WEST WINGS

No need to crane your necks to see waterfowl by the thousands in Flathead during northern migration

Waves of migrating waterfowl are pushing through the Flathead, making for some impressive sights, particularly in the lower valley area.

The spring rush has delivered swarms of ducks, geese and swans to sloughs, stubble fields and calm, shallow waters on the north end of Flathead Lake, prompting Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks to conduct counts during the past couple of weeks.

"It's unbelievable right now what's going on," said Jim Williams, regional wildlife manager. "This is one of nature's greatest spectacles that you can enjoy right here in the Flathead Valley from your vehicle."

Williams noted that waterfowl migration through the Flathead is typical every year, but pulses of birds migrating north during the past two weeks have been significant.

Some years, if snow and ice are persistent, the big migrations simply pass right over the Flathead in V-shaped squadrons.

The Flathead has long been conveniently situated along a major swath of the Pacific Flyway. The valley's water and fields are attractive as rest areas for migrations to nesting grounds well into Canada.

"They like that sheet water that develops on the stubble fields as the snow melts off," Williams said, referring to pintail and mallard ducks in particular.

Biologist Dwight Bergeron conducted an aerial survey from a helicopter on Tuesday, counting some 10,000 northern pintail ducks in the Flathead Lake's north-shore area. That was down from a ground count of 20,000 conducted in the same area last week.

The Tuesday count also came up with 7,500 Canada geese, 2,000 tundra swans, 3,300 mallards and more than 2,000 American widgeon. There were counts of less than 500 for other species including lesser scaup, greater scaup, bufflehead, redhead and canvasback ducks.

Counting swarming waterfowl over a broad area may seem impossible, but there is a method. It involves closely observing a segment of birds in a larger visible population and then extrapolating that count to the broader mass of birds.

"Church Slough is just loaded right now," mostly with tundra swan, Williams said, noting that the slough can be conveniently observed from Lower Valley Road.

Williams said it is this time of year in particular when it becomes obvious how important Flathead Valley farmlands are as waterfowl habitat.

"If you enjoy this type of thing, thank a farmer," Williams said. "We're lucky we still have that [agricultural] component on our landscape."

Williams expects the major migration pulse will last for another couple of weeks. "It all depends on the weather the wind patterns," he said.

Reporter Jim Mann may be reached at 758-4407 or by e-mail at jmann@dailyinterlake.com