
10 
affected with the delayed spring. The rapid drying condi- 
tions experienced soon after cover growth was established 
in May provided temporary cover for early nesters on 
farmlands; however, farmers were in the fields much 
sooner than expected and destroyed many early nests. 
Overwater nesters probably suffered from the rapid dry- 
ing and lowering water levels during June and July. Dur- 
ing the survey broods and late-nesting waterfowl were ob- 
served in Type IV and V wetlands where good brood cover 
was found. The probability of successful late hatches was 
forecast to be good and brood survival high. 
Production (Table B-5) 
The total brood index for southern Saskatchewan was 
18% below 1978 and 28% below the previous 10-year 
mean. The distribution of broods by age classification in 
the observed broods was as follows: Class I, 224 (38%); 
Class II, 188 (33%); Class III, 139 (25%); and 
unidentified Class, 27 (4%). The average brood size of in- 
tact Class IT and III broods observed by the survey crew 
was 5.3 ducklings. This was above the 1978 average brood 
size of 4.7 and slightly above the 10-year mean of 5.0, The 
coot brood index was 20% above 1978 and 10% above the 
10-year mean. 
The late-nesting index, which is a measure of broods yet 
to hatch after the survey, was about 2.7 times as large as 
the duck brood index. This index was 50% above that of 
1978 and 20% above the previous 10-year mean. Dabblers 
were up 44% from 1978 and up 6% from the mean. 
Divers were up 79% from 1978 and 88 % above the mean, 
Southern Manitoba 
Data supplied by William Larned and Albert Novara 
U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service 
Spring Weather and Habitat Conditions 
Above-normal precipitation over the entire survey area 
and spring temperatures averaging several degrees below 
normal provided conditions more than adequate to re- 
charge the soil moisture deficit of the past 2 years. This left 
the ground saturated at the end of May, with most basins 
full and sheet water still common in fields. In many areas, 
planting operations had not been initiated by this time. 
This was particularly true in stratum 38 where heavy 
flooding of the Red River and tributaries had persisted 
until about 20 May and in most of the marginal farmlands 
to the north where a late planting date can mean crop 
disaster, 
Additional agricultural impacts on habitat during 1979 
were minimal, probably due to inclement weather. Very 
little new clearing and burning activity was observed dur- 
ing the survey. However, it must be noted that after the 
dry vear of 1977, and to a lesser extent 1978 which still 
saw dry soil conditions, there was not much left to be 
cleared. Extensive draining was attempted during 1979 
but filling operations were not common. 
Nesting cover, so vitally important in minimizing the 
effects of predation on waterfowl production, was gener- 
ally in short supply and poor in quality in Southern Mani- 
toba. However, increased pond numbers and the late 
starting dates of agricultural activities helped to minimize 
nest disturbance. 
Breeding Populations (Table B-6) 
Population estimates of all individual species of dab- 
blers increased significantly from those of 1978, and total 
dabblers increased 39%. With the exception of teal and 
shoveler, estimates of all dabblers now equal or exceed the 
10-year mean. Mallard estimates increased a substantial 
24% from those of 1978 and 2% from the 10-year mean. 
Gadwall and American wigeon showed increases again 
during 1979, which put their estimates well above the 
10-year means. Blue-winged teal estimates are back up to 
respectable levels after two low years, and pintail showed 
sharp increases in all strata, more than doubling their 
numbers from 1978 and exceeding the 10-year mean by 
10%. 
Data reveal that the sharp decline in scaup numbers is 
largely responsible for the 1979 decrease in diving duck 
totals. Summary data from 1978 and 1979 indicate that 
observed numbers of scaup drakes and pairs are very simi- 
lar (280 and 289, respectively) but the large numbers of 
grouped birds observed in 1978 are missing from the 1979 
data (1,093 in 1978 vs. 174 in 1979). It is suspected that 
these large flocks were transients, and that the late survey 
starting date in 1979 gave migrant flocks time to move on 
through the area. 
Redhead and canvasback have increased substantially 
from 1978, although neither has attained average levels. 
Coot estimates decreased by 35% from those of 1978 and 
38% from the 10-year mean. This is surprising in view of 
the coot’s reputation for taking advantage of good water 
supplies in the prairies. 
The weather did not permit survey initiation until 
17 May. Lone drake indices coincided almost exactly with 
the 23-year means for mallard, pintail, and canvasback 
and seemed to support our starting date, which was nearly 
2 weeks later than normal. 
Summer Weather and Habitat Conditions 
In violent contrast to the cold, wet spring in southern 
Manitoba, June and July were abnormally hot and dry. 
Rainfall after May was very spotty, coming almost en- 
tirely from widely scattered thunderstorms, and has been 
below normal nearly everywhere. The six reporting sta- 
tions within the survey area have reported precipitation 
from 24 to 62% below normal for the period. Tempera- 
tures were unusually high the last half of June, and aver- 
aged 4 to 5° C above normal the first 3 weeks of July. 
These conditions, combined with almost constant dry 
winds, resulted in a rapid decline in soil moisture and 
