Oct. 16: toward Winnipeg strips of higher ground ploughed for wheat - full plant was sown; has recently rained; now cloudy, with cold northwest wind, but not freezing, and no snow in sight. Condition of farm horses to here, miserable; many deserted. Four Mergansers here; back a ways, a Magpie, and many magpie nests, in little bird or cottonwood trees. 11 & 45 - along by Wolsley. Back a ways was first prairie pond - about 12 Mallards on it. Saw 3 other ducks and 2 Buteos in flight toward south. This is north of North Dakota - same type of landscape. Crossed just one definite watercourse, at this time; a little, almost still, water in it. Extensive wheat here; strawstacks with little, steep-roofed grain sheds by each of them; 2 or 3 strawstacks burning; but no general burning yet. Ranch houses look in better repair here, and there are now cattle in sight; 12 cows. 1 p.m. (Central Time); Broadview: the prairie relieved by plantings of trees (cottonwood chiefly) around farms and towns. Now and then a watercourse, dry; 2 or 3 prairie ponds seen; 2 ducks on one of them. A Marsh Hawk drifted over a swale; a cloud of ( Brewer? ) Blackbirds in a farmyard, and 3 individuals at swale; 5 black-capped Chickadees in leafless cottonwoods at station grounds.