Get All Your Ducks in a Row...

Then count them. Yep, that’s right, I'm not quacking up, it's the annual Waterfowl Count. Every January participants visit lakes and rivers throughout Sullivan County and count the numbers of ducks, geese, swans, and other water birds. The count period this year is January 14-22, with a target date of Sunday the 15th. I tally the total of birds found and report them to Bryan Swift of the NYS DEC.

“The annual midwinter waterfowl count has been conducted by the NYS Ornithological Association (formerly Federation of NYS Bird Clubs) since 1955 except the four years from 1968-1972. The results of these counts are a valuable long-term population monitoring program for waterfowl. The NYS DEC has discontinued aerial surveys and now they rely on the January Waterfowl count as the standard survey." (NYSOA Waterfowl Count webpage)   In the past five years, we here in Sullivan County have tallied 5,801 birds, consisting of 10 species. The year 2000 was our lowest count with 795 birds tallied; 2002 was our highest with 1199 birds counted. That works out to an average of 966.83 birds counted each year.

Add our total to the rest of New York’s birds and you come up with an amazing number of birds. In the year 2000, 382,516 birds of 44 different species were counted. 2001 showed us 397,764 individuals of 46 species, and in 2002 also with 46 different species for a total count of 447,867. 2003 again with 46 species tallied 320,665 birds and 2004 had 47 species with 347,661 individuals. The Canada Goose is our most abundant bird here in Sullivan County, with Mallards running second. Black ducks beat out Common Mergansers for third place and Hooded Mergansers finish in fifth. Over the years we've also had Snow Geese, Common Goldeneye, Wood Ducks, Gadwall, and Mute Swans during the count period.

I hope you'll be able to help us out this year by keeping your eyes open for waterfowl within the count dates. If you see any birds, jot down the date, species, numbers of individuals, time of day, and the location. Call me with your report on or shortly after January 22. I can be reached at (845) 482-5044, but please call before 8 pm. For more information, check out the Waterfowl Count on the NYSOA website.

Renee Davis