Shiloh
Editor, Senior Moderator
Source: http://www.leelanaunews.com/blog/20...ted-in-death-of-ducks-deer-emerge-from-swamp/
Long winter suspected in death of ducks; deer emerge from swamp
Leelanau's critters are hungry, as are a few that are just passing through.
http://www.leelanaunews.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/deadducks4-3col.jpg
A waterfowl die-off in the Leland Harbor is being
studied by the DNR, although starvation is the
suspected cause. Shown on the tailgate of con-
servation officer Mike Borkovich?s pick-up (from
left) are a common goldeneye, old squaw,
buffelhead, horned grebe, greater scaup,
hen goldeneye and sea duck.
A sprinkling of duck die-offs was reported by state Conservation Officer Mike Borkovich, who said the causes of death won?t be known until lab results are in.
Because of the wide variety of species that died, however, one theory is that the ducks succumbed to a combination of hunger and frigid temperatures. Borkovich had collected seven species of waterfowl to be tested.
?All of them I collected are from the Leland Harbor. I?ve never seen this large of a die-off,? said Borkovich.
One likely contributor: A harsh winter. Or to put the winter of 2007-08 into historical perspective, a return to a ?typical Leelanau winter,? he said.
DNR wildlife biologist Rich Earle concurs. He expects lab work to come back showing the waterfowl had been weakened by a lack of food and bitter temperatures. If so, the Leelanau die-off would follow a similar loss of waterfowl for the same reason on Lake St. Clair.
?It?s been more of an ?average? winter,? said Earle. ?It?s just that we haven?t had one in awhile, and we have been spoiled. And some of the critters have been also spoiled.?
The dead ducks included some that may live year-round in the area, and some that while passing south decided to stay. Life?s a gamble for migrating birds who choose to stay farther north than their brethren, spending less energy migrating and jumping first in line to set up mating territories
But they have to survive winter.
Other animals appear to be heading out of winter in relatively good shape, Earle said. Turkeys can be found in bunches along Leelanau roads, where rye is often first to grow and the relative open setting offers a chance for toms to display for hens.
Earle has had complaints from orchardists that deer numbers appear to be up, and many are munching on fruit tree buds in advance of green-up.
?We?re getting calls, mostly from orchardists who don?t like this time of year. They (the deer) are hitting apple buds. They?re still eating their winter browse,? said Earle.
He expects winter mortality of deer to be minimal in Leelanau County.
Borkovich explained that the herd looks large right now because winter groups have not broken apart, but with snow on the decline are mobile enough to seek out bare openings in fields. Groups of 60 deer have been reported ? which might represent all of the deer for a couple sections of land.
?Deer that have been yarded up all winter long are still together and looking for green-up grass,? said Borkovich.
The number of car-deer accidents has also increased with the deer movement, including one that took out the front end of the Leelanau Enterprise van about twilight last Wednesday.
With deer, turkey and duck populations stressed by winter, one species seems to thrive this time of year.
?It?s a good time to be a coyote,? said Borkovich.
Long winter suspected in death of ducks; deer emerge from swamp
Leelanau's critters are hungry, as are a few that are just passing through.
http://www.leelanaunews.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2008/04/deadducks4-3col.jpg
A waterfowl die-off in the Leland Harbor is being
studied by the DNR, although starvation is the
suspected cause. Shown on the tailgate of con-
servation officer Mike Borkovich?s pick-up (from
left) are a common goldeneye, old squaw,
buffelhead, horned grebe, greater scaup,
hen goldeneye and sea duck.
A sprinkling of duck die-offs was reported by state Conservation Officer Mike Borkovich, who said the causes of death won?t be known until lab results are in.
Because of the wide variety of species that died, however, one theory is that the ducks succumbed to a combination of hunger and frigid temperatures. Borkovich had collected seven species of waterfowl to be tested.
?All of them I collected are from the Leland Harbor. I?ve never seen this large of a die-off,? said Borkovich.
One likely contributor: A harsh winter. Or to put the winter of 2007-08 into historical perspective, a return to a ?typical Leelanau winter,? he said.
DNR wildlife biologist Rich Earle concurs. He expects lab work to come back showing the waterfowl had been weakened by a lack of food and bitter temperatures. If so, the Leelanau die-off would follow a similar loss of waterfowl for the same reason on Lake St. Clair.
?It?s been more of an ?average? winter,? said Earle. ?It?s just that we haven?t had one in awhile, and we have been spoiled. And some of the critters have been also spoiled.?
The dead ducks included some that may live year-round in the area, and some that while passing south decided to stay. Life?s a gamble for migrating birds who choose to stay farther north than their brethren, spending less energy migrating and jumping first in line to set up mating territories
But they have to survive winter.
Other animals appear to be heading out of winter in relatively good shape, Earle said. Turkeys can be found in bunches along Leelanau roads, where rye is often first to grow and the relative open setting offers a chance for toms to display for hens.
Earle has had complaints from orchardists that deer numbers appear to be up, and many are munching on fruit tree buds in advance of green-up.
?We?re getting calls, mostly from orchardists who don?t like this time of year. They (the deer) are hitting apple buds. They?re still eating their winter browse,? said Earle.
He expects winter mortality of deer to be minimal in Leelanau County.
Borkovich explained that the herd looks large right now because winter groups have not broken apart, but with snow on the decline are mobile enough to seek out bare openings in fields. Groups of 60 deer have been reported ? which might represent all of the deer for a couple sections of land.
?Deer that have been yarded up all winter long are still together and looking for green-up grass,? said Borkovich.
The number of car-deer accidents has also increased with the deer movement, including one that took out the front end of the Leelanau Enterprise van about twilight last Wednesday.
With deer, turkey and duck populations stressed by winter, one species seems to thrive this time of year.
?It?s a good time to be a coyote,? said Borkovich.