1886
Aug. 29
Concord, Massachusetts.
  Cloudless but with a dense haze. Morning warm, afternoon
cooler with E. wind.
  Late in the afternoon paddled up the Assabet as
far as Bird's nest Id. The sun for an hour before it
set looked like a great Red Ball suspended in the 
western sky and its rays failed to piece the dense
house sufficiently to cast a shadow.
[margin]Evening on
the Assabet[/margin]
  The Assabet was quiet and beautiful as it always
is at sunset, or indeed at any hour. There were a 
good many birds, two Kings fishes winding their feathers,
a pair of Night Herons perched on willows over the 
water, troops of Sparrows in the alders descending
the banks to drink or bathe and scurrying back at 
the last alarm, Water Thrushes chirping in the 
button bushes, and surreal small flocks of Warblers
among the tree tops. There was also a noisy brood
of young Goldfinches just out of the nest and
clamoring for food. Gray Squirrels and must rats
were out in force, the former looming heavily in
the foliage of the oaks and [?] off  either around
or twigs which rustled down incessantly.
  With the twilight Warblers began to lisp and
Thrushes (probably T. fuscescens) to call in all directions.
At first they seemed to be stationary and in the tops
of the taller trees when I would hear the same
bird fish or c all many times in the same place.
But when it became fairly dark they were
evidently on wings and pouring southward in
a steady stream. On the way home and afterwards
as I sad in my room with the windows open,
I heard them incessantly up the eleven o'clock
[margin]Migration[/margin]