Lake Umbagog.
1900.
Sept. 14
(No 3)
  We had finished photographing and we about to leave the pond
when a Blue-winged Teal darted past me about on a level with
my head & so near that I instinctively struck at it with my paddle.
It alighted in the water about 50 yards off and swimming to the
shore climbed to the top of a mud hump where it sat dozing in the
sun. I had a Reflex Camera with me and putting in a plate holder
I paddled to a point opposite the bird and allowed the canoe
to drift down towards it with the wind exposing both plates (both
afterwards turned out to be light-struck & worthless) when I 
thought I was within good range. My best chance came a moment
later, however, when the bird startled out of its slumbers by my
near approach began walking slowly along the smooth muddy shore
with head & neck erect. Before it flew I was literally within
ten feet of it.
A tame
Blue wing
Teal.
  Nothing of especial interest happened on our way back to camp.
The wind had fallen to a light breeze and the western sky was
piled with masses of dark clouds. Muskrats cut their silvery furrows
across the black water, Great Blue Herons flapped lazily across
the broad marshes, now & then a Duck whistled close past
us and we heard the scaipe of a wandering Snipe. Altogether
it was an interesting day - quite the most so of any that we
have had here thus far this season.
Return to
camp at
evening.
Herons, Ducks
& Snipe in
Outlet marshes
88