During the first week in May, snow showers, overcast 
skies, and temperatures around the freezing level were 
common, Overnight lows reaching — 4° C during the first 
week of May could have had adverse effects on early nest- 
ing attempts. Two widespread snowstorms during the last 
week in April and the first week in May deposited as much 
as 15 em of new snow each in a wide swath oriented 
north-south through Prince Albert and Moose Jaw south 
to the U.S. border, extending west to a north-south line 
through North Battleford and Swift Current, and extend- 
ing east to a north-south line somewhat east of Regina. 
This also would have adversely affected early nesting 
attempts in progress, 
Visible vegetative growth was delaved by as much as 2 
weeks throughout most of southern Saskatchewan: it was 
delayed in the southwestern part of the Province to a lesser 
extent, Visibility of waterfowl during the aerial survey 
was not affected by leafing of trees and shrubs and the 
growth of aquatic vegetation. 
The May pond count indicated an overall increase of 
42% from 1978, with increases of substantial proportion 
in strata 30, 31, 32, and 35, Compared to the previous 
10-year mean, May ponds were 37% above normal, and 
increases were indicated in all strata. 
Upland nesting cover was in short supply as usual in 
most agricultural areas of southern Saskatchewan in the 
spring of 1979. Intensive cultivation and increased cattle 
densities on rangelands in recent years placed unprece- 
dented pressure on prairie-nesting ducks to seek out ade- 
quate safe nesting cover which would remain intact long 
enough to hatch their broods. Spring provided some relief 
because delayed thaw, late snowstorms, and above- 
average precipitation in late April and early May caused 
farmers to delay their cultivation and other farming activ- 
ities | to 2 weeks throughout most of southern Saskatche- 
wan. It was reported that farmers were not going to seed 
this year because some areas were too wet. Other detri- 
mental activities such as fall-spring burning of stubble 
and nesting cover adjacent to wetlands, fall haying, and 
expansion of drainage systems were minimal in 1979 be- 
cause of unusually wet conditions. 
Breeding Populations (Table B-5) 
Comparing the 1979 population estimates with those of 
L978, total ducks increased 41% : dabblers increased 39% . 
divers 51% , and other ducks 109% , Of the dabblers. sig- 
nificant increases were indicated for blue-winged teal 
(+64%), pintail (+64%), northern shoveler (+ 62% ). 
green-winged teal (+53%), American wigeon (+ 27%), 
gadwall (+21%), and mallard (+17%). Among the 
divers, significant increases were indicated for goldeneve 
(+ 154%). canvasback (+ 118%), scaup (+51%), and 
redhead (+24%). Significant increases were also indi- 
cated for scoters (+ 372%), mergansers (+ 100%), and 
ruddy duck (+98%), The American coot, responding 
almost predictably to changing water conditions, 

7 
increased 202%, The Canada goose estimate had an indi- 
cated increase of 21%, 
Comparing 1979 population estimates with the 1969-78 
means, total ducks indicated a 3% increase: dabblers de- 
creased 3%, divers increased 58%, and miscellaneous 
ducks increased 53%. By species, significant increases 
were indicated among scoters (+268%), mergansers 
(+257%), scaup (+97%), goldeneye (+89%), ring- 
necked duck (+75%), gadwall (+62%), bufflehead 
(+951%), ruddy duck (+39%), green-winged teal 
(+ 38%), and canvasback (+ 30%). Significant decreases 
were indicated among pintail (— 14%), blue-winged teal 
(-14%), and mallard (-13%). The American coot in- 
creased 56% from the mean. The Canada goose estimate 
had an indicated increase of 76%. 
The lone drake index in 1979 for the mallard, pintail, 
and canvasback combined was 78.9, which is close to the 
1956-78 mean for this survey unit. 
Summer Weather and Habitat Conditions 
Weather patterns over southern Saskatchewan during 
late May, June, and early July were hot and dry. This was 
in sharp contrast to the late spring in 1979, which was 
generally cool and wet. The lack of normal amounts of 
precipitation and warm afternoon temperatures spurred 
by frequent strong surface winds served to reduce surface 
water rapidly through this period. Temperatures reported 
at 12 stations around the survey area often exceeded 2 and 
3° C above normal during mid-June and early July and 
precipitation accumulations were below normal amounts 
received since late May in most areas. In the northwest 
region of this survey reporting unit (stratum 30), however, 
accumulated precipitation during this same period was 
above normal, Precipitation accumulations for the grow- 
ing season between 1 April and 16 July as reported by 
these stations were generally below normal in strata 31, 
34, and 35, somewhat above normal in stratum 32, and 
well above normal in stratum 30. 
The July pond index, obtained as a part of this survey, 
indicated an overall 65% decrease in the number of ponds 
from the comparable index obtained during the May sur- 
vey. This decrease was substantially greater than the 50% 
loss experienced in more normal years, 
The July pond index was 22% above 1978 but 9% 
below the previous 10-year mean. Strata 31 and 32 were 
appreciably drier than normal, whereas all other strata 
were little changed from the mean. 
Upland nesting cover was relatively dense resulting 
from this year’s abundant surface moisture when spring 
finally arrived in the region. With few local exceptions, 
crops appeared to be in very good condition across the 
prairies and mixed prairie-parklands of Saskatchewan 
during July, and the grasslands of southwest Saskatchewan 
appeared to be in excellent condition. Overall upland nest- 
ing habitat for renesting and late nesting species was better 
than average. Early nesting was probably adversely 
