Paul's theory on the ducks' movements makes sense, as does the 
likelihood that black-bellied whistling-ducks might start showing up 
in the first place (versus, say, fulvous whistling-ducks). I remember 
the hurricane-forced fulvous whistling-ducks that showed up at 
Blackwater NWR back in the late 1980s (?). These days, black-bellieds 
seem to be doing far better, at least in Florida. I saw a surprising 
80-100 last year during a visit to southern Louisiana, where I'd not 
expected to see any. They are also one of the more adaptable birds in 
the tropics, nesting in boxes, for example, in densely populated El Salvador.

Howard Youth

Bethesda, MD