We have received preliminary results from our focus area hen house projects as the first round checks are winding down. Results are better than expected with the extremely late cold temperatures in the Great Lakes area and our partners, not to mention the Flyway Foundation is very encouraged by this feedback. The hatch is running about ten days behind last year.

In Pennsylvania, the henhouse utilization rate for mallards is up. They have already recorded usage rates as high as all of last year. We have experienced some nest abandoment(approx 5 nests) due to egg freezing during the laying period. There has been a noticable effort to renest in the hh in adjacent wetlands. The biologists have been actively capturing nesting hens and banding them. They have recaptured all banded hens from last year in our hen houses, verifying they are returning to the same nesting sites. We find this very encouraging that 100% of the hens that used hen houses last year have returned!!
There have already been 5 mallard broods hatched, captured, and web tagged. Every wetland which the Pennsylvania Game Commission has placed hh's in has experienced utilization. We are also experiencing a fair amount of wooduck utilization similar to last year.
The reports from Ontario seem to mirror Pennsylvania. Utilization is up there as well.

You may remember , we have a new project in Southeastern Michigan. We chose this area based on satelite tracking data furnished by Walt Rhodes with the SCDNR.

Preliminary results in those wetlands from the Michigan DNR biologists ,report henhouse(mallard) utilization rates over 70% in some marshes. This is with 20% of the henhouses being checked. Keep your fingers crossed for the remainder of the 1st round checks which are being completed now. Our partners on the Michigan project are very pleased with the tripod mount for the henhouses. They like the mobility and ease of installation with this model.

We should have the exact figures in on the 1st round checks shortly, but we wanted to pass on some early positive data.


Very exciting news that has invigorated our commitment!!