DuckSouth.com

So, in the 2.5 weeks since I made the original post here, the number of birds on my place has at least doubled, if not more. Again, mostly gadwalls & blue wings with a few mallards & shovelers. I wonder when they are going to head on north? Maybe the backwater falling out will send them on their way. Still, it is pretty cool seeing, what now numbers in the thousands, of birds in mid April.

I worked in the Prairie Pothole of North Dakota doing duck nest monitoring and the effects of predator control when I was in college. Bluewings, Gadwalls, and Shovelers are late nesters, so they're in no big hurry to get back up there. That's why they're still down this way. They don't start nesting until June for the most part, while Mallards and Pintails will be starting over the next few weeks.

Thanks, arduckslayer, that explains why so many gadwalls are still around. I didn't realize they were late nesters.

All my mallards left a week ago. Teal are gone too but with this little front coming and fresh water in the fields they will be back.

Goose wrote:Thanks, arduckslayer, that explains why so many gadwalls are still around. I didn't realize they were late nesters.

You're welcome. It was cool to watch that transition while nest dragging every day.

My place in the North Delta was absolutely covered up in bluewings this past weekend. They acted as unafraid as songbirds. The drakes are absolutely stunning right now.

just drained one of my holes yesterday. sad to see the little dudes go elsewhere.

The drakes are spectacular right now. Is there anywhere they can be hunted in full plumage?

Up2Early wrote:The drakes are spectacular right now. Is there anywhere they can be hunted in full plumage?

They are killed in full plumage in Florida, Texas, Louisiana, and Mexico late in the regular hunting season all the time. You can go to Venezuela and Cuba and shoot them by the truckload.