Mid-Winter Waterfowl Survey

Canvasback (c) 2012 HVI

Mid-Winter Waterfowl Survey Results

SOUTH CHARLESTON, W.Va. – Wildlife biologists counted 5,252 ducks and 6,262 Canada geese during the annual mid-winter waterfowl survey in early January according to Steve Wilson, Waterfowl Biologist for the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources Wildlife Resources Section.

“The number of ducks and geese counted this year increased 73 percent and 44 percent respectively compared to last year, and both are well above the 10-year average,” Wilson said. The increase was not unexpected due to weather fronts moving through from the northwest in December.
Canada geese, mallards and black ducks, as usual, were the most commonly observed species in the 2013 survey. Other waterfowl observed include: canvasback, scaup, ring-necked duck, redhead, bufflehead, wood duck, gadwall, mergansers and tundra swans. Nine adult and five juvenile bald eagles were also observed.
The survey was conducted on January 7, 8, and 10, 2013, and included portions of the Kanawha, Ohio, Shenandoah and New Rivers as well as Tygart and Bluestone Lakes.

**DNR**

Area	2013		2012		2011		2010		2009
	Ducks	Geese	Ducks	Geese	Ducks	Geese	Ducks	Geese	Ducks	Geese
Kanawha River (Upper	290	282	243	421	121	673	160	465	253	326
Kanawha River (Lower)	430	216	245	59	102	182	66	483	123	304
Ohio River (Lower)	1,238	1,672	1,342	1,017	1,195	764	849	1,321	290	501
Ohio River (Middle)	2,614	3,641	1,134	2,067	2,712	3,536	1,424	4,915	975	1,365
Tygart Lake/Pleasant Creek	213	11	254	16	82	15	212	170	72	128
Shenandoah River	85	36	81	57	136	588	18	154	102	422
Bluestone Lake/New River	382	404	417	267	696	389	139	281	218	229
Total	5,252	6,262	3,716	3,904	5,044	6,147	2,868	7,789	2,033	3,275
10-Year Average	3,300	4,604	3,036	4,352	3,333	4,729	4,905	5,154	5,012	4,764