North American Birds Shifting Winter Ranges Farther North

 Bird count data shows North American birds are shifting their winter ranges farther north. Watch this ad free video by VOA to see how thousands of birdwatchers in the United States, Canada and Latin America were out in force from mid-December to the beginning of January taking part in the 112th Christmas Bird Count. The bird count event is sponsored by the National Audubon Society, a U.S. based bird conservation organization. See how rising temperatures due to climate change could effect the Eastern Shore's wildlife including the famous Canada Geese.






Follow the EasternShoreMag.com link to more information about:
Canada Geese on the Eastern Shore

Duck, Duck, Goose - Match up each bird with its description - Chesapeake Bay Games

Duck, Duck, Goose

Bay Buddies / By Kathleen Gaskell - Bay Journal

The autumn skies of the Chesapeake are filled with waterfowl as migratory flocks from the north join our year-round residents. Can you match up each bird with its description?

1. Bufflehead
2. Canada goose
3. Canvasback
4. Common Goldeneye
5. Common Loon
6. Double-crested Cormorant
7. Greater Scaup
8. Old Squaw
9. Redhead
10. Tundra Swan

A. A decrease in the migratory population was masked by an increase in resident populations. A hunting moratorium was imposed in 1995 to help the migrants rebound.

B. This bird’s call is described as a yodeling laugh. It is an excellent diver and swimmer, but moves very awkwardly on land.

C. This bird travels underwater using its wings and is able to dive as deep as 80 fathoms.

D. This is the smallest duck in North America and is often called the “butterball.” It breeds in tree cavities.

E. This bird is the most widespread of its kind in North America. It holds its long neck straight up, unlike its cousin, which gracefully curves its neck.

F. This bird is most frequently seen in huge rafts of thousands of birds. These birds will move to salt water when inland lakes freeze over.

G.When courting, the male’s call resembles a cat’s meow. It feeds on aquatic vegetation, usually at night.

H. Part of this bird’s scientific name, Vallisneria, comes from the name scientific name for wild celery, its principal food.

I. This bird will nest in a tree cavity, sometimes 60 feet above the ground. When nest sites are scarce, females may parasitize another nest. A male, when courting, will stretch its head forward over the water and quickly throw it upward to the sky while issuing a loud, rasping call.

J. This bird lacks the oil glands used by waterfowl to make their feathers waterproof. Thus, they are often seen perched with their wings half-open, drying in the sun.

The Answers

Chesapeake Bay Birds - Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge on the Delmarva Peninsula and other sites in the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network

Smorgasbord makes Blackwater a winter hot spot for birds
Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network / By Cindy Ross - Bay Journal

"Development" in Maryland's Moneystump Swamp consists of a few duck blinds and yellow wildlife refuge signs. One is hard-pressed to find any people.

Tall, gangly pines sway and make music in the wind. Their tannic acid leeches into the waters, turning it "black."

We point our kayaks away from the bridge on MD Route 335, south of Cambridge, and into the headwind that is racing across the swamp.

And then we see them...eagles, high in the trees. Magnificent birds, dwarfing the snags they perch on. They spread their majestic wings, forcing us to throw back our heads in wonder and awe. We count more than a dozen in one spot! An astounding 130 or more bald eagles make Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge, a member of the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network, their home.

Paddles are laid to rest across our thwarts and we don binoculars to watch the show. While some eagles soar, their mates keep vigil over their colossal nests, with heads and upper bodies poking above the mass of lumber. The nests are up to 11 feet deep and 8 feet across-one could hold several humans.

Blackwater is one of nine national wildlife refuges on the Delmarva Peninsula and by far the largest at 27,000 acres. Its tidal wetlands are brimming with loons, cormorants, grebes, ospreys, herons, egrets, ibis, geese, ducks-the refuge's bird list includes 250 species with 20 species of ducks alone.

So many species come to the Blackwater to overwinter, it is an ideal time to visit, and an especially good time to view waterfowl, long a signature species for the Chesapeake region.

These birds have flown thousands of miles from the Arctic, where they converged and had their young. Now they have returned. Using the sun and the stars, they tracked the Earth's magnetic fields like a compass. Youngsters flew with the elders, memorizing the route.

The Chesapeake Bay area is an important staging ground, hosting one-third of all migratory waterfowl wintering on the Atlantic coast. Approximately 1 million migrants make their home around the Bay for at least part of the year.

In the 1800s, the population of waterfowl was even more spectacular.

This abundance drew hunters to the Eastern Shore. What began as a means to feed their families, though, developed into a wasteful, devastating sport. Meanwhile, wetlands had been developed, transformed into agricultural fields. Birds were also shot for their feathers to adorn ladies' hats. But by the early 1900s, the seemingly endless numbers of birds were dwindling at an alarming rate.

Insightful conservation leaders realized the approaching demise. Their response led to regulations being put in place and the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's establishment of a system of 540 wildlife refuges, including several around the Bay. One of the feathers in the system's hat and the Chesapeake's prime refuge is Blackwater in Dorchester County, MD, which was established in 1933 for migratory birds, primarily ducks and geese.

This colossal wildlife refuge, along with the state of Maryland's adjoining Fishing Bay Wildlife Management Area, is affectionately called "The Everglades of Maryland." It appears as a vast green wild area on a state highway map-a remote wilderness of meandering creeks, marsh grass habitats, secluded ponds and islands of loblolly pines. This is remarkable in the congested mid-Atlantic seaboard.

The best way to see this predominately watery landscape is by boat. The nonprofit Friends of the Blackwater organization has created three signed water trails, making it much easier to navigate this often-challenging ecosystem. We selected the Green Trail on the upper reaches of the Blackwater River, which is considered the most scenic and is also where bald eagles like to hang out.

We paddle into Buttons Creek and watch Cooper's hawks, winter hawks and red-tailed hawks surf the currents. Kingfishers, terns, cormorants and great blue herons keep our binoculars poised in position. Massive swarms of migrating red-winged blackbirds volley for our attention.

We also watch the rare and endangered Delmarva fox squirrel climb up the trunks of a loblolly pine. One doesn't need to be a birding expert to appreciate the richness of waterfowl and wildlife here in the refuge.

After a morning paddle, we hop in our car and take the refuge's 4-mile Wildlife Drive. This dawn-to-dusk paved road snakes around pools and the Blackwater River, featuring 11 points of interest.

We look for large numbers of Canada geese-the refuge is one of the chief wintering areas for those using the Atlantic Flyway. Geese number approximately 35,000 and ducks exceed 15,000 at the peak of fall migration, usually in November. We stretch our legs on the 4.5 miles of trails and boardwalks that bring visitors up close to the wintering waterfowl. For a sunset walk and to continue our search for birds, we take the scenic drive to Hooper Island.

One of the reasons millions of waterfowl make their home on the Chesapeake is the available smorgasbord. Both fresh and saltwater aquatic grasses grow abundantly in sheltered, shallow waters. Meanwhile, a feast of small marine animals multiply in the protective grass beds.

While scouting around the Delmarva Peninsula and the Chesapeake Bay in the winter, one might expect to see thousands of birds grouped together, but the land is so big and the refuges so vast, that the waterfowl tend to spread out.

December and January are blustery months for birding, but the occasional midwinter thaw is a great time to get out with your binoculars and keep the wintering waterfowl company. Whole days can be spent exploring numerous waterfowl hot spots around the Bay.

By late February and early March, the migrants are congregating and heading out.

As warmer breezes return to the mid-Atlantic seaboard, ice breaks up on the ponds and lakes and the heads of tasty green winter wheat poke up through the fertile farmlands of Pennsylvania.

If one is a snow goose, one is thinking of leaving the Chesapeake and heading north. If one is a bird gawker, one is thinking of heading to Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area, which straddles Lebanon and Lancaster counties and is managed by the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

The sky is beginning to glow pink as I bank a turn into the entrance of Middle Creek. I hustle down the Willow Point Trail with a sense of urgency, zipping my parka as I go. I don't want to miss the show that is about to begin.

I cock an ear toward the body of water to my left, on the far side of the woods. I can't see the 100,000 snow geese that float on the sheltered lagoon, but I can make out their gibbering voices.

It's late February, and these migrating, snow-white birds have made this wildlife refuge their home for a few weeks. They have come from the Chesapeake Bay area, where they wintered over, and Middle Creek is their first staging area. After they fatten up on the local farmers' crops, they'll continue on to the St. Lawrence River in Canada, and later, the Arctic, their mating and breeding grounds.

The first shreds of light enable me to make out their bobbing bodies on the lake-there are so many that I see a blanket of white instead of dark water. They have very slowly, almost imperceptibly, begun to spread out onto the 400-acre lake, to position themselves for takeoff.

Suddenly, the cold morning air is filled with goose voices, excitedly growing louder and louder until they are almost yelling. They rise up from the lake in a great sweeping wave, flapping their wings to take off. One hundred thousand white birds, their brilliant bodies reflecting the sunrise, swirl around my head in a great arch, moving as a single organism.

They engulf me. I throw my head back and stare mesmerized. In a matter of seconds, they're gone in the direction of today's meal, not to return until the last light graces the evening sky. In only a matter of seconds, the show is over, and I am left speechless.

By mid-late March, the snow geese begin to leave Middle Creek by the tens of thousands. Some years, 50,000 to 60,000 will head out on a single morning. The entire lake can clear out in a single day. The Great Lakes staging area calls them and their magnificent journey from the Chesapeake to the Arctic continues.

Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge

The Visitor Center at Blackwater National Wildlife Refuge in Cambridge, MD, is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. It is closed on Thanksgiving and Christmas. Visitors can drive, bike or walk the length of the approximately 4-mile Wildlife Drive, as well as hike on the associated trails, dawn to dusk every day.

A daily permit is required for all visitors to the Wildlife Drive unless they possess an annual pass, lifetime passport or current duck stamp. Admission is $3 / private vehicle; $1/ pedestrian or bicyclist; $15 /commercial van or bus up to 20 passengers; and $25 / 21 or more passengers.

For information, including directions, visit www.fws.gov/blackwater or call the visitor center at 410-228-2677 or the refuge office at 410-228-2692. For information about other sites in the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network, visit http://www.baygateways.net/.

Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area

Middle Creek Wildlife Management Area in Kleinfeltesville, PA, is open 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday through Saturday from February through the day before Thanksgiving. A self-guided driving tour is open March through mid-September. Hiking Trails are open dawn to dusk year-round.

Admission is free and includes all public and group programs. Groups are asked to make reservations at least eight weeks in advance for for spring and fall programs, and three weeks in advance at other times.

Directions: Take Interstate 76 West to Exit 21. Take PA Route 272 (North Reading Road) north for 3 miles. At the light, turn left onto PA Route 897. Go 14 miles to Kleinfeltersville. Make first left after the stop sign and go 2 miles to the Visitor Center entrance.

For information, call 717-733-1512.

Where to flock to see waterfowl around the Bay watershed

Situated along the Atlantic flyway, the Chesapeake 's vast wetlands and expanses of shallow water are magnets for migrating waterfowl, which often overwinter here or stop en route from their northern summer breeding grounds. Once there were millions. Today, a decline in the quantity and types of underwater grasses; overhunting; more people; and shrinking habitat have cut their overall numbers to about 1 million. Dozens of sites in the Chesapeake Bay Gateways Network offer opportunities to view waterfowl or learn about waterfowl heritage, such as decoy carving. The sites here highlight some of what's available.

• Havre de Grace Decoy Museum, Havre de Grace, MD: Located on the banks of the Susquehanna Flats, the museum features decoys and decorative carvings, as well as boats, guns, documents and photographs.
• Marshy Point Park, Baltimore, MD: This park along the Dundee and Saltpeter creeks is the largest natural wetlands and forest open to the public in the Baltimore area. Dundee Creek is home to 11 thriving species of submerged aquatic vegetation that attract flocks of tundra swans and 20 species of waterfowl.
• Patuxent Research Refuge-National Wildlife Visitor Center, Laurel, MD: The refuge encompasses 12,750 acres of land surrounding the Patuxent and Little Patuxent rivers between the District of Columbia and Baltimore. It supports a diversity of wildlife in forest, meadow, and wetland habitats. More than 200 species of birds are found on the refuge.
• Eastern Neck National Wildlife Refuge, Rock Hall, MD: This island refuge at the confluence of the Chester River and the Chesapeake Bay includes a tidal marsh, upland forest and croplands managed for wildlife. It is an important migration stop and wintering area for more than two dozen waterfowl species and is a major staging and wintering area of the tundra swan.
• Chesapeake Bay Environmental Center, Grasonville, MD: This 500-acre preserve is located 15 minutes from the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. Wintering waterfowl include the canvasback, American black duck, shoveler, ruddy duck, redhead, Canada goose and tundra swan.
• Wye Island Natural Resource Management Area, Queenstown, MD: Located in the tidal recesses of the Chesapeake Bay between the Wye and Wye East rivers, this site includes 2,800 acres of habitat for wintering waterfowl populations and other native wildlife.
• J. Millard Tawes Historical Museum & Ward Brothers Workshop, Crisfield, MD: Among the museum's many exhibits is the evolution of decoy carving and painting, which is highlighted during tours of the Ward Brothers Workshop.
• Rappahannock River Valley National Wildlife Refuge, Warsaw, VA: This site is part of the Eastern Virginia Rivers National Wildlife Refuge Complex. The refuge protects and manages tidal and inland wetlands and adjacent uplands. More than 200 species of birds have been observed here, and bald eagles are present year-round.
• Eastern Shore of Virginia National Wildlife Refuge: Located at the southern tip of the Delmarva Peninsula, it is a gathering place for migrating birds, which wait for favorable conditions to cross the Bay in the fall. In the spring, shallow waters and moist grassy areas provide food for marsh and shorebirds.

Cindy Ross lives in Pennsylvania and unlike some children today, has a hard time coming indoors. She has written six books about it; her latest, from McGraw-Hill, is "Scraping Heaven: A Family's Journey Along the Continental Divide." She fears she has inflicted her children with the same addiction to fun in the outdoors.


Smorgasbord makes Blackwater a winter hot spot for birds
Article from Bay Journal - Jan 2008

Chesapeake Bay Waterfowl - Birds of the Eastern Shore

Fowl Weather Friends
Bay Buddies / By Kathleen Gaskell - Bay Journal

Winter on the Chesapeake Bay means waterfowl: Canada geese migrating from the area around Hudson Bay, tundra swans from the Alaskan Arctic or even year-round residents, such as the American black duck or mallard.

Once shot by the thousands for their meat, today’s birds are more likely to be stalked by hunters armed with binoculars and cameras.

Ducks, geese and swans make up the waterfowl family, Anatidae. All have webbed feet. Ducks and swans are mostly aquatic; geese tend to be more terrestrial.

A waterfowl’s upper bill features a sharp, hard tip that helps the bird crop plants. Most have flat bills that are used as strainers when they eat. The exceptions are the merganser ducks, which have long, serrate cylindrical bills, and the snow goose, which has an arched, narrow bill.

The largest waterfowl are the swans, which include the tundra swan, with an average body length of 4.5 feet and wingspan of almost 7 feet, and the mute swan.

Swans’ necks are much are longer than other waterfowl allowing them to reach the Bay’s submerged aquatic vegetation (SAV) at much greater depths than other waterfowl. Geese and swans also eat grains and grasses in fields.

Geese in the watershed include both resident and migratory Canada geese; the snow goose which is white, and its color morph, the blue goose, which has a white head and gray-brown body. The brant has a black head, a shorter neck than most geese, and is fond of the Bay’s eelgrass.

Ducks in the Chesapeake region are divided into dabbling ducks, diving duck and sea ducks.

Dabbling ducks are found primarily in freshwater habitats and mostly eat seeds, grasses and SAV. They have small feet located near the front of their bodies that allow them to bob their heads and necks under shallow water to feed off the bottom. They also skim food from the water’s surface. Dabbling ducks are also distinguished for being able to take off vertically.

Local dabbling ducks include the American black duck, green-winged and blue-winged teals, mallard, northern pintail and American wigeon, which gets its name from it fondness for the Bay’s widgeon grass. The wood duck, which shares many of the characteristics of dabbling ducks, is classified as a “perching duck” because of its ability to perch in trees.

A diving duck’s large feet and short legs are near the rear of its body and are used to propel the bird underwater in search of SAV or aquatic invertebrates. Diving ducks must run along the water’s surface to take off.

The Bay’s diving ducks include the canvasback, redhead, greater and lesser scaups, and ruddy duck. The latter is sometimes classified as a stiff-tailed diver because its long, often erect, tail which plays a role in courtship displays.

Sea ducks live primarily at sea and dive much deeper than other ducks in search of molluscs and invertebrates and fish. Like diving ducks, they must run along the surface to take off, with the exception of the bufflehead and hooded merganser, which can take off vertically, like dabbling ducks.

Sea ducks include the oldsquaw, common goldeneye, bufflehead, white-winged scoter and hooded and red-breasted mergansers.

The Bay is also home to ducklike birds. The common loon is a large bird with a daggerlike bill used to capture fish and aquatic invertebrates. Its webbed feet, located far back on its body, act like propellers, helping it to dive to depths as great as 200 feet.

Grebes are small, ducklike birds with very small tails and bills like a chicken’s beak. They have lobed feet with flattened claws that help them swim both at the surface and underwater. Young grebes are able to swim at birth, yet are often seen riding on their parents’ backs. Grebes eat fish and aquatic invertebrates.

The pie-billed grebe is found in shallow bays, rivers and marshes, while the horned grebe is found in lower rivers and open bays.

The waterfowl listed here are found on the Bay or near the headwaters of its tributaries at some point during the year. Can you find them in the puzzle? Words appear horizontally, vertically, diagonally and backward. Italicized words in parentheses do not appear in the puzzle.

Ducks

American Black
American Wigeon
Blue-Winged Teal
Bufflehead
Canvasback
Common Goldeneye
Greater Scaup
Green-Winged Teal
Hooded Merganser
Red-Breasted Merganser
Lesser Scaup
Mallard
Northern Pintail
Oldsquaw
Redhead
Ruddy (Duck)
White-Winged Scoter
Wood (Duck)

Geese

Brant
Blue Goose
Canada Goose
Snow (Goose)

Swans

Tundra Swan
Mute (Swan)

Ducklike Birds

Common Loon
Horned Grebe
Pie-Billed Grebe

Related Terms

Bay
Bills
Decoy
Dimorphism (Two distinct forms of one species. This is often present in ducks, in which the males are brightly colored, while the females are drab.)
Eggs
Feather
Fish (Source of food)
Honk
Lobed (Grebe feet)
Marsh
Quack
Rafts (Large offshore flocks of waterfowl)
SAV (Source of food)
Vee (Flight formation)
Visit (During migrations)
Waterfowl
Webbed (Feet)
Wild
Wing
Winter


Kathleen A. Gaskell, the layout & design editor for the Bay Journal, has been involved with several environmental programs for children.

Fowl Weather Friends Puzzle

Puzzle

Fowl Weather Friends Solution to Puzzle

Solution

Fowl Weather Friends
Article from Bay Journal
Jan, Feb 2003

Shoreline Licensing For Waterfront Property Owners Opens - Hunting News

Shoreline Licensing For Waterfront Property Owners Now Open


Deadline for Applications is June 1

Annapolis, Md. (February 9, 2011) — The Maryland Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Wildlife and Heritage Service announced that shoreline license applications are now being accepted from riparian (waterfront) property owners. Anyone owning riparian property, or persons who have the permission of the riparian property owner, may license their shoreline for the purpose of establishing stationary blinds or blind sites for hunting waterfowl, or to prevent others from licensing the shoreline at a later date.

All applications and fees must be submitted by mail or in person and received by the close of business June 1, 2011. Riparian property owners may now license their shoreline for a period of one year ($20) or three years ($60). Landowners who miss the June 1 deadline may participate in the “open” licensing process that begins August 2.

Applications and information on laws related to shoreline licensing for riparian property owners are available at the DNR website http://www.dnr.maryland.gov/wildlife/Licenses/riparian.asp or by calling the Wildlife and Heritage Service at 410-260-8540, toll free at 1-877-620-8DNR (8367).

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Press Release - February 9, 2011 Contact: Josh Davidsburg

410-260-8002 office I 410-507-7526 cell

jdavidsburg@dnr.state.md.us

Canada Geese - Canada Goose Video, Information

The Canada Goose (Branta canadensis) is a wild goose belonging to the genus Branta, which is native to arctic and temperate regions of North America, having a black head and neck, white patches on the face, and a brownish-gray body.

Canada Goose Description
The black head and neck with white "chinstrap" distinguish the Canada Goose from all other goose species, with the exception of the Barnacle Goose, but the latter has a black breast, and also grey, rather than brownish, body plumage.[4] There are seven subspecies of this bird, of varying sizes and plumage details, but all are recognizable as Canada Geese. Some of the smaller races can be hard to distinguish from the newly-separated Cackling Goose.

This species is 76–110 centimetres (30–43 in) long with a 127–180 centimetres (50–71 in) wingspan.[5] The male usually weighs 3.2–6.5 kilograms (7.1–14 lb), and can be very aggressive in defending territory. The female looks virtually identical but is slightly lighter at 2.5–5.5 kilograms (5.5–12 lb), generally 10% smaller than its male counterpart, and has a different honk. An exceptionally large male of the race B. c. maxima, the "giant Canada goose" (which rarely exceed 8 kilograms (18 lb)), weighed 10.9 kilograms (24 lb) and had a wingspan of 2.24 metres (7.3 ft). This specimen is the largest wild goose ever recorded of any species. The life span in the wild of geese that survive to adulthood ranges 10–24 years.[5]

Canada Geese Distribution and habitat
This species is native to North America. It breeds in Canada and the northern United States in a variety of habitats. Its nest is usually located in an elevated area near water such as streams, lakes, ponds and sometimes on a beaver lodge. Its eggs are laid in a shallow depression lined with plant material and down. The Great Lakes region maintains a very large population of Canada Geese.

By the early 20th century, over-hunting and loss of habitat in the late 19th century and early 20th century had resulted in a serious decline in the numbers of this bird in its native range. The Giant Canada Goose subspecies was believed to be extinct in the 1950s until, in 1962, a small flock was discovered wintering in Rochester, Minnesota, by Harold Hanson of the Illinois Natural History Survey. With improved game laws and habitat recreation and preservation programs, their populations have recovered in most of their range, although some local populations, especially of the subspecies occidentalis, may still be declining.

In recent years, Canada Geese populations in some areas have grown substantially, so much so that many consider them pests (for their droppings, the bacteria in their droppings, noise and confrontational behavior). This problem is partially due to the removal of natural predators and an abundance of safe, man-made bodies of water (such as on golf courses, public parks and beaches, and in planned communities).

Contrary to its normal migration routine, large flocks of Canada Geese have established permanent residence in the Chesapeake Bay and in Virginia's James River regions, and in the Triangle area of North Carolina (Raleigh, Durham, Chapel Hill), and nearby Hillsborough. Some flocks in Canada may even choose not to migrate, even during the winter, if food (such as human leftovers) is constantly available throughout the season.

Canada Geese Outside North America
Canada Geese have reached northern Europe naturally, as has been proved by ringing recoveries. The birds are of at least the subspecies parvipes, and possibly others. Canada Geese are also found naturally on the Kamchatka Peninsula in eastern Siberia, eastern China, and throughout Japan.

Greater Canada Geese have also been introduced in Europe, and have established populations in Great Britain, the Netherlands, Belgium, Germany, and Scandinavia. Semi-tame feral birds are common in parks, and have become a pest in some areas. In the early 17th century, explorer Samuel de Champlain sent several pairs of geese to France as a present for King Louis XIII. The geese were first introduced in Britain in the late 17th century as an addition to King James II's waterfowl collection in St. James's Park.

Canada Geese were introduced as a game bird into New Zealand and have also become a problem in some areas. The introduction of a foreign species into New Zealand is disrupting the existing biological relationship structures. On the South Island, it is estimated that the population of goose is increasing at an astonishing rate and is threatening local populations. Some even go as far to claim the goose as a pest. If the goose continues at its current high growth rate, the situation will become increasingly problematic.

Canada Goose Behavior
Like most geese, the Canada Goose is naturally migratory with the wintering range being most of the United States. The calls overhead from large groups of Canada Geese flying in V-shaped formation signal the transitions into spring and autumn. In some areas, migration routes have changed due to changes in habitat and food sources. In mild climates from California to the Great Lakes, some of the population has become non-migratory due to adequate winter food supply and a lack of former predators.

Canada Goose Diet
Canada Geese are herbivores although they sometimes eat small insects and fish. Their diet includes green vegetation and grains. The Canada Goose eats a variety of grasses when on land. It feeds by grasping a blade of grass with the bill, then tearing it with a jerk of the head.

The Canada Goose also eats grains such as wheat, beans, rice, and corn when they are available. In the water, it feeds from silt at the bottom of the body of water. It also feeds on aquatic plants, such as seaweeds.[5] In urban cities, they are also known to pick food out of garbage bins.

Canada Geese Reproduction
During the second year of their lives, Canada Geese find a mate. They are monogamous, and most couples stay together all of their lives.[5] If one is killed, the other may find a new mate. The female lays 3–8 eggs and both parents protect the nest while the eggs incubate, but the female spends more time at the nest than the male.

Known egg predators include Arctic Foxes, Northern Raccoons, Red Foxes, large gulls, Common Raven, American Crows and bears. During this incubation period, the adults lose their flight feathers, so they cannot fly until their eggs hatch after 25–28 days.

Adult geese are often seen leading their goslings in a line, usually with one parent at the front, and the other at the back. While protecting their goslings, parents often violently chase away nearby creatures, from small blackbirds to humans that approach, after warning them by giving off a hissing sound. Most of the species that prey on eggs will also take a gosling. Although parents are hostile to unfamiliar geese, they may form groups of a number of goslings and a few adults, called crèches.

The offspring enter the fledging stage any time from 6 to 9 weeks of age. They do not leave their parents until after the spring migration, when they return to their birthplace. Once they reach adulthood, Canada Geese are rarely preyed on, but (beyond humans) can be taken by Coyotes, Red Foxes, Gray Wolves, Snowy Owls, Great Horned Owls, Golden Eagles and, most often, Bald Eagles.

Canada Geese Relationship with humans
In North America, non-migratory Canada Goose populations have been on the rise. The species is frequently found on golf courses, parking lots and urban parks, which would have previously hosted only migratory geese on rare occasions. Owing to its adaptability to human-altered areas, it has become the most common waterfowl species in North America. In many areas, non-migratory Canada Geese are now regarded as pests. They are suspected of being a cause of an increase in high fecal coliforms at beaches.[7] An extended hunting season and the use of noise makers have been used in an attempt to disrupt suspect flocks.

Since 1999, The United States Department of Agriculture Wildlife Services agency has been engaged in lethal culls of Canada Geese primarily in urban or densely populated areas. The agency responds to municipalities or private land owners, such as golf courses, who find the geese obtrusive or object to their waste.[8] Addling goose eggs and destroying nests are promoted as humane population control methods.[9]

In 1995, a US Air Force E-3 Sentry aircraft at Elmendorf AFB, Alaska struck a flock of Canada Geese on takeoff and crashed, killing all 24 crew. The accident sparked efforts to avoid such events, including habitat modification, aversion tactics, herding and relocation, and culling of flocks.[10] A collision with a flock of migratory[11] Canada Geese resulted in US Airways Flight 1549 suffering a total power loss after takeoff from LaGuardia Airport, New York City, New York on 15 January 2009.[12] The pilot brought the plane to an emergency 'splash'-landing in the Hudson River causing only minor injuries to the 155 passengers and crew.[13]

Geese have a tendency to defend against humans when they feel themselves or their goslings to be threatened. First the geese will stand erect, spread their wings and produce a hissing sound. Next, the geese will charge. They may then bite or attack with their wings.[14]

Canada Geese Migration
Canada geese are known for their seasonal migrations. Most Canada Geese have staging or resting areas where they join up with others. Their autumn migration can be seen from September to the beginning of November. The early migrants have a tendency to spend less time at rest stops and go through the migration a lot faster. The later birds usually spend more time at rest stops. These geese are also renowned for their V-shaped flight formation. The front position is rotated since flying in front consumes the most energy. Canada Geese leave the winter grounds more quickly than the summer grounds. Elevated thyroid hormones, such as T3 and T4, have been measured in geese just after a big migration. This is believed because of the long days of flying in migration the thyroid gland sends out more T4 which will help the body cope with the longer journey. The increased T4 levels are also associated with increased muscle mass (hypertrophy) of the breast muscle, also because of the longer time spent flying. It is believed that the body sends out more T4 to help the goose's body with this long task by speeding up the metabolism and temperature at which the body works.[15] Also, other studies done show corticosterone levels to rise dramatically in these birds after and during a migration. Corticosterone is known a stress hormone, so it only makes sense that when these birds are stressed by flying long distances everyday, that more corticosterone is released into their system. It is believed that a higher level of corticosterone will help the birds better manage this task.[16]

References
1.^ BirdLife International (2006). Branta canadensis. 2006. IUCN Red List of Threatened Species. IUCN 2006. www.iucnredlist.org. Retrieved on 11 May 2006.
2.^ Linnaeus, C (1758) (in Latin). Systema naturae per regna tria naturae, secundum classes, ordines, genera, species, cum characteribus, differentiis, synonymis, locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata. Holmiae. (Laurentii Salvii).
3.^ "Canadian goose". Dictionary.com. InterActiveCorp. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Canadian+goose. Retrieved 3 January 2011.
4.^ Audubon Society
5.^ a b c d Dewey, T; H. Lutz (2002). "Branta canadensis". University of Michigan. http://animaldiversity.ummz.umich.edu/site/accounts/information/Branta_canadensis.html. Retrieved 2007-11-18.
6.^ Stackhouse, Mark. The New Goose.
7.^ Pennsylvania Department of Conservation and Natural Resources. Retrieved December 15, 2007, http://www.dcnr.state.pa.us/
8.^ Board of Park Commissioners (Seattle) Meeting Minutes July 12, 2001
9.^ Gregg MacDonald, Fairfax County Times (May 6, 2008). "Goose egg addling stirs concern in Reston". http://www.restontimes.com/news/2008/may/06/goose-egg-addling-stirs-concern-reston/. Retrieved 2009-06-10.
10.^ http://www.af.mil/news/airman/1297/bash.htm Air Force News article on Yukla 27
11.^ Barbara Barrett (2009-06-08). "DNA shows jet that landed in Hudson struck migrating geese". http://www.mcclatchydc.com/homepage/story/69645.html. Retrieved 2009-06-08.
12.^ Bloomberg, 12 Feb. 2009 -- "Canada goose remains were found in both engines of the US Airways Group Inc. plane that made an emergency ditching in New York’s Hudson River, the National Transportation Safety Board said."
13.^ http://www.nytimes.com/2009/01/16/nyregion/16strike.html?hp New York Times article on the 15 January 2009 accident
14.^ Division of Wildlife (Ohio) Goose Attacks
15.^ T.M. John and J.C. George. Circulatory levels of thyroxine (T4) and triidothyronine (T3) in the migratory Canada goose].
16.^ Meta M. Landys. Plasma corticosterone increases during migratory restlessness in the captive white-crowned sparrowZonotrichia leucophrys gambelli.
Angus, Wilson. Identification and range of subspecies within the Canada and Cackling Goose Complex (Branta canadensis & B. hutchinsii). [1]
Moser, Timothy J., Craven, Scott R. and Miller, Brian K. Canada Geese in the Mississippi Flyway: A Guide for Goose Hunters and Goose Watchers. [2]
Rural Development Service (2005). "The management of problems caused by Canada geese: a guide to best practice" (PDF). Technical Advice Note 51. Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. http://www.defra.gov.uk/rds/publications/technical/TAN_51.pdf. Retrieved 2007-01-30.
Hanson, Harold C. (1997). The Giant Canada Goose. Southern Illinois University Press. ISBN 978-0809319244.



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Birds of the Chesapeake Bay

Ospreys can be found nesting on pilings and channel markers throughout the Chesapeake Bay region.

Birds of the Chesapeake Bay
The birds that live in the Chesapeake Bay's forests, wetlands and shorelines are some of the region's most beautiful — but vulnerable — species. While each bird has distinct behaviors and habitat needs, all are intricately entwined with the Bay's ecosystem and perform a different ecological function.

What Types of Birds Live in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed?

Canada Goose

Hundreds of species of birds reside in the Chesapeake Bay region. Some live here year-round, while others are migratory and only visit during certain seasons.

Chesapeake Bay birds include:
Waterfowl such as ducks, geese and swans. Most waterfowl are migratory, though some Canada geese, as well as the invasive mute swan, have taken up full-time residence around the Bay.

Ospreys, bald eagles and other raptors, or birds of prey. Some bald eagles live in the Bay region year-round, while others only visit during winter. Ospreys visit the Bay from spring through summer to breed, then they migrate south for the winter.

Shorebirds such as ibis, willets, plovers, sandpipers, oystercatchers and ruddy turnstones. These birds are only found in the Bay region during certain seasons.

Great Blue Heron

Wading birds, including egrets and herons. The great blue heron and the black-crowned night heron are the only two resident wading birds in the Bay region; egrets and other herons migrate south for the winter.

“Aerial gleaners” such as gulls, terns, cormorants and barn swallows, all of which feed on fish or insects. Gulls are common year-round across the Bay watershed, while most terns leave the Bay in winter.

American Robin

Familiar songbirds such as robins and cardinals, which live in our parks and backyards throughout the year.




Birds of the Chesapeake Bay information came from the Chespeake Bay Program found online at www.chesapeakebay.net

Canada Geese - Hunting Seasons 2010 - 2011, Waterfowl Seasons Bag Limits

Hunting season for Canada Geese, ducks and other waterfowl on the Eastern Shore of Maryland including dates and bag limits can be found on Eastern Shore Magazine. The Oxford and St. Michaels, Maryland area has some of the top hunting spots on the Eastern Shore of Maryland.

Maryland Late Waterfowl Seasons and Bag Limits for the 2010-2011 Hunting Year


Note: Shooting hours for regular waterfowl seasons are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset except for (1) teal during the September season when shooting hours are sunrise to sunset, (2) for Resident Canada geese during September seasons when shooting hours are from one-half hour before sunrise to one half hour after sunset, and (3) for light geese during the Light Goose Conservation Order Season when shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to one half hour after sunset. All season dates are inclusive. There is no possession limit for light geese; for all other waterfowl, the possession limit is twice the daily bag limit. Waterfowl hunting is closed on Sundays in Maryland by federal regulation to compensate for the prohibition of hunting for game species other than deer on certain Sundays by Maryland law.

Youth Waterfowl Hunting Day
Season Date: Nov. 6

Daily Bag and Possession Limits
6 ducks (including mergansers) per day which may include no more than: 5 long-tailed ducks, 4 scoters, 4 mallards (max. 2 hen mallards), 3 wood ducks, 2 pintails. 2 redheads, 2 scaup, 2 hooded mergansers, 1 canvasback, 1 fulvous tree duck, 1 mottled duck, and 1 black duck. In addition, youth hunters may take 2 Canada geese, 2 brant, 25 light geese, and 15 coots. No open season for harlequin ducks and swans.

Any licensed hunter 15 years old or younger may participate during this one-day hunt. Youth of this age who are exempt from Maryland hunting license requirements may also participate. Youth waterfowl hunters must possess a receipt showing they purchased a $9 Maryland Migratory Game Bird Hunting Stamp. Youth hunters must be accompanied by an adult at least 21 years old that holds a valid Maryland hunting license or is exempt from the hunting license requirements. The accompanying adult may call waterfowl, assist with decoys, and retrieve downed birds but may not possess a hunting weapon.

Ducks, Coots, and Mergansers
Regular Duck Season: Oct. 16 - Oct. 23
Nov. 13 - Nov. 26
Dec. 14 - Jan. 29
Black Duck Season: Nov. 13 - Nov. 26
Dec. 14 - Jan. 29


Daily Bag and Possession Limits
The daily bag limit of ducks (including mergansers) is 6. The 6-duck limit shall consist of no more than 5 long-tailed ducks, 4 scoters, 4 mallards (max. 2 hen mallards), 3 wood ducks, 2 pintails. 2 redheads, 2 scaup, 2 hooded mergansers, 1 canvasback, 1 black duck (during black duck season), 1 fulvous tree duck, and 1 mottled duck. All other species of ducks (except harlequin duck) may be taken up to the 6-duck limit. The possession limit is twice the daily bag limit. In addition to the duck bag limit hunters may take 15 coots per day.

No open season for harlequin ducks and swans.

Sea Ducks (Scoters, Long-tailed Duck, and Eiders)
Season Dates: Oct. 2 - Jan. 29
(Only in Sea Duck Zone)
Daily Bag Limit: 5 (no more than 4 scoters) per day

Atlantic Population Canada Geese
Season Dates: Nov. 20 - Nov. 26
Dec. 16 - Jan. 29
Daily Bag Limit: 2 per day

Hunt Area: Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Calvert, Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, Harford, Howard, Kent, Queen Annes, Somerset, St. Mary’s, Talbot, Wicomico, and Worcester Counties; and that portion of Carroll County east of Route 31 to the intersection of Route 97, and east of Route 97 to the Pennsylvania line; and that portion of Prince George’s County east of Route 3 and Route 301; and that portion of Charles County east of Route 301 to the Virginia line.

Resident Population Canada Geese (Regular Season)
Season Dates: Nov. 15 - Nov. 26
Dec. 16 - Mar. 5
Daily Bag Limit: 5 per day

Hunt Area: Allegany, Frederick, Garrett, Montgomery, and Washington Counties; and that portion of Carroll County west of Route 31 to the intersection of Route 97, and west of Route 97 to the Pennsylvania line; and that portion of Prince George’s County west of Route 3 and Route 301; and that portion of Charles County west of Route 301 to the Virginia line.

Atlantic Brant
Season Dates: Nov. 20 - Nov. 26
Dec. 10 - Jan. 29
Daily Bag Limit: 2 per day

Light Geese
Season Dates: Oct. 9 - Nov. 26
Nov. 29 - Jan. 29
Daily Bag Limit: 25 per day and no possession limit.

Light Goose Conservation Order Season
Season Dates: Jan. 31 - April 16
Daily Bag Limit: No daily bag or possession limits


Hunt Area: Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Calvert, Caroline, Cecil, Dorchester, Harford, Howard, Kent, Queen Annes, Somerset, St. Mary’s, Talbot, Wicomico, and Worcester Counties; and that portion of Carroll County east of Route 31 to the intersection of Route 97, and east of Route 97 to the Pennsylvania line; that portion of Prince George’s County east of Route 3 and Route 301; and that portion of Charles County east of Route 301 to the Virginia

Special Regulations during Light Goose Conservation Order Season:
1.Hunters may use shotguns capable of holding more than three shotshells and electronic calls of light geese;
2.Shooting hours are from one-half hour after sunset; and
3.Hunters must possess a Snow Goose Conservation Order Hunting Season Permit while hunting light geese.
Permits available from DNR sport license agents, online at https://www3.wildlifelicense.com/md/ or by phone (1-800-918-2870) for a $5 fee.

Extended Falconry Seasons
Falconry is a permitted means (50 CFR § 20.21) of taking migratory game birds in any State that meets Federal falconry standards in 50 CFR § 21.29. Extended falconry seasons are those dates outside of regular, special, or experimental gun seasons when migratory game birds may be taken by falconry.

During September seasons (e.g. teal, Canada goose) hunters are only allowed to take target species, whether they are using a gun or falcon to take birds. Because non-target migratory game birds species are not legal during these seasons, falconers may be at risk of their falcons taking illegal species if flown during that period.

Season Dates:
Ducks Feb. 1 - Mar. 10
Brant Jan. 30 - Mar. 10
Light Geese Feb. 5 - Feb. 15

Falconry Daily Bag Limit
The falconry daily bag limit is 3 per day (6 in possession). Regular season bag limits do not apply to falconry. Falconry bag limits shall not exceed 3 birds in aggregate for all migratory game birds.


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Please Note: A synopsis of the 2010-11 Migratory Game Bird Hunting Seasons will be distributed to sport-license agents throughout the State in mid-September and will be available online at:

http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/Hunt_Trap/waterfowl/index.asp

Canada Goose Season, Waterfowl Hunting, Bag Limits for Maryland sources from http://www.dnr.state.md.us/huntersguide/lwfchart.asp

Canada Geese Hunting For 2009 -2010

Canada Geese Hunting has begun on Oxford, Maryland area farms and shorelines. Oxford is located in Talbot County, Maryland. In the fall and winter you will see and hear a goose and geese flying over Oxford, Maryland.

Maryland Late Waterfowl Seasons & Bag Limits For 2009 - 2010 Hunting Year

Maryland Migratory Game Bird 2009-2010 Hunting Seasons Flier
Printer-Friendly Version

Note: (1) Shooting hours are one-half hour before sunrise to sunset, except for Light Geese during the Conservation Season when shooting hours are 1/2 hour before sunrise to 1/2 hour after sunset. All dates are inclusive. No possession limit for Light Geese and no daily bag or possession limits for Light Geese during the Conservation Order Season; for all other waterfowl, the possession limit is twice the daily bag limit; (2) Waterfowl hunting is closed on Sundays in Maryland by federal regulation to compensate for the prohibition of hunting on Sundays by Maryland law.

Ducks, Coots, and Mergansers

Season Dates:	Oct. 17 - Oct. 24 Nov. 14 - Nov. 27 Dec. 15 - Jan. 30
Black Duck:	Nov. 14 - Nov. 27 Dec. 15 - Jan. 30

Daily Bag and Possession Limits

6 ducks (including mergansers) per day which may include no more than: 5 long-tailed ducks, 4 scoters, 4 mallards (max. 2 hen mallards), 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 2 scaup, 2 hooded mergansers, 1 pintail, 1 fulvous tree duck, 1 mottled duck, 1 canvasback, 1 black duck (during black duck season). In addition to the duck bag limit, hunters may take 15 coots per day. No open season for harlequin ducks.

National Youth Waterfowl Hunting Day

Season Date:

Nov. 7

Daily Bag and Possession Limits

6 ducks (including mergansers) per day which may include no more than: 5 long-tailed ducks, 4 scoters, 4 mallards (max. 2 hen mallards), 3 wood ducks, 2 redheads, 2 scaup, 2 hooded mergansers, 1 pintail, 1 fulvous tree duck, 1 mottled duck, 1 canvasback, 1 black duck. In addition to the duck bag limit, hunters may take 15 coots per day. In addition, youth hunters may take 2 Canada geese, 15 snow geese, 2 brant, and 15 coots.

Any licensed hunter 15 years old or younger may hunt during this one-day waterfowl season. Youth hunters 15 years old or younger who are exempt from Maryland hunting license requirements may also participate. Youth waterfowl hunters must possess a receipt proving they purchased a $9 Maryland Migratory Game Bird Hunting Stamp.

An individual who is 21 years old or older must accompany each youth hunter in the field. The adult may not possess a firearm, bow, or any other hunting device while accompanying a youth hunter on this day. The adult must also possess a valid Maryland hunting license or be exempt from hunting license requirements. The accompanying adult may call waterfowl, assist with waterfowl identification, assist with decoys, and retrieve downed birds.

Sea Ducks (Scoters, Long-tailed Duck, and Eiders)

Season Dates:	Oct. 3 - Jan. 30
Daily Bag Limit:	5 (no more than 4 scoters) per day

Atlantic Population Canada Geese

Season Dates:	Nov. 21 - Nov. 27 Dec. 17 - Jan. 30
Daily Bag Limit:	2 per day*

AP Zone:

Anne Arundel, Calvert, Caroline, Cecil, Baltimore, Dorchester, Harford, Howard, Kent, Queen Anne's, Somerset, St. Mary’s, Talbot, Wicomico, and Worcester Counties; that portion of Carroll County east of Route 31 to the intersection of Route 97, and east of Route 97 to the Pennsylvania line; that portion of Prince Georges County east of Routes 3 and 301: and that portion of Charles County east of Route 301 to the Virginia line

AF Resident Population Canada Geese (Late Season)

Season Dates:	Nov. 16 - Nov. 27 Dec. 17 - Mar. 6
Daily Bag Limit:	5 per day*

AFRP Zone:

Garrett, Allegany, Washington, Frederick, and Montgomery; that portion of Carroll County west of Route 31 to the intersection of Route 97, and west of Route 97 to the Pennsylvania line; that portion of Prince George’s County west of Route 3 and Route 301; and that portion of Charles County west of Route 301 to the Virginia line.

* Includes Canada geese, cackling geese, and white-fronted geese singly or in aggregate.

Atlantic Brant

Season Dates:	Nov. 21 - Nov. 27 Dec. 11 - Jan. 30
Daily Bag Limit:	2 per day

Light Geese

Season Dates:	Oct. 10 - Nov. 27 Nov. 30 - Jan. 30
Daily Bag Limit**:	15 per day No possession limit.
Conservation Season**	Feb. 1 - April 17
	No daily bag or possession limit
**Includes greater and lesser snow geese and Ross’s geese singly or in aggregate.

Light Goose Conservation Order Season Zone:

Anne Arundel, Calvert, Caroline, Cecil, Baltimore, Dorchester, Harford, Howard, Kent, Queen Anne's, Somerset, St. Mary’s, Talbot, Wicomico, and Worcester Counties; that portion of Carroll County east of Route 31 to the intersection of Route 97, and east of Route 97 to the Pennsylvania line; that portion of Prince Georges County east of Routes 3 and 301: and that portion of Charles County east of Route 301 to the Virginia line

Special hunting methods allowed during Conservation Order season include unplugged shotguns, electronic calls of light geese, and extended shooting hours (1/2 hour before sunrise to ½ hour after sunset).

Waterfowl hunters participating in the Light Goose Conservation Order season must possess a permit. The permit, referred to as the Snow Goose Conservation Order Hunting Season permit, can be obtained from any DNR sport license agent, online at http://www.dnr.maryland.gov/, or by phone (1-800-918-2870) for a $5 fee.

Participants will also be required to possess a valid Maryland hunting license (resident Delaware licenses are also acceptable) and a 2009-2010 Maryland Migratory Game Bird Hunting Stamp. Possession of a federal duck stamp is not required during the Conservation Order season. Hunters are required to keep the permit receipt in their possession while hunting light geese during the Conservation Order season.

**Includes greater and lesser snow geese and Ross’s geese singly or in aggregate.

This information is provided as a public service of the Maryland Department of Natural Resources. www.dnr.maryland.gov