Inventory of migrant species.

Monthly waterfowl inventories were scheduled for October, November, December and January to cover that waterfowl range between the Texas-Louisiana border and the Texas-Mexico International boundary. The October inventory was cancelled due to shortage of funds necessary to rent an inventory aircraft. The November inventory was partially completed. Marginal weather complicated the problem of stretching one inventory crew headquartered 300 miles apart over the 2,300 mile coastal waterfowl range. Important wintering areas were omitted. The December inventory was cancelled due to marginal weather. Again a problem of distance between inventory crew members posed a problem. The January inventory was flown as scheduled. Waterfowl populations as reflected in the count were down compared to the preceding year. High quality range conditions held above normal numbers of ducks and geese during the early portions of the winter period. A massive shift occurred in late November and early December which sent puddle ducks south and snow-blue geese east into Louisiana. The January count, made after the massive shift, revealed 44.7 percent of the entire Central Flyway waterfowl population wintering in Texas. The special game warden waterfowl survey was terminated after its fifth year. As a preliminary study of inter-state migration routes and population trends, the information gathered through the study was satisfactory. Results point for the need of an expanded waterfowl banding program in Texas. It was recommended that this 5-year inventory be followed up by a banding project which will substantiate migration phenology trends recorded through this 5-year period.