160 
After the spring floods subsided, the nesting and brooding conditions in 
the State were excellent. Preliminary.counts indicate a high hatch with large 
broods on most areas. 
Aerial Census 
SAE TRI Br ec SL Ne EC ARTY Ho, 
There were only six hours of flying time on the 1952 census which covered 
289 linear miles and 72.1 square miles. There was a reduction in the number of 
birds counted on most areas. A total of only 3, 865 ducks were counted as compared 
with 5,509 on the 1951 flights, or a reduction of 76.4 to 53.6 birds per square mile. 
The following table gives a summary of counts on all transects. 
Table I - Total Ducks Counted Along Aerial Routes over Northern Utah Marshes 
1951 and 1952 



Miles Square Total Ducks Ducks Per Square Mile 
Route Flown Miles 1951 1952 1951 1952 
East Box Elder 48 12.0 744 703 62.0 58.6 
Weber County 26 6.5 477 401 73.4 61.7 
West Box Elder 32 8.0 810 457 101.2 57.1 
East Davis 33 8.2 600 437 72.6 53.3 
West Davis 24 6.0 781 281 130.2 46.8 
Jordan River Clubs 27 6.7 1,436 663 212.8 99.0 
Salt Lake County 27 6.7 116 277 17.2 41.3 
Utah County 72 18.0 545 646 30.3 35.9 
Total 289 72.1 5,509 3, 865 76.4 53.6 
The decrease in the number of birds counted on the routes this year may not 
necessarily indicate a large reduction in the breeding population. Large areas of 
ground were covered with water and the birds were no doubt more dispersed. The 
large decline in Davis County could have been brought about by the large rise in 
Great Salt Lake covering some of the breeding grounds in this area. 

Counts of pairs and lone males along the transect routes by ground observation 
showed that the flights were made at a time when a good sample of the breeding population 
could be obtained. Species such as mallard and pintail which had already started to nest 
showed a high proportion of lone males with few pairs. Other species, such as redhead, 
showed a high proportion of pairs. There were also very few birds present which are 
non-breeders for this area, such as lesser scaup. 
A summary of the species of ducks counted on the flights showed that the 
redhead was the most abundant. Others prominent in the counts were cinnamon teal, 
mallard, and gadwall. Most of the birds counted were on open water areas which would 
account for the prominence of the redhead. The composition of birds counted along the 
flight routes would not be the actual composition of the breeding population, as mallards 
and pintails were already nesting and would be in farm areas that would be missed by the 
counts. 
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