has anyone herd this

[bjlfishing 0]

i was talking to a keeper who has good contacts around the world being one of the royals keepers he was saying that with the eupoean climate being much milder this year a large percentage of migratory wildfowl have yet to travel to our shores i wasnt sure if there was any truth in this as we had more widgeon on in morcambe bay 3 weeks ago than the last 20 years but they have now moved on which isnt normal but in the last week more pintail have turned up so im a bit unsure has anyone herd similar or are there duck numbers lower than average or higher etc any opinions welcome cheers

[wildhorse 1]

Could be duck situation round here is dire this season so far

[chess 0]

Could be duck situation round here is dire this season so far

 

Its funny, think most seasons you can talk to someone who will tell you its been the best season since 1960 something and another who will say its been the porest season in living memory!! Could be that the duck are late ariving, i know the Bewicks swans are/were late arriving at Slimbridge this year.

[tom1cameron 1]

Its called "short stopping", more common now, good example are the migratory greylags stopping on orkney, 64,000+, and yes there many examples across Europe and North America.

 

The stories I have heard are that the geese have moved in good numbers this year and that duck numbers are steady. It may well affect duck numbers on west coasts and in Ireland.

 

While we have not had a continental cold snap yet, we have had good strong icy arctic wind over two separate periods and a significant period of very strong westerlies ( I think I have this right = wind coming from the east in a west direction) that has been great for migration according to the twitchers.

 

There has been a huge influx of thrush species and the titmice have shown huge numbers at the ringing stations at spurn point and other east coast observatory's.

 

So I am inclined to think that this keeper is passing on a general theme of increasing evidence of short stopping due to arctic warming over the last few years (look at rspb/wwt report of wetland birds), but there is not yet evidence of it having an effect on this years migrants.

 

Off to Scotland tomorrow for fowling adventure!

[bjlfishing 0]

Its called "short stopping", more common now, good example are the migratory greylags stopping on orkney, 64,000+, and yes there many examples across Europe and North America.

 

The stories I have heard are that the geese have moved in good numbers this year and that duck numbers are steady. It may well affect duck numbers on west coasts and in Ireland.

 

While we have not had a continental cold snap yet, we have had good strong icy arctic wind over two separate periods and a significant period of very strong westerlies ( I think I have this right = wind coming from the east in a west direction) that has been great for migration according to the twitchers.

 

There has been a huge influx of thrush species and the titmice have shown huge numbers at the ringing stations at spurn point and other east coast observatory's.

 

So I am inclined to think that this keeper is passing on a general theme of increasing evidence of short stopping due to arctic warming over the last few years (look at rspb/wwt report of wetland birds), but there is not yet evidence of it having an effect on this years migrants.

 

Off to Scotland tomorrow for fowling adventure!

sounds more plassible the pinks have started to return this last few days but ducks still seem scarce to what was anyway arnt all wildfowling trip an adventure