Dro ^Orle: Section of Liabltat Xnprovegient
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13 A h\ro Salyer Lro DuMont * Section of Operattions! ——— Dro ^orle: Section of liabltat Xnprovegient; kr. Kxiblchek ,>ec ^of^jjanajtoa^^ent; Stenographers; BOMBAY HOOK January-April, 1954- Bombay Hook Hational Wildlife Refuge Narrative Report January, February, March and April 1954 Refuge Personnel David M. Hickok Refuge Manager John W. Parker Clerk Henry S. Bush ——————— — Maintenance Man Louis Steller — —— Maintenance Man John I. Webb —— Dragline Operator James Reed Suli^bzSr: Operator Joseph Heininger Oiler John McBride ————————— —- Tractor Operator Temporary John Mozick — Truck Driver Everett Marshall Truck Driver George Naylor ————— •— Tractor Operator James Naylor ™—™ Carpenter Narrative Report Index Subjects Page Number 1« General A, Weather Conditions — 1 B, Water Conditions —-— — —— 1 C, Fires — 1 II. Wildlife A. Migratory Birds 2 1. Populations and Behavior —-— 2 a. Waterfowl . 2 b. Shorebirds, Hertos, Doves ~ 2 2. Food and Cover — — ———• 4 3. Botulism — — 4 4. Lead Poisoning and other diseases — ——- 4 B. Upland Game Birds ——-—— — — — 4 1. Populations and Behavior 4 2. Food and Cover -————-— — — 4 3. Disease — • 4 C. Big Game 4 1. Populations and Behavior ————— 4 2, Food and Cover — —5 D. Fur Animals, Predators, Rodents and Other Mammals — 5 1. Fur Animals — 5 £• Predaceous birds — — 5-6 III. Refuge Development and Maintenance ———— —— 6 A. Hhysical Development -— — 6 1. Shearness Dike Project — 6 2. Hydraulic hoist installation ———— —- 6 3. Equipment shed construction -——— — — 6-7 4. Upland Pool # 3 — — 7 5. Miscellaneous ———— 7 6. Repair and Maintenance 7 7. Soil and Moisture — —— ——— 8 B. Plantings 8 1. Aquatic and marsh plants 8 2. Trees and shrubs 8 3. Upland Herbaceous plants 8 4. Cultivated crops — — —- 8 D. Collections — 9 1. Seed or other Propagules — 9 2. Specimens — — ——• 9 D. Receipts of Seed and Nursury Stock —— 9 IV. Economic Use — — 9 A. Grazing — 9 B. Haying 9 C. Fur Harvest — 9 D. Timber Removal < ——— 9 7. Field Investigation or Applied Research — ———— 9 A. Banding —— — 9-10 B. Mosquito Evaluation studies — .™-«—10 VI. Public Relations — ——— —— 11 A. Recreational Use — 11 B. Refuge Visitors — 11-12 C. Refuge Participation — — ——«—— 12 D. Hunting — —— 12 E. Fishing — — — 12 F. Violations — — 12 Subjects Page Number VIII. Other Items 12 A. Items of Interest — — 12 B. Photographs IS Append ex — —— — N. R. Forms Narrative Report Bombay Hook National Wildlife Refuge January thru April 1954 I* General A, Weather Conditions Month Snowfall Free. Norma: l Free. Temperature Ave. Normal Max. Min. Temp. Temp. Jan, 11.5 1.71 3.56 64 2 31.3 33.3 Feb, .6 1.82 2.98 74 9 40.4 33.7 March T 4.03 3.61 72 22 41.5 42.5 April r 9* *7 The weather this period was one of extremes. It was the coldest January since 1948 and the coldest month since February 1948, New minimum records ( 60 years ) were set for the dates January 17th & 18th with temperatures at 70O F & ^20F respectively. On January 10 - 11 a 6-l/2 inck snow fall drifted the refuge road closed for a half a day until it could be plowed out, February was the warmest February on record ( 60 ye%rs ) Although the extremes ranged from 74oF on the 16th to 90F on -the 18th the monthly average was 40.4OF. During the period rain or snow fell on 18 days in January, 12 days in February, 15 days in March and pfdays in April, B, Water Conditions Salt marsh tidal conditions were normal for the period. A continual struggle was necessary throughout the period to regulate water levels in Shearness and Raymonds Pools, since high waters in Shearness had to be lowered thru the spillway to Raymonds Pool and thence to the salt marsh. These spillways, without flap gates,make dejjivery of water into the salt marsh diffi cult because high tidal action will stpp the flow or reverse the flow and in the spring admit spawning carp unless extreme care is ex/reroised. Screens are being constructed for the spillways to prevent carp entrance to the pools, C. Fires No fires occurred during the period on the refuge except those for brush burning and controlled marsh burning. II. Wildlife 1. Populations and Behavior A. Duck, Geese and Swans Comparative liaterfowl Populations Jan. - April 1952 - 1953 - 1954 Dates Jan. 15-16 ••eb 20-24 March 23-28 April 25-30 1952 1953 1954 L952 1953 1954 1952 1953 1954 1952 1953 1954 Black 7500 20,000 8000 4500 7000 5000 8000 2500 9000 500 350 2300 Mallard 1600 12,000 5000 400 3600 1800 500 4500 4000 6 30 700 intail 3500 1,400 500 2000 1522 300 700 800 ... G.W. Teal 50 600 400 379 639 800 500 1300 2300 330 670 100 B.W. Teal mmmmm ... ... ... ... 150 200 100 700 200 130 1200 Wood 4 .— 14 4 10 10 4 30 2 4 20 Gadwall 300 650 50 565 230 600 400 220 700 140 270 400 Shoveller 40 350 132 345 60 200 245 500 28 26 20 Baldpate 250 1,000 400 4000 230 700 200 100 900 12 20 40 Bufflehead 40 2 50 15 20 150 10 160 Goldeneye 30 ... Canvasback 14 375 100 130 180 ... 100 100 Eingneok ... 1 40 150 Merganser 30 42 20 50 2 80 3 30 140 H. Merganser 20 2 10 14 60 2 40 Scaup 85 200 300 100 310 500 175 30 400 ... 70 Ruddy —- 2 10 10 2 80 2 50 18 Coot 100 150 100 50 40 30 50 300 10 30 W. Swan 5 3 5 1 ;.Goose 900 5,000 3000 1000 5000 1500 2500 2500 6000 300 800 300 S. Goose ... ... 1000 ... 1 4 ... B. Goose ... ... ... — — ... — 6 ... 6 ... Total Population 14,429 41,813 17,78( 13,317 20 ,093 LI,542 13,248 8422 33,420 1528 2307 51 The main change in the pattern of waterfowl use of the refuge during the past period was occas|fioned by freezing weather commencing during the second week of January and continuing for several weeks, keeping most of the refuge marshes ice bound until mid-Fefbuary. Wbile the majority of birds normally resident upon the refuge had left the area, state aerial counts showed that a good portion of them remained in southern Delaware. TOiile the refuge population did drop drastically during the mid-winter weeks, almost the same state-wide population remained. Snow Geese spent only a few days on the refuge in late February this year; the peak population was about 500 birds. Observation of wintering Canada Geese which spend a good portion of their time on the refuge has shown that their local movements cover the entire state of Delaware and at least in the north central part of the Delmarva peninsula west to the Chespeake. TNhile wintering populations of ducks and geese were below normal^peak mi gration figures during the last half of March were higher than previous years. Spring migration was difficult to dLe^ferentiate from the local return move ment of wintering birds this year, but the best evidence shows migration really getting under way in the first week of March, with a few species showing north- -ward movements in late February, Diving duck populations were again more numerous during early migration than in previous years. Several species which normally are present throughout the winter months were absent entirely for various lengths of time during the period; these included; pintail, wood duck, mergansers, baldpate and coot. No duck broods of any species were noted during April, although nesting has started, B, Shorebirds The killdeer migration this year occurred during early March^ a week or two later than last year, Yellowlegs did not appear on the refuge until the last days of March,about 10 days later than last year, Willets again appeared by mid-April this year, but the population buildmp.: was gradual this year, not rapid as last year. Several of the smeller sandpipers, dowitchers, etc, were observed by the close of the period,but not in any number. C, Herons The annual spring visit of the black-crowned night herons appeared about April 6th and remained for about 10 days. This year the colony numbered approx- iiMitely 140 birds, as compared to 230 last year and 70 the year before. While twelve great blue herons wintered in the area, they disappeared from the refuge during the weeks of freeze-up. Thus far this spring no migrating American egrets have been seen. Generally a few have been observed by late April. D, Doves Mourning doves wintered throughout the period in the refuge and in the general vicinity. Populations are about 30^ above last year. 2. Food and Cover The newly flooded Shearness Pool area ( 681 acres in extent ) provided excellent food and cover conditions for all species throughout the period ( except when frozen over ). This area supported the main refuge waterfowl concentrations. In Raymonds( Pool food conditions were fair to poor as a result of much a^aktio plant food die-off last summer. The area second in importance for waterfowl concentrations^, ievthe salt marsh around Georges Island, presented good food & cover conditions throughout the period. Considerable acreages of the salt marsh were again burned this year under the controlled burning program,but no dramatic effects on waterfowl species have been observed this year. Last year burning had a pronounced effect on snow goose useage, but not this year. 3. Botulism None. 4. Lead Poisoning and other diseases None known. B. Upland Game Birds 1. Populations and Behavior Pheasant and quail populations on the refuge remained about static. The refuge upland game population is never large and represents only a monor segment of the refuge wildlife population.