Gadwalls expanding their range?

[James Woods]

Somewhat belately I thought I would weigh in. I grew up on the North Shore of Long Island about 60 miles from NYC. I lived less than a mile from an 11k acre salt marsh, and within 20 miles of numerous other salt marshes. In the early sixties, I prowled all those marshes, clamming, fishing, eeling and getting to know the old timers who had fished and hunted those marshes since the 20s ("Dollars to donuts in a NWester, the birds will pile in behind the Smith Place"-a memorable quote from one old timer.) I hunted my home salt marsh from the early sixties until 1985. Between 1963 and 1975 I was in that marsh 3 times a week during the gunning season(more during college vacation), less so in the years after, but several times a season. Our bags were black ducks, on rare occasion a widgeon and, of course mallards in the salt marsh. On the channels we shot shellpeckers, buffies, a few broadiebeeks, and on occasion a redhead or can (no cans or redheads for me!). Geese were also rare. This was the experience of the old timers as well dating back many years. Now my friends are routinely killing gadwalls. We never saw gadwalls and no anecdotal oral history from the old timers indicates that they shot such birds either. Between 80-84, I was living in Port Jefferson, not far from my old home, and we had several severe winters like this winter, and I began seeing gadwalls in Scott's Cove in Setauket harbor. First year, a dozen maybe, then in succeeding years up to 1984 about 60. I can only think that they expanded around to the other nearby salt marshes. I know nothing about the feeding habits of gadwalls, but they seemed quite happy feeding in the mudflats of Setauket Harbor.

 

[Greg Richard]

As a fellow North Alabama hunter, I agree with Eric's assessment. But the gadwall haven't all left here, they have adapted. Private land, where there is less pressure, have become the favorite spots for gadwall. Of course, this is antedoctal, but several people have commented on what good seasons they have had on private land(swamps etc.)
Before the season started, I saw 5000-10000 or so gadwall rafting on Gunterville in one flock. By seasons end, they were in very small flocks scattered throughout the lake.
The strange adaptation I've noticed, was that gadwall feed chuckle while circling your decoys, and that some of the hens highball sound exactly like mallards.

Cody

North Alabama has long been a place where Gadwall have come to winter. It started when Eurasian Millfoil become thick on the Tennessee River on Lake Guntersville. We still have a lot of gadwall but their numbers have significantly dropped in my opinion, especially this year. My gadwall kill (along with hunting partners) this year was the lowest I can recall in the past 20+ years. I saw less milfoil on the lake this year than ever and guess that correlates with fewer gadwall, along with pressure from hunters a lot of it in the form of mud motors not giving them as much rest.

However, there has been a steady upward trend in diving ducks, particularly redheads and cans. Vallisneria is spreading on the lake and possibly displacing milfoil in some areas. Seeing as how it is a preferred food for cans and reds I attribute it to the increase in divers. So much so I fully expect the harvest of redheads and cans surpassed gadwall, and if you throw in ringnecks it's no contest, more divers than puddlers are taken on the lake now.

So basically what I'm saying is the range might not necessarily be increasing, but it is changing and food and rest are the drivers for that change.

Craig

You mentioned urban sprawl. In all honesty urban sprawl has not cost me many places to hunt waterfowl since I started in 1982. Some, of course, but if I combine urban sprawl, PETA, anti-hunters, Duck Dynasty, etc. etc. all of it doesn't even come close to the loss of waterfowl hunting opportunity alligatorweed and water primrose have cost me. Invasive aquatic plants have wiped out many places that were great waterfowling spots.

 

[Dave McNeill]

We hunted the port of Valdez from the late 80s and into the late 90s , after the freshwater froze us out of the MatSu valley area .
the Gadwall numbers on the salt water in Valdez were impressive and were there until the season closed around Jan 21st.
IT is an amazing bird for sure.

 

[Paul Strombeck]

A paper I read a couple of years back referred to Gadwalls as the duck of the future. Apparently they tolerate much tighter nesting densities- hence you can get more Gaddies per acre vs. mallards and they have an affinity for nesting on islands - hence better nest survival. Unfortunately some get by me in poor light conditions as I avoid shooting hens.

 

[Carl]

I fear that your gain in divers is our loss down here on the AL coast. I did not see a single can or redhead on Mobile Bay this year even though we have more grass coverage than anytime since 2005. And y'all have already heard me cry enough about our complete lack of bluebills so I wont go into that again....
The number of gadwalls and all other ducks for that matter, are also down, as it has been every year since 2004 (other than last year). No one is quite sure what the reason is, possibly the migration pattern changed when we lost almost all our grassbeds in the 2004 & '05 hurricane seasons followed by the drought of '06-'07.

 

[Cody Williams]

A paper I read a couple of years back referred to Gadwalls as the duck of the future. Apparently they tolerate much tighter nesting densities- hence you can get more Gaddies per acre vs. mallards and they have an affinity for nesting on islands - hence better nest survival. Unfortunately some get by me in poor light conditions as I avoid shooting hens.

One great tip I've learned while trying to shoot drake gaddies is to look for the black butt. Drakes have it, hens don't. It's easy to spot once you get used to looking for it, and pretty easy to see in low light too. Works for wigeon too!

 

[Vince Pagliaroli]

During the dark days of the last Big drought, and low duck numbers, one of my hunting partners called Buffleheads - "The Duck Of The Future". He would even grind them up and put them on Pizza. The man was a Hunter, shot 300 Crows in one season, and ate as many as he could. Said "they ain't that bad, they eat the same things a Chickens".

 

[Joe Sink]

I have been seeing and shooting a lot of gaddies the past few years, the area I hunt a lot and see the most has deeper and in some area's a brackish pond or two. I believe gaddies tend to favor a bit deeper water then small puddles and puddle duck areas. Gaddies also lay there eggs later then all the other species of puddle ducks which helps the survival rate of there young. It's good to see the grey duck becoming so popular and doing so well.

 

[Al Hansen]

Just found this shot I took some time ago, Cody.
Al

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[Dave Church]

I found about 30 gadwalls the other day while scouting and they are the first gadwalls that I have seen since the mid nineties in this area. I'm sure others have seen them in Maryland, but I had not. It is great to see them again, beautiful bird, good on the table, and fun to hunt.


dc