1889
Feb. 18
Titusville to Banana River, Florida.
Clear but hot; Ther. 82[degrees] at noon. Wind S.W.; strong all day.
  Left Enterprise by the noon train reaching Titusville
about 3 p.m. Typical Florida town of the forlorn
type. Fish Crows & Boat-tails swarming about the vacant
lots and along the edge of the river. Many Yellow-rump
Warblers & one Titlark on a long wharf.
  We had chartered the schooner "Manatu" for a week's
trip and getting our baggage aboard set sail for
Banana Creek. The distance across Indian River is
about seven miles diagonally. The water for the cutin
way was thickly sprinkled with Coots (Fulica) with
every now & then a great bed of Scaups (Felix affinis).
The latter regularly took wing before we were within
500 yds. but the Coots were tame. The majority flew
at about 100 yds. paddling frantically with their feet
for many yards, often slapping against the crest of
a wave after flying many rods & giving up the
attempt. A few Coots did not attempt to fly at all
but dove as nimbly as Grebes staying under water
a long time. One came up within 4 ft. of the side
of the vessel. The water in many places was 8 ft.
deep & free from aquatic vegetation. The Captain said
the Coots feed by  diving.
  We reached the mouth of banana creek just
before sunset. Here I saw my first mangroves.
The wind had now sunk to a gentle breeze deliciously
soft & warm. In the mangroves several Nonpariels were
singing; in the marshes many Maryland Yellow-throats.
In the distance I could hear Boat-tails uttering their
rasping chick, chick, chu-chu-chu. Several Kingfishers were
flying about chasing one another. In every direction