Two P.E.I. hunting groups have banded together to help protect the province’s waterfowl.
Members of both the Delta Waterfowl P.E.I. Chapter and the Women Shooters of P.E.I. teamed up Saturday for an exercise in capturing, identifying and then releasing wild ducks.
“Banding waterfowl is our way to give back to the species,” said Kevin Arsenault of Delta Waterfowl.
During Saturday’s exercise, one flock of waterfowl swooped over a cage that contained four captured birds before settling onto a snowy bank across from the frozen Wellington River to cautiously watch the group.
This was the second time the Women Shooters of P.E.I. have teamed up with Delta Waterfowl to band wild waterfowl.
The program involves recording the gender and age of captured ducks, then placing an aluminum band onto the bird’s leg.
“Hunters and trappers are frontline conservationists,” said Arsenault. “We help on a number of fronts with biologists and wildlife managers to determine information about diseases, populations, and trends (of mallards) through this banding program.”
Arsenault was careful while identifying birds. He would gently stretch back a bird’s wing to identify its age through the shape and colour of feathers.
“This one is in its second year. It’s a pure black female duck,” he said while holding a duck on Saturday.
Kate MacQuarrie, chairwoman of the Women Shooters of P.E.I., was on hand to record the information along with an ID code on the band.
“When hunters harvest the duck, they report the code and that gives crucial information to the biologist to determine the status and population of the species,” said Arsenault, who was able to quickly and carefully handle the duck to reduce stress and prevent injury.
The work is part of a long-term effort by the Canadian Wildlife Service to mark and track migratory birds.
Arsenault then gently but securely held the duck’s wing against its body. “Who’s ready to release a bird?” he questioned the group.
Chairman of Delta Waterfowl P.E.I. Chapter Eric Paynter took the precious cargo and with a quick and subtle lift released the bird back into the sky.
The duck jumped from his hands and flapped into the distance, quacking as it went.
“Hunters are not just out there shooting birds but are also out there giving back to the science part of wildlife management,” said Paynter.
