28 
while exploratory northern transects extended to approximately parallel 55 degrees, 
30 minutes. Aerial breeding population transects were flown from May 5 to 
- May 25 (70 flying hours) and production transects from July 2 to July 15 (56 flying 
hours). Population transects were of 1/4-mile width and production transects 
were 1/8-mile in width as in former years. Water areas, species and sex of 
waterfowl were recorded in May, species and sex of adult waterfowl as wel! as 
species of broods and their age classification were obtained in the July flights. 
Weather and Water Conditions 
An early break-up and a good runoff in 1952 combined with the high water 
levels and excellent soil moisture storage of 1951 to create excellent conditions on 
the Alberta breeding grounds this spring. The month of April brought record- 
breaking warm temperatures. Despite the retarded spring in northern United 
States, waterfowl moved into Alberta in early April and as the break-up occurred 
simultaneously in southern and central areas of the Province, early nesting began 
prior to the middle of April throughout the entire area of study. May was generally 
a dry month, but sufficient rains fell after May 15 and throughout June and July to 
bring water levels above May records in many places. Sub-surface conditions 
were excellent throughout the summer. As of May 5, Alberta's total moisture 
condition was 122 percent of normal, by August this had deteriorated slightly to 
115 percent. Agricultural activities, especially on last year's stubble, was 
delayed in much of the Province by rainfall in late May and throughout June. This 
fact, plus the excellent condition of the waterfowl] habitats, worked to the distinct 
advantage of nesting ducks. The combination of these circumstances assured a. 
more successful first nesting attempt and contributed immeasurably to a highly 
successful waterfowl season. 
Though aerial transects in May showed a reduction of 18. 8 percent in 
water areas from last year's figure, this actually reflected a more healthy 
condition than was apparent at first glance. At no time during the flights in May 
did we record any D areas (sheet water or water of extreme temporary nature). 
The warm temperatures and drying winds of April and early May had resulted ‘in 
the disappearance of this type of water. Thus the predominant available water 
areas throughout the Province at the beginning of the breeding season were either 
Class A, BorcC. (This, in itself, was of greater advantage to waterfowl selecting. 
their nesting sites.) 
In May of 1951, the aerial transects showed a Provincial average of 21.68 
ponds per square mile. The 1952 survey tallied 17.15 ponds per square mile. This 
is a loss of 4.53 ponds per square mile or a decrease of 20.9 percent over the 1951 
figure. 
During the aerial brood survey in July a loss of 26.4 percent in water 
areas present in May was recorded. The rains which fell in late May, June and 
July are reflected in the greater stability of water in late summer this year. Even 
in a year as wet as 1951, a 36.5 percent loss in water areas occurred between May 
and July. 
