Lake Umbagog.
1909
June 14 [June 14, 1909]
(No 8)
jumps when intervening spaces of water had to be cleared.
The mother Whistler also crossed logs and driftwood but
in a more sedate manner, walking easily & rather gracefully
with none of the waddling motion of a tame duck but
with the body carried similarly, ie horizontally.
Six of the young finally ranged themselves in a row in
the sun on a floating log and spent some time there
preening their feathers while the last of the brood with
the mother continued feeding. During this period the
young kept up a low conversational peeping or twittering
while the mother answered them every now & then with
a guttural, crooning, almost growling, krur-krur-kr-r-r-r.
Once when startled by something on the boat she gave
a loud, high-pitched squawk unlike anything I have
heard the Whistler utter before. When swimming at ease
and slowly she habitually swung her head & neck