Stopping the migration to coastal marshes

[quackheadbp]

http://www.deltawaterfowl.org/media/pr/ ... opping.php

[duckassasin]

i think thats crazy. you cant alter how an animal thinks if its in their minds to go to the coast they are gonna do it, wether it be early in the year or later in the year, hell they already stay in missouri and the northern states long enough.

[quackheadbp]

True, but I think they are trying to keep as many as they can by providing more habitat up north, but there was tons of rain and water lasst year and it didnt seem to stop the migration, so..... we'll see.

[arduckslayer]

The term "shortstop" is being thrown around, and that isn't an accurate description of what the NRCS program is intending to do. Ducks are instinctively going to migrate to the coast. You can't make them stop. They don't get the newspapers or watch CNN, so they don't know about the oil spill. That extra water will be there if the ducks make it to the coast, can't find suitable habitat, and can return just a little further north to more suitable ares. It's proven that it takes 3 generations to imprint on an area. So next year, when the marshes are in better shape and the ducks instinctively migrate there again, everything will be normal. Let's just hope and pray that's the scenario that unfolds.

[quackheadbp]

Well I hope this happens and that if they do swing back north that will make for a better season for us. But whaat about cold fronts that generally push ducks down? Im not sure if they will go against there pattern on that.

[BogueFalaya]

I noticed in the Delta article that the biologist specifically says that mallards will only fly far enough South to find open water and food. Seems to me like he is saying short-stopping would potentially work on mallards?

[cwink]

I plan on stopping a few before they get to the coast for sure.

[redneck22ms]

i sure hope they don't stop too many of the few birds that normally come to my area of the coast.

[augustus_65]

I agree with Delta's biologist that the theory behind flooding additional land is flawed and will have little impact on waterfowl wintering on the coast. I think the ducks that traditionally winter along the coast will simply move east or west along the coast should they find limited food in the areas affected by the oil (which has yet to be established). We could see areas like Mobile Bay see increased numbers of wintering waterfowl or areas in western Louisiana or Texas.

[BogueFalaya]

I have to say that during the season after Katrina, my lease in South La, which was far enough off the coast not to be affected had a big jump in ducks. We figured that the lack of food in the coastal marshes forced more ducks up to us. I guess that if the oil does cause the submerged grass not to grow, they will backtrack far enough to find food. Hopefully it won't be an issue.

[DuckBoat]

I don't know why they would do that, the marsh is probably 99.99 % oil free. No oil in sight, been fishing practically every weekend in and off the LA marsh

[arduckslayer]

I have to say that during the season after Katrina, my lease in South La, which was far enough off the coast not to be affected had a big jump in ducks. We figured that the lack of food in the coastal marshes forced more ducks up to us. I guess that if the oil does cause the submerged grass not to grow, they will backtrack far enough to find food. Hopefully it won't be an issue.

That's the whole idea, not to actually shortstop them. They're gonna go there first anyways. They've instinctively done it forever.