148 

Comparison of Ground and Fish and Wildlife Service Aerial Surveys 
The U. S, Fish and Wildlife Service has conducted aerial surveys to determine 
breeding population trends on the St. John River since 1952. The total numbers of 
ducks tabulated. on the transects lying within the Northeastern Wildlife Station study 
area are piven in Table VI, in comparison with the total waterfowl population as 
determined by the ground crews. It is evident that no correlation is possible at 
this time. 
It is believed that the wide divergence of figures for 1954 is due to a late 
Spring migration, that a large portion of the 3320 ducks counted by the aerial crew 
is representative of groups of migrating birds which did not remain in this area to 
breed. 
Table VI. - Comparison of Ground and Fish and Wildlife Service Aerial Surveys 

1952 1953 1954 
Fish and Wildlife Service Survey 1304 2328 3320 
Ground Survey 2316 1391 513 
Conclusion 
The 1954 waterfowl breeding season in the St. John estuary has been among 
the least successful since 1945, 
The violently fluctuating river level is believed to have caused considerable 
nest losses, and the flooding has enabled successful broods as well as flying birds 
to utilize dense cover types where they could not be located. 
All waterfowl species showed serious population decreases, with an over-all 
decrease of 64 percent from 1953. In view of the paucity of local birds and the 
flooding of wild rice beds which would normally attract migrants, the prospects for 
the hunting season are extremely poor. 
