34 
and some marshes covered a greater area 
because of the higher water levels. Precipi- 
tation was below normal in April, but 
close to normal in May; local heavy rains 
late in May promised continuing high- 
water levels into June. 
BREEDING POPULATION INDEXES 
Comparisons of numbers of waterfowl 
seen on breeding-pair surveys in 1960 and 
1961 are presented in table E-32 (p. 101). 
Increases in breeding population were 
recorded for black duck, green-winged 
teal, and ring-necked duck. There was 
little change in the populations of pintail, 
blue-winged teal, widgeon, and golden- 
eye. 
CONCLUSIONS 
It is estimated that there will be no 
appreciable change in the fallflight of ducks 
from the Maritime Provinces as compared 
with 1960. 
NORTHEASTERN STATES 
Data supplied by Maurice H. Lundy 
and Howard L. Mendall, 
Bureau of Sport Fisheries and 
Wildlife 
WEATHER AND WATER CONDITIONS 
The Northeast experienced a cold, late 
spring. Abundant to excessive rainfall oc- 
curred over the entire region, especially 
along the Atlantic coast, with a deluge of 
from 4 to 7 inches of rainfall in northern, 
eastern, and central Maine from May 26 to 
May 28, 1961. Growth of vegetation was 
delayed in Massachusetts and water levels 
were above normal in May and June. Dela- 
ware, New Jersey, New York, and West 
Virginia reported abundant regular rain- 
fall: rivers high in their banks, marshes 
well filled, and fresh-water ponds over 
flowing. | 
BREEDING POPULATION INDEXES 
The breeding populations of black duck 
and mallard were estimated to be about 
the same as in 1960 or showed a slight 
decrease. Blue-winged teal and ring-necked 
duck increased substantially in number in 
Maine. Across the northern tier of States, 
wood duck, goldeneye, and hooded 
merganser remained about the same as 
in 1960. Massachusetts and Vermont re- 
ported nesting populations below the 1955- 
56 levels. 
PRODUCTION INDEXES 
Flooding from the late May downpour with 
resultant nest destruction curtailed water- 
fowl production in Maine. Some reduction 
in broods compared with their numbers in 
1960 is anticipated, although renesting of 
black and ring-necked ducks may compen- 
sate in part for the earlier loss of broods. 
Brood sizes will be smaller from the re- 
nesting effort and many ducklings will be 
late getting on the wing. Except for an 
increase in Delaware, black duck broods 
either decreased in number or remained 
the same as in 1960. Wood duck showed 
up well with especially favorable reports 
from Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and 
Delaware. 
Available information indicates’ the 
following nesting success of the more 
important species and the extent of nesting 
area in 1961 compared with 1960: 
Black duck, significant decrease; wood 
duck, slight increase; ring-necked duck, 
slight decrease; mallard, significant de- 
crease; and blue-winged teal, slight in- 
crease. 
A marked increase in Canada goose 
production was reported in northwestern 
Pennsylvania and New York. 
CONCLUSIONS 
In view of the significant decreases in 
the important black duck as well as de- 
creases in mallard and ring-necked duck 
in the Northeastern States, it is expected 
that the 1961 fall flight from those States 
will be smaller than that of last year. 
