2, Weather, water, and chronology: 
The spring run-off this year was boavy, even gereuter tien 
ths big water of the 1948 season in ths Yukon-Kuskokwim 
drainages. The water stage at thse junetion of the Innoka 
and Iditarod rivers was ths sams on July 9 this year as it had 
bean on Jume 12 in 1948. Until July 75 the sloughs were full 
of water that extended beyond the grassy berders and into ths 
willow Tfrings. 
Throughout Alaska spring was slow to arrive. In ths Kotze- 
bue region, the Selawik River breks up about Tune 2 and thers 
Was 4 threes-inch snowfall on Juna 16. In the Central arctic 
the Calvills River was opsn for pontoon Landings the third 
week of June. There was no water open for pontoon landings 
at Barrow, however, until ths sseond week of July. 
Migrationa of waterfowl were fraquently ahead of the soaring 
break-up. At Sig Delta [649 North Latituds) mallard and 
pintail flocks wers seen on April 21, and by April 23 thera 
wate large flocks of ducks, geese, and swans on ths Clesrwater 
Rivor. 
On the Colville dalta black brant and Pacific sider were 
in pairs and small flocks on Juns 26. Canada goose nests wets 
located on Fuly § and July 9. First whits-fronted goea¢ 
breoda wers located on July 21, Pacific sider brood on July 22, 
old-squaw broods on July 23 and a bluebill brogd on July 24. 
Chronology at Kotzebus was as followa: 
First recordad nest - pintall Funs 1 
First recorded young ~ pintail June 3 
First flightless adults ~ pintsail July 1 
Majority of adults flightless by July l2 
First adults regaining flight about July 16 
wajority of adult pintails flying shout July 22 
Juvenile pintsila flying F about August 15 
The effacts of weather and water on the brasding season 
wore several, At Kotzebus, broods wore sctarce and a compATa- 
tively Largs proportion of femals pintails were found molting 
with the males. The reason is unknown, but there is specula- 
tion that the late apring may have disrupted Pirst-nesting at- 
tempts at a date too Late for re-nesting. 
On the coastal tundra of the Yukon-Kuskekwinm delta high 
hides inundatsa a considarabls portion of the nesting area; 
haweyer, it is healisyved that such tides are very infrequent 
auring the actual nesting ssason, 
B, July-August period 
1. Brood data. 
Thee9 are summarized in Table l, 
15 
