63 
Breeding Records 
a ee 
Mr. H. G. Lumsden, Ontario biologist, appraised the waterfowl production 
of selected marshes and lakes of the Quinte District (latitude 44° ~ 45° 30'; longitude 
WO 77" 30') between June 2 and August 9. He made use of car, boat, plane, anda 
trained retriever in this survey. Extracts from his report follow: 
Pre-Cambrian Lakes and Marshes 
Duck breeding densities were low throughout. A few black ducks breed along 
marshy creeks and beaver meadows or in the small shallow bays of lakes which are 
mostly cold and deep. This habitat occupies the northern half of the district. One 
important duck marsh (Conroy Marsh), covering five square miles, occurs in this 
habitat. On it the following broods were counted during two visits: Black duck 2; 
ringneck 14; wood duck 1; hooded merganser 4; golden-eye 3. It was the opinion of 
the observer that he saw most of the ringneck brood but probably missed most black 
and wood duck broods. Brood density on the half of the marsh which could be surveyed 
was 7.2 per square mile. The average size of 11 ringneck broods was 4.5 young per 
brood, 
Limestone Lakes and Marshes 
Although surveyed too late for a proper appraisal, indications were that these 
waters were quite productive. Black ducks are probably the most common nesters, 
with mallards second. Gatherings of fully-grown black ducks, mallards, wood ducks 
and blue-winged teal were encountered late in July and early in August, but some 
broods of these species still were in evidence, indicating local production. 
Cattail Marshes along Lake Ontario 
Cattail marshes, where creeks empty into sheltered bays of Lake Ontario or 
the Bay of Quinte, and sandy basins formed by bays cut off from the Great Lakes proper 
also form habitat more or less attractive to breeding ducks depending on the develop- 
ment stage of the vegetation. Black ducks, mallards, blue-wings and wood ducks are 
the main species using these areas, 
Quinte District 
The 46 broods containing 214 young (4.7 each) found during the survey of the 
Quinte District were of the following species: 
Species No. Broods No. Young Average Size 
Black duck 15 68 4,5 
Mallard 4 14 2.0 
Blue-winged teal l 8 8.0 
Wood duck 6 29 4.8 
Ringneck 11 50 4.5 
Redhead 2 4 2.0 
Golden-eye 2 5 fin D 
Hooded merganser 5 36 7.2 
The black duck is the most common breeding duck of the district. On the basis 
of territorial pairs, blue-winged teals were rated second. Wood ducks nest both in the 
Pre-Cambrian and limestone formations, and were rated third. Mallards, restricted 
to the limestones, rated fourth. The hooded merganser was found only on the Shield 
and there was believed to be more common than the figures would irdicate. Golden-eyes 
are scarce throughout; ringnecks were restricted to Conroy Marsh, and redheads were 
seen only on Hay Bay of Lake Ontario. 
