Check out the outdoor section of the Jamestownsun.com for an article about nesting duck numbers in North Dakota.

Basically dabbling ducks, the ones that tip themselves over and root around for things to eat with their rumps in the air, are up.

Diving ducks, the ones that go completely underwater in search of things to munch on, are mostly down.

Blue Winged Teal are dabbling ducks

Game and fish biologist credit it to the migration patterns of the various species. It seems that more of the dabbling duck species are opportunistic in their nesting habits and will settle wherever the see a lot of good water.

Many of the diving duck species seem to be more driven to follow the migration pattern through no matter how good the nesting habitat is that they fly over.

I guess if you spend a lot of time out in the wetlands of the prairie pothole region this year you will see a lot of duck butts.