WATERFOWL PRODUCTION - ROSENEATH STUDY AREA, 1954 
Alex Dzubin 
Introduction 
The Roseneath Study Area is.a typical block of 'pothole-agricultural" waterfowl 
breeding habitat, situated nine miles south of Minnedosa, Manitoba. The study 
block comprises one and a half sections of land on which are found one hundred 
eighty~eight potholes of various sizes, Most of the small sloughs are less than an 
acre in size and have cattail, bulrush, whitetop, and sedges as the main dominants. 
A study of the production, biology, and breeding behaviour has been carried out 
since 1952. Evans (in Waterfowl Populations and Breeding Conditions - Summer 
1949, Crissey etal pp. 71-75 had previously studied brood movements here, gives 
a map of the region. 
Weather and Water Conditions 
Spring break-up was late this year and snow was common until May’ 15. General 
inclement weather with excess precipitation prevailed during May and June. The 
breeding season in the pothole region about Minnedosa appeared to be a week or ten 
days later, phenologically, than last year. In 1953, the breeding season was alsoa 
week or ten days later than 1952. 
Water conditions throughout the pothole region have remained excellent during 
the breeding and brood seasons. A good winter snowfall plus early spring rains 
ensured a plentiful supply of water for pairs. Sufficient brood potholes were always 
available during the summer. The rainfall at Roseneath and several surrounding 
stations was 40 to 60 percent heavier, during June and May, than the average precipi- 
tation for the region. As previously indicated, upland nesting species had many of 
their nests flooded. 
Breeding Pair Census 
Table I shows the number of breeding pairs and broods per square mile, on the 
Roseneath Study Area for 1952, 1953, and 1954. Small yearly fluctuations have 
occurred in a few of the species shown but generally speaking the number of breeding 
pairs has remained relatively stable. Blue-winged teal, baldpate, pintail, and 
ruddy duck numbers show a small increase in 1954. The total number of pairs seen 
was higher in 1954 when compared to either 1952 or 1953, 
A bi-weekly census was carried out on the area during May and June. Thana 
certain number of pairs were assigned to any one quarter section. The maximum 
number of pairs observed after May 15, on any one census, was used in all subsequent 
productivity comparisons. 
