60
Lake Umbagog.
1897.
May 19.
  A brilliant October-like day with sparkling air wholly
free from haze, an absolutely cloudless sky and a strong
wind from the north-west.
  Affairs connected with our still unfinished house-boat
continue to claim most of my attention. Moreover I
have not as yet sufficiently recovered from my illness of
last winter to be able to stand much fatigue. Hence
to-day, like most of those days that have preceded it
here this month, has been devoted chiefly to small tasks
on the boat. I found time this forenoon, however, to
take a sail in one of the canoes beating up to
the head of Sargent Cove where I found some
interesting birds. First a fine adult Bald Eagle, Next a pair of Black Ducks which
started well in among the flooded forest (the Lake is
exceptionally high even for this season) and were forced to
mount nearly straight upward to a height of 40 or 50
feet before they could get clear of the trees (striking their
wings loudly against more than one dead branch) during 
the ascent). Next two Partridges drumming, one on either
side of the cove. Then a Barred Owl hooting almost
incessantly for more than an hour (9-10 A.M.) in
one place, apparently only a few rods from the water's
edge. I landed & went in search of him but failed
to find him as he stopped hooting as soon as he
heard me approaching. Two Crows were greatly
excited by his outcry & my responses, flying first to
him & then to me, cawing loudly.
[margin]To
Sargent's Cove[/margin]
[margin]Bald Eagle
Black Ducks[/margin]
  Of the smaller birds I heard a Chebec, a Canada
Nuthatch, Pine Linnets, Yellow-rumps, Black & Yellow
Warblers and a Flicker.
[margin]Small 
birds[/margin]