69
Lake Umbagog.
1897.
May 23
  Clear and calm up to 9 A.M. when a southerly breeze
started increasing to half-a-gale by noon and bringing
cloud masses which at length overcast the whole sky.
Much warmer.
  The birds sang freely at daybreak and up to the time
the wind rose but I heard only those in our little cove
for my sole excursion during the day was to the little
island at the entrance to the channel, to photograph
the Black Duck's nest. Three of us went in the
boat and the noise we made in landing (although no
more than we made yesterday) started the sitting
bird who rose again directly from the nest and
went straight up through the trees in the opposite
direction from that which she took yesterday. After
taking a number of photographs of the nest & eggs I left
my camera in position, first masking it with green boughs,
hoping that the Duck would not notice it on her
return. But if she returned to the nest at all her
keen eyes marked the suspicious object for at intervals
during the forenoon we saw her flying uneasily about
the island in company with her mate. At 1 P.M. I
sent Gilbert for the camera. He reported that the bird
was not on the nest.
[margin]Birds sing
freely at dawn[/margin]
[margin]Photographing
nest of 
Black Duck[/margin]
  Watrous found another Black Duck's nest to - day
(among some young spruces he says) on a small island
on the west shore of the Sweat Cove. He nearly trod on
the sitting bird who scuttled off to the water's edge
before taking wing. He mistook her at first for a Rabbit.
This nest had 10 eggs.
[margin]A second
nest of 
Black Duck
found.[/margin]