At no time have there been any factors unfavorable to the habitat. Continued 
increases for the Canada goose, Atlantic brant, pintail, and ring-necked duck 
were evident, and the blue-winged teal was at least maintaining its status. 
According to Peters! personal observations, however, there was a small and 
unexplained decrease in the numbers of the black ducks. That this condition 
might be more seeming than real was largely verified by check observations 
later in the season. 
Nesting Conditions in the United States 
Ecological conditions for the nesting of waterfowl were most favorable 
throughout the great northern-plain breeding areas. Almost without excep- 
tion all sections received either normal or excessive rainfall, and food and 
cover plants showed an excellent response. The refilling of many fine ponds, 
Sloughs, and prairie pot-holes caused a greater dispersion of nesting birds 
than had been reported for any year in the last decade. It also reduced the 
concentrations from national wildlife refuge areas that had been recorded 
annually during drier years, particularly in the vicinity of the Upper Souris, 
Arrowwood, Des Lacs, Lacreek, and Waubay Refuges in North Dakota and South 
Dakota. Similar conditions existed in the region of the Great Basin, as at 
the Sheldon, Turnbull, Ruby Lake, Hart Mountain, Bear River, and Malheur 
Refuges. The production of birds from some of these refuges is indicated by 
the following estimates: Lower Souris, 175,000; Upper Souris, 65,000; Sand 
Lake, 100,000 to 150,000; Medicine Lake, 47,000; Long Lake, 6,000 (of 11 species) 
and Malheur, 75,000 ducks and 6,500 geese. It was estimated that more ducks 
nested in the vicinity of the Rice Lake Refuge, in Minn., than in the preceed- 
ing 3 years combined. 
Fall Migration 
By the first of October 1941, the precipitation in most of the Mississippi 
Valley and in States farther west was more than 100 percent or normal, and in 
many areas it could be considered only as excessive. Heavy rains continued 
intermittently over most of this country during October and November, while 
temperatures in general remained much above normal. Eastern States enjoyed 
the mild temperature-but in most of them it was accompanied by a deficiency in 
precipitation that bordered on drought. Except for a cold spell of short dura- 
tion, moderate weather persisted to the end of the year. 
By the middle of December there was only a light covering of snow on 
the northern Great Plains, but somewhat greater accumulations in the northern 
Rocky Mountain region and in the Appalachain system. Weekly weather reports 
of the last two weeks of December indicated the general conditions by such 
statements as "The weather of the week was remarkable for unseasonable warmth," 
and",,.unseasonable warmth continued from the northern Great Plains and central 
Mississippi Valley eastward..." 
The prevailing climatic conditions afforded waterfowl on their south- 
ward migration a great increase of feeding and resting habitat. Consequently, 
comparative figures from established stations were frequently misleading and 
were so recognized by the observers. For example, an actual decrease might 
be recorded at a given point of observation from the fact that the birds were 
spread out over much more territory than in 1940. 
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