Despite tropical weather, most waterfowl habitat is just ducky
BY WALT RHODES
Special to The Post and Courier
Itching to satisfy her avian curiosity, a long ago classmate asked our ornithology professor if the rare bird she thought she had seen over spring break was possible. The professor, I am sure having heard this question millions of times over, paused for a moment, and then replied "Debbie, birds have wings and they can be anywhere at any time." That statement rings very true, especially when it comes to waterfowl habitat management.
Bird movements are driven by weather, food availability and tradition, and not necessarily in that order. The point is you can provide the best duck buffet in North America but the birds may not come to the party through no fault of your own. Despite the record spell of tropical systems through the Lowcountry earlier this year, most waterfowl habitat is in fairly good condition.
"Everybody is starting to see some ducks," Dean Harrigal, a South Carolina Department of Natural Resources (SCDNR) wildlife biologist stationed in the ACE Basin, said last week. "It was a good growing season for people managing fresh and brackish water marshes," Harrigal said.
"The season was more moderate," he said, referring to the extremes of drought and too much rain in recent years. "We have had some cooler weather that has hardened off plants, and many people are burning their marshes right now in preparation before flooding," he added. In some years, warm fall weather can delay burning and flooding of marshes until after the first split of the duck season. "The only negative would be that this area's inland swamps are notas wet as other parts of the state," Harrigal stated.
"The wood ducks won't be as spread out where everyone who has access to a swamp might get a chance at harvesting a bird. They'll be concentrated where there's any water." Moving up the coast, Sam Chappelear, SCDNR coastal regional coordinator and former assistant wildlife biologist in Bonneau, reported mixed results too.
"Sandy Beach Wildlife Management Area (WMA) has food but not as much as last year. We've planted millet and chufas but the wet weather and armyworms affected our success. So far, we've only seen wood ducks on the area.
"Elsewhere, the swamps have water, which should spread the wood ducks out for everybody," he said. Along the northern coast, Jim Westerhold, SCDNR coastal waterfowl biologist responsible for Samworth, Santee Delta and Santee Coastal Reserve WMAs, reported similar conditions as in the ACE Basin.
"It was a good growing season overall but the inland WMAs on the rivers did have some flooding as a result of the tropical systems. In spite of the excess water, the native food plants fared well. "Burning at Samworth WMA is nearly complete and we're waiting on the right conditions to conduct the burning at Santee Delta," Westerhold said.
"There is the usual mix of native food plants at Santee Coastal Reserve and overall the marsh looks in good condition." Based on spring breeding surveys, the continent's waterfowl populations are near their long-term averages for most species.
Lowcountry hunters should expect to see ample numbers of wood ducks and both teal species with a smattering of other species. But, as usual, success will depend on effective scouting and good hunting weather, since as my professor put it "birds can be anywhere at any time." The 2004-05 South Carolina waterfowl season is November 24-28 and December 17 to January 30. The bag limit is 6 ducks, but there are various species limits and closures.
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