267 
Success of the Season 
Ground Survey 
The number of waterfowl tallied on the 40 ground observation areas during 
the 1952 July census was 6.9 percent greater than that for 1951. The composition 
of the population also varied from that of 1951. This year for the first time during 
the summer surveys the black ducks exceeded the wood ducks in total numbers. 
Mallards also showed a decided increase in number. To substantiate the contention 
of earlier nesting in 1952, the total number of flying birds seen was 28 percent 
greater than in 1951. Along with this was a similar reduction in the number of 
juveniles tallied. A comparison of the 1951 and 1952 counts by species follows: 
Table II - Connecticut Waterfowl Summer Population Count on 40 Areas (by species) 
1951 and 1952 
Species Adult Young Total 
Black duck 
1952 291 26 317 
1951 217 33 250 
Wood duck 
1952 208 86 294 
1951 191 165 356 
Mallard ; 
1952 42 - 42 
1951 - “ te 
Unknown 
1952 i 9 10 
1951 2 - 2 
G-w. teal 
1952 2 - 2 
1951 - - - 
Canada geese 
1952 16 - 16 
1951 - = re 

Aerial Surveys 
Aerial waterfowl data indicated a drop of approximately 36 percent in the 
State's 1952 total summer waterfowl populations. Computations based on the 
counts for both years is shown in Table III. 
This drop is not compatible with ground survey data nor with any other 
appraisal of the waterfowl conditions within the State to date. 
