Lake Umbagog.
1896
May 23
(no 2)
[May 23, 1896]

Devastation wrought by lumbermen
in woods at rear of Pine P. [Pine Point]

woods in every direction. The lumbermen made clean work taking
pretty nearly all the balsams, spruces & arbor vitaes but leaving
the hardwood trees. Among the last are some of the largest
and finest paper & yellow birches that I have ever seen.
One paper birch which I photographed was fully two feet in
diameter around the base and upwards of 80 ft. in height.

A bird paradise
Small birds especially Warblers, in great numbers & variety

  Despite the almost total absence of large conifers (excepting
a few hemlocks) the country which we traversed was simply
swarming with birds, chiefly Warblers among which the Bay-breasts [Bay-breasted Warbler]
and Blackburnians [Blackburnian Warbler] were most numerous. There were also a
number of Winter Wrens and we heard one Golden-crest but
no Creepers nor Cape May Warblers. Black-throated Blue Warblers
were common and Black & Yellow Warblers abundant. There
were also a good many Black-throated Green Warblers and
Canadian Warblers. Woodpeckers were numerous but most of
those seen were Yellow-bellies [Yellow-bellied Woodpecker]. Sparrows were scarce. We saw one
Junco & heard one or two White-throats [White-throated Sparrow]. Now & then we heard
one Olive-sided Flycatcher & on a high knoll wooded
with big birches we found a Great Crested Flycatcher the first
I have seen this year & one of the noisiest I ever met with.
Altogether the afternoon's experience reminded me of the good
old times at the Lake House. It is certainly twenty years
since I have seen & heard such a number & variety of
"Canadian" birds within an equal area. They were as numerous
everywhere over hundreds of acres as small birds are in
Massachusetts during some unusual bird wave and in the
most favored places. I have not named half the species we saw.

Stub worked at by Log Cocks, now in my Museum.

  We found the most remarkable specimen of the Pileated
Woodpecker's handi (or rather bill) work that I have ever seen. I
photographed it successfully & mean to take the stump later.