1886
Aug.22
Concord, Massachusetts
  Clear with strong N.E. wind. Morning and evening
cold, almost frosty.
  Started down river with Purdie at 11 a.m. overtaking
Lombard, Wright man and Mackintosh who were together in 
another canoe and keeping on with them.
[margin]Down river 
to great woods[/margin]
  Reaching the meadow landing below Ball's Hill at
about 1 P.M. we went ashore and crossed to the
hill ascending which and passing through two old
woods we came out into the circular clearing 
beyond when we launched and spent surreal hours.
  On first entering this clearing we saw two of the
young Hawks which I have been calling Cooper's
Hawks, but which to my surprise prove now to
be Los Hawks. There was no mistaking the species
once I saw them fairly in the open for the female
(they were evidently [male] and [female]) was fully double the win
of the largest female Cooper's. They were circling about
playfully choosing one another, occasionally soaring
in narrow circles, squealing as usual.
  The woods seemed to be almost utterly deserted
to-day; we saw in them only a Wood Pewee, a 
Chickadee and a Mniotilta. Can the great mixed
flock have left?
  Returned up river early in the afternoon, seeing 
on the way to Ardea herodias flying in company,
a Bittern flying down stream, a Least Flycatcher in
the alders near they "y tree" and two small flocks
of Barn Swallows.
  As we got back to the Manse before sunset we
decided to go on up into the Assabet. That river
as usual was wonderfully beautiful but silence