Lake Umbagog, Maine.
1894
Sept. 11
  Clear and cooler; wind N.W. blowing a gale in the afternoon
but falling to dead calm at sunset.
  Mr. Hubbard and Will went to Errol Hill Pond this
morning returning at 2 P.M. In the pond they found
only three Ducks, all Whistlers. Deer signs were very
numerous there.
[margin]Errol Hill
Pond.[/margin]
  I spent the entire day about camp writing etc. but
a little before sunset after the wind had abated Jim
rowed me across to Richardson's Carry and into the
river on the further side of which I landed on an
isolated, grass-covered mound on which was a large
Musk rat house. Spreading a rubber blanket on this I
lay down and awaited the evening flight of water fowl.
Wood Ducks were squealing in the marsh when we
arrived and soon after sunset Black Ducks began
coming in small flocks from all quarters. About
half an hour after sunset a very large flock (Jim
counted them & made the number 59) appeared high
in air from the direction of Leonard's Pond and in
a broad, extended front swept down with a great
rushing sound and alighted. When we left there must
have been fully 100 Ducks in the marsh but not one
gave me a shot although two single birds came
within range from behind me. All that I saw were
Black Ducks save one bird that I took for a Merganser.
  The marshes resounded with bird voices for half an hour
or more - the loud, full quacking of the Black Ducks, the
shrill, cracked falsetto of the drakes, the squealing cry of
Wood Ducks, the hoarse scaipe of Snipe (very many of them), the
haink of Great Blue Herons & the hooting of a Hawk
Owl towards Moll's Rock. It was altogether an interesting evening.