1. WESTERN CANADA
Along the coast and in the southern interior of British Columbia, spring weather was warmer and drier than average, reducing water levels and increasing drought potential. To the north, cooler temperatures and a delayed snowmelt improved wetland conditions. Across the province, breeding waterfowl have settled on suitable habitats, and the first broods were observed in May.
2. WESTERN BOREAL FOREST
Cool, wet spring weather recharged wetland basins across large expanses of this vast region, improving habitat conditions for breeding waterfowl, including mallards, which have been observed in good numbers on ephemeral wetlands. A variety of waterfowl species have returned and settled in the region, and nesting activities were well under way in late May.
3. PRAIRIE CANADA
Although much of Alberta remained drier than average this spring, particularly in the south, runoff from melting snow improved wetland conditions in parts of the province, especially in the parklands. In Saskatchewan, a cool start to spring was followed by rapid warming and runoff, which recharged many formerly dry wetlands and even caused flooding in the parklands. Manitoba received variable precipitation this spring, with below-average moisture in the south and wetter conditions to the north. Nest initiation appeared to be a few weeks late across Prairie Canada, and the first duck broods had yet to appear at the end of May.
4. CENTRAL CANADA
Although spring temperatures were generally cooler than average, a brief warm spell in early April encouraged a rapid return of waterfowl to the region. Above-average precipitation, particularly from central to northwestern Ontario, has fully recharged many wetland basins. The abundance of water on the landscape has provided ideal breeding habitat, and the first waterfowl broods were observed in the south in late April.
5. ATLANTIC CANADA
Following a dry start to spring, several rounds of heavy rainfall have improved water levels across much of this region. Overall, breeding habitat conditions are promising, although additional rainfall will be needed to maintain water levels through the breeding period. Numerous Canada goose broods and some broods of early-nesting duck species, such as American black ducks and mallards, were observed in late May.
6. NORTH-CENTRAL US
Spring weather was generally dry, cool, and windy across the northern plains. Fair to poor wetland conditions prevailed across eastern Montana and much of South Dakota, while good wetland conditions were present in northeastern South Dakota and eastern North Dakota. Although nest initiation was delayed slightly by cooler temperatures, waterfowl breeding efforts were well under way in May. Additional rainfall will be needed across the region to maintain wetland conditions throughout the nesting and brood-rearing periods.
7. GREAT LAKES AND NORTHEASTERN US
Following a wet spring, wetland conditions have improved in the Great Lakes region, and field reports indicate a strong waterfowl breeding effort is under way. In the northeast, dry conditions persist in many areas, and more precipitation will be needed to improve wetland conditions for renesting and brood-rearing waterfowl.
8. WESTERN US
Above-average temperatures and below-average precipitation prevailed this spring across the southern Pacific Flyway. Waterfowl breeding habitat conditions in the Great Salt Lake, Klamath Basin, and Central Valley of California were generally poor. Snowpack across the Intermountain West was generally below average, and drought is expected to continue or worsen this summer. In Alaska, cold temperatures and a significant snowpack delayed the spring thaw in parts of the state, but good wetland conditions were expected following the runoff.
