percent and duck production up 6 percent 
from 1960. Compared with the previous 
3-year average, goose production was up 5 
percent but duck production was down 20 
percent. ; 
The drouth undoubtedly caused a shift 
of birds to permanent water areas, loading 
these samples. General observations, how- 
ever, indicate goose and duck production 
changed little from 1960, but it was down 
considerably from 1959 when all marshes 
were in production. 
CALIFORNIA 
Data supplied by J. R. LeDonne, 
F.M. Kozlik, and William 
Anderson, California Department 
of Fish and Game 
WEATHER AND WATER CONDITIONS 
For the third consecutive year, water 
conditions in northeastern California fell 
below normal. California experienced an 
extremely dry fall and winter and many of 
the meadows, small reservoirs, and lakes 
were dry by the first of June. 
The Central Valley also received less than 
a normal amount of rainfall. However, since 
mueh of the waterfowl production takes 
plage on the rice lands with controlled 
water, the effects of the drought conditions 
were somewhat minimized. 
The spring was mild and migrationbegan 
early. By March most of the birds had left 
the wintering grounds. 
PRODUCTION INDEXES 
The survey flights in the Central Valley 
were conducted on May 24 and 25, while 
northeastern California was flown from 
May 31 through June 4. Before 1960 a 
Special early flight was made in early 
May to record Canada geese while the 
nesting season was still in progress. From 
the early flight the number of paired geese 
and the number of groups (nonbreeders) 
‘were recorded. Thenonthe regular breeding 
Survey in June, the number of young birds 
was recorded and added to the population. 
This is the second year that only the June 
flight was made andall geese were recorded 
at that time. When this method is used the 
15 
number of paired geese recorded for the 
years 1960 and 1961 are not comparable 
with those shown for previous years, as only 
adults with young were recorded as paired 
in 1960 and 1961. Pairs of geese that failed 
to nest or lost their young are now grouped 
as nonbreeders. However, the figures shown 
in the fall population indexes are still 
comparable as they included all categories 
of geese and comprise the total population. 
Estimated fall population indexes by species 
and area are presented in table F-13 (p. 112). 
A comparative summary of nesting pairs 
of waterfowl for the past four seasons, 
together with final fall populations including 
young and resident adults, is shown in 
table F-14 (p. 113). In most instances, the 
numbers of nesting pairs given are more 
accurate than the fall population indexes. 
CONCLUSIONS 
A 17-percent increase is estimated inthe 
breeding pairs of Canada geese and a 7- 
percent increase in the total fall population. 
Because of the drought the geese were con- 
centrated on refuge areas with their con- 
trolled-water conditions. 
There is a 15-percent decrease inbreed- 
ing pairs of ducks and 23-percent decrease 
in the total fall population. 
The total fall population of coots shows 
better than a 100-percent increase--mainly 
due to the high increase that occurred on 
the rice lands of the Sacramento Valley, 
where the birds found good nesting condi- 
tions. 
NEVADA 
Data supplied by Vic Oglesby, 
Nevada Fish and Game Department 
WEATHER AND WATER CONDITIONS 
The drought, quite severe in west-central 
Nevada for the past 2 years, was even more 
severe in 1961, when it extended over the 
entire State affecting all waterfowl produc- 
tion areas adversely. A shortage of mountain 
snowfall persisted through the winter and 
early spring months resulting in one of the 
poorest irrigation seasons on record. Major 
reservoirs are seriously depleted and April 
reservoir inflow was balanced by irrigation 
