Birds of the Lower Ohio River Valley in West Virginia

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SEA DUCKS

Common Goldeneye  Bucephala clangula

WINTER:  Casual Visitant.  Occasional Uncommon Resident.  See Remarks section for CBC data, Mid-Winter Aerial Survey data and high counts.

SUMMER:  NO RECORDS.

MIGRATION:

 Spring:  Fairly Common to Common Migrant from mid-February to late March.  Late dates, 19 April 1952 (Edeburn et al. 1960); one on 05 April 1970 at McClintic WMA (HS); two on 30 March 1969 at the Ohio River, Cabell Co, WV (!) and McClintic WMA (1) (WA, HS); three on 30 March 1970 at McClintic WMA (2) and Kyger Creek Power Plant (HS).   See Remarks section for high counts.

 Fall:  Casual Migrant in November.  Uncommon Migrant from early December to late December.  Early dates, 01 November 1951 (Edeburn et al. 1960); 04 November 1965 (WA); one on 09 November 1991 at Kyger Creek Power Plant.  See Remarks section for high counts.

MIGRATION:

Winter High Counts:  56 on 17 February 2007 at Byrd Locks & Dam (WA, DP); 40 on 08 January 1986 (DNR personnel) along the Ohio River between Huntington and Lakin, Mason Co, WV (Smith 1996); 38 on 28 December 1969 and 27 February 1972 at Kyger Creek Power Plant (HS); 35 on 18 December 1992 in Mason Co., WV (WA, MG)

Spring High Counts:  75 on 01 March 1970 at Kyger Creek Power Plant (WA, HS); 47 on 02 March 1969 at Kyger Creek Power Plant (30) and McClintic WMA (17) (WA, HS); 46 on 06 March 1971 at Kyger Creek Power Plant and McClintic WMA (HS); 23 on 27 March 1971 at Kyger Creek Power Plant (20) and McClintic WMA (3).

Fall High Counts:  6 on 21 November 1971 at Kyger Creek Power Plant (HS); 5 on 16 November 1969 at Kyger Creek Power Plant (HS).

Banding Data:  1 (<1% of total Anatidae) was banded at McClintic WMA from 1953 to 1964.  There was no recovery (Donnelly 1967).

CHRISTMAS BIRD COUNT DATA

Huntington, WV (1940 to 2001):        Recorded on 16% of Counts.  Total Birds:    70.  Range: 1 to 35.
Mason County, WV (1953 to 1976):  Recorded on 78% of Counts.  Total Birds:  177.  Range: 1 to 38.
Ona, WV (1962 to 2001):                  Recorded on 30% of Counts.  Total Birds:    38.  Range: 1 to 12.

Huntington, WV (1940 to 2001):        Total Counts: 61.  Birds/Party Hr.: <1.0.  Party Hr./Bird: 43.1
Mason County, WV (1953 to 1976):  Total Counts: 18.  Birds/Party Hr.: <1.0.  Party Hr./Bird:   2.0.
Ona, WV (1962 to 2001):                  Total Counts: 40.  Birds/Party Hr.: <1.0.  Party Hr./Bird: 47.8.

MID-WINTER AERIAL SURVEY DATA (WVDNR)
OHIO RIVER, POINT PLEASANT TO HUNTINGTON, WV

Recorded (Goldeneye sps.) on 4 surveys from 1989 to 2005:  13 January 1989:  1.  03 January 1990:  2.  05 January 2004:  4.
                                                                                               03 January 2005:  1.