1888
March 30
Ipswich, Massachusetts
  Cloudless with a warm sun & cold but not strong N. wind.
  With Denton took the 7.30 train for Ipswich. Hiring
a skiff at the wharves we were soon on our way down
river. The tide was turning up as we started but the
strong spring freshet swept us down swiftly nearly to 
the Neck before we began to feel its influence.
  There were no birds along the banks except Crows of
which dozens were constantly in sight. As usual here
they were very tame and I soon had a good shot
at one that was passing the boat. It flew to an elm &
alighted but soon dropped dead. Landing to get it
I saw three Pine Linnets & a Tree Sparrow. Song Sparrows singing.
  We next landed at the mouth of the river & beat the
sand hills carefully. Found only one P. Princeps at which
I fired four unsuccessful shots. It rose wild each time
& finally escaped. While searching for it after the second
rise D. flushed a Short-eared Owl. He fired a charge
of dust without stopping it, then we both fired #10 at
the same instant, bringing it down. It rose within
ten yards of the spot where I once started & shot one in
the autumn; over at the west end of the fresh-water meadow.
[margin]P. Princeps[/margin]
[margin]Asio accipitrinus[/margin]
  On the beach I saw a Snow Bunting rise & alight on
a huge cake of ice at high-water mark. Approaching
I made out a dozen or more feeding about a pool
at the base of the ice. I could not get two together so
finally shot one sitting and another when the flock rose.
[margin]Snow Buntings[/margin]
  Denton afterwards shot a high bird that had an
old, partially healed wound and a broken leg.
  Climbing the great hill we descended to the
larger sand dunes at its southern base. All the
morning we had seen Crows passing steadily north
at intervals but over the great sand hills they were