1892
Sept. 24
Concord, Massachusetts.
Mass. 
Concord. Early morning sunny but with many clouds. Afternoon
cloudy with light showers. Sultry, with S. W. wind.
  Down river in the "Stella Maris" canoe at 8.30 a.m. There
was a fine sailing breeze and with both sails set I made rapid
progress. A little below Hunt's Pond a Wood Duck, a drake in
full plumage, started from beneath some overhanging bushes on the
right bank and attempted to cross my bows at about 30 yards
distance but I had the 20 gauge ready to my hand and a
charge of no 4 shot toppled the beautiful bird over before he
had gone fifty feet. His irides were pale yellow, an unusual color.
[margin]Down river[/margin]
  Landing at the Holt I beat a portion of the meadows
flushing two Snipe in the same place where I saw the
three on the 21st and again missing a perfectly fair
double shot. I begin to fear that I have lost my old skill.
  Titlarks have arrived in force. I saw 11 flying about together
as soon as I landed and the shots at the Snipe started
twenty or thirty others. There was no flight into the meadow
at evening, however, as used to be the case on 1885-1887.
[margin]Titlarks[/margin]
  As I was passing through a belt of uncut grass a Bobolink
started a few rods ahead and flew to some bushes where
it alighted. I followed & flushed at twice more getting
a positive identification each time although, very curiously,
the bird did not once utter a sound while flying. I do
not remember ever seeing this species so late before.
[margin]Late Bobolink[/margin]
  A Bittern rose fully 100 yards in advance of me and
flew out of sight in the direction of Concord. It started
from grass a foot or more in height.
[margin]A shy Bittern[/margin]