Tampa Bay Migration Report November 7, 2023

Carl

Carl

Well-known member
Staff member
Well, the first flocks of bluebills showed up, seemingly overnight. And in large numbers.
I didn't see any on Hillsborough Bay during my commute along Bayshore Drive yesterday morning.
This morning, there were numerous rafts out on the bay, easily over a 1,000 birds, probably at least double or triple that.
Who else is seeing new ducks showing up in your neighborhood?
 
There's a few puddlers showing up along the CT coast this week. No broadbill yet that I can see, they typically show around Thanksgiving. I'm curious Carl, are the scaup you see greater or lessers? Most all that we see in salt water are greaters, aka "broadbill".
 
Carl,
Southern Michigan is starting too see a trickle of divers. No flight mallards or big ducks showing up yet. Buffies are here in small numbers, a few Redhead and Bluebill. Last thursday my take was two drake mallards and real nice Bluebill. It was a greater as indicated by the wings.

RVZ
 
I am not really sure, haven't seen them up close enough to tell. But my understanding is that Peninsula Florida gets more lesser's than greater's.

Over in Mobile, we saw more lesser's on the northern end of Mobile Bay and north of I-10 bridge.
We saw almost exclusively greater's on Mississippi Sound.
 
Nice mix of birds!

I found overall size and the size of the bill/bill nail as the best indicators of lesser vs. greater.
Greater's are just bigger birds when in hand.
 
Carl said:
I am not really sure, haven't seen them up close enough to tell. But my understanding is that Peninsula Florida gets more lesser's than greater's.

Over in Mobile, we saw more lesser's on the northern end of Mobile Bay and north of I-10 bridge.
We saw almost exclusively greater's on Mississippi Sound.
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I can think of one way to fix that problem. [wink]
 
Yeah, I know, I really need to dust off the decoys and put the blind on the boat.
Its just hard to get motivated with a 1 or 2 bluebill bag limit and a small chance of seeing anything else.
Its strange that I've never seen any buffies down here, don't quite understand that.
 
Carl said:
Yeah, I know, I really need to dust off the decoys and put the blind on the boat.
Its just hard to get motivated with a 1 or 2 bluebill bag limit and a small chance of seeing anything else.
Its strange that I've never seen any buffies down here, don't quite understand that.
Click to expand...

We can trade you about 500 butterballs for a couple dozen scaup. And throw in a big flock of boobies (ruddies) for free.
 
Carl said:
Deal!
Now, how do we convince the ducks??
Click to expand...

They certainly can be difficult to persuade. When the season opens, I'll make 'em an offer they can't refuse. Best I got. [cool]
 
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