Glendale, Berkshire Co., Mass.
1902.
June 28
  Clear and cool with fresh north-west wind.
  During a walk which I took, this afternoon, in
company with my friend D.C. French, we visited a small
pond surrounded by woods and lying between two ridges of
moderate elevation about half a mile to the north-westward
of my companion's country place at Glendale. This secluded
pool, less than a quarter of an acre in extent, shallow,
and bordered by mud flats sparsely covered with wild grasses
and various kinds of semi-aquatic plants had been formed,
for the purpose of cutting ice, by throwing a rude, flimsy
dam across the corner of a brook at the point
where it emerged from a meadow and began flowing,
between steep banks, down a decided incline. Just as
we came out on its western shores, after passing through
a wood road fringed with mountain laurel in full bloom,
I heard a Water Thrush chirping sharply. The next moment
I saw the bird flitting about among some bushes at
the edge of the opening. it held something which looked like
a large grub in its bill but this did not prevent it
from uttering its metallic notes at short, regular intervals.
It was soon joined by its mate, the male, I thought,
who also chirped but less auspiciously and frequently. Both
birds approached us within a few yards and as they were
in a good light I had no difficulty in identifying them
positively as Louisiana Water Thrushes. After watching them
for a few minutes we advanced and almost immediately
discovered their nest which was within twenty feet of where
we first saw the female bird. It contained six young
well feathered and almost large enough to fly, although they
all kept their eyes tight shut while we were looking at them,
Nest of Seiurus motacilla
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