April (Highway l west to the Alberta border) 
before runoff was complete and conditions 
there appeared to be quite good. 
The big question mark was the extent to 
which ducks were available to utilize the 
improved water conditions in the western 
part of the Province. Preliminary obser¬ 
vations indicated that breeding populations 
were lower than those of 1964 in all areas 
and particularly in the Swift Current Study 
area. 
SOUTHERN SASKATCHEWAN 
Data supplied by Rossalius C. Hanson 
and Gerald Pospichal, Bureau of 
Sport Fisheries and Wildlife 
Weather and habitat conditions 
Water conditions looked good over most 
of the areas. The pond index was up over 
last year in all strata except A-East. A- 
East was exceptionally good last year and 
the decrease is not indicative of a poor 
condition; it only means a drop from the 
1964 figure. This stratum had a few dry 
spots which reduced the number of ponds. 
It is still considered in a fair to good con¬ 
dition. 
One noticeable feature of the water 
situation was the quality. Many of the 
ponds were only one-third to one-half full. 
This means a questionable existance past 
midsummer. However, during May there 
was normal to cooler temperatures with 
above average rainfall. If this continues 
the majority of the good ponds will hold up 
long enough for the broods to get on the 
wing. 
The reason for the good condition of 
the ponds was not particularly a great in¬ 
crease in moisture over winter, but a 
good run-off period in April. Snow was 
adequate and had been blown into many of 
the dry marshes and ponds. The last half 
of March was one of the coolest on record 
and April opened with normal tempera¬ 
tures. Above normal rains since early 
April added to the depth of the ponds. 
More sheet water and temporary moisture 
spots were noted this year than in the past 
4 years. The marshes looked better than 
they have since 1960. The pond index 
stands at 1, 637, 300. This is the best 
since 1960 and shows an increase of 38 
percent over last year and 17 percent 
above the long-term average, 1956-1964 
(table B-23). 
Habitat has suffered from the long 
drought period. Many of the pond areas 
with fair-to-good water conditions this 
year are devoid of adequate vegetative 
cover. Much of it was mowed for hay to 
eliminate weeds, many depressions were 
completely plowed up, and considerable 
fall burning was evident. Fortunately, 
some of the more permanent marshes 
have persisted with old emergent acquatics 
still in evidence. Over-water nesters had 
to find cover, but apparently they were 
there looking because more divers were 
noted than last year. The upland nesters 
were reported using stubble and even 
summer fallow in areas this year where 
they had not been seen for the past several 
years. This indicates the improvement 
in water in dispersing the birds and may 
indicate inadequate pond cover. Near the 
end of May new vegetation was rapidly 
catching up and cover was becoming 
available for renesters and late nesting 
species. Cover should not be a problem 
as the season progresses. 
Weather and temperatures were near 
normal during April and May except for 
May 26. This day proved to be a real bad 
one. Rain was general throughout the 
prairie areas and snow fell in stratums A 
and B-East. Along with high winds this 
snow formed drifts up to a foot deep in 
brush, ditches, and depressions. It was 
the worst in an area from the Quill Lakes 
east to the Manitoba line. Overnight 
temperatures on this date dropped to 23° 
in Prince Albert and near 30° in many 
prairie areas. What this did to nesting 
efforts is difficult to assess. It was not 
beneficial to birds laying or on the nest. 
Breeding population indexes 
Puddle ducks were down 14 percent 
from last year while divers increased 29 
13 
