Lake Umbagog journals, 1871-1916 (inclusive)
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Image from the Biodiversity Heritage Library. Contributed by Harvard University, Museum of Comparative Zoology, Ernst Mayr Library. | www.biodiversitylibrary.org
Transcription
Tringa a pacifica. Lake Umbagog, Maine. 1894. As we were passing the mud flats on the left shore oppo- Sept. 27. site Leonard's Pond I saw several small waders sitting on little mounds of mud surrounded by water. We pushed the boat towards them and soon made them out to be Dunlins. As they appeared to be very tame I decided to try to photograph them. Jim pushed the boat slowly along over the mud until the bows were within eight feet of the birds and I put up my tripod an took ten pictures of them. My subjects were scarce enough interested in what I was about to so much as look at me al- though my focussing cloth waved and flapped in the wind and various doors, slides and springs of the camera clicked and snapped loudly. During most of the time (about two hours) the birds were asleep with their bills buried in the feathers of the back (scapulars) but they literally slept "with one eye open". When I roused them by whistling, clapping my hands, or talking to them they would regard me for a moment with mild wonder and then go to sleep again. I stood up and sat down, changed the position of my camera etc. without taking the slightest pains to avoid noise or sudden movements, but the birds after the first minute ot two, paid no attention to my movements. They were evidently very tired but it seemed in- credible that any wild creatures should be so utterly devoid of fear or even curiosity. There was nothing between them and 37