Lake Umbagog.
Cambridge R. Marshes
1896
Aug. 9
  A light shower in the morning & a very heavy one just 
after dinner; otherwise a clear and very hot day the ther.
reaching 90 [degrees].
  I spent the forenoon at Lakeside writing & unpacking.
After the second shower had passed I sailed over to Upton
to see the new house boat which is approaching completion. 
On the way over I saw five Ducks, all, I think, Whistlers. 
Two which were certainly of that species were diving for
food in the river near Peaslee's bend. They were remarkably
tame allowing me to sail the canoe to within less than
20 yards. One looked like an old bird but the other did
not seem to be more than two-thirds grown although it
could fly well.
[margin]Whistlers[/margin]
  I landed at Peaslee's spring and had a refreshing drink of
its ice-cold water. The woods seemed silent and deserted but
a Song Sparrow was singing in the neighboring pasture.
  It was nearly half-an-hour after sunset when I left
the landing at Upton and quite dark when I reached 
Lakeside. The wind had died away and I had to paddle
the entire distance. I started two Great Blue Herons
and saw others flapping lazily across the flowing
western sky but no Ducks seemed to be moving. A
single Nighthawk and a good many Bats were flying
about over the Lake near the mouth of the river.
[margin]Herons[/margin]
[margin]Nighthawk.
Bats[/margin]
  Although I saw no Ducks in the air I surprised a brood
of ten Wood Ducks feeding in shallow water near the eastern end
of the larger pond. Not one of them could fly
apparently but they scattered in every direction & using their
wings & feet like young Gooseanders got into the grass very
quickly. Such a squealing & fluttering as they made on first seeing me!
[margin]Brood of young
Wood Ducks[/margin]