1886
(Aug.6)
and one Long Sparrow singing, positively nothing
else.  Nevertheless I saw more birds than I have 
seen before in one trip on this river. The air
was literally filled with them-hundreds in 
sight at once, thousands seen in all. The
great bank were Red-wings and Bobolinks. Of
the former not less than 500 rose in a single 
flock from the Susunia bed in wild-streams.
There were quite as many more Bobolinks in 
a single flock on the Great Meadow and small 
companies of both species were coming and 
going overheard. Altogether it was a most 
interesting and pleasing sight.
  Besides these two species their were many
Swallows and Swifts sealing about over the
river or meadows.  I also saw a Bittern come 
in from over the trees and alight in a bed
of ledges. These three were two Red-Tailed Hawks
screaming and circling over Caesar's Woods.
  The meadows were wonderfully beautiful
in the soft sunset light, the uncut positions
a rich golden on russet brown, those from which
the  grass has been removed of a light tender
green. The air was very still, no sound but the 
chattering of the Blackbirds, the metallic chick
of the Bobolinks and the soft twittering of 
Swallows. The frogs have ceased almost wholly
within the past few nights.
  Pickerel weed still in bloom along the river,
white water lilies declining fast. Eupatoriuses, Clethra
and button bush the prominent flowers along 
the banks.