# Changing flyways...



## Zekeland (Oct 6, 2005)

I got the intial report back from the leg band taken this past weekend.

Lesser Snow Goose
Banded in Alaska
08/04/2005

I know the flyways change quite a bit from fall & spring migrations. This must be an extreme case. I don't think he would have been shot in this area in the fall, that's for sure.

Anybody have any crazy locations from spring bands?


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## WaterfowlJunky (Mar 16, 2007)

Mine was banded 2003 in Nunavut Territory Canada. Google maps showed Nunavut north of Hudson Bay. I was astonished, the map put it in perspective for me just how far those things fly. Shot in Eastern SD


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

One of our geese from last fall taken in Sask. was a Greater Snow Goose, which is common on the eastern flyway of the Atlantic. It's interesting to hear where some of the birds banded in ND end up...I believe I saw on a video where one of them from J. Clark ended up in Russia.

Just goes to show how critical and interesting band research is...and how sad it is to see guys buying/selling bands on Ebay just to look "cool", which obviously skews the data when guys report bands in false areas.


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## barebackjack (Sep 5, 2006)

And it wasnt to long ago when everyone thought these birds only go north/south, never east/west.

I got a banded mallard that was banded in Maryland. A buddy got a banded brandt a few years back. 
Some day someone will shoot an eider or something in ND. Howd that be for a bragging bird?


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## jmayerl (Mar 21, 2007)

Not that they were banded, but we shot a Black scotor, and a drake old squaw this past fall on a small 6000 acre lake in central Wisconsin. Something tells me they weren't local birds. I'll post the pictures when they get back from the taxidermist. :beer:


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## SASKATOONGOOSEHUNTER (Aug 25, 2005)

Seen a couple of scoter in Sask.

What were the names of the people who banded your birds?


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## Slider_01 (Sep 12, 2002)

"Not that they were banded, but we shot a Black scotor, and a drake old squaw this past fall on a small 6000 acre lake in central Wisconsin. Something tells me they weren't local birds."

Is there such a thing as a "small" 6000 acre lake???


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## woodpecker (Mar 2, 2005)

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## Canuk (Oct 12, 2003)

Western Dakota Waterfowl said:


> Mine was banded 2003 in Nunavut Territory Canada. Google maps showed Nunavut north of Hudson Bay. I was astonished, the map put it in perspective for me just how far those things fly. Shot in Eastern SD


Over 99.9% of snow geese nest in Nunavut. with a fraction nesting in northern manitoba and northern Ontario.

The vast majority of Snow geese are banded near the nesting colonies.


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## FlashBoomSplash (Aug 26, 2005)

I went to Arkansas 2 years ago and I shot a mallard that was banded in J Clark he was following me. There is a real crazy place to hunt its between oh and pa. It seems like 50% of the birds have bands. Well 50% of the mallards and 50% of the geese. I wont give away the exact spot because there is enough people hunting around their to make a guy crazy. Its one of those places that your just not real proud of your bands considering they are all banded right there. I won't even put one on my calls. Its more of a joke than anything.


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## woodpecker (Mar 2, 2005)

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## R&amp;B OUTFITTERS (Feb 25, 2004)

We shot one banded Lesser Snow Goose this spring, neck collar and leg band. Info was Lesser Snow Goose, Female, Hatched 2000,
Banded07/22/2002. Churchhill Manitoba. Goose was shot in southern
Saskatchewan.


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## h2ofwlr (Feb 6, 2004)

woodpecker said:


> Some had flown a long ways north after being banded in September.


 This is called "transmigration". Basically is is when waterfowl move to new areas, most often where there is better water and/or feeding conditions which dictate the flights. VS the traditional heading South for the winter migration.


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## Canuk (Oct 12, 2003)

a lot of 'east-west' dispersal can be explained by femaled biased philopatry. Essentialy, a female from banks island (western arctic) meets a cute guy from Baffin island (eastern arctic) while wintering. They hook up and guess where they go for the summer. You guesed it, her place... Baffin. So there is a lot of males that move around from following their new partner back to her breeding grounds.

Kinda like spring break at Ft. Lauderdale.


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## brobones (Mar 10, 2004)

LOL Good analogy


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## goosebusters (Jan 12, 2006)

So my legband from this spring was banded as an adult in Kentucky in February 1996. That was really strange. At first I was pretty disappointed because I wanted to shoot one that was banded in the arctic, now I kinda think it is sweet just because of how unique that is. It flew quite aways west to make it to central nodak. I guess that does prove that most of the birds that travel across Louisianna, Ark., Kentucky, So. Illinois, Iowa, probably funnel through nodak. Or it could be like you say, he was a male maybe he found a hotter blue in the central flyway.

Whatever happened I couldn't imagine catching live geese in the late winter, early spring to band birds.


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## h2ofwlr (Feb 6, 2004)

There are 2 valid points. yes in the spring a male will hook up with the female. But I was talking more about late Summer and Fall movements. I've heard of ducks banded in ND that summer and shot in SK 500 miles away 2 months later.


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## Canuk (Oct 12, 2003)

yeah you are right.. I guess I was addressing an earlier comment about lateral movement in geese. You are right, some ducks will move north in late summer. A good example is when 3/4 of the continental population of redheads end up at lake winnipegosis at some point in the fall. a good proportion of those actually moved north in late summer to get there...

interesting stuff.

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As for the Kentuky banded snow... I would agree that your bird is way more unique than an Arctic banded one. Nice trophy!


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## Leo Porcello (Jul 10, 2003)

goosebusters said:


> So my legband from this spring was banded as an adult in Kentucky in February 1996. That was really strange. At first I .


I think that is a cool one. Never heard of one being banded in Kentucky before. I think Illinois bands a bunch in the late winter/early spring. I for sure would be proud of that one. Especially since it was at least 11 years old. That thing saw a spread or two in its life!


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## woodpecker (Mar 2, 2005)

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## Leo Porcello (Jul 10, 2003)

I think there is an area closer to Fargo that does banding. It was in a DU news paper that I got last year. I think it is on the refuge in between Fargo and Bismark. I will see if I can find it. I still think they should be banding these local honkers but it seems the people that make that decision don't agree.


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## woodpecker (Mar 2, 2005)

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## Leo Porcello (Jul 10, 2003)

I believe it was Arrowwood or around there. I know DU has a couple towns that they band at in ND so it may just be a town. They also have a place they band in the NW part of the state.


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## Leo Porcello (Jul 10, 2003)

Sent you a PM


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## strand (Sep 29, 2004)

I learned about the summer migration as a 'Molt' migration.

Have you ever wondered why the big flocks of mallards coming down in late fall are all drakes?

It's primarily because they breed with their mate, stick around for territory defense, make sure the nest gets established, then he waits about ten or twelve days and takes off north to molt. By doing this, he allows a greater availability of food for the mother and brood when they hatch as well as a decreased chanced of being taken out by a predator.


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## h2ofwlr (Feb 6, 2004)

We have a pretty good molt migration of EPP Honkers through MN in early-mid June every year. These are the non breeders and Juvis from last year. They head to Hudsons Bay in June every year. Often we'll see many smaller sized (25-100) flocks in a day heading North.

And the non breeders in the case of S&Bs are the 1st to arrive back into lower CA in Sept. The Juvis are not strong enough yet to migrate, so generally the 1st 2 weeks of Oct they arrive with the breeding adults.


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## goosebusters (Jan 12, 2006)

woodpecker said:


> h2ofwlr said:
> 
> 
> > Maybe we should do a Nodak group to volunteer for a day????


I am soooo game. We really need to organize this. I have always wanted to band birds.


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## USSapper (Sep 26, 2005)

That sure would be the day if you shot one of the birds you personally banded


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## Leo Porcello (Jul 10, 2003)

The West Dakota Waterfowlers are planning on doing it this summer at J. Clarke! Something I have always wanted to do!


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## strand (Sep 29, 2004)

PC,

Shoot me some info on when you are going to do it I would love to help out! I will be in Williston for the summer, but I would not mind traveling over to get crapped on for a couple hours. :lol:

I am also working on possibly banding some pelicans @ Chase Lake. (a few guys from the Kelly's Slough DW chapter are interested as well)

-Kendall


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## DeltaBoy (Mar 4, 2004)

Chop/Kendall -

Keep me posted when you guys plan on doing this... :wink:


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## Trapperjack (Feb 25, 2007)

H20,

Those molt migrants going through MN in June are almost all Giants. The EPP birds have long since migrated through by June.


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## Leo Porcello (Jul 10, 2003)

We will keep you guys posted. DBLKLUK has been talking to the guy out there. I think they do it most times during the week but we talked about maybe doing it on a Sat if we could get enough guys out there to help. Also I guess they have cabins so it could be an all nighter. Either way I am sure it will be a great time and its another great thing for the ducks!


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## woodpecker (Mar 2, 2005)

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## h2ofwlr (Feb 6, 2004)

Trapperjack said:


> H20,
> 
> Those molt migrants going through MN in June are almost all Giants. The EPP birds have long since migrated through by June.


I respectfully disagree based upon biologists that I talked too, they are EPP coming out of IL and heading to HB.


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## Canuk (Oct 12, 2003)

I'm with Trapper. June is Peak molt migration time for immature (1 and 2 yr old) giants as well as some failed breeders. EPP Canadas are already (I'm talking last week!) arriving to northern manitoba and will be on nests soon (May). Immature interior birds (including EPP) migrate north with breeders and hang out until nesting territories are formed. At that point they will group together and molt ... or, maybe (I have a litle bit of data supporting a further northward molt migration of their own.


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## strand (Sep 29, 2004)

Sorry guys, but what does 'EPP' stand for? I can't figure it out to save my life... :-?


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## Leo Porcello (Jul 10, 2003)

woodpecker said:


> Make sure you get ahold of North14! He knows all of the happenin clubs in Upham!!!


That will be good as I owe him a few rounds for helping me out last spring!


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## Trapperjack (Feb 25, 2007)

EPP stands for Eastern Prairie Population, they are a Canada Sub-species that migrate mainly through Manitoba, MN, IA, and MO. A few make it to IL but by far the vast majority stay West of the Mississippi River. Similar to snows the migrant Canadas like the EPP and the MVP travel together in their northern migration in the spring. The molt migration of our Giants occur in June by non-breeders and breeders who's nests have failed. Until the recent boom of our Giant Canada goose population very little was even know about the "molt" migration.


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