1886
July 15
Concord, Massachusetts
  Cludy, with frequent heavy showers, the first
rain that has fallen for several weeks.
  Late in the afternoon I sailed down river to
Ball's Hill and paddled back in a drenching rain.
[margin]Down river[/margin]
  Birds were singing freely all the day through.
I heard many that have been nearly silent of 
later and one which I have neither seen nor
heard this month, viva t he Rose-breasted Goodbeach,
a male of which was singing with all the fervor of 
spring in an [?] on the river bank.
[margin]Late singing on of birds[/margin]
There were literally hundreds of Swallows
(chiefly H. hosreorunm) along the river and over
Great Meadows. I shot a Bank Swallow and a 
pair of Chimney Swifts, all with my pistol.
Young Red wings,also, were in the undesirable 
numbers: I saw over flock which must have 
contained two hundred.
[margin]Swallows[/margin]
  At 6:30 P.M. I noticed about a hundred
Swallows (chiefly H. hosreorunm with a few L. bicolor)
Apparently going to roost in a black willow
over the river. The top of this tree was dead
and the Swallows were thickly clustered on the 
dead branches as well as among the foliage.
[margin]Swallows roosting[/margin]
  Bobolinks were flitting about in small
flocks and singly, chinking but not singing.
I saw two males in apparently unmixed
breading plumage.
[margin]Bobolinks[/margin]
  The canary grass and other tall grasses
along the river bank have been cut in most
places since my last trip down river.