Lake Umbagog, Maine.
1895
Sept 7
(no 2)
[margin]Moose Point[/margin]
but for the next ten or fifteen minutes Black Ducks kept pouring
in from every directions & flying about low down, but few alighting.
I fired both barrels at four which passed over me rather high &
missed both. A pair swung past me within good range but
somehow I did not get the gun on them & they dropped into
our pond when I could not see them in the gloom.
[margin]Big flight
of incoming
Ducks[/margin]
  Before the Ducks began arriving a Great Blue Heron alighted
in the pond within twenty yards of us. We were only partially
concealed by the brakes but we lay perfectly still and for
three or four minutes the big bird stood erect & motionless staring
at us intently but evidently unable to make out just what
we were. Finally he sprang into the air and made off rising
in a broad spiral coming back over us again & again at a
constantly increasing height. His curiosity was apparently still
unsatisfied but he was nevertheless much alarmed for he kept
uttering a low coc-coc during which time that he remained
in sight.
[margin]Ardea herodias[/margin]
  The Lake is falling rapidly & the Moose Point marsh is now
in good condition for Snipe but not a single small wader of
any description was seen or heard to-night.
  There has been little shooting within our hearing these past
four or five days although there has been a tent on Moll's
Rock during this time.
  Previous to to-day I have seen but one Sheldrake but early
this forenoon a flock of 22 passed the Point flying down
the Lake into Glaspy Cove as they are in the habit of
doing when the wind comes strong from the S.E. & the 
upper level of the Lake becomes too rough for them.
[margin]Goosanders[/margin]