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DECEMBER 3 & 4, 2011
During the first weekend of November of 1983, Blair Nikula and
members of the Cape Cod Bird Club initiated a census of the lakes
and ponds on Cape Cod. Participants were instructed to identify and
count all the water-fowl (loons, grebes, geese, ducks, and coot)
present on each pond.
Covering 202 ponds, participants tallied 3,957 individuals of 22
species of waterfowl. The census continued the following year but
was moved to the first weekend in December. Many ducks and geese do
not arrive on Cape Cod until inland bodies of water freeze and the
later date would more closely coincide with peak water-fowl numbers
locally. Covering 213 ponds 23 species of water-fowl were counted
with 8,950 individuals being recorded.
Now in its 29 th year
the Cape Cod Waterfowl Census is an excellent example of one way in
which birders, regardless of their expertise, can gather useful data
and make a meaningful contribution to our knowledge of the
Massachusetts avifauna. Waterfowl are relatively conspicuous,
generally easy to identify, and thus readily censused with only a
modest effort.
If you would like to participate please contact Blair Nikula at
508-432-6348
odenews@odenews.org
Blair has posted the results of past Cape Cod
Waterfowl Surveys conducted by the Cape Cod Bird Club during the first
weekend of December on the Cape Cod Birds web site at:
http://www.capecodbirds.org/waterfowl.htm
From this page you can download summaries (pdf files) of every survey
since 1995.
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