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Joe Manchin III, Governor

Frank Jezioro, Director

News Release : February 9, 2006

Hoy Murphy, Public Information Officer (304) 558-3381 hoymurphy@wvdnr.gov

Contact: Steve Wilson, Wildlife Resources Section (304) 637-0245 wildlife@wvdnr.gov

West Virginia's Mid-winter Waterfowl Survey Completed

West Virginia wildlife biologist s counted 2,530 ducks and 3,800 geese during the annual mid-winter waterfowl survey in early January, according to Steve Wilson, Waterfowl Biologist for the Wildlife Resources Section of the Division of Natural Resources.

“The number of both ducks and geese was below the 10-year average but we are reminded that the 10-year average is still running above long-term averages because of the exceptionally high counts in 2001,” Wilson said. Two weeks of unusually mild weather immediately prior to the survey eliminated all snow and ice cover, allowing birds to be scattered in fields and small water bodies that are not covered as part of the survey.

The real value of the mid-winter survey is the long term trends over broad areas. West Virginia 's data will be combined with that from other states to obtain regional and national totals that provide reliable trend data for overall waterfowl populations.

Canada geese, mallards, and black ducks were, as usual, the leading species observed in the 2006 survey. Other notable species include: American wigeon, gadwall, pintail, scaup, bufflehead and mergansers. A wood duck and four teal were also observed, which is a testament to the mild weather.

The following waters were surveyed on January 5 and 10, 2006: Kanawha River (Nitro-Pt. Pleasant); Ohio River (Huntington-Parkersburg); Tygart Lake/Pleasant Creek Marsh; Shenandoah River (state line-state line); and New River (Hinton-state line) including Bluestone Lake .

**DNR**

MID-WINTER WATERFOWL SURVEY

Area	2006		2005		2004		2003		2002
	Ducks	Geese	Ducks	Geese	Ducks	Geese	Ducks	Geese	Ducks	Geese
Kanawha River (upper)	394	215	180	17	160	302	452	14	338	693
Kanawha River (lower)	200	78	85	135	617	559	747	31	2,290	524
Ohio River (lower)	546	1312	687	265	817	2,077	231	490	945	1,144
Ohio River (middle)	1225	1807	4,193	536	627	936	636	2,830	2,580	4,347
Tygart Lake/Pleasant Creek	21	23	17	5	18	19	93	24	86	150
Shenandoah River	48	297	15	123	64	790	56	61	58	652
Bluestone Lake/New River	96	68	76	64	86	0	398	273	387	156
TOTAL	2530	3800	5,253	1,145	2,389	4,683	2,613	3,743	6,684	7,666
10 Year Average	5816	4805	6,447	5,232	6,301	5,557	-	-	-	-

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