96.
Concord, Mass.
1913.
Aug. 26
to
Nov. 13
(No 47)

108. Philohela minor. -  Just before sunset on October 21 [October 21, 1913] a 
Woodcock, coming from the eastward, passed me within twenty 
yards and dropped into dense, swampy cover in our Berry Pasture
where I flushed it a few minutes later when it flew off out 
of sight over Mr. Howe's barley pasture to the westward
On the evening of the 22nd [October 22, 1913] and again on that of the 23rd [October 23, 1913]
and of the 27th [October 27, 1913] I heard a bird which may well have
been the same, individually, rise on whistling wings from
nearly if not precisely the same spot and go off beyond
ear shot in the same direction. On each of these occasions
I looked at my watch as soon as the sound was first
heard and on every one of them the hour and minute were
exactly the same (I cannot say as to the second) or just
5.20 P. M. - when twilight was fading but the western sky
still glowing. How could the Woodcock, carrying no watch, have
timed his departure (with which I had nothing to do, not having
entered the cover or otherwise disturbed him) with such astonishingly
close approach to the same instant on these three evenings. I noted no other bird this autumn.