Lake Umbagog, Maine.
1895
Sept.14
(no 2)
Ducks, altogether the largest assemblage of water-fowl that
I have seen in Leonard's Pond these twenty years.
  The Wood Ducks, curiously enough, flew first. Some of the
Black Ducks immediately followed them but a dozen or more
remained and watched me for two or three minutes although
I was out in the open water & not 80 yards from them. Indeed
I had some hopes of drawing the canoe back out of sight
& afterwards landing & stalking them but they all took
wing before I could accomplish this.
[margin]Wood Ducks
Black Ducks[/margin]
  On my way back to camp I saw a flock of six Ereunetes
flying over the marshes.
[margin]Ereunetes[/margin]
  Soon after dinner I started out with Jim in the large boat.
Just inside Moose Point we spied two Whistlers swimming near
shore. I landed and tried to stalk them but they
worked gradually away from shore & out of gunshot. Jim
seeing this paddled gently towards them. They had now
gone to sleep and turned slowly around & around with
thin heads under thin scapular feathers drifting with the wind.
They paid little attention to the boat until it was within
60 yards or less when they began swimming away from it.
They passed me out of range but Jim circled around them
& drove them back when they came within 30 yards & I
shot one on the water & the other as it rose. They
were evidently fresh animals from the north for more
of our local Whistlers could have acted in this manner.
[margin]Two tame
Golden eyes[/margin]
  We next went to Leonard's Pond. I landed and approached the
wild rice belt carefully but two Wood Ducks, the only birds
there, saw me & flew before I got near them. After looking
the place over thoroughly I shouted for Jim to bring the boat.
The next instant a flock of 15 to 18 Wood Ducks came
[margin]Wood Duck
shooting in
Leonard's Pond[/margin]