WATERFOWL BREEDING GROUND SURVEY IN EASTERN CANADA 
C. E. Addy, Walter F. Crissey, H. R. Webster and G. F. Boyer 
Introduction 
Both ground and aerial coverages of the Maritime Provinces were 
continued in somewhat the same manner as in the past. Since 1949 the principal 
effort has been centered in the Maritime Provinces. This year, however, the 
major portion of one aerial crew's time was involved in obtaining new transect 
data throughout eastern Canada to the north, including Ontario, Quebec and 
Labrador. 
Walter F. Crissey and C. E. Addy (U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service) 
worked as an aerial team throughout the season, using a Widgeon N 744. This 
crew covered the Maritimes for the breeding pair survey, running most of the 
old transects and several new ones in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. In 
addition, the Widgeon was used in the Ontario-Quebec-Labrador area, sampling 
the major habitat types from Anticosti Island to the Ungava Peninsula and as far 
west as Kapuskasing, Ontario. (See Map 1). 
This survey crew began operations May 1, making transect runs first 
through southeastern Ontario and southern Quebec north of Montreal and Ottawa, 
then during the middle of May the Maritime Provinces were covered. Transects 
were also run between Lake St. John and Kapuskasing before the plane proceeded 
to Anticosti Island. Up to this point an attempt to time the survey with the receding 
ice line was successful. At Anticosti Islandand later at Goose Bay, bad weather 
was instrumental in delaying the survey about two weeks. After leaving Goose Bay, 
the base of operations centered at Knob Lake, Quebec during the third week of June. 
From Knob Lake the route included Fort Chimo at Ungava Bay, and Port Harrison 
and Great Whale River on the east shore of Hudson Bay. From these fueling points 
various transects were run into the interior and along tidal shores. By July 3 the 
plane was at Moose Factory, Ontario. From this point on, heading southward 
through Kapuskasing, brood surveys were made. 
H. R. Webster, G. F. Boyer (Canadian Wildlife Service) and W. S. Little, 
summer assistant, conducted spring and summer ground counts in the Maritimes 
and brood surveys by air during late June and July. Most of the flying was done in 
a Fleet Canuck owned and piloted by Mr. Elton Woodside of Prince Edward Island. 
Part of the flying in Nova Scotia was in a Cub Cruiser (piloted by Mr. Don Giffin) 
which was loaned by Mr. G. W. I. Creighton, Deputy Minister, Department of 
Lands and Forests. 
Sampling Methods and Area Covered 
Ground surveys, as in the past, were conducted on foot, by canoe, and by 
car. Individual water areas were covered as completely as possible. Ordinary 
cross-country transects by car are not practical. 
Aerial surveys consist of both cross-country transects and shoreline 
coverage. The latter is restricted primarily to tidal areas. 
