1890
July 16
Martha's Vineyard, Mass. 
Cape Pogue Pond
Martha's Vineyard. Morning foggy. Rest of day clear with strong S. W.
wind in p.m. Very hot at noon.
  Spent the morning getting my canoe ready and started
for Cape Pogue pond at 3 p.m. running down to the inlet
before a strong wind and through a choppy sea. On the
point of the beach saw several young terns nearly full grown.
As I approached they scuttled back into the grass. Stood
across to the E. side of the pond. A Tern in the plumage
of "S. fortlandica" with black bill &[and] white forehead passed near
me. On a sand spit were three Herring Gulls, four Laughing
Gulls (one immature with gray head) and a number of
Terns. I sailed almost within gunshot before they flew.
  After crossing the pond and having a look at the S. E. side I returned
and landed on the narrow beach that separates it from the Sound
on the W. side. Here I drew my canoe above high-water mark
and made ready for the night cooking my supper over an
alcohol lamp and after sunset lying on the leward side of the
canoe on the warm dry sand. It was a perfect evening, clear
and still with the stars bright overhead. The Terns on the
edge of whose domain I was camping were much disturbed
at my presence at first but after an hour or so they
ceased to notice me and settled on their eggs within a few
yards of where I lay or plunged into the water for fish
equally near on the water side. After sunset the whole colony
flew up & down the beach restlessly for half an hour or more
collecting in small flocks & screaming incessantly. They were
also astir long after dark for I heard their cries overhead
at frequent intervals and occasionally saw one dimly by
starlight flying along the shore or hovering over the water.
The Piping Plover became very active & noisy with nightfall
and I heard them frequently through the night.