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WATERFOWL BREEDING GROUND SURVEY- DELAWARE, 1954 
Everett B. Chamberlain 
Introduction 
This report summarizes the results of the 1954 waterfowl breeding studies 
in Delaware. This work has been conducted annually for the past several years by 
personnel of the Federal Aid Division of the Delaware Game and Fish Commission. 
The work this year was under the supervision of the writer assisted by Burd S. 
McGinnes and Anthony J. Florio. Mr. Courtland Smith of Ellendale was hired to do 
the work on the ground study area at Primehook Neck. 
Methods Used and Area Covered 
As in previous years both intensive ground coverage and aerial transects were 
used, However, because of a shortage of personnel and the pressure of seasonal 
work it was impossible to gather data from all of the permanent ground study areas. 
As a consequence the only one of them that was covered was the one in Primehook 
Neck, where work has been done every year since 1951. 
In the past, intensive ground coverage of specific study areas has been supple- 
mented by State-wide data on broods tabulated during the regular monthly aerial 
counts of waterfowl. In 1953 and 1954 there was a cut in the amount of money allotted 
for aerial work and as a consequence aerial counts during the breeding season had to 
be discontinued. However, aerial transects based on ecological types and on the 
pattern worked out by the Waterfowl Biometry Office at Patuxent Research Refuge, 
are still being run each year. 
Weather and Water Conditions 
Precipitation, which has been decreasing each summer, was well below normal 
throughout the breeding season. While this had no apparent effect on migration it is 
believed to have influenced production. Brood production in both Delaware and Maryland 
was at least two weeks later than normal. It seems likely that, because of the long 
drought, many first nests were subject to excess predation because of exposure 
brought about by unusually low water levels. This resulted in an abnormal number of 
renestings which would account for the large number of late broods. 
