Scaup, Brant, and Gadwall Notes

[Steve O]

A couple of times a week during waterfowl hunting season I try to check Narragansett Bay from a high vantage point with binoculars. So far this season I've yet to see a single brant. I may have seen a small flock of scaup (our bluebills), but it was hard to get a positive ID since they were flying at the middle of the bay.

Granted they may be around, and I'm just not there when they are, but it does seem like there are less of these species here than there ought to be by now.

For folks that have these 2 species in their areas I wonder if your experience this season is similar.

On a positive note, the gadwall population where I like to hunt is way, way up this year. It seemed higher than normal last season too, so this appears to be a good trend.

Thanks for any input you care to share.

 

[Carl]

I'm not up in that area but can offer two observations:

Scaup just showed up in numbers on Tampa Bay in the last week or so. Way later than the last two years. And the size of the flocks I am seeing this year are smaller.

Gadwall numbers in coastal Alabama have been on a downward spiral since around 2010, with what seems to be a corresponding increase in numbers in the upper end of the flyways.
I gauged the latter based on reports from this site, where I consistently see reports like yours of gadwalls in places they weren't 10 years ago.

As noted in other threads, migration patterns are changing!

 

[Nick Zito]

There are plenty of Brant off napatree point (closer to you) and along the harbors and beaches in CT.

I haven't seen the scaup myself but Ken Morris said he saw some in an area we both hunt. I haven't seen them in our secret spot yet but I also haven't been checking as it's not in my usual course of travel. Usually they start coming in around late November, but I never pay attention until the 2 limit season opens after Christmas.

 

[MIKE-SID]

I'm not sure if Nick and Ken's secret spot, is also my secret spot, but there were plenty of brant and broadbill. The broadbill and brant mostly stayed along the coast and avoided us today. We were able to fool a few groups of broadbill none the less.
A single brant was coming our way just as we launched to retrieve a duck, typical!
We were the only group out in our secret spot, so it was easy for them to find a safe spot!

 

[Nick Zito]

Ken and my spot is also yours, but my actual secret spot is shooting off marina docks in a north west wind. No one else hunts that one that I've seen. Nice and cushy. Don't even need a boat if you have the dog

 

[Kenmorris]

I'm not sure if Nick and Ken's secret spot, is also my secret spot, but there were plenty of brant and broadbill. The broadbill and brant mostly stayed along the coast and avoided us today. We were able to fool a few groups of broadbill none the less.
A single brant was coming our way just as we launched to retrieve a duck, typical!
We were the only group out in our secret spot, so it was easy for them to find a safe spot!

Lol, top secret spot. Mike, I think I saw your truck this morning there. My son and I were going to hunt, but he started feeling crummy on the way down and didn?t want to. Will send a pm

 

[MIKE-SID]

Nick said you were old like me! Kids today, no respect []

 

[Kenmorris]

Nick said you were old like me! Kids today, no respect []

Where?s my belt, I?ll teach that little whippersnapper![][]

 

[Charles H.]

Coastal Marshes of NJ seem to have good brant numbers as they usually do. We don't see many Scaup in the areas we hunt for some reason, but other bays nearby do. I haven't checked any of them though as it has been tough to make it down this year. Today was only my second trip of the year.

 

[Nick Zito]

Nick said you were old like me! Kids today, no respect []

Where?s my belt, I?ll teach that little whippersnapper![][]

Too bad you two old men will never be able to catch me on foot! [cool] Henry though, I'll be done if you send him after me

 

[tod osier]

I'm not sure if Nick and Ken's secret spot, is also my secret spot, but there were plenty of brant and broadbill. The broadbill and brant mostly stayed along the coast and avoided us today. We were able to fool a few groups of broadbill none the less.
A single brant was coming our way just as we launched to retrieve a duck, typical!
We were the only group out in our secret spot, so it was easy for them to find a safe spot!

Lol, top secret spot. Mike, I think I saw your truck this morning there. My son and I were going to hunt, but he started feeling crummy on the way down and didn?t want to. Will send a pm

Definitely sounds like the secret spot to find!!!! I'm headed east tomorrow...

 

[Kenmorris]

Nick said you were old like me! Kids today, no respect []

Where?s my belt, I?ll teach that little whippersnapper![][]

Too bad you two old men will never be able to catch me on foot! [cool] Henry though, I'll be done if you send him after me

Who did you think I?d send??[laugh]