Concord, Massachusetts
1894
Oct. 11 to
Nov. 21
(No 19)
Resume of Field Observations.
Dam Rapid. I flushed them from the same place on
the evening of the 15th and Pat's son Jimmie said
that he saw them there on the 18th.
  Woodward Hudson killed a Blue-winged Teal, a solitary bird
just below Carlisle Bridge October 14th, a later date. Geo. Keyes
saw the bird and described it closely.
  Wood Ducks were more numerous in the river than usual
owing probably to the fact that many of the smaller ponds
and brooks were nearly or quite dry this autumn. On
October 17th a pair of these beautiful Ducks appeared on the
reach known as the Holt, and remained there constantly until
the 20th when I shot them both. At first they were rather
shy but as they were not molested and became accustomed to
the frequent appearance of boats and canoes they [delete]became[/delete] soon
allowed us to paddle or row within shot gun range before taking
flight. After the first day they frequented the Holt and the
wooded reach just above Hunt's Pond, indifferently, flying from
one place to the other and back again as often as they were
disturbed regularly doubling back over the land to avoid the
approaching boat. I should not have killed them but for the
fact that the 20th was Saturday and it was practically certain
that the meadows would be alive with gunners on the Sunday.
Although I had had numerous easy shots at them through the
week they [delete]put[/delete] gave me no little trouble when I went in
pursuit of them on the 20th. It happened in this wise:
As I was launching my canoe Herbert Holden came past
and of course we paddled down river together. We found
the ducks at Hunt's Pond but they were out of range and