Now that duck hunting season is over, Eagle Bluffs Conservation Area, on the Missouri River floodplain, is open to birders from dawn to dusk (though the southern half of the refuge remains closed to provide undisturbed habitat for wintering waterfowl.) On this sunny but chilly morning, some recovery was apparent.
While about 40% of the surface water was frozen, wintering mallards have spread further into the recent hunting zone, joined by small numbers of northern shovelers and gadwall. A sizable flock of Canada geese was moving about the floodplain, feeding in the corn stubble or resting on open pools. Raptors were also a bit more active, represented by a several red-tailed hawks and a lone bald eagle.
Yet, overall avian activity has yet to recover from the influx of hunters and their vehicles. Though they were not targets themselves, many species were likely disturbed by the human swarm and may be slow to return to their previous haunts. "Wildlife refuge" is often a seasonal designation.
