On my visit to Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area this morning, it was clear that the summer residents, including great egrets and green herons, had departed for the south. While flocks of double-crested cormorants and American white pelicans still graced the refuge, the number and variety of waterfowl were well below average for late October; small scattered flocks of mallards, blue-winged teal, American coot and pied-billed grebes were the only representatives.
Unlike songbirds, which migrate in response to the sunlight cycle, the migration of waterfowl varies from year to year, depending upon the availability of food and open water; indeed, as our climate continues to warm, some species may limit their southward migration while others may stop migrating altogether. Though waterfowl migrations usually peak in November here in central Missouri, the schedule seems to be shifting; in years past, the ponds, sloughs and lakes of Eagle Bluffs, located on the Missouri River floodplain, would teem with ducks by this time of year.
Of course, some variation occurs from year to year due to changing weather patterns which are distinct from climate change. Nevertheless, a pattern seems to be developing and the combination of warmer winters and agricultural handouts might keep some species from ever reaching the Gulf Coastal Plain. For now, those of us who visit Eagle Bluffs in late October must be satisfied with watching the great blue herons, raptors, killdeer and other permanent residents of this fabulous riverine refuge.
