and say "lets go look for a better spot", now we are happy to see singles and pairs in the old places we used to diver hunt.
Not sure if its a change in migration pattern caused by the huge submerged grass bed die-off on the lower Mobile-Tensaw Delta and Upper Mobile Bay that happened between 2001 and 2005, from which some places have never recovered; or if its just this unusually warm weather. But something has changed and it sure makes for some tough hunting and lonely skies.
Two gentleman in their finest black & white.
View attachment 12-29-14_CF1_n.jpg
A Ruddy in winter colors.
View attachment 12-29-14-CF2.jpg
