Drying Fast in Bismarck
This is a large (12 acres) seasonal wetland. Last year it was dry all summer – farmed through and planted. This year it started with 8 inches of water at thaw.
Then in mid-April an 11-inch snow added a few more inches of water and it was very attractive to dabblers. But ND is a windy place (note the Delta flags in photo below – typical look), which dries ponds quickly.
May 6th was the last day this pond had water. One drake mallard (zoomed bottom left) spent his last day waiting for his hen to take an incubation break (bottom left zoomed photo).
When seasonals and temporary ponds hold water into summer the prairies really hold ducks. This year is better than last, but not great.
-Frank