1889
March 22
Marianna, Florida.
Merritt's Plantation.
Clear and warm with a light breeze. A delicious day.
  We reached the plantation about 8 p.m. last
night and found Hartsfield waiting at the
landing with a horse & buggy. In a few
minutes more we were at the house where
I had a warm welcome from Mr. Alexander,
the gentleman in charge. He told us that
a flock of 17 Turkeys "used" daily in an oat
field in front of the house. Hartsfield had
failed to roost them that evening but hoped
to find them next morning.
  We were afield at day break, Hartsfield
striking for the cypress swamp along the river
while I was posted on the edge of the oat
field where I crouched behind a pile of logs.
Slowly the east reddened and day broke,
until the sun, a great red ball, rose above
the pines and scattered the mists that had
shrouded everything when I first took my
stand. The air was very damp and absolutely
still, I could hear Barred Owls hooting in
every direction and as it became light
the woods and fields rang with bird songs
and calls. Cardinals, Carolina Wrens, Hooded
Warblers, Pine Warblers in the woods, Meadow
Larks out on the broad fields, Woodpeckers
hammering among the shrubs, a pair of
Red-shouldered Hawks screaming over a
swamp. A Purple Finch chinked a few times
in a pine near me and then burst into
full song. In the bushes Towhees began to