
stations reported temperatures below zero on the first. Average tempera- 
tures for May ranged from 2 to 6 degrees below normal in the southern two- 
thirds of the Prairie Provinces. June was 1 to degrees below normal in 
this same area, and during July temperature records were finally near 
their average values for that month. 
Precipitation in the Prairie Provinces had been very light in April, 
and spotty in May, but was heavy in June and July. It was very dry in 
the Northwest Territories until July, when moderate rainfall fell over 
most of that area. I observed rain (varying from light sprinkles to hard 
storms) on 30 of the 33 days of my snipe investigations in western Canada, 
The cold weather probably delayed the nesting activities of the 
Wilson's Snipe as well as their arrival on their breeding grounds. Snipe 
were still winnowing in southern Yukon on July 28, Drought conditions in 
April and extensive flooding over large areas, especially in eastern 
Saskatchewan and southwestern Manitoba, in June and July must have inter- 
fered with nesting activities of the snipe, With no previous experience 
in that area and with very few definite reports of local observers to go 
on, it has not been possible to evaluate the effects of this summer's 
extreme weather conditions, 
itinerary 
Figure 1 shows the itinerary, starting on July 2 (the start of the trip 
having bem unavoidably delayed) in southeastern Manitoba, proceeding west- 
ward through Manitoba, southern Saskatchewan and southern Alberta, then 
north to the vicinity of Ednonton and finally to Great Slave Lake in 
Northwest Territories and via the Alaska Highway to Whitehorse, Yukon. 
Pre-dawn winnowing counts were made each day that weather conditions 
permitted, and evening counts were also made in some areas, These winnow- 
ing count localities are shown as large black spots on the map (Fig. 1). 
Associated with each spot is the number of snipe heard winnowing at each 
location. At many of these locations no snipe were recorded in the pre- 
dawn listening period. In each case, however, the counts were made in 
areas selected in advance by consulting topographic maps; so the negative 
results are believed to be a significant indicator of local scarcity, 
Snipe recorded at times other than the peak winnowing period are not 
entered on the map as they have no comparative value. 
Distribution and Abundance 
Figure 2 shows our present knowledge of the distribution and abundance 
on the Wilson's Snipe in the Canadian portion of its breeding range. A 
solid black circle denotes a population of more than five pairs (or status 
reported as "common); a circle with a heavy outline stands for 2 to 5 
pairs (or status reported as "fairly common"); and a light-rimmed circle 
denotes a single pair per locality (or a report not specifying the number 
seen). All June and July reports have been included in the map, as well 
as all nest records. Observations for May and August (unless referring 
to an actual nest or young birds) have been omitted from the map to 
eliminate possible migrants and wandering birds, The shading in western 
52 
