Jamaica Duck Surveys 2001
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SURVEYS OF MIGRATORY DUCKS IN JAMAICAN WETLANDS - PHASE ONE: JANUARY - APRIL 2001 Report Prepared For The Natural Resources Conservation Authority/ National Environment and Planning Agency And Ducks Unlimited By Ann Haynes Sutton Ph.D., Marshall's Pen,PO Box 58, Mandeville, Jamaica W.I. and D. Brandon Hay Caribbean Coastal Areas Management Foundation, PO Box 33, Lionel Town, Clarendon, Jamaica W.I. January 2002 Cover Photograph shows Blue-winged Teal (male). Source Ducks Unlimited Canada by Guy Fontaine. SURVEYS OF MIGRATORY DUCKS IN JAMAICA PHASE ONE: JANUARY - APRIL 2001 Report Prepared For The Natural Resources Conservation Authority/ National Environment and Planning Agency And Ducks Unlimited By Ann Haynes Sutton Ph.D. Marshall's Pen PO Box 58 Mandeville Jamaica WI and D. Brandon Hay Caribbean Coastal Area Management Foundation PO Box 33, Lionel Town Clarendon Jamaica WI January 2002 TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 ................................................................................................ ...................................................................................................................................................................ObjectivesObjectives 1 2.0 ................................................................................................ .............................................................................................................................................................BackgroundBackground 1 3.0 MethoMethodsdsds...................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................22 3.1 Literature Search.........................................................................2 3.2 Examination of Museum Specimens.............................................2 3.3 Analysis of Band Recoveries ........................................................2 3.4 Aerial Surveys .............................................................................2 3.5 Terrestrial Surveys - Ground truthing..........................................3 4.0 Results ......................................................................................................5 4.1 Species and relative abundance.........................................................5 4.2 Seasonality and movements ..............................................................6 4.3 Geographical distribution ...............................................................10 4.4 Areas of special importance to ducks ..............................................11 4.5 Size of pond or wetland unit ...........................................................12 4.6 Vegetation......................................................................................12 4.7 Habitat use.....................................................................................13 4.8 Threats...........................................................................................13 5.0 Discussion ................................................................................................ ...................................................................................................................... 14 5.1 Population size seasonal movements and relative abundance of species.................................................................................................14 5.2 Population trends ...........................................................................15 5.3 Seasonality and movements ............................................................15 5.4 Geographical distribution and habitat use .......................................16 5.5 Threats...........................................................................................16 5.6 Assessment of methods..................................................................21 6.0 RECOMMENDATIONSRECOMMENDATIONS.......................................................................................................................................................................................................................... 22 6.1 Conservation of species ................................................................22 6.2 Conservation of habitats .................................................................22 6.3 Public education .............................................................................23 6.4 Hunting..........................................................................................23 6.5 Ban on use of lead shot ..................................................................24 6.6 Directions for future monitoring and research.................................24 Literature CitedCited.................................................................................................................................................................................................................................2626 Appendices 1. Terms of Reference .....................................................................28 2. Raw data from aerial surveys .......................................................29 3. Raw data from terrestrial ground truth surveys, January-April 2001...........................................................................................38 4. Results of ad hoc duck counts at Great Pedro Pond......................39 5. Specimens of ducks from the Institute of Jamaica ........................40 6. Actual and potential sources of error and how they were addressed ...................................................................................41 7. Records of duck observations contained in the Gosse Bird Club Broadsheet..........................................................................42 8. A working inventory of wetland and water bodies in Jamaica........45 9. Aerial photographs of selected Wetland habitats……………………………….51 10. Photographs of survey activities………………………………………………….55 11. Ducks of the West Indies…………………………………………………………56 Abbreviations Used In The Text BWTE Blue-winged Teal DU Ducks Unlimited NEPA National Environment and Planning Agency NGO Non-government organisation NRCA Natural Resources Conservation Authority NSHO Northern Shoveler SCO Society of Caribbean Ornithology WIWD West Indian Whistling Duck LListist Of Tables Table 1 List of ducks observed in Jamaica ..................................................1 Table 2 Dates and routes of aerial surveys .................................................3 Table 3 Monthly observation of ducks in aerial survey, Jan-Apr 2001 .........6 Table 4 Ponds size and duck distribution.................................................12 Table 5 Vegetation use by ducks - spring 2001 .......................................13 Table 6 Water body use by ducks.............................................................13 Table 7 Condition of selected duck habitats.............................................13 List Of Figures Figure 1 Number of recoveries in Jamaica of foreign banded ducks 1962-1994 5 Figure 2 Great Pedro Pond - comparison of air and ground counts ..............6 Figure 3 Number of Blue-winged Teal by month from aerial surveys............7 Figure 4 Number of Northern Shoveler by month from aerial surveys...........7 Figure 5 Rainfall SW Portland Bight Spring 2001 ..........................................8 Figure 6 Number of band recoveries by month............................................8 Figure 7 Seasonality of observation of ducks at selected sites....................10 Figure 8 Sizes of groups of duck spring 2001 ...........................................11 Figure 9 Recoveries of banded ducks 1962 - 1994 by location ..................12 List of Maps Map 1 Duck survey routes and places where ducks were seen …………………4 Map 2 Origins of Blue-winged Teal recovered in Jamaica……………………...8 List of Plates Plate 1 Caymanas Dyke Ponds Plate 2 Long Island Plate 3 Hellshire Flashes Plate 4 West Harbour Plate 5 Jackson’s Bay Plate 6 Rio Minho Plate 7 Great Pedro Pond Plate 8 Effects of fire – Black River Lower Morass Plate 9 Lacovia Plate 10 Parottee Pond - dry Plate 11 Ganja Cultivation – Black River Plate 12 Black River Lower Morass – swamp forest Plate 13 Baptist Pond Black River Lower Morass Plate 14 Negril Morass Plate 15 Cabaritta Canal, Westmoreland Plate 16 Montpelier Plate 17 South Negril River Plate 18 Chatham – Montego Bay Plate 19 Annotto Bay River Plate 20 Mitchell Town Ponds Plate 21 Wag Water River Plate 22 Sav-la-mar wetlands Plate 23 Yallahs Ponds (ducks flushed from Pond) Plate 24 Broad River Plate 25 Ann gives pilot pre-flight briefing Plate 26 Ducks flushed from Yallahs Plate 27 Final preparation for takeoff Plate 28 Recording data on standard datasheets Plate 29 On course for Mona Reservoir Plate 30 Low pass over Caymanas Pond 1.0 Objectives The surveys were designed to provide baseline information about: • Locations of major concentrations of migratory ducks; • Approximate numbers of migratory ducks and relative abundance of species; • Seasonal population changes of migratory ducks; and • Status, distribution and threats to duck habitats. These data form the basis for recommendations about sustainable management of Jamaican duck populations. (see Terms of Reference, Appendix 1) 2.0 Background Twenty-three species of ducks have been recorded in Jamaica, including three resident species that stay in Jamaica