Reports from the Snake River Refuge, in Idaho, indicated that 300 

 pairs of Canada geese nested on the island in 1939 as compared with 75 

 pairs in 1938, 



The Bombay Hook Refuge, in Delaware, showed increased breeding by- 

 such species as the blue-twinged teal, black duck, and showier. The 

 shoveler was first found nesting there in 1938, when 18 pairs were counted* 

 In 1939, 31 broods of shovelers were reared to maturity. 



It was estimated that approximately 126,000 waterfowl were produced 

 on the Mud Lake Refuge, in Minnesota. Of these, the "blue-winged teals 

 were most abundant, with Amerioan ooots, mallards, shovelers, baldpates, 

 gadwalls, and pintails following, in the order named* 



The 1939 nesting season at the Malheur Refuge, in Oregon, was gen- 

 erally more favorable than in the last few years. Hatching success for 

 both ducks and geese there was remarkably high. Increases were noted in 

 the average number of eggs per nest, in the percentage of eggs hatching, 

 and in the size of broods raised to maturity. The number of waterfowl 

 using the refuge during migrations showed a marked increase. 



Nesting studies on the Medicine Lake Refuge, in Montana, showed an 

 increase of 100 percent in breeding waterfowl over the number for 1938. 

 This was undoubtedly due to improved water conditions. 



From the cooperative research station in Iowa, where the redhead was 

 the subject of an intensive study, came the report that brood counts for 

 the 1939 season showed that, on the average, approximately seven in each 

 brood attained maturity. On the Ruthven area this number was exceeded 

 only by the mallard and the blue^winged teal. 



Throughout the United States as a whole, conditions for increased 

 production of waterfowl were generally improved. Shortage of water in 

 most of the Great Plains area had a limiting effect locally, but improved 

 conditions elsewhere more than offset that drawbaok. 



Fall Migration 



The fall migration proved interesting because of a delayed movement 

 of the birds, traceable directly to the exceptional climatic conditions 

 then prevailing over most of the continent. The advent of storms and 

 freezing temperatures was delayed until the season was well advanced, 

 with the result that ducks and geese were able to linger farther north 

 than usual. Finally, however, with a quick closing in of winter condi- 

 tions, there was a rapid movement of the flocks to winter quarters. This 

 fact must be kept in mind in evaluating reports of the migration. In some 

 parts of the country the birds passed through so rapidly that they were 

 all but unobserved, particularly in regions of water shortage. For ex- 

 ample, in Missouri and Oklahoma sportsmen were almost unanimous in report- 

 ing a disappointing hunting season, some believing that the birds had gone 

 south by other routes or had suffered a serious catastrophe. 



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