67 
1953 - Mallard-Pintail: 1: 1,4 
1952 - Mallard-Pintail : 1: 2.8 
Mainly because of the mallard increase, these two species this year made up 
69 percent of the waterfowl population in the area compared to 58 percent in 1952. 
Nesting 
Nest hunting was largely confined to buckbrush (Symphoricarpos sp.) and 
stubble fields. These latter were driven by car and walked with a rope between two 
observers, but proved singularly unproductive, particularly in comparison with last 
year. 
That the May 10-11 snowstorm and cold weather did not adversely affect 
mallard production is indicated in the following mallard nest data, Clear-cut nest 
histories were few and these were largely for nests in buckbrush. 
Of 17 nests begun before the storm, 15 (88 percent) were still being incubated 
after it; the average clutch was 9.4 eggs. The other two clutches were fresh when 
found before the storm and may have been deserted because of the storm or disturb- 
ance by the workers. Twelve of these 15 nests eventually hatched, the other three 
apparently being lost to predators. Thus, if this sample were representative, it 
would seem that such mallard nests were not seriously affected by the snow and cold 
weather. It is admitted that the writer does not know the actual percentage of hens 
deserting because of the storm and not renesting. It should be noted, however, that 
large numbers of mallard broods showed up all season - the latest seen was a brood 
of five that hatched during the first week in August, 
On the other hand, nearly all pintail nesting activity was definitely stopped 
early in June in the Kindersley district. The explanation here might be primarily 
the result of two factors: 
1. Pintails and mallards arrived about the same date as last year 
but the former apparently settled down to nesting a week or two ahead 
of the latter, as was the case last year. In both species, however, 
this was about a week behind 1952 - possibly because of the early 
freeze, 
2. Pintails are primarily stubblefield nesters in this part of the 
grassland, particularly for their first attempts, while mallards 
seem to prefer the buckbrush clumps. Agricultural operations 
(seeding on stubble and summer-fallowing) in May and early June, 
therefore, affected a much higher percentage of pintail nests than 
mallard nests, and nests of pintail were in later stages of incubation 
than mallards. Many of these first pintail attempts were successful 
in this area but practically all of those hens unsuccessful by the first 
week in June - those losing well-incubated first nests and even many 
second attempts - apparently ceased nesting activities for the season 
in the Kindersley-Eston Area. 
