During 1964, initial steps were taken to implement a summer banding pro- 

 gramme of woodcock. This study was aimed at complementing research already 

 being carried out by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service on this species. Staff 

 of southern Ontario districts were requested to find areas where the birds congre- 

 gated in July and August to feed on insects in dry open meadows. 



Most districts were successful in locating such areas but to date the only 

 banding that has taken place has been the 11 birds banded by the Tweed staff. 

 The usual equipment in capturing woodcock is a mist-net or a strong spotlight. 

 Tweed officers used the spotlight and dip-net approach in the capture of their 

 eleven birds. 



Ontario woodcock hunters were asked to provide woodcock wing specimens 

 for age and sex determination studies conducted by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife 

 Service. 



Sharptailed Grouse 



The five-year programme of transplanting sharptailed grouse captured in the 

 Fort Frances District to selected sites in the Lindsay District was set back when 

 difficulties arose in live-trapping the birds. Although the initial planting of forty 

 sharptails at Balsam Lake Park, (March 18, 1963), appeared to have been suc- 

 cessful, an additional plant would have been beneficial. 



Observations by Lindsay staff confirm that at least part of the initial stock 

 have survived and that probably some birds were successful in producing young. 

 Birds have been heard by local residents of the area and a few individual grouse 

 have been seen by the field staff. 



It is hoped that further transplants of the prairie sharptail in other locations in 

 southern Ontario will materialize. Staff at Fort Frances reported the sighting of 

 fifteen broods of prairie sharptailed grouse averaging 8.3 young per adult female. 

 Brood counts of northern sharptailed grouse by Geraldton staff revealed an average 

 of 7.4 young per adult female and by Cochrane staff an average of 6.0 juveniles per 

 adult female. 





Spruce Grouse 



This species is found mainly in that portion of the province north of the 

 French and Mattawa Rivers. Relatively few are taken by hunters who appear to 

 show a preference for ruffed grouse. Northern districts reported a fairly high popu- 

 lation of these birds but because they are not heavily hunted, records of their har- 

 vest are meagre. Gogama staff reported that hunters on foot saw thirteen and shot 

 ten spruce grouse per one hundred hours of hunting while those hunting by driving 

 saw 2.3 birds and shot 1.8 per one hundred miles of driving. Staff of four Forest 

 Districts observed several spruce grouse broods as follows: 



District Broods Seen Young Birds per Adult Female 



Geraldton 6 5.7 



Cochrane 6 4.5 



Fort Frances 8 6.7 



Gogama 4 3.5 





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