Concord, Mass.
1901
June 2
(No 6)
  Herbert Holden tells me that this morning and a
week ago to-day he saw a black & white Duck
which, from his description, I think must have been either
a Whistler or a Hooded Merganser. On both occasion
it started from among the flooded belt of trees
between the Holt and Hunt's Pond and flew low over
the water going only a short distance before alighting
again. On the second occasion it dropped into the
open water on the meadows and when Holden
pursued it resorted to diving.
  On May 26th Holden had an interesting experience
with a Great Horned Owl in the woods just to the
northward of Lawrence's pines. As he was paddling
along close to shore the bird started from a tree nearly
over him. It flew so slowly & heavily that he followed
it back into the woods. It carried something in
its feet which H.
supposed to be a bird or squirrel & which impeded its
movements greatly. Indeed after taking several flights
it alighted on the ground so completely exhausted
that it allowed H. to walk directly up
to it when he discovered that its burden was a
steel trap with a short piece of chain attached. One
of its toes was caught in the jaws of the trap which
it had apparently been carrying about for several
days. H. pressed it down firmly with his paddle
and released it from the trap when it at once
flew off to a considerable distance pursued by
a mob of crows.
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