NORTHERN ALBERTA AND THE NORTHVEST TERRITORIES 
Weather and Water Conditions 
This is the most retarded spring throughout the north ever 
encountered in our surveys, and, in fact, since records have been 
kept. By the time we reached McMurray temperatures dropped below 
freezing almost every night and on one night it dropped to 19° F. 
The barrens were completely frozen and on all transects approaching 
the edge of the barrens open water was at a premium. Even so, 
enough open water was present to allow the waterfowl to move in. 
Surface water on the first two transects, the most 
southernly, had deteriorated considerably since last year, only the 
deeper permanent ponds and Jakes holding water. North of there 
surface water improved gradually until normal conditions were 
encountered at about 60° N. latitude and were actually better than 
average in the Slave River Parklands. 
All rivers were low - consequently there had been no 
flooding in the Athabaska Delta. Moreover, due to the small snow 
pack in the mountains it is doubtful if the Delta will flood this 
spring, which will be a considerable boon to all waterfowl 
attempting production there. 
Breeding Population Indices 
Table 1 represents a comparison of the entire survey area 
with the 1958 population. All species of ducks increased sub- 
stantially with the exception of goldeneye, which showed only a 
slight increase, mergansers which showed a slight decrease, and 
canvasback which decreased 24 percent. Mallards, baldpate, pin- 
tails, and shovelers, however, more than doubled in number and no 
doubt represent displaced ducks from prairies. 
With the exception of snow geese, we do not regard 
indicated changes in the goose aide as particularly 
significant. 
An interesting sidelight on snow goose nest predation 
was the presence of barren ground grizzly bears on the snow goose 
nesting islands. Iast year Tom Barry found two bears on the 
Anderson delta, which destroyed numerous nests during their stay 
there. This year we sighted two grizzly bears on a goose nesting 
island on the Mackenzie delta, and while we did not actually see 
them in the process of eating eggs, it is safe to assume that is 
what they were there for; and any animal as large as a grizzly is 
capable of consuming a considerable number of eggs: 
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