Ducks, Geese, & Birds - Wildlife Management Pro

All About White-winged Doves

White-winged doves get their name from the white wing bars along their wings, which are easily visible while the doves are in flight. No other dove species in the United States possesses this unique trait. Adult white-winged doves are physically stunning. Adult doves have blue eye-rings that develop during their first 5 months. Adult plumage consists of brownish feathers while juveniles are typically gray-brown. There are about 12 subspecies of the white-winged dove, of which four breed in the southern United States.

The western white-winged dove and the eastern white-winged dove are two subspecies that have been studied the most in Texas. The eastern whitewinged dove is the most common subspecies found in South Texas. Both of these subspecies have “invaded” further north into Texas in recent years, moving north out of Mexico and the Rio Grande valley. The eastern white-winged dove’s population status within its historical range of the Lower Rio Grande Valley (LRGV) of Texas has been transformed over the past century from an over abundant rural species to one of lower numbers because of habitat loss. Continue reading All About White-winged Doves

Ducks Unlimited Donations Help Texas Wetlands, WMA

DU helps Texas wetlands and the Murphree WMA

Ducks Unlimited announced last week it was awarded a federal North American Wetlands Conservation Act grant to enhance more than 5,728 acres of wetland habitat in Chambers and Jefferson counties along the Texas coast. Partners contributed more than $2 million to match the $1 million received from the federal grant. The project will restore high priority wintering habitat for ducks, geese, and other migratory birds within the Chenier Plain of Texas, including at TPWD sites such as the J.D. Murphree Wildlife Management Area. The project will replace degraded culverts and pipes with modern water control structures, improve existing levees, and construct new levees to provide efficiently managed wetland habitat.

“This partnership project will enhance management capabilities on approximately 1,100 acres of freshwater coastal marsh habitat,” said Jim Sutherlin, area manager at Murphree WMA for TPWD. “The aging water management infrastructure is in need of upgrades to enhance wetland habitat for wildlife and especially migratory waterfowl.”

The NAWCA grant project is made possible with financial support from partners BP America, Suemaur Exploration and Production, LLC, and Jefferson County Drainage District #6.

Bald Eagle Spotted in Boerne, Texas

An immature bald eagle was spotted near Boerne, Texas

There is some big news from Boerne Birders! They recently saw an immature bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) last Saturday at Boerne Lake. As far as they can tell, this is a first for Boerne Lake and southern Kendall County. Several birders got a good look at the bird as it flew across the Lake. Delmar Cain first spotted an unusually large bird over the water and Tom Inglet got an especially good view through his spotting scope. Jerry McFarlen thinks it is most likely a second-year bird because there was some white on its back near the head and no light color on the head.

There is a lot of speculation with regard to what the bald eagle is going to do next. Will this bird find Boerne Lake to be a good source of winter food and stay around for a while? Will it be the beginning of more bald eagles wintering here? Might it eventually mate and nest in beautiful Boerne? By the way, bald eagles usually pair bond in their 4th year and then breed and nest for the first time in their 5th year.

Bald eagles are about 29 to 42 inches long, can weigh 7 to 15 pounds, and have a wingspan of 6 to 8 feet. They have a life span of up to 40 years in the wild. Bald eagles are in a group of birds known as fish-eagles and they are thought to be more closely related to kites than to the golden eagle. When it comes to eating, bald eagles are opportunists that catch and eat surface fish but also rabbits, turtles, coots, and carrion. To survive, they must live near permanent water. Continue reading Bald Eagle Spotted in Boerne, Texas

Texas Duck Season Looks Fair

Waterfowl hunting reports have rolled in from Texas’s High Plains Mallard Management Unit and it seems goose hunting has been very good, especially with colder temperatures. However, limits of Canada geese have been taken over corn and wheat. Snow geese have been cooperating over salt and pepper spreads. Goose season runs through February 8. Duck numbers continue to improve with each passing front. Freezing and iced waters to the north have pushed many more mallards to the High Plains: however, few duck hunters have taken advantage of plentiful ducks on playa lakes. Good ducks hunts have been had around Knox City for mallards, wigeons, gadwalls, and other puddle ducks. Duck season ends on January 25 and it with the cold weather ahead it looks good from here on out!

Mallard numbers have improved on area lakes and reservoirs in the North Zone. Freezing temperatures and frozen ponds in the northern states have prompted ducks to move south across the Red River. Hunters working backwater sloughs and timber ponds have scored limits of mallards. Lake and reservoir hunters have had to find secluded potholes to bag their birds. Continue reading Texas Duck Season Looks Fair

Texas Duck Hunting Report

The High Plains Mallard Management Unit is reporting reat goose hunts near Dumas. Excellent decoying action has been had over corn and plowed ground. Many outfitters say they are getting their limit of dark geese with equal numbers of snow geese. Lots of young snows have helped decoying action. Duck action has been steady on playa lakes, but few hunters have taken advantage. Those who have hunted have taken limits of mallards. Teal, wigeons, gadwall and a few wood ducks have been taken as well. Haskell County hunters have seen the same results. Pheasant hunters continue to bag their birds. Prospects are good according to the latest duck hunting reports from the area.

Lots of holiday hunters kept birds moving on lakes and reservoirs in the North Zone Duck region. Recent rains have helped fill sloughs and backwaters where acorns and other forage were plentiful. Timber hunters say wood ducks are steady in the morning and afternoon. More mallards have been taken in the past two weeks around the Red River. Lake Wright-Patman has been good for gadwalls, teal and mallards. Lake Palestine has been steady for gadwalls, teal and a few mallards. Sam Rayburn has yielded limits for most puddle ducks and wood ducks for hunters able to hunt lay-out blinds in coves. Toledo Bend, Caddo Lake , Lake O’the Pines and Lake Fork have plenty of ringed-necks, scaup and canvasbacks. A few mallards have been taken in isolated pockets of water. Hunting along IH-10 has been fair to good around Winnie and Anahuac . Wood ducks have been taken in small timber ponds. Gadwalls and green-winged teal have been harvested near Nome . Prospects are fair to good. Continue reading Texas Duck Hunting Report

Texas Dove Hunting Reports Sound Promising

Mourning Dove

Dove season has kicked off in Texas and reports, like the doves, have been scattered between fair and exceptional. Find out more about Texas’ north, central, and south zone dove hunting reports below:

North Zone Dove: Best hunts have been had over plowed sunflowers and cut milo fields. Hunts near Amarillo and counties north have taken good numbers of dove over watering holes in the afternoon. The region received enough rains in August to fill some dry playas. Areas north of Abilene have been solid over row crops and water in the afternoon. Fields north of Fort Worth have seen scattered birds since the opener. A few new birds arrived with the north winds last week. Lamar County saw better shoots in soy beans. Prospects are fair to good.

Central Zone Dove: The northern region of the zone is still holding huntable numbers of mourners. The front last week deposited new birds to the area. Harrison, Gregg and Marion county fields have seen best shoots around water in the afternoon. Comanche County and Brown County fields of sunflowers have been best in the afternoon around water. Best flights of whitewings remain in the San Antonio corridor around Castroville and Hondo. Uvalde hunts have been steady as well. Outfitters have reported better flights in the afternoon. Doves are scattered along the southern end of the zone. Good hunts have been posted near Dayton, Liberty, China and Devers, but since the opener, dove hunting has been fair to good. Outfitters said they lost most of their birds with the rains in late August. Prospects are fair to good.

Special White-Winged Dove Area: Last weekend saw good shoots in corn, milo, sunflowers and plowed fields. Those able to hunt water saw great afternoon shoots. Saturday and Sunday are the last days of the special season. As a reminder: afternoon-only hunting is permitted. Rains and winds associated with Hurricane Ike could put a damper on the flight, especially if South Texas receives a direct hit.

Bluebird Boxes Made of Wood Are Best

Baby Bluebirds

Managed nest-box programs can significantly increase local populations of Eastern Bluebirds and other cavity-nesting species. Poorly designed boxes, however, may become population sinks rather than source centers. Internal box temperature is an important determinant of box success. Bluebird eggs and nestlings, for example, cannot survive temperatures exceeding 107′ F (41′ C).

Several researchers have investigated construction materials and nest box temperatures. Lawrence Zeleny in 1968 and Robert M. Patterson in 1980 studied wood, metal, and plastic bluebird boxes. Wood Duck boxes also have been studied. J. A. L. Mertens in 1977 developed a model predicting box temperature for any material and ambient temperature, but its complexity discourages amateur use.

The goal of this project was to examine the effects of construction material on nest box temperature and to develop a graphed model of the relationship.