Call It What You Want

[bird junkie]

Current conditions.

 

[Engstfeld]

Current conditions.
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A picture worth a thousand words. Used to not look like this during the 80's or early 90's.

 

[DComeaux]

February of 2021

More than 70% of the continental United States was covered in snow on Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.

 

[bill cooksey]

They only go south as needed to survive.

Just as they always have.

 

[ukcpeak]

February of 2021

More than 70% of the continental United States was covered in snow on Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.

View attachment 375050

That weather pushed a fair amount of birds down to LA. I had friends who got excited about the numbers they saw out and about. Honestly I was more concerned than impressed. We should have had most of the ducks in the MS flyway. What we actually had was the 3rd or 4th most ducks we’ve ever seen on our property. My 14yo has seen more birds 2 other times with much milder weather. Made me wonder if they actually exist in the numbers the feds claim.

No use complaining about the weather. Big Red is going to do what Big Red is going to do, and there’s nothing that anyone can do to change it.

 

[ducaholic]

This is hard for me

 

[ducaholic]

This weeks weather is a month late. Had it backed up the Christmas blast we would have been covered up. The backwater of Central and NW/NE La. was full and in great shape following some very dry weather in the later summer and early fall!

 

[Ramblingman]

Just as they always have.

Correct and this is exactly why shortstopping (both intended and unintended) is real.

 

[bill cooksey]

Correct and this is exactly why shortstopping (both intended and unintended) is real.

LOL, other than a short stint of about 30 years in the 20th century, there’s always been plenty of habitat throughout the flyway. It was just a rare season when the weather didn’t force them farther south. That’s no longer the case. I’m close to the north end of what was historically the wintering grounds, but now the weather patterns leave us toward the southern side.

 

[Ramblingman]

LOL, other than a short stint of about 30 years in the 20th century, there’s always been plenty of habitat throughout the flyway. It was just a rare season when the weather didn’t force them farther south. That’s no longer the case. I’m close to the north end of what was historically the wintering grounds, but now the weather patterns leave us toward the southern side.

I'm trying to follow. Habitat and other variables such as weather, pressure, etc. affect migration and migration patterns. Of these variables, which are culturally altered and/or anthropogenic? Man has been influencing the migration for overa century. To deny that shortstopping isn't real is asinine. How many waterfowl do you suppose wintered on the Garrison reach of the Missouri River in North Dakota in 1850? Extreme example I know. To what extent is shortstopping contributing? That can be argued.