1890
March 15
Banana Creek, Florida
Early morning clear and hot; a sudden chnage about
10 a.m. wind changing to N.W. and blowing heavily
[?] falling 25 [degrees] in less than an hour. Several
brisk showers.
  At sunrise this morning Caroline Wrens, Prairie
Warblers, a Cardinal, a White-eyed Towhee and
a Song Sparrow were in full song in the scrub
about the house, while Red-wings and Boat-tails
could be heard in the distance. From my window
as I was dressing I could see fifty to seventy-five
Ducks all within two hundred yards in the
[?] below the flowing well. About one third
were Shovelers, the remainder Scaups. They 
presented a beautiful appearance scattered about
in pairs or in small flocks composed of several
pairs each, the Scapus diving in the open water
the Shovelers feeding close in shore like Teal. 
Through the glass I could distinctly see the
green reflections on the heads of the Shoveler
drakes. The [male] Scaups seem when on the water
to have white backs for they keep the white
feathers of their sides up [?over] their closed wings.
  At 8 a.m. started for Pepper Hamock.
The row down the bay was delightful.
I saw as many Coots as usual and a 
good number of Widgeon but fewer Shovelers
and Scaups.
  Reaching the hamocks I beat the palmettos
closely for Barn Owls. [?Started ?Startled] one near the
spot whence the second bird flew yesterday. 
It was a very white specimen. I had a 
fairly open shot at it but its flight was