In response to a few inquiries about the duck trap, this  is what I
understand.......
in the Wheeler Salt marsh is a  type of floating cage  filled with cracked
corn, overseen by the DEP.  They are trapping American  Black ducks for a
survey to monitor their population (which is dropping).  So the Black ducks
go into the trap to get the cracked corn, and remain there  til the next day
when interns return to the trap and remove the ducks.  The  interns then
band them, draw blood and record the data about the individual  ducks.
Occasionally ducks die in the trap and I don't know why.  Apparently there
are other duck traps around the state.  it's just that  from the windows of
the Audubon building I can see this trap, so I report the  findings about
the marsh. From what I understand , an  accidental fatality of a duck is
accepted for the common good  of the species (not a quote).
Beverly Propen, Orange

Hi all,
These same type of DEP duck traps have been placed around Stratford for several years - Access Road pool, Duck Pond on Rt 110, etc.
I spoke with one of the biologists this summer.  He said they were trapping ducks for several studies:  to check lead levels in blood, to check for Avian Flu, and  for population/distribution research (they have been radio tagging some black ducks as well to learn of their movements).

Frank Mantlik

From: "katz1449@aol.com" katz1449@aol.com
To: ctbirds@lists.ctbirding.org
Sent: Thu, December 17, 2009 9:20:55 AM
Subject: [CT Birds] In response to Duck trap question

In response to a few inquiries about the duck trap, this  is what I
understand.......
in the Wheeler Salt marsh is a  type of floating cage  filled with cracked
corn, overseen by the DEP.  They are trapping American  Black ducks for a
survey to monitor their population (which is dropping).  So the Black ducks
go into the trap to get the cracked corn, and remain there  til the next day
when interns return to the trap and remove the ducks.  The  interns then
band them, draw blood and record the data about the individual  ducks.
Occasionally ducks die in the trap and I don't know why.  Apparently there
are other duck traps around the state.  it's just that  from the windows of
the Audubon building I can see this trap, so I report the  findings about
the marsh. From what I understand , an  accidental fatality of a duck is
accepted for the common good  of the species (not a quote).
Beverly Propen, Orange

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