what had started out to be a dry season. 
It appears that sufficient water is avail¬ 
able for nesting and brood rearing in all 
areas of the State except the San Luis Val¬ 
ley. 
Breeding population indexes 
The 1964 counts were up 17. 2 percent 
from 1963, and 98.4 percent above the 
1954-1963 average. 
In an attempt to refine the sampling 
technique in the San Luis Valley, aerial 
transect coverage was doubled and air- 
ground comparison transects were estab¬ 
lished. This permitted a better estimate 
of the total breeding population and a con¬ 
siderably improved estimate of species 
composition (table B-42). 
Species composition was about the 
same as those of past years. Pintail, 
widgeon, shoveler, and redhead were up 
somewhat, with other species stable or 
slightly down (table B-43). 
Production indexes 
The western slope Canada goose breed¬ 
ing flock has been steadily increasing the 
past several years. The largest number 
of adult geese and the highest indicated 
level of production since the beginning of 
the study in 1956 occurred this year 
(table B-44). 
NORTHERN SASKATCHEWAN, 
NORTHERN MANITOBA, 
AND WESTERN ONTARIO 
Data supplied by Arthur R. Brazda 
and Gust J. Nun 
Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife 
Weather and habitat conditions 
Spring breakup was early, but high 
winds and a recurrence of winter condi¬ 
tions delayed completion of the survey. Snow 
showers were encountered as late as June 
6. On June 1 thousands of snow and blue 
geese were concentrated along the bay 
shore around Winisk owing to the severe 
winter conditions there and farther north. 
Northern Saskatchewan and northern 
Manitoba were very dry throughout the 
summer. Except for scattered light 
showers, northern Saskatchewan was void 
of rain from early May until mid-July. On 
July 10 there were 57 forest fires in the 
Prince Albert District alone, some of 
them large. 
Water conditions on Saskatchewan 1 
were only fair in the Big River area, but 
good in the Meadow Lake area and along 
the Beaver River. In Delta 1 and 2, water 
appeared to be down slightly from 1963. 
In Manitoba, habitat conditions appeared 
adequate in the eastern two-thirds of the 
province, but only fair in the western 
third. Water conditions in Ontario were 
equal to or better than 1963. 
Overall, the duck population increased 
3 percent from 1963. Small increases in 
Manitoba and Saskatchewan south of 55° 
30 T N. were mostly offset by an 11 percent 
decrease in Ontario. The coot population 
decreased 56 percent. The Canada goose 
breeding population decreased 11 percent. 
The total duck population index in 1964 
was 812,146 compared with 787, 657 in 
1963 corrected for comparable coverage. 
(Table B-45.) 
Production indexes 
The production index increased by 217 
percent over 1963. Only Ontario indica¬ 
ted a slight decrease. The age classifi¬ 
cation suggested that the first nesting 
attempt was excellent. Class II and in 
broods represented 89 percent of all 
broods observed (tables B-46 and B-47). 
Class II and III broods averaged 5.0. 
Canada goose broods averaged 3.1. 
SOUTHERN MANITOBA 
Data supplied by Morton M. Smith 
and Duane Norman 
Bureau of Sport Fisheries and Wildlife 
Breeding population indexes 
16 
