During the spring of 1951 some of the ponds were drawn down to expose the 
bottom and the edges, and during the summer months many grasses and sedges 
pioneered in around the back and edges of these ponds. By the spring of 1952 these 
plants formed a suitable nesting area around each managed pond. 
In addition, the planting of Japanese millet (Echinochloa crusgalli) and the 
natural growth of Walters millet (Echinochloa Walteri) provided both food and cover 
in the ponds and made the area further attractive to waterfowl. 
As an example, one 4-acre pond, which had no grassy edge previously, was 
drawn down in the spring of 1951. By September of 1951 a heavy stand of Walters 
millet had become established in the pond and along the edges, and in the back 
section the sedges and grasses grew profusely. This pond attracted ducks during 
the fall and winter months, and during the summer of 1952 two broods of black ducks 
and one brood of mallards (Anas platyrhynchos) were reared in this particular pond. 
Table I shows a drop in the wood duck (Aix sponsa) broods during the 1952 
season, This decrease in broods corresponds with a drop in the wood duck box 
utilization on the area and with the fewer paired birds seen during April and early 
May. 
Weather and Water Conditions 
Phenologically the spring was avout two weeks later in 1952 than it was in 
1951. The first mallard duck nest was found during March, but nesting did not 
reach its peak until early May. The ponds and lakes were not subjected to flooding 
duc to heavy rain or run-offs because of the water level control structures, and 
few, if any, nests were lost due to this factor. Raccoons (Procyon lotor) were 
abundant in the area; two mallard nests and one black duck nest were thought to 
have been destroyed by these predators. 

Summary 
1. Bi-weekly surveys on foot were made for waterfowl broods on the 
18 lakes and ponds at the Collier Mills-Success Lake Area during 
the spring and summer of 1951 and 1952. 
2. The ponds in the Colliers Mills Area were managed on the complete 
and partial draw down principle to encourage the growth of waterfowl 
foods. It was also hoped that this management would result in the 
establishment of a grassy edge around the ponds which might be 
utilized as nesting cover. 
3. There was an increase of from two black duck (Anas rubripes) broods 
in 1951 to four black duck broods in 1952. All four broods observed 
in 1952 were in ponds which provide the nesting edge and sufficient 
foods, such as Walters millet (Echinochloa Walteri}) and Japanese 
millet (Echinochloa crusgalli),” SS 
4. Wood duck (Aix sponsa) dropped from six broods in 1951 to three 
broods in 1952. This drop in brood observations corresponded with 
a decrease in paired birds during the spring and a decrease in the 
wood duck nesting box utilization during 1952. 
