Ohio's Bi-weekly Aerial Waterfowl Survey
Objective:
The bi-weekly aerial waterfowl survey is used to monitor waterfowl abundance during fall/winter/ spring migration throughout the northern portion of Ohio. This survey also helps identify habitat types critical to waterfowl and helps document waterfowl use of restored wetland projects over time.
Procedure:
The survey is flown bi-weekly from September 1 to January 1 over 7 selected water areas distributed in the Lake Erie marsh region in northwestern Ohio. This survey is conducted on or near the 1st and 15th of each month, weather permitting. The survey crew identifies and estimates the number of each species of waterfowl encountered on the survey sites. Survey transects are flown at an altitude and route to optimize waterfowl identification and minimize disturbance. We currently have decided to only survey the Lake Erie marsh region because 95% of the waterfowl counted on the survey occur in this part of the state.
Survey Sites:
- Sandusky Bay and Pickerel Creek WA
- Darby NWR
- Port Clinton to Navarre Marsh
- Magee Marsh WA, Ottawa NWR, and Metzger Marsh
- Cedar Point NWR and Mallard Club WA
- Maumee Bay and Western Lake Erie
- Maumee River
Graph Interpretations:
The following figures describe the number of waterfowl counted for each survey during the current year compared to the five-year average (2007-2011) and long term average (2003-2011). These figures only provide an index of the waterfowl migration and should be used as an indicator of general trends, not a precise barometer to the actual timing of migration and abundance of waterfowl. Waterfowl numbers can fluctuate from day to day in a given location; weather, forage availability and hunting pressure all play a role in waterfowl migration and habitat utilization.
2012/13 Observations Compared to Previous Years (click on graph to view current image):
 |
 |
 |
 |
 |
All Ducks
|
Scaup |
Divers |
Dabblers |
Canada Geese |
Information by species and survey location for December 18, 2012:
Blank cells indicate that no count was taken during this sample.
SBM = Sandusky Bay/Marshes
PC WA = Pickerel Creek Wildlife Area
MagM WA = Magee Marsh Wildlife Area
MetM WA = Metzger Marsh Wildlife Area
MB = Maumee Bay
O NWR = Ottawa National Wildlife Refuge
CP NWR = Cedar Point National Wildlife Refuge
D NWR = Darby National Wildlife Refuge
W. LE = W. Lake Erie
MR = Maumee River
|
Dabblers
|
|
Species
|
SBM
|
PC WA
|
TM
|
MagMWA
|
MetMWA
|
MB
|
O NWR
|
CP NWR
|
NM NWR
|
D NWR
|
W. LE
|
MR
|
Species Total
|
|
Mallards
|
35,625
|
0
|
300
|
25
|
0
|
0
|
3370
|
815
|
400
|
438
|
240
|
|
41,213
|
|
Black Duck
|
5,965
|
0
|
50
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
615
|
250
|
100
|
63
|
10
|
|
7,053
|
|
Gadwall
|
580
|
0
|
50
|
80
|
0
|
0
|
100
|
75
|
50
|
126
|
0
|
|
1,061
|
|
Wigeon
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
0
|
|
Green Wing Teal
|
1700
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
125
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
1,825
|
|
Blue Wing Teal
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
0
|
|
Shoveler
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
0
|
|
Pintail
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
0
|
|
Wood Duck
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
0
|
|
Total Dabblers
|
43,870
|
0
|
400
|
105
|
0
|
0
|
4,085
|
1,265
|
550
|
627
|
250
|
|
51,152
|
|
Divers
|
|
Species
|
SBM
|
PC WA
|
TM
|
MagMWA
|
MetMWA
|
MB
|
O NWR
|
CP NWR
|
NM NWR
|
D NWR
|
W. LE
|
MR
|
Species Total
|
|
Redhead
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
0
|
|
Canvasback
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
0
|
|
Scaup
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
400
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
45,000
|
|
45,400
|
|
Ringneck
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
0
|
|
Ruddy
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
0
|
|
Goldeneye
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
0
|
|
Total Divers
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
400
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
45,000
|
|
45,400
|
|
Ducks
|
|
Species
|
SBM
|
PC WA
|
TM
|
MagMWA
|
MetMWA
|
MB
|
O NWR
|
CP NWR
|
NM NWR
|
D NWR
|
W. LE
|
MR
|
Species Total
|
|
Unidentified
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
0
|
|
Mergansers
|
5,575
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
5,575
|
|
Loon
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
|
|
Total Duck
|
43,870
|
0
|
400
|
105
|
0
|
400
|
4,085
|
1,265
|
550
|
627
|
45,250
|
|
96,552
|
|
Geese
|
|
Species
|
SBM
|
PC WA
|
TM
|
MagMWA
|
MetMWA
|
MB
|
O NWR
|
CP NWR
|
NM NWR
|
D NWR
|
W. LE
|
MR
|
Species Total
|
|
CanadaGeese
|
1,835
|
0
|
225
|
225
|
0
|
25
|
505
|
25
|
200
|
0
|
0
|
|
3,065
|
|
Snow Geese
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
0
|
|
Total Geese
|
1,835
|
0
|
225
|
225
|
0
|
25
|
505
|
25
|
200
|
0
|
0
|
|
3,065
|
|
Swans
|
|
Species
|
SBM
|
PC WA
|
TM
|
MagMWA
|
MetMWA
|
MB
|
O NWR
|
CP NWR
|
NM NWR
|
D NWR
|
W. LE
|
MR
|
Species Total
|
|
Tundra Swan
|
432
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
385
|
1,725
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
2,542
|
|
Trumpeter Swan
|
0
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
1
|
|
Mute Swan
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
0
|
|
Total Swan
|
432
|
1
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
385
|
1,725
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
2,543
|
|
Other
|
|
Species
|
SBM
|
PC WA
|
TM
|
MagMWA
|
MetMWA
|
MB
|
O NWR
|
CP NWR
|
NM NWR
|
D NWR
|
W. LE
|
MR
|
Species Total
|
|
Coots
|
50
|
|
|
|
0
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
50
|
|
Bald Eagle
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
0
|
|
Cormorant
|
405
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
0
|
|
405
|
|
|
|
Total Waterfowl
|
46,187
|
1
|
625
|
330
|
0
|
450
|
4,974
|
3,015
|
750
|
627
|
45, 250
|
0
|
107,785
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|