Biologist Andy Weik prepares to release a banded American woodcock during a night-lighting session at Moosehorn National Wildlife Refuge in Baring, Maine. Credit: USFWS/Brian Allen.

The biological staff at Moosehorn NWR wrapped up the preseason waterfowl banding program in September.  A total of 581 ducks were banded on Moosehorn’s banding permit this year, including 111 ducks that were banded at Aroostook NWR by biologist Dawn Washington.  American black duck, the primary target of our banding operation, accounted for 356 of the 581 banded ducks.  Other species included wood duck (111), mallard (56), blue-winged teal (35), mallard x black duck hybrid (13), American green-winged teal (6), ring-necked duck (3), and northern pintail (1).  Baited swim-in traps and rocket nets were used to capture ducks.  The banding program achieved these results through the support of our partners, who include USFWS Division of Migratory Bird Management, Black Duck Joint Venture, Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife, USGS Biological Resource Division, Atlantic Flyway Council’s Banding Committee, and several volunteers.

Also in September, the biological staff at Moosehorn NWR concluded the banding season for American woodcock with several successful nights of capture and banding.  Rains associated with late summer tropical storms produced conditions that were just right for the biological crew to use spotlights and long-handled nets to capture woodcock that were using the Refuge’s fields for night roosting.  This field season we banded 173 new woodcocks by night-lighting (81), mist nets (35), ground traps (54), and a pointing dog (3).  The age ratio of juvenile woodcock to adult female birds from summer mist netting and night-lighting was 2.3 juvenile birds per adult female, indicating poor productivity this year.  Higher than normal precipitation and frequent rains during the peak of the hatch in May likely had a negative effect on chick survival.