jjenn99's Blog

This is pretty typical of this time of the year, actually. Many birds are beginning to molt and become flightless, and the ones that aren't are just taking it easy during the stretch of nice weather we've seen for so long now. There's tons of bugs this year, so they don't have to search very hard, and with the cool weather, birds don't have to seek out water as often either. Don't worry, our feathered friends are doing very well this year w/ such wet conditions, and a lack of severe weather, which both bode well for a good breeding and nesting season.

Migration patterns are already a bit different this year though, with doves moving through the area earlier than usual, and the same thing being seen with blue-winged teal, which have been spotted for about a week or so now.

Unfortunately, with the insanely high gas prices, I haven't been able to afford to check the 60 box bluebird trail that I usually maintain :/

Bluewing Teal are already showing up on the gulf coast and imagine the doves are making it down there too. Another thing affecting migrating birds is the lack of crops in the area. Birds such as doves, waterfowl, the 3-4 species all commonly referred to as blackbirds all depend on good grain amounts to fuel their migration. With little crops here now, either because of the floods, or the wet weather has them 3 weeks behind harvest time, a lot of them are crusing on through to Southern MO and IL where crops are in much better shape.

"With little crops here now, either because of the floods, or the wet weather has them 3 weeks behind harvest time, a lot of them are crusing on through to Southern MO and IL where crops are in much better shape."

My thoughts exactly. It's going to be a weird/bad hunting season in our area from what I'm seeing. From what I've heard from some older hunting buddies, '93 and '95 really screwed things up, from feeding and migration patterns, to the number of birds that the refuges were holding. I know as far as the river bottom areas and reservoir lakes go, crops and feed are about nil, so it looks like the private hunters will win out again...