
81 
the northern coastal region (Anticosti and the north shore of the gulf) reported 
deficiencies. In general, May was a very dry month throughout the region. June, 
however, was a wet month, with considerable excess rain reported from many areas. 
Precipitation in July was very scattered, while rainfall during August was generally 
above normal in the Maritimes, 
The cool spring apparently retarded breeding activities as much as ten days 
to two weeks. This delay coincided more or less with a rise in water levels so that 
there was very likely an insignificant loss of nests. Although Prince Edward Island 
and parts of Nova Scotia experienced deficiencies in rainfall this was not generally 
the situation in western and central New Brunswick. Although water levels in the 
St. John River receded from the initial spring level, subsequent precipitation kept 
the late spring and early summer levels high. 
Breeding Population Trends 
In late April and May some 12 marsh areas on Prince Edward Island, the 
New Brunswick - Nova Scotia border region and the lower Hampton marsh were 
surveyed again this year by canoe and on foot. In addition, six new areas on Prince 
Edward Island and four in Nova Scotia were surveyed. 
Since a determination of the status for any one area would be undesirable 
the percent increase or decrease for all areas combined are given as follows: 
- Total all ducks — 14% 
Black duck — 13% 
Pintail — 14% 
Ringneck — 33% 
G-w. teal — — 12% 
B-w. teal + 30% 
Table 1, in a similar manner, gives the percent increase or decrease as 
found by aerial surveys in eastern Canada. The table is totaled in two parts because 
of the differences in dates of coverage as compared with last year for the same areas. 
The counts made in southern New Brunswick and Nova Scotia were made on dates 
more comparable to those of last year. The remainder of the surveys ending with 
Anticosti Island were made three to four weeks later this year, so that the data are 
very likely not comparable. The extreme reduction in counts on the later surveys 
compared with last year indicates that the lateness of this year's survey probably 
influenced the data to some extent. 
In the first group, where the surveys were comparable to those of 1949, the 
data show the black duck population to be about the same as last year in the Maritimes, 
and for all species a slight increase. Combining all the surveys in eastern Canada we 
find a 33 percent reduction in blacks and a 24 percent reduction in all species. Itis - 
believed, however, that the results of the earlier surveys are more indicative of the 
actual status of the population. Blanks under the species columns indicate less than 
50 birds, or too few to warrant a percentage determination. Actually, the black duck 
is the only species that occurs in sufficient numbers on the routes flown to show 
trends adequately by aerial surveys. 
Summary of Breeding Ground Surveys 
Although a marked reduction in the over-all population is indicated from a 
summary of all surveys, it is believed that the results of the surveys in the New 
Brunswick and Nova Scotia areas are a more reliable index. The latter are more 
comparable to similar surveys in 1949. 
