FreeLists / va-bird / [va-bird] Re: Silver Lake waterfowl

["Clair Mellinger" <mellinac@xxxxxxx>]

J. Cochrane wrote:

> It seeme to me Silver Lake used to offer a great variety of 
waterfowl 
> however in the past few years that seems to have declined.  Has 
anyone else 
> noticed this trend and if so are there  any ideas on the cause.  I 
know they 
> began stocking the lake a few years back which is one possible 
(probable) 
> connection.   

My response:
The lake has been stocked for as long as I have lived in this area 
(which is longer than I care to talk about but shorter than my entire 
life span).  However, several years ago (5-8?), DGIF changed the 
trout fishing season from April to Septemeber (?), to a year-round 
schedule.  That eliminated the opening day circus at Silver Lake 
and other similar locations but now there are at least a few 
fishermen around Silver Lake every day the year round.  I think that 
this has "scared off" some of the waterfowl that previously over-
wintered on the lake.  That is at least part of the answer, I think.  
However, I wonder if there might be more to it than that.  The flock 
of Ring-necked Ducks that used to be regulars on Silver Lake 
moved to Lake Campbell even before the fishing season was 
changed.  I wonder sometimes if something in the flora or fauna of 
the lake has been changing as well.

Clair Mellinger

Biology Department
Eastern Mennonite University
Harrisonburg VA  22802
(540) 432-4409  Fax: (540) 432-4488
mellinac@xxxxxxx
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