
105 
in April through May and early June resulted in most of the ponds being above 
the high levels of 1954. Some had reached their outlet levels and were thus 
stabilized but others flooded their treed borders to depths of two feet and can 
still go higher. There has been some loss of water during mid-summer but 
there will be a good carry-over for the 1956 breeding season. 
A breeding pair count was conducted on May 17. Some of the 
pintail and mallard were already incubating and thus some may have been missed. 
Brood counts were conducted on June 30 and August 10. 
There was almost no change in the total breeding population between 
1954-1955. Nesting success increased from 51 percent to 61 percent. This 
increase in nesting success was mainly due to the increase in success of the 
mallard. Fine weather during the fall of 1954 allowed most of the harvested 
fields to be cultivated before freeze-up and this, coupled with adverse weather 
conditions in the spring, prevented early cultivation of stubble fields and resulted 
in very few nests being loss to cultivation. 
Breeding Population and Production - Southey Study Area, 1952 to 1955. 
Pairs Broods 
Species 1952 1953 1954 1955 1952. #1953 £41954 1955. 
Mallard 13 19 27 23 5 9 13 17 
B-w. Teal 7 11 13 18 1 5 6 8 
Pintail 6 10 13 15 2 4 7 li 
Gadwall 1 3 1 - 1 - 1 - 
Baidpate 3 3 5 fe 2 3 2 2 
Shoveler 2 3 2 2 ] 3 2 1 
G-w. Teal ra - 1 2 2 l l - 
L. Scaup zZ 2 3 5 - - 2 2 
Canvasback 1 - 2 1 ~ 1 1 ] 
Redhead 1 - - 2 - - - 1 
Ruddy 1 - 2 Zz - i - ] 

Tota 39 51 69 72 14 27 35 44 
Per Square Mile 19.5 25.5 34.5 36 7 13.5 LTeei 28 

