54
Lake Umbagog.
1897
May 15
(No 3)
  At rather long & irregular intervals during the
day an Osprey passed over or near our boat bearing
in his (or her) talons each time a single long sliver
of bark & once a large wisp of hay or grass.
Only once was it accompanied by its mate. It
always followed the same course & after passing
over the road near the school house dipped down
into the woods beyond where it must have a
nest.
[margin]Osprey
carrying
nesting
material in
its talons[/margin]
  Early in the afternoon Watrous & I looked for
the nest of the Woodcock that sings every evening
in the Lakeside clearing. We flushed three of
the birds but found nothing else. In this
cove I saw a purple trillium in full bloom.
Last evening Watrous & Gilbert took a walk
to the Sargent farm where they heard two
Woodcock singing.
[margin]Woodcock[/margin]
[margin]Purple
Trillium blooms[/margin]
  There has been little evident change in the
appearance of the woods since 11th but
the birches & poplars are perhaps a little
more conspicuous now than then. They are the
only trees that have as yet began to unfold
their leaves.
[margin]Vegetation
advancing
Slowly[/margin]
  I saw the first mosquito on the 12th, a
very large one of a species different, I think,
from that which is so numerous later in the
month.