92 
WATERFOWL BREEDING GROUND SURVEY IN THE PROVINCE OF QUEBEC 
John S. Tener and Louis Lemieux 
The breeding population survey was conducted for the 4th consecutive 
year in the Province of Quebec in 1952. The brood survey was initiated in 1951, 
and repeated this year. 
The breeding population survey was carried out by John S. Tener of the 
Canadian Wildlife Service and Gaston Moisan of the Quebec Department of Fish 
and Game. The areas surveyed were the same as last year: Lochaber Bay and 
Carillon Island and Bay on the Ottawa River; the South River Bird Sanctuary; the 
west end of Lake St. Peter; the south shore of the St. Lawrence River from 
Montmagny to Matane. The survey was made from May 9 to May 16, 1952. 
The brood survey was made by Louis Lemieux of the Canadian Wildlife 
Service and Gaston Moisan. The areas studied were the south shore of the 
St. Lawrence River from Montmagny to Matane and the west end of Lake St. Peter. 
The brood survey was conducted from July 2 to July 6. 
The areas studied during both surveys have been described in past reports. 
Weather and Water Conditions 
Spring was about normal in the southern part of the Province, and 
approximately 7 days later than in 1951. Water levels were high when the 
breeding ground survey was made and normal at the time the brood survey was 
conducted. Migration dates were also normal in 1952. Conditions were 
favourable for nesting. | 
Survey Methods 
The areas studied were covered by automobile, canoe, and oh foot. The 
aerial survey was not made this year. 
Data Collected 
The data collected appear in table form at the end of this report. The 
results of the breeding ground survey and of the brood survey are discussed 
separately. 
Breeding Population Survey 
The results produced by the breeding population survey in the Province 
of Quebec appear to have little significance. The areas studied are not good 
breeding grounds, except for the Montmagny to Matane shore line, where eiders 
nest. We have been unable to locate a region where waterfowl concentrate to nest 
in significant numbers in this Province. In Lake St. Peter, where large numbers 
of waterfowl are observed during migrations, it is likely that an important change 
in waterfowl populations would be noticed, but the method of observing would not 
reveal slight variations. The brood survey has shown that only small numbers of 
ducks nest in the areas studied, with the exception of the Montmagny-to-Matane 
region. The results of this survey are recorded in Tables I and IT. 
