Concord, Mass.
1899
April 6
(No 2)
in which, on examination, I found to be from four
to six or eight inches thick with an upper coating of
white snow ice. Most of the Ducks were swimming near
or standing along the edge of, the ice but a few were
lying on the ice apparently asleep. Some of them rose
more than half-a-mile from us but several flocks
allowed us to paddle within less than 200 yards of them.
The Goosanders were nearly all in pairs although a 
number of pairs were often collected together into a small
flock. At a distance the old drakes looked as white
and about as large as Swans on the dark blue
water. I do not think there were any immature males
for in every case when I saw two birds sitting
together one was a drake in full plumage and the
other its modest garbed mate. I do not remember 
to have once seen so many fine old males here before.
The rich salmon of their under parts was conspicuous
enough when they passed me within three or four
hundred yards. On the ice they stood rather erect
but when walking they carried their bodies nearly
horizontal like Mallards or Black ducks. They walked
easily and not ungracefully and once I saw one 
take a quick but short run just before rising
on wing. When rising from the water they usually
pattered their feet along the surface for a few
yards before getting fairly started but I saw
a few spring directly into the air with almost
as much ease and vigor as a Black Duck. This
was invariably against a stiff breeze [last 4 words underlined], however.
[margin]Water-fowl[/margin]
[margin]Goosanders[/margin]
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