WATERFOWL BREEDING GHOUND SURVEY OF 
THE OTTAWA AND ST. LAWRENCE RIVERS, 1949 
J. 8. Tener 
Introduction 
This survey was initiated as the firat of the annual eurveye of parte of 
the Ottawa and 5t. Lawrence River systeme and adjacent areas. 
The investigation was conducted by the author from June 6, 1949 to July 6, 
1949, and covered pertinent areas from Ottawa, Ontario, to Rimouski, Quebec. 
Az the survey was an initial one, particular attention wae pald to vegetation 
and topography . 
The unavoidably late start of the aurvey prevented accurate sampling 
of the breeding areas, a5 vegetation was well advanced and the majority of 
neste were in the latter etage of incubation. 
The following elght mejor areae were studied: The north shore of the 
Ottawa River from Clement Pay through Lochaber Bay to Elack Bay: the Carillon 
Island area in the Lake of Two Mountains, Ottawa River, near St. Andrewe East, 
Quebec; the Beauharnois Canal area on the St. Lawrence River immedlately south 
of Montreal; the South River Bird Sanctuary 35 miles southeast of Montreal; the 
Ile au Heron Bird Sanctuary, Montreal; the Lake 54. Pierre region of the 
St, Lawrence Hiver, between Montreal and Guebec cities; Tle d'Orleanes and Jle 
aux Coudree eaet of Quebec City; and the south chore of the St. Lawrence River 
from Quebec City to Himouski, Quebec. 
survey Methods 
Coverage of each area surveyed was madé by cance and on faot, an auta- 
mobile being used for transportation to the areas concerned. The transect 
method of asseseing nesting populations wae not used because the nesting 
areag are relatively small in size, scattered, and inaccessible by car. 
Phy slography 
The Precambrian shield dominates the northern shores of the (ittawa and 
St. Lawrence Rivers. Several rock formations, including shales and limestone, 
oeecur on the southern shores. The Ottawa River varies in width from several 
hundred yards at Clement Bay to one mile at Carillon Island Bird Sanctua in 
the Lake of Two Mountains. The 5t. Lawrence River varies in width from 1 
miles at Victoria Bridge, Montreal, to 7 miles in Lake St. Fierre, and 
narrows agein from Trois Hivierea to Quebec City. The river then widens 
steadily to form the estuary of the St. lawrence. At Rimouski 150 miles east 
of Quebec City, the most easterly point reached during the investigation, the 
river iz about 32 miles wide. 
Midge affects the level of the St. Lawrence River as far weet ao Troie 
Rivieres, which experiences a rise and fall of one foot, but is Lost in Lake 
St. Fierre. At Quebec City a 19 foot tide occure. The mareh areas are 
subject ta fluctuation in water-level and to varying degrees of salinity, 
a control, to a certain extent, of the types of vegetation and vertebrates 
of these habitats. 
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