WILSON'S SNIPE BREEDING GROUND STUDIES IN NORTHERN STATES IN 1952 
Chandler Se Robbins 
U. Se Fish and Wildlife Service 
At the request of the Fish and Wildlife Service, several State and 
Federal fish and game research workers and amateur ornithologists con- 
ducted snipe counts during the spring and summer in the states of: | 
Minnesota, Michigan, Colorado and Idaho. The Idaho investigetions by 
Thomas D,. Burleigh are summarized elsewhere in this report... 
Although it had been suggested that the best period for Sedettte 
nesting snipe would be from mid-May to the end of June, observations 
both before and after this period were also encouraged in order to 
obtain further information on the duration of the spring migration and 
on the period of peak activity of the nesting birds. 
The majority of censuses received were conducted in April or early 
May, many of them in conjunction with population studies of the Wood- 
cock, Ruffed Crouse or other game birds. The data show that April and 
early May winnowing in these areas is done primarily by transient in- 
dividuals, and that even the late May counts must be carefully examined 
to determine whether transients are included. 
Since so few winnowing counts were made after the conclusion of the 
migration period, the details will not be published this year, It is 
hoped that many of these same areas can be visited during the pre-dawn 
winnowing period in early Jtme of subsequent years and thus supply data 
which ean be used for future comparisons. 
The cooperation of Dr. Arnold B. Erickson of the Minnesota Depart- 
ment of Conservation and of all other participants is gratefully 
acknowledged. The following persons contributed one or more breeding 
ground counts: Dr. Lawrence H. Walkinshaw, Harold S. and Catherine 
Hartley, Mrs. H. J. Wagner, J. K. Bronoel, P. Be Hofslund, Walter H,. 
Petraborg, L. We Krefting, Forrest B. Lee, Lester T. Magnus, LeRoy 
Angell, Gerald Bue and R, Meyerding. Appreciation is also expressed 
to the many other observers who furnished helpful information about 
the status of the Wilson's Snipe in their lecalities. 
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