
WATERFOWL BREEDING GROUND SURVEY IN QUEBEC AND LABRADOR, 1955 
Fred A. Glover, Rossalius C. Hanson 
and 
A. P. Noltemeier 
Introduction 
The 1955 aerial waterfowl breeding ground survey was conducted in the 
Provinces of Quebec and Labrador starting May 10 and ending July 25. An inter- 
lude starting June 7 and ending July 3, separates the breeding pair from the pro- 
duction survey. This is the fourth annual survey and in general the techniques 
used were the Same as previous years. Changes were made to bring the aerial 
transects nearer the depree lines and the longest stretches made to run east and 
west (See Map). Due to mechanical problems with the aircraft, in early June, it 
was impractical to continue the breeding pair survey further north than Knob Lake. 
An attempt was made in July to run the production transects twice. This dual 
coverage would have encompassed the area between Ottawa and Knob Lake. Again, 
due to mechanical difficulties with the aircraft, we duplicated the areas as far 
north as Bagotville and on single transects reached Knob Lake as the most northern 
point. The data collected on the first run is not included in this report. There is 
a doubt as to its value for comparative purposes and, therefore, the inclusion of 
it would not add to this report. No tundra area was covered in either survey. 
Previous transects covering the St. Lawrence River area were not run; nor were 
any banding or production reconnaissance flights made in the tundra. 
All the data collected in Ontario will be reported on by Mr. Ed. Wellein. 
During the breeding pair survey personnel were Fred A. Glover and 
Rossalius C. Hanson acting interchangeably as pilot-observers. On the production 
survey A. P. Noltemeier and Rossalius C. Hanson acted in the same capacity. 
Flights consisted of 5,596 lineal transect miles covered on breeding pair survey 
and 5,004 lineal miles on production. Included were transects covered in Ontario 
and re-runs. A total of 170 hours was flown during the survey. 
Weather and Water Conditions 
Over-all weather conditions followed a similar pattern during the summer. 
It was one of the hottest and driest on record. Forest fires started in May; old 
ones and new ones were flaring up all summer. Water conditions varied depending 
on location. 
The season appeared to be ahead by a week or more in southern and 
eastern Ontario as compared with last year. Ice went out of Chibougamau Lake on 
May 3 this year as compared to the usual middle of May. However, in higher 
reaches of the Laurentians, the season was retarded. Ice was present in the 
