67
Lake Umbagog.
1897
May 22
  Clear, the sky filled at times, however, with masses of
clouds driven rapidly before the violent N.W. wind. Much cooler.
  Although the wind did not rise until half-past six this
morning there was almost no singing at daybreak. Indeed I
heard only a Winter Wren, a Water Thrush and the pip calls of
several Swainson's Thrushes. It was a great contrast to yesterday
morning. No doubt the cause of this unusual silence was the
sudden fall in the temperature for, as I satisfied myself later in
the day, there were plenty of birds about although less, I think,
than yesterday. They sang rather freely, too, at midday & in
the early afternoon despite the raging wind but when the
wind fell at sunset and the air became frosty again
the woods were again silent or so nearly so that I heard
only an Olive-back, a Winter Wren and (on the Hayward farm)
a Savanna Sparrow and a Red-winged Blackbird.
[margin]A sudden
fall of
temperature
silences the
singing birds
They sing
chiefly at
midday[/margin]
  Just before breakfast this morning we saw the pair
of Black Ducks again swimming together close in shore near
the little island at the eastern entrance to Great Island
channel. An hour later we landed on this island and
searched it systematically and as we supposed thoroughly
but without finding anything save an old nest of a
Water Thrush. On the way back to the boat, however, and
within a few yards of it I noticed an isolated patch
of rather scanty yew which we had all passed by on
first landing. Turning aside to examine it I suddenly
saw one of the branches move slightly and a long
dark neck was thrust up within ten or twelve feet of
where I stood. The next instant a Black Duck rose
with a prodigious flutter and loud quacking and went
[margin]Nest of
Black Duck
found on
island near
our anchorage.[/margin]