Two large ducks just above the bridge.

March 16.

Cloudy in the forenoon. Sun comes out and it is rather pleasant in the afternoon. 

P. M. — To Conantum End. 

At the woodchuck’s hole just beyond the cockspur thorn, I see several diverging and converging trails of undoubtedly a woodchuck, or several, which must have come out at least as early as the 13th. The track is about one and three quarters inches wide by two long, the five toes very distinct and much spread, and is somewhat hand-like. They had come out and run about directly from hole to hole, six in all, within a dozen rods or more. This appeared to have been all their travelling, as if they had run round a-visiting and waked each other up the first thing. None have travelled beyond these holes, except that one track leads into the swamp. But here are the tracks of foxes bound on longer journeys. 

As I stand here, some sixty rods from the river, at about 3.30 P. M., looking at the open river, toward which my shadow points at right angles with its current, that part which my shadow extended would strike is a pale dull slate-color, but that part a dozen rods southerly from this is a distinct blue, which goes on increasing in depth southerly, till, looking at an angle of forty-five degrees from the first line, it is of a glorious, deep indigo blue. For some reason I must look much further north to see it blue. 

Returning, scare up two large ducks just above the bridge. One very large; white beneath, breast and neck; black head and wings and aft. The other much smaller and dark. Apparently male and female. They alight more than a hundred rods south of the bridge, and I view them with glass. The larger sails about on the watch, while the smaller, dark one dives repeatedly.  I think it the goosander or sheldrake. 

H. D. Thoreau, Journal, March 16, 1855

At the woodchuck’s hole just beyond the cockspur thorn ...Cockspur thorn (Crataegus crus-galli) is a species of hawthorn native to eastern North America. See June 10, 1856 ("The Crataegus Crus-Galli is out of bloom”); September 25, 1856 ("the Crataegus Crus-Galli on the old fence line between Tarbell and T. Wheeler beyond brook are smaller, stale, and not good at all. “). 

The track is about one and three quarters inches wide by two long, the five toes very distinct and much spread, and is somewhat hand-like. See March 15, 1860 ("I see to-day in two places, in mud and in snow, what I have no doubt is the track of the woodchuck that has lately been out, with peculiarly spread toes like a little hand.");April 12, 1855 (“For a week past I have frequently seen the tracks of woodchucks in the sand. ”). See also A Book of the Seasons, by Henry Thoreau, Signs of the Spring: The Woodchuck Ventures Out

Scare up two large ducks . . . I think it the goosander or sheldrake. See March 16, 1854 ("I see ducks afar, sailing on the meadow, leaving a long furrow in the water behind them."); March 16, 1860 ("Saw a flock of sheldrakes a hundred rods off, on the Great Meadows, mostly males with a few females, all intent on fishing”) See also A Book of the Seasons, by Henry Thoreau, The Sheldrake (Merganser, Goosander) and A Book of the Seasons, by Henry Thoreau, Signs of the Spring: Ducks Afar, Sailing on the Meadow