Population Trends from 1945 
The population trends on the study area can be measured by using the breeding 
population of the first year of the study (1945) as a base datum and measuring the in- 
crease or decrease of each species during the following years. 
These trends are shown 
in Table 3. 
Table 3. -- Population Trends from 1945 (percent) 




Species 1946 1947 1948 1949 1950 
. Blacks —49 — 9 —24 “pe B84 #111 
Wood duck —80 —68 #16 #82 # 23 
B-w. teal —88 —87 —70 —31 — 44 
‘Ringneck ~ 3 —49 —~18 #11 f= 32 
G-w. teal —14 —78 —74 #33 x 23 
Golden-eye —63 #189 #85 — 4) — 5 
Unidentified —27 == + 9 # 9 — 69 
Average _ —54 —42 —26 43 ~ 37 

The black ducks have shown another large increase over the 1945 level and 
are in larger numbers than at any time since this study began. Green-winged teal 
_ and wood duck show an increase over 1945 but are slightly less in numbers than last 
year. Blue-winged teal are still below the 1945 level and are about 16 percent less 
than last year. Ringnecks show an increase of about 14 percent over last year and 
are 32 percent higher than 1945. The golden-eye show a large increase over last 
year (63 percent) but are still 5 percent lower than in 1945, however, this may be the 
start of an upward trend. The total breeding population is, for the second time in six 
years, above the 1945 level, and shows an average increase of 37 percent over that 
level but is 3 percent less than last year. 
Table 4 shows the total duck population per square mile of open marsh on the 
study area. A steady increase is shown by this table from 1946 to 1949 with a slight 
drop-off this year. 
Table 4, -- Duck Population per Square Mile of Open Marsh 
Year Ducks per square mile 
1945 111.9 
1946 53.5 
1947 69.4 
1948 84.1 
1949 165.2 
1950 157.6 
ae ee pc i A LN 
Conclusion 
il 
The 1950 season has been one of the most successful seasons for breeding 
waterfowl in the St. John Estuary in the last six years, being only slightly poorer than 
last year. The black duck, the most important game species, has for the second time 
in succession shown a large gain over the 1945 level. Three other species - green- 
winged teal, wood duck, and ring-necked duck all show increases over 1945, The 
largest increase was made by the golden-eye which showed a gain of 63 percent over 
last year. The golden-eye and the blue-winged teal are the only two species which show 
no gain over the 1945 level. 
