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WATERFOWL BREEDING GROUND SURVEY, SOUTHERN ONTARIO, 1954 
George M. Stirrett 
Introduction 
A survey of waterfowl breeding prounds in southern Ontario was carried out 
during the summer of 1954 over the Same areas, by the same personnel, and by the 
Same methods as during the past three years. 
Two independent surveys were made. One, by the author, covered some 
40 water areas throughout southern Ontario, south of a line drawn from Sault Ste. 
Marie easterly to Sudbury, Temagami, Arnprior, and Cornwall. This survey was 
made intermittently between May 1 and July 20. The other survey was carried out 
by H. G. Lumsden, Fish and Wildlife Division, Ontario Department of Lands and 
Forests, Tweed, Ontario. Mr. Lumsden examined the waterfowl breeding areas of 
the Tweed District in south central Ontario and within the general area covered by 
the author, This was done by a gound survey on July 18 and 22 and an aerial survey 
on July 21. 
The results of these studies alone were used in compiling the data on breeding 
waterfowl populations so that they would be comparable with the data of previous 
years. In compiling the brood success, the results of these surveys were combined 
with brood data secured from the reports of correspondents within the survey area 
who took part in the Quarterly Survey of Waterfowl Conditions in Ontario. This 
survey is carried out jointly by the Canadian Wildlife Service and the Fish and 
Wildlife Division, Ontario Department of Lands and Forests. Also included are the 
brood records supplied by W. J. Douglas Stephens for Toronto Island; these were 
taken in June. 
Weather and Water Conditions 
A cold, wet spring was probably responsible for the late arrival in southern 
Ontario of migrant waterfowl, The birds were about one week to 10 days late and 
this resulted in a later than usual nesting season. The entire summer was character- 
ized by cool, wet weather in most areas. In many areas, the precipitation for the 
summer months was greater than for any year on record. 
Water levels in the northern section of the area surveyed were high during the 
entire season, while those in the southern section, particularly the Great Lakes, were 
closer to normal. In the Conroy marsh area, surveyed by Mr. Lumsden, the water 
levels fluctuated because of repairs to adam. These fluctuations caused some 
destruction of ring-necked duck nests that were started during the low water level and 
subsequently flooded. No other damage from fluctuating water levels was noted in the 
area surveyed, 
