1890
June 6
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cloudy with N.E. wind and dense mist (almost a fine rain) late in
the day. In the evening a heavy thunder shower.
  Met Faxon at Pont Pond swamp by appointment at 2.30 P.M.
our chief object being to look for the nest of the Least Bittern
which he flushed there yesterday. After about an hour's search 
I found it within 30 yds. of where he saw the bird and not
20 yds from the site of the Gallinule's nest. It was in a very
open situation, in an isolated cluster of tall cat-tails on the edge
of a small pond. The nest showed plainly from two points and
one of the 5 light bluish green eggs caught my eye from a distance
of at least 15 yds. The eggs were warm but we saw nothing of
either of the birds. I took the eggs but left the nest in order
to get a photograph of it in situ later.
  As during yesterday's search we found a surprising number
of Red-wings' nests in this swamp. There seemed to be one every
few yards built usually 2 ft or more above the water in cat-tails
or bushes. Most of them contained young of various ages and there
were also many young out of the nests sitting in the tops of the
bushes.
  We heard several Virginia Rails which evidently had young &
called ki-ki or pink but only two gave the pig note. There seemed 
to be no Carolina Rails in this swamp either yesterday or
to-day but a chorus of their whinneying calls came from the
bog east of the causeway as we passed. Heard only one [?]
to day & none yesterday.
  Our Gallinule called twice this afternoon within 30 yds
of the site of her ravished nest so they are likely to breed
again here.
  While we were in this swamp the Sparrow Hawk which we
have seen so often this spring scaled overhead closely pursued
by the White bellied Swallows which are nesting in the signal globe