Once again browsing through my old files of reports when I was stationed
as the refuge biologist at the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge
Complex in Ancient Egyptian days, I came across that for peak waterfowl
numbers for Jan.-April, 1958 period. To wit;

Tundra Swan 650 Mallard
466,700 Gadwall 1,475 Common Merganser 70
Canada Geese 410 Pintail
1,357,600 Ruddy Ducks 1,625 Hooded Merganser 30
Cackling Geese 49,200 Wigeon 578,000
Canvasback 98
White-fronted 12,100 G.W. Teal
36,600 Redhead 20
Snow 98,800 Cinnamon Teal
195 Ring-necked 59
Ross 35 Blue-winged
Teal 0 Lesser Scaup 31
Total Geese 161,195 Shoveler
24,800 Wood Duck 15

Total Geese 161,195 Total Swan
650 Total Ducks 2,467,318

Total waterfowl on the three refuges 2,629,163 Very little diving duck
habitat (flat country with shallow water areas)

In addition there were thousands more in the surrounding areas of the
Sacramento Valley. The State's Gray Lodge Refuge, the Butte Sink, the
Bean Patch, etc..

The late fall (latter part of October) of 1955 while I was refuge
biologist at Klamath Basin NW Complex, we had thousands of swan, ove 1
million geese, over 5 million ducks and over 1 million coots. The last
big waterfowl year in the Pacific Flyway. to my knowledge. That was a
lot of poultry. Joe Penner would have had a difficult time trying to
sell me a duck. Aahh, memories, memories! Would that my sons and
grandsons would see that. Sigh!

Ye real olde broken down biologist Gene Kridler