1844
May 23
Oden, Michigan
Clear & hot. Ther rose to 83[degrees]. Wind N. in A. M., S. W. in P. M.
  Although migrants were numerous to-day their numbers
were as nothing compared to those of yesterday. The night
(last night) being still, clear & warm all the birds that
were here yesterday doubtless passed on & those seen
to-day were as clearly new arrivals. Many of the birds
that came yesterday & on the 21st were of course birds
that will summer here.
  After spending two hours or so in the grove by
the bath house and in the thicket opposite the station
I started back into the heavy timber to the North in
search of Pigeons. Penetrating in about 500 yds. I came
to a picturesque ravine shaded by noble old hemlocks
with a brook flowing swiftly beneath. There were
many small birds here but nothing of special interest
except a Thrush which I took to be T. mustelinus but
which I could not find although I shot it down.
  I was following up the brook and had nearly
reached its source in a sp[?]gy swamp when a
[female] Pigeon started from the ground and alighted
in a sapling about 15 ft. up. I crept cautiously
within range and shot her getting a fine specimen
(which I afterwards gave to Dwight in exchange for a
[male] which I shot next day at a nest which he found
to-day.)
  As I came out of the woods on my return
a Contopus borealis was sitting on the top of a dead
hemlock at least 150 ft. above the ground.