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MONROE OUTDOORS by Terry W. Johnson
m
Reporter
August 17, 2022
Prolific females key to wood duck population
E arly on in my career as a
wildlife biologist, I real
ized that I was one of the
luckiest people on earth.
I was paid to spend my time
working outdoors
trying to solve the
riddles of nature.
I found this work
both exhilarating
and humbling. On
one hand, it was
satisfying to dis
cover something
that would bet
ter enable us to
enhance wildlife
populations. By
the same token, it is humbling to
find that your research disproves
a long-held belief. The recently
published results of a decade-long
research conducted by research
ers at the University of Georgias
Savannah River Ecology Labora
tory illustrate this.
The researchers were trying to
determine some of the factors that
might affect wood duck nesting
success and female survival. Prior
to the study, most wildlife biolo
TERRY W. JOHNSON
gists beheved female wood ducks
that raised at least one young in a
given year were less likely to do so
the following year. Another popu
lar theory was larger wood duck
hens are more likely to successfully
hatch and raise young the
next year than those that are
smaller.
When the data collected
by monitoring wood duck
nesting in 150 nest boxes
scattered across a diversity
of habitats on the Savannah
River Site were crunched the
researchers were surprised
to learn both theories were
debunked.
According to Gary
Hepp, a professor emeritus at
Auburn University who formerly
worked at the Savannah River
Ecology Lab, .. females that
nested successfully in a given year
were not less likely to nest success
fully the following year compared
to females that were unsuccessful
the previous year.”
In addition, the data revealed
that larger female wood ducks
are not more likely to successfully
hatch and raise young than there
smaller counterparts, nor are they
more likely to survive to breed
again the next year.
Interestingly, the researchers
found that age and the conditions
of wetland habitats on the Savan
nah River site had little impact on
the birds’ survival.
However, according to one of
the researchers, Robert Kennamer,
“The study results indicate there
are super females that contribute to
that populations survival and there
are various unidentified factors
that produce these birds.”
The researcher went on to say, “It
is important for us to determine
what defines or determines the
quality because these high-quality
females, or ‘super birds’ are gener
ally the most productive to these
populations.”
As is often the case, while the
results of a research project might
answer many questions, they also
pose many more new questions.
In this case, biologists face the
daunting task of finding out what
makes the super females so differ
ent from all other hens. If these
qualities can be identified, those
findings can be used to better
Research shows super female
wood ducks may be the key wood
duck populations. (Photo/Missouri
Department of Conservation.)
manage wood duck populations in
the future.
The wood duck is the most har
vested duck in Georgia and many
other states throughout eastern
North America. As such, it is easy
to forget that during the first half
of the 20th century the wood duck
literally teetered on the brink of
extinction. However, due to the
tireless efforts of federal and state
provincial wildlife agencies, private
conservation groups such as
Ducks Unlimited, and thousands
of conservation-minded men and
women, wood duck restoration
effort is now recognized as one of
the most successful conservation
initiatives of all time.
Since thousands of acres of wood
duck habitat are being destroyed
or altered each year, there is an
increasing need to enhance the
management of both wood duck
populations and what habitat
remains. I am optimistic that the
research conducted by the men
and women at the Savannah River
Ecology Lab, and others will pro
vide us with the knowledge to keep
wood duck populations healthy.
As for me, even though I am no
longer actively involved in wood
duck research and management,
I will continue to do all I can to
help heighten the awareness of
the plight of the wood duck. I will
also continue seeking the answers
to a multitude of riddles swirling
around birds, butterflies and other
wonders of nature.
Terry Johnson is retired Program
Manager of the Georgia Nongame-
Endangered Wildlife Program. He
has written the informative column
Monroe Outdoors for the Re
porter for many years. His book, “A
Journey to Discovery’ is available at
The Reporter. Email him at tjwood-
duck@bellsouth. net.
Stolen car, credit cards found in High Falls
By Steve Reece
stevereece ! ~g mail, com
A 2016 Kia Soul reported
stolen out of At
lanta was recov
ered on Aug. 9 by
Monroe County
deputies at the Su
noco Gas Station
on 4988 High Falls
Road. According
to the incident
report released by
the sheriffs office,
deputies Cody
Maples and Mat
thew Sammons
were dispatched to the station
and found Leroy Deshan
Mosely, 32, of Bradenton
standing between the Kia and
the gas pumps with
the door open on
the vehicle. When
Mosely saw the
deputies, he quickly
got inside the car and
closed the door. The
deputies had been
advised by dispatch
that there was a fire
arm inside the car, so
they withdrew their
weapons and ordered
Mosely to stop and
exit the vehicle. After several
minutes, Mosely finally let the
driver side window down but
remained in the car.
Maples commanded Mosley
to show his hands and when
he finally complied the depu
ties approached the Kia and
removed him. There was a
Taurus 9mm handgun lying
in the passenger seat and it
appeared that Mosley had
been trying to conceal it
inside a camera bag. He was
then removed, cuffed, and
searched.
A “Michael Kors” handbag
and a black tri fold wallet
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containing stolen Georgia
ID cards, several credit/debit
cards, and a stolen social se
curity card were found in the
vehicle.
Mosely told deputies he
traded a bag of dope for the
Kia Soul with an unknown
man on “Blue Highway” in
Buckhead. He stated that the
cards in his possession be
longed to his cousin and that
he obtained the belongings
from the same unknown man
in Buckhead. He said the gun
was in the car when he took it.
A witness at the gas station,
Clyde Gold, told deputies that
Mosely had approached him
at the gas pump trying to sell
him the pistol. He said Mosley
told him he was headed to
Florida and wanted to sell the
gun because he was a con
victed felon and didn’t want
to get caught with it. Mosely
was then taken to the Monroe
County Sheriff’s Office and
turned over to jail staff.
Maples spoke with the
vehicle’s owner who said that
his vehicle was stolen from
his employee in Buckhead.
He said he has GPS on all his
company vehicles, was able
to track the Kia and called
the Georgia State Patrol who
notified Monroe County of
the car’s location. Maples
talked with an employee of
the company who told him
that he was at a leasing office
in Buckhead to service the
business for pest control and
when he came out of the
business the company vehicle
was gone. He said his gun was
inside of the vehicle when it
was taken. Maples also spoke
with the owner of the white
Michael Kors handbag found
in the car who said she had all
her personal belongings stolen
on Aug. 6 and reported the
theft to the Dekalb County
Sheriff’s Office.
Warrants have been
obtained for Mosley for
receiving stolen property,
possession of a firearm by a
convicted felon, identity fraud
and several counts of credit
card theft.
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