re: Baws who complain about lack of duck numbers

quote:

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I predict this will be the lowest duck survey released by the state in years when it's released later this week.

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I don't think we are going to get the survey completed in SE LA or Catahoula Lake because of weather. We've been delayed getting airborne by fog and dodged storms thus far this week to get the first 17 westernmost lines flown (the SW LA portion of the coastal transects), and it's been a ghost town.

Estimates in just SW LA:

Mallards - 2000
Mottled ducks - 14,000
Gadwall - 96,000
Wigeon - 1,000
Greenwings - 10,000
Bluewings - 67,000
Shovelers - 37,000
Pintails - 5,000
Ringnecks - 15,000

Total ducks - 247,000

And here are some preliminary comments:

The 247,000 total ducks estimated in SW LA is the lowest on record for this survey, and is less than half the next lowest estimate of 581,000 in 2013. The most recent 10-year average for SW LA on this survey is 994,000.

The most recent 10 year November averages for SW LA are: gadwalls (463,000), greenwings(145,000), bluewings (175,000), pintails (51,000), and shovelers (83,000).

This November’s SW LA estimates for gadwalls and greenwings have never been lower. In the last 10 years, estimates for bluewings and shovelers have only been lower once. These data indicate there has not yet been a major migration into coastal SW LA.

One small flock of white-fronted geese were the only geese seen during this portion of the survey.

We have not yet flown SE LA transects or the cruise survey at Catahoula Lake, and predicted weather suggests we may not be able to prior to the season opening this Saturday in the West and Coastal Zones.