123 
WATERFOWL BREEDING GROUND STUDIES IN THE MARITIME PROVINCES 
George F. Boyer 
Weather and Water Conditions 
a a ee er eee eee 
The winter of 1952-53 was exceptionally mild and while rainfall was much above 
normal there was very little snow. Mean temperatures remained consistently above 
normal, The winter ended with a mild, wet March. 
April was wet with above normal temperatures and although May began sunny 
and warm the last two weeks were cloudy and cool. May marked the first time in six 
months when the mean temperature fell below normal, The rainy, cool weather 
continued into June but that month ended sunny and warm. The first three weeks of 
July were hot and sunny with very little rain, but a period of wet, cool weather began 
on July 21 and continued until the time of writing (July 24). 
The run-off was light owing to the mild winter and there were no subsequent 
fluctuations of water levels during the following months. Spring started early, and, 
in spite of periods of cool, wet weather, new vegetation appeared a week to ten days 
‘earlier than last year, Observations during the summer survey indicate that the crop 
of aquatic vegetation, including waterfowl food and cover plants, is good. 
Spring migrants such as geese, brant and scaup ducks passed through the 
Maritimes early this year and slight increases in the first two species were noted and 
reported by competent observers, 
Two broods of well-grown black ducks were seen by Crissey and Bain in western 
Nova Scotia on May 16, during the aerial survey. From these and other observations 
it would appear that broods were hatched slightly earlier than in the preceding two 
years, 
Ground checks and aerial brood survey results point to Success of early broods. 
Young birds appeared to make up a good part of the flying population during mid-July. 
It is thought that weather conditions should be favorable for late nesters but lack of 
present brood information prevents reliable comments. 
Breeding Population Trends 
Aerial coverage carried out by W. F. Crissey and R. H. Bain provides the sole 
source of data for the breeding population trends. This work was part of a larger 
survey covering other parts of eastern Canada and it is felt by the writer that better 
evaluation can be obtained by taking the survey as a whole than by breaking it down 
into its various components. Areas covered in the Maritimes were changed from last 
year and reliable comparison is difficult. 
During the period May 12 to May 17, inclusive, various types of habitat including 
215 square miles of low-production, mixed boreal forest in New Brunswick and Nova 
Scotia, and 1,200 linear miles of tidal and non-tidal shoreline in the three Maritime 
Provinces were sampled, In addition, the transects covering 12. 5 percent.of the 
Northeastern Wildlife Station's study area below Fredericton, New Brunswick were 
re-run, 
