Migration Alert: Hunters Reporting Strong Sea Duck Numbers Along North Atlantic Coast

Sea ducks are among the toughest birds in the Atlantic Flyway. Unlike dabbling ducks that haunt quiet backwaters and tidal ponds, sea ducks frequent the rocky coastlines, rugged shores, and turbulent offshore waters. Despite their ability to withstand harsh conditions and difficult weather, sea ducks have suffered declines in recent decades, with some populations falling by 30 percent. Nevertheless, plenty of opportunities remain to pursue these hardy birds based on observations by sea duck hunters along the North Atlantic Coast. 

Fishing the 30-foot depths off Long Island’s South Shore, I’ve seen more scoters that I have in many years. My observations have been echoed by other sea duck hunters along the flyway.

Rod Meritt of Eider Pro Outfitters, captain of what may be the world’s largest duck boat and an Old Town pro-staffer, hunts 100 miles of Maine shoreline from the Canadian border south. He’s been seeing good numbers of scoters, eiders, and longtails, resulting in excellent mixed bags for his clients. “The hunting might not be as good as it ever was, but it’s as good as it’s been in recent years,” Meritt says. He also notes that he has seen above-average numbers of black ducks on coastal waters, and the “big push” of the birds has yet to arrive from Canada. 

Further south, Capt. Randy Drago of Codfather Charters has seen encouraging numbers of sea ducks heading into the Massachusetts Coastal Zone opener on November 28. While tuna fishing, he has seen plenty of eiders and white-winged scoters. “Last year, there were more juvenile eiders than I’ve seen in a long time, so I am hopeful to see a rebound in numbers this season,” Drago says.

In the waters around Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts, Capt. Dan LaPointe of Ducks on the Bay Guide Service has also seen plenty of black, white-winged, and surf scoters. Eiders are also numerous along the shorelines, where the birds gorge on local shellfish. Longtails are also arriving along with impressive numbers of brant.

Moving south to Rhode Island and Connecticut, Capt. Jarad Luchka of Big Game Waterfowl reports that eiders are present in good numbers and brant showed up a bit early, which made for some great youth hunts. Longtails are also numerous in his area.

The trend continues across Long Island’s South Shore, where third-generation waterfowler Lawrence Seaman III has been seeing “excellent numbers of black and white-winged scoters, which looks to be a good indication that their numbers are up this year.” He hasn’t seen many longtails or eiders yet, but he expects upcoming weather to push more birds down. “Brant numbers definitely appear to be up as well, with plenty of birds already on western Long Island bays.”