1892
Feb. 29
(No 2)
Concord, Massachusetts.
[margin]Ball's Hill.[/margin]
Mass.
Concord. in a vineyard, ascending the stakes which
supported the vines very slowly and deliberately often
pausing to pick away the bark but in no instance,
as far as I could discern, obtaining any reward
for this labor.
  As I emerged from the woods on the lower side
of Holden's Hill I glanced at the large space of
open water on the Beaver-dam reach of river and
there in mid stream sat a large dark-colored
Duck. It evidently saw me for it cruised about
suspiciously with head & neck erect now drifting
down a few yards with the strong current, now
paddling vigorously against it yet no more than
maintaining its position by this exertion. At
length it approached the [?] end of the opening
and rising flew out of sight up river keeping
only a yard or two above the surface. It seemed
to be wholly dark-colored and looked like
a Greater Scaup but I did not identify it
at all satisfactorily.
[margin]Duck.[/margin]
  At Ball's Hill where I spent the day I saw
only a few Crows flying overhead. The mice
have made great havoc among the young poplars
on my land this winter barking hundreds of
them just above the ground and thence upwards
for a space of several inches. No trees more than
an inch in diameter have been molested.
[margin]Mice bark
young poplars[/margin]
  During the walk back to Peterson's late in
the afternoon I saw no birds except a pair
of Chickadees. The [male] was whistling the plum note.
While driving down in the morning I heard Snow Buntings.