More broods were seen in 1963 and the 
average size was larger than in 1962. Most 
encouraging was a 46 percent increase inthe 
Canada goose brood index and an increase of 
0.43 goslings in average brood size (table 
F-43, p. 158). 
Late Nesting Indexes 
The late nesting index for ducks could not 
be compared with years prior to 1962, Data 
for 1963 indicate practically no change for 
dabbling ducks, a small decrease in black 
ducks being offset by a small increase in mal- 
lards (table F-44, p. 159). A significant in- 
crease was shown for the diving species. 
This, however, was not a particularly com- 
forting amount of information, since it was 
caused by a 44 percent increase in late nest- 
ing mergansers, All other species of divers 
showed a decrease in late nesters, 
Late nesting geese showed a 500 percent 
increase from 3,000 probable later broods in 
1962 to18,000 in 1963. Adding these to the 
193,000 indicated goslings from the brood 
index gives an estimated 254,000 young geese 
in the fall flight. 
Conclusions 
The Ontario-Quebec- Labrador survey area 
is not subject to the disastrous changes in 
habitat conditions that are normal to the 
Canadian Prairie duck nesting areas. Al- 
though changes in water levels are apparent 
during drought periods there is not the com- 
plete loss of water that occurs periodically 
in the prairie regions. Despite the relative 
stability of the habitat, survey data indicate 
wide fluctuations in species populations. 
Since no surveys were conducted in this 
area during the years 1957 through 1961 one 
can only surmise that the 1962-63 increases 
in mallard and green-winged teal may be due 
to population shifts caused by the drought in 
the western regions. 
This year’s data indicate a substantial in- 
crease in the fall flight of Canada geese from 
eastern Canada. Dabbling ducks should be 
slightly up, compared to 1962 and diving ducks 
considerably higher, the increase in divers 
being confined to mergansers. Brood and late 
nesting indexes indicate that the ratio of young 
birds to adults should be substantially higher 
than in recent years for most species. De- 
creases in this ratio can be expected for 
scaup, goldeneye, and bufflehead. 
52 
MAINE 
Data supplied by Howard L, Mendall, 
Maine Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit 
Weather and Habitat Conditions 
The spring season was greatly retarded. 
Although ice-clearing dates were exception- 
ally late, the snow cover lingered far beyond 
average dates. The period from mid-April 
to May 20 was characterized by above- 
normal precipitation (including three spring 
snowstorms) and temperatures that were 
considerably below average. 
As would be expected, breeding chronology 
was likewise retarded. Spring migration was 
late for black ducks, goldeneyes, and wood 
ducks, The first arriving black ducks found 
nesting habitat stillunder snowcover. Floods 
on some marshes of central and eastern 
Maine May 19-20 further aggravated the 
situation by causing some early nest losses. 
The later breeding ring-necked ducks and 
the blue and green-winged teal were closer to 
their usual schedules, 
During the last 10 days of May and through- 
out all of June, a decided contrast in the 
weather pattern occurred, Temperatures 
were above average and there was a marked 
deficiency of rainfall, This resulted in a 
lowering of water levels to a point where 
rearing conditions for broods on some marsh- 
es, especially in central Maine, were a mat- 
ter of concern, Average precipitation, so far 
in July has improved conditions. 
Breeding Population Indexes 
As explained in previous reports, initial 
breeding populations are determined from 
13 study areas, Over a period of years these 
have proven quite reliable indicators for 
northern, eastern, and central Maine, es- 
pecially for the two most numerous species-- 
the black duck and the ring-necked duck, 
Data for other species have considerably 
less value in detecting annual trends. 
The breeding population as a whole was 
disappointingly low in comparison with the 
high level of 1962. The substantial gain last 
year in the black duck was offset by a cor- 
responding decrease this year, On the study 
areas, the species is approximately at the 
1961 breeding level, lower than a 10-year 
