NARRATIVE REPORT FOR APRIL 1938 fin h*1 T A B LK OF £ONTENTS INTRODUCTION Page i PERSONNEL Page 2 WEATHER AND WATER CONDITIONS Page 3 to 4 inc. WILDLIFE REPORT Page 5 to b inc. REFUGE DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE Page 9 to 11 inc. INTRODUCTION NARRATIVK REPORT FOR MONTH OF APRIJL, JLVW VAUblNTlNE LAKES REFUGE VALENTINE, NEBRASKA The Narrative Report for the Month of April for the Valentine Laices Refuge is divided into the following partst HVEATHER AND WATER CONDITIONS FOR APRIL, 193d Weather Water Conditions WILDLIFE REPORT Cinnamon Teal Duck Flight Duck Nests Long-billed Curlew Sandhill cranes Predator and Rodent Control Arrivals for April, 1938 REFUGE DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE Marsh Lake Overnight Cabin and Earn Pony Lake Headquarters Hide House at Headquarters Erecting Toilets at Dads Lake Truck Trails Pothole Development Nurseries Food and Cover Planting Landscaping Razing Undesirable Structures Page 2 PERSOflWiiL VALKNTIWE MIGRATORY WATERFOWL REFUGE *•» WARD M, SHARP Assistant. Refuge Manager MILFORD K« TEURBER Assistant Cieric-Stenographer JACK R. BOULT BlGHOUSE Labor-Patrolman *•* Page 3 WEATHER AND WATER CONDITIONS FOR APRIL, 193® VALENTINE LAKES REFUGE APRIL, 1938 Weather April was a month of high precipitation; however, the days on which rain or snow fell were eight in all. On April Fifth to Seventh, sleet and snow fell. About eight inches of snow fell on the Si^cth. a high wind blocked all roads that same day. Warm weather followed which made the newly fallen snow disappear in a few days. CCC Crews spent the two following days opening blocked trails leading to town and work projects. The Act of God really happened on April 26th, when thun­ der showers yielded 2.47 inches between 3O0 and 7:3° p.m. An additional 1.20 inches fell during that night and the fol­ lowing day. A total of 3*67 inches fell within the twenty-four hour period between 3*3° p*m. April 26, and the same hour of the afternoon, April 27* A grand total of ^.33 inches fell during the Month of April. According to the U. S. Weather Bureau Records for Valentine, precipitation fell in excess of five inches in 1892. Precipitation exceeded four inches only in 1900, 1920, 1930 and 1935. It can be seen that we are very fortunate indeed for April»s moisture. Water Conditions Water levels changed for higher marks during April. Page 4 No actual figures can be given since no water gauges were set. Those set in *36 on Hackberry, Dewey, and Middle Marsh Lakes are yet above the present water levels. It is quite a contrast over February as several lakes that were dry at that time now have three or more feet of water in them. Sweetwater Valley Marsh has water for a distance of one and one-half miles. It was dry last year. Its level is almost up to the 193^ mark for the same time in April. The heavy rain on April 26 and 27 partially filled the potholes in the meadows adjacent ot the , lakes. Potholes in the valley west of Dads Lake cover about fifteen acres. Potholes are also to be found in Long, Pelican, Watts, and Marsh Lake Valleys from the heavy rains of late April• Water from Gordon Creek diversion entered Hackberry Lake Friday afternoon at 3J30 of April 29, 1938. This is the first time water has run down this ditch since 1936• Fifty-two acre feet is estimated to be flowing into Hackberry Lake daily from this source. The estimated raise of the lakes of the refuge for the Month of April is about ten inches. The water levels at the close of April are yet lower than at the same time in 1936. There is still hopes that May and June will be seasonable. Page 5 WILDLIFE REPORT FOR APRIL, 1938 VALENTINE LAKES REFUGE APRIL, 1938 Cinnamon Teal A pair of Cinnamon Teal were observed on Hackberry Lake on April 23, 1938. This is the first appearance of this species on the Valentine Lakes Refuge since its establishment. These birds were not observed after the above date. They were in all probability accidental migrants. Duck Flight The April flight was not ihe high as it has been in 1936 and 1937* The flight high for this year was in March. The mild weather that has prevailed during the entire spring made it possible for the ducks to get north about two weeks earlier than during the past two years. The major flight wave of Pintails and Mallards had passed the sandhills country before April. The Shoveler flight reached its peak on April 18th, after which the numbers declined. The w/ ^ ^ \ Redhead—Canvasback—Scaup population had shown a decrease by April 20, indicating that the majority had moved northward between the 12th and 20th of the month. At the close of April, the refuge had an excellent pop­ ulation of ducks. /The following species were present: — Mallards, Blue-winged Teal, Redheads, Shovelers, Gadwall, pintails, Baldpate, y y / ^ Lesser Scaup, Canvasback, Green-winged Teal, Ruddy Ducks and Buffleheads^ More Pintails remained at the close of April y than any other year to date. Redheads at the close of April were more abundant than previous years at the same time# They are more or less common on all of our lakes# Canvasback at the close of the month were most numerous on Pony, Center and Marsh Lakes Valleys. Blue-winged Teal are quite plentiful# A large ahoveier migration was noted, approximately 20,000 were on the refuge on April lb, 193b* Ruddy ducks are not any more abundant than a year ago# Lesser Scaup were common at the close of April, Duck Nests One Mallard and one Pintails nest was found during the month# Lach began nesting about the l^th of April# This is our earliest record for a Pintail# Two Shoveler nests were found during late April, the first on April 29, 1938# Long-billed Curlew The Long-billed Curlew arrived in early April. Their numbers do not show an increase# In fact, I am inclined to believe that there actually is a decline over last spring^ population# We will not be able to ascertain much about the Curlew population until after the young are out# They are quiet and evasive during the nesting season. Sandhill Cranes i/ Sandhill Cranes passed north over the refuge during the Pag© 7 first half of April in large numbers* One thousand passed over at midday on April 12, and three hundred again on the i5th of April. Numerous o^her flocicspassed over from time uo time* An estimation of ti,000 birds in all would be conservative* No records are at hand of their ever stopping during this spring^ migration northward. Predator and Rodent Control Work on pocket Gopher control during April covered two and a half sections of land lying between Hackberry and Watts Lake and also all lands north of Watts Lake* un© and one-half sections of land lying between Whitewater and Dewey Lakes were also covered during April for Pocicet Gopners and nangaroo Rats. 32i> pounds of poisoned wheat were used in treating the aoov© areas* W© wish to stao© ohat Pocket Gopaex* poisoning consists of digging into the burrow, placing the poisoned grain and then replugging to ©xciud© the light as well as the dry sand. The rodent control men of the bureau at the Cheyenne Uffice say that one man can cover about forty acres in one day pro­ viding conditions are ideal* Page 8 ARRIVALS FOR APRIL, Species Arrival » Departure Remarks t ^ Sandhill Crane 4-4-38 * Migrant : yLong -billed Curiae 4-3-3^ » Resident : ^Mourning Love 4-9-38 1 . Resident : v^ea-oaileu Iia«k 4-9-38 ! Migrant /Sparrow Hawk; 4-10-38 : Migrant ySwainsons hawjc 4-15-38 Resident /prairie Falcon 4-15-38 Migrant Pinrple Crackle 4-15-38 First noticeable numbers vl^uddy Luck 4-15-38 Resident Yellowhead Blackbirds 4-19-38 Resident ^Blue-winged Teal (Females) 4-19-38 Resident ^/cinnamon Teal 4-23-38 Rare Migrant t^ Foresters Tern 4-26-36 Resident Brewer^ Blackbirds 4-26-38 Migrant ^Red Backed Sandpiper 4-26-38 Migrant piping Plover 4-26-38 Migrant x/Least Sandpiper 4-26-38 Migrant Black Capped Night Heron 4-27-38 Resident Myrtle Warbler 4-27-38 Migrant /Long-billed Dowitcher 4-29-38 Migrant /Upland Plover 4-29-38 Resident w o Page 5> REFUGE DEVELOPMENT AND MAINTENANCE VALENTINE LANES REFUGE APRIL, 1938 The following is a summary of accomplishments on CCC Projects during the Month of April. For a more detailed report of CCC Activities, see reports and narrative submitted by Mr. Doeling. Marsh Lake Overnight Cabin and Barn Work consisted of siding porch add painting first coats on interior and outside of overnight cabin. Work on the barn consisted of puttying the windows and painting second coat. The doors were also installed on the barn. Pony Lake Headquarters a. — Equipment and Storage Supply House Work carried on consisted of putting in trusses and foundation and bracing inside of this building. b. — Pony Lake Residence Work on excavating the basement at Pony Lake was underway during a part of the Month of April. Other work at pony Lake Headquarters site consisted of work on the chicken house and skinning and seed house. Hide House at Headquarters The concrete foundation for this building was run dur­ ing the month. Building was blocked up for moving on foundation. Erecting Toilets at Dads Lake Construction work on toilets was carried on throughout the month at Dads -^ake Resort.
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