SOUTH SHORE WATERFOWLERS VOLUNTEER POND SURVEY PROJECT
January 2025
Proposed by Craig Kessler, SSWA member
Long Island Wildfowl Heritage Group, Pres.
Background
The true waterfowler will find himself/herself continually pursuing some aspect of the waterfowl world because of their sheer interest in always wanting to know and understand more about this sport which we so cherish. Most of you know or have heard of the exploits of my good friend, Steve Sanford. What some of you younger newcomers may not realize is that Steve was the NYSDEC Waterfowl Biologist for Region One here on LI. This goes back to the “last century”, i.e. the 1980’s and hereabouts.
At that time and for many decades the USFWS would conduct the annual mid-winter arial survey, which included the length of the south shore of Long Island. However, federal aviation limitations prohibited flying low enough over the mainland to count ducks which were frequenting the numerous freshwater bodies inland along the south shore(and north shore for that matter.) Because of the pattern of human civilization and development on LI the countless freshwater streams running from Long Islands glacial moraine were often dammed to harness waterpower for either grain or saw mills. This resulted in the creation of the many “ponds” along Montauk and Sunrise Highways, whose existence we basically take for granted on developed Long Island. Any waterfowler, “worth his salt” knows how important those man made waterbodies are to our waterfowl’s habits. They provide three key ingredients---fresh water to drink, sanctuary where they could not be hunted, and to a lesser extent “sweet water” plants and invertebrates. Back in the day, these ponds held a tremendous number of ducks, and it was a rewarding experience just to “check” the ponds daily during the season. So, in 1982, Steve Sanford, our NYSDEC biologist, set out to show the USFWS what they were missing. A survey of approximately 75 waterbodies on both South and North Shores reflected that over 10,000 waterfowl of 20 different species were to be found there during the first week of January. This was almost the equivalent of what the USFWS was reporting on the open bays.
PROPOSED PROJECT
In the interest of comparing the current status of waterfowl on Long Island to that of the 1980’s, I am proposing that we launch a VOLUNTEER effort to survey waterfowl in these same fresh water ponds during the early part of January 2025. It will be interesting to compare total numbers as well as species composition, which I suspect will reveal some differences. The Board of SSWA has expressed preliminary willingness to undertake such an effort. As a first step I have attached the list of sites to be surveyed, which replicates those surveyed in January 1982. As a volunteer observer, if there are certain locations you would like to survey, please indicate such on the attached. Further instructions will be provided prior to January. We will wait until after the January 6 SSWA meeting to begin the survey. Once we have compiled all data sheets, I will report on the findings at a SSWA meeting after January 2025. If there are gaps in the coverage and you are so inclined to drive to other areas, that will be an option to discuss after refining at the January meeting. And feel free to recruit other volunteer waterfowlers who may not be active SSWA members.
If you would like to sign up and volunteer for a pond, please fill out the requested information including your pond of choice. If that pond is already chosen we can provide you with another option. Choices are:
Woodmere Basin
Sage Pond, Lawrence
Sutton Pond, Lawrence
Mott Creek, Woodmere
Grant Park, Hewlett
Macy's Canal, Hewlett
Willow Pond, Hewlett
Seawane Golf Course
Bay Park
Lister Park, Rockville Ctr,
Smith Lake, Rockville Ctr.
Hempstead Lk St. Park
Silver lake, Baldwin
Mill River, Oceanside
Lofts Pond, Baldwin
Carmens Pond, Merrick
Merokee lake, Bellmore
Mill Pond Park, Bellmore
Mill Pond Park-upstream
Tackapausha, Seaford
Massapequa Lake
Peterkin Park, Amityville
Route 110, Amityville
Greenwood Lake, Amityville
Avon Lake, Amityville
Little Avon Lake, Amithville
Majorie Post Park
Caroons Lake
Belmont Lake, N. Babylon
Elba Lake, N. Babylon
Argyle Lake, Babylon
Southard's Pond, Babylon
Willets Pond, Babylon
Hawleys Pond, Babylon
Boyds Pond, Babylon
Hemlock Lake, Bayshore
Brightwaters Ponds
True's Creek Pond, Bayshore
Pardees Pond, Islip
Awixa Pond, Islip
Champlin Creek, East Islip
Connetquot St. Pk, Oakdale
San Souci Lakes, Sayville
Mill Pond, Sayville
Lotus Lake, Sayville
Robinson Pond, E. Patchogue
Little Seatuck Creek, Eastport
Long Island Club, Eastport
Kahler's Pond, E. Moriches
Quantuck Creek
Quogue Wildlife Refuge
Once you have signed up and been assigned a pond you will be provided with a worksheet that you can record the species of waterfowl that are present on the day of the survey.
If you have any questions please feel free to contract Craig Kessler at 516-639-8480 or by email.