Stewart & Tweets,

Going through my records indicates that the ratio varies depending upon the
body of water and the year. Some years it is higher, some much lower.
That being said, the average for Migraine Lake appears to be around 120
(give or take a few points) to 1 American to Eurasian. The overall county
looks nearer to 200 to 1. This is not totally accurate as I often do not
count all the Americans observed so this data is somewhat tainted. Perhaps a
census counter out there has more accurate numbers.
I think that it is normal in the interior for these ratios to be higher.
The further away from the coast that you go the fewer Eurasians are found.
A good example is Northern Idaho where there are large numbers of American
Wigeon in certain locations (sometimes numbering in the tens of thousands),
but very few Eurasians are found. Round Lake in Kootenai county and the Pend
Oreille River between Sandpoint and the Washington border are good examples
of this. Perhaps someone in Idaho could elaborate on the ratios there.

Doug Schonewald
Moses Lake, WA
dschone8 at donobi.net